Social network geographic filter
OwnerDante Monteverdeinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and system for defining a geographic target area for filtering communications or messages based on geographic criteria. The target area can relate to the user's common shopping area or a maximum distance he or she is willing to travel for a given event or a given time. A trip planner is also disclosed that allows a user to specify a planned trip and that alerts other users along a path of the trip.
Claims20
A method of transmitting a message in a network having a first user and a second user, comprising:
- establishing a target area of the first user;
- receiving a request to transmit the message from the second user
- determining a geographic relevance of the message;
- establishing a point or area corresponding to the geographic relevance of the message;
- determining whether the target area of the first user at least partially overlaps the point or area corresponding to the geographic relevance of the message;
- and
- transmitting the message to the first user if the target area of the first user at least partially overlaps the point or area corresponding to the geographic relevance of the message.
A server device for facilitating transmission of a message in a network having a first user and a second user, comprising:
- a processor;
- and
- a computer-readable medium, wherein the computer-readable medium includes instructions executable by the processor and causing the processor to:
- establish a target area of the first user;
- receive a request to transmit the message from the second user;
- determine a geographic relevance of the message;
- establish a point or area corresponding to the geographic relevance of the message;
- determine whether the target area of the first user at least partially overlaps with the point or area corresponding to the geographic relevance of the message;
- and
- transmit the message to the first user if the target area of the first user at least partially overlaps the point or area corresponding to the geographic relevance of the message.
A non-transitory computer-readable medium for use within a system having a first user and a second user, the computer-readable medium comprising:
- instructions for establishing a target area of the first user;
- instructions for receiving a request to transmit a message from the second user;
- instructions for determining a geographic relevance of the message;
- instructions for establishing a point or area corresponding to the geographic relevance of the message;
- instructions for determining whether the target area of the first user at least partially overlaps the point or area corresponding to the geographic relevance of the message;
- and
- instructions for transmitting the message to the first user if the target area of the first user at least partially overlaps the point or area corresponding to the geographic relevance of the message.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.