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US 11,689,885 B2Granted
Proximity-based messaging
AssigneeT-Mobile USA, Inc.
InventorJeremy Nuss
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Users of a proximity-based messaging system may be added to one or more proximity-based messaging groups that include users of user devices within an active area for the proximity-based messaging group and/or users meeting other criteria for being added to the group. Proximity-based messaging groups may be associated with events, such as music festivals, concerts, sporting events, and other gatherings and events. The active area of a proximity-based messaging group may correspond to a location of an event, an area surrounding an event, an area within an event location, and the like.
Claims16
A method for providing proximity-based messaging, the method comprising:
- determining an active area for a proximity-based messaging group;
- determining a location of a user device associated with a user;
- determining whether the location is within the active area;
- responsive to determining that the location is not within the active area:
- determining a direction of travel of the user device;
- and
- determining, based on the direction of travel and the location, whether the user device is traveling toward the active area;
- and
- responsive to determining that the user device is traveling toward the active area, adding the user to the proximity-based messaging group;
- wherein:
- a location and a shape of the active area are determined to contain a specified number of user devices within the active area, and
- the location and the shape of the active area are automatically updated when each of the specified number of user devices moves in and out of the active area and when the specified number of user devices changes.
9 more elements
A method for providing proximity-based messaging, the method comprising:
- determining an active area for a proximity-based messaging group;
- determining a location of a user device associated with a user;
- determining whether the location is within the active area;
- and
- responsive to determining that the location is not within the active area:
- analyzing context information related to the user device;
- determining whether the context information meets criteria for adding the user to the proximity-based messaging group;
- responsive to determining that the context information meets the criteria for adding the user to the proximity-based messaging group, adding the user to the proximity-based messaging group;
- determining a direction of travel of the user device;
- determining, based on the direction of travel and the location, whether the user device is traveling toward the active area;
- and
- responsive to determining that the user device is traveling toward the active area, adding the user to the proximity-based messaging group;
- wherein:
- at least one of a location or a shape of the active area is determined to contain a specified number of user devices within the active area, and
- the at least one of the location or the shape of the active area is automatically updated when each of the specified number of user devices moves in and out of the active area and when the specified number of user devices changes.
12 more elements
A method for providing proximity-based messaging, the method comprising:
- determining a first active area for a first device associated with a first user;
- determining a second active area for a second device associated with a second user;
- determining a first location of the first device;
- determining whether the first location is in the second active area;
- responsive to determining that the first location is in the second active area:
- determining a second location of the second device;
- and
- determining whether the second location is in the first active area;
- responsive to determining that the second location is in the first active area, adding the first user and the second user to a proximity-based messaging group;
- responsive to determining that the first location is not within the second active area:
- determining a direction of travel of the first device;
- and
- determining, based on the direction of travel and the first location, whether the first device is traveling toward the second active area;
- and
- responsive to determining that the first device is traveling toward the first active area and that the second location is in the first active area, adding the first user and the second user to the proximity-based messaging group;
- wherein:
- at least one of a location or a shape of the first active area is determined to contain a specified number of user devices within the first active area, and
- the at least one of the location or the shape of the first active area is automatically updated when each of the specified number of user devices moves in and out of the first active area and when the specified number of user devices changes.
15 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.