Sharing data among proximate mobile devices with short-range wireless signals

A method for a transmitter device positioned within a place to broadcast data relevant to devices within proximity, comprising:

• receiving a first short-range wireless signal that includes the data obtained from a primary data source;
• determining whether the data within the first signal is useful to the devices within proximity based on whether the data relates to the place;
• updating stored data when the data within the first signal is useful to the devices within proximity;
• and
• broadcasting the stored data via a second short-range wireless signal.

A mobile device configured to share information with proximate devices via short-range wireless signals, comprising:

• means for determining whether the mobile device should obtain data from a primary data source via long-range wireless communications;
• means for obtaining the data in response to determining that the mobile device should obtain the data from the primary data source;
• means for receiving a short-range wireless signal that includes the data in response to determining that the mobile device should not obtain the data;
• and
• means for determining whether the data is useful in response to receiving the data via the short-range wireless signal.

A server, comprising:

• means for receiving a coordination request message corresponding to data;
• means for determining whether a mobile device should obtain the data from a primary data source via long-range wireless communications;
• and
• means for transmitting a first message that includes a command for the mobile device to obtain the data from the primary data source.

A transmitter device positioned within a place and configured to broadcast data relevant to devices within proximity, comprising:

• means for receiving a first short-range wireless signal that includes the data obtained from a primary data source;
• means for determining whether the data within the first signal is useful to the devices within proximity based on whether the data relates to the place;
• means for updating stored data when the data within the first signal is useful to the devices within proximity;
• and
• means for broadcasting the stored data via a second short-range wireless signal.

A mobile device configured to share information with proximate devices via short-range wireless signals, comprising:

• a memory;
• and
• a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations comprising:
• determining whether the mobile device should obtain data from a primary data source via long-range wireless communications;
• obtaining the data in response to determining that the mobile device should obtain the data from the primary data source;
• receiving a short-range wireless signal that includes the data in response to determining that the mobile device should not obtain the data;
• and
• determining whether the data is useful in response to receiving the data via the short-range wireless signal.

A server, comprising:

• a memory;
• and
• a server processor coupled to the memory, wherein the server processor is configured with server processor-executable instructions to perform operations comprising:
• receiving a coordination request message corresponding to data;
• determining whether a mobile device should obtain the data from a primary data source via long-range wireless communications;
• and
• transmitting a first message that includes a command for the mobile device to obtain the data from the primary data source.

A transmitter device positioned within a place and configured to broadcast data relevant to devices within proximity, comprising:

• a memory;
• and
• a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations comprising:
• receiving a first short-range wireless signal that includes the data obtained from a primary data source;
• determining whether the data within the first signal is useful to the devices within proximity based on whether the data relates to the place;
• updating stored data when the data within the first signal is useful to the devices within proximity;
• and
• broadcasting the stored data via a second short-range wireless signal.

A non-transitory processor-readable storage medium having stored thereon processor-executable software instructions configured to cause a processor to perform operations for a mobile device to share information with proximate devices via short-range wireless signals, the operations comprising:

• determining whether the mobile device should obtain data from a primary data source via long-range wireless communications;
• obtaining the data in response to determining that the mobile device should obtain the data from the primary data source;
• receiving a short-range wireless signal that includes the data in response to determining that the mobile device should not obtain the data;
• and
• determining whether the data is useful in response to receiving the data via the short-range wireless signal.

A non-transitory server processor-readable storage medium having stored thereon server processor-executable software instructions configured to cause a server processor to perform operations comprising:

• receiving a coordination request message corresponding to data;
• determining whether a mobile device should obtain the data from a primary data source via long-range wireless communications;
• and
• transmitting a first message that includes a command for the mobile device to obtain the data from the primary data source.

A non-transitory processor-readable storage medium having stored thereon processor-executable software instructions configured to cause a processor to perform operations for a transmitter device positioned within a place to broadcast data relevant to devices within proximity, comprising:

• receiving a first short-range wireless signal that includes the data obtained from a primary data source;
• determining whether the data within the first signal is useful to the devices within proximity based on whether the data relates to the place;
• updating stored data when the data within the first signal is useful to the devices within proximity;
• and
• broadcasting the stored data via a second short-range wireless signal.

A system, comprising:

• a server;
• and
• a mobile device,
• wherein the server is configured with server-executable instructions to perform operations comprising:
• receiving a coordination request message corresponding to data;
• determining whether the mobile device should obtain the data from a primary data source via long-range wireless communications;
• and
• transmitting a first message that includes a command for the mobile device to obtain the data from the primary data source, and
• wherein the mobile device comprises:
• a memory;
• a first transceiver configured to communicate with a network coupled to the server;
• a second transceiver configured to broadcast short-range wireless signals;
• and
• a processor coupled to the memory, the first transceiver, and the second transceiver, and configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations comprising:
• transmitting to the server via the first transceiver the coordination request message corresponding to the data;
• receiving the first message from the server via the first transceiver;
• obtaining the data when the first message includes the command to obtain the data from the primary data source;
• and
• broadcasting the data via the second transceiver.