US6654800B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System for communicating through maps
Assignee: Here Global BV
•
Filing: 2000-03-14
•
Granted: 2003-11-25
•
Expires: 2020-03-14
Abstract
Abstract An HTTP server connected to the World Wide Web is described. The system allows a user to post arbitrary information to any geographical region simply by outlining the region on a map in the system's graphical user interface and attaching the information to the outlined region. Any user of the system can browse and receive these geographically relevant postings simply by identifying a point or region of interest on one of the system's maps. Users with registered accounts can elect to receive automatic email of postings that are relevant to one or more of their primary geographical coordinates. Mobile users can condition their cell phones or other communications devices to check into the system periodically to receive geographically relevant postings as they travel. The system can be used for communications with a geographically identified group, for governmental and commercial communications with a particular population, and for advertising, among other uses.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles J. Rieger, III
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 10:50
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L69/00; H04L69/30; H04L69/32; H04L69/322; H04L69/329; G; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/20; G06F16/29; G06F16/80; G06F16/84; G06F16/88; G06Q; G06Q30/00; G06Q30/02; H04L51/00; H04L51/21; H04L51/222; H04L67/00; H04L67/50; H04L67/52
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
211 words
A computer system comprising: means for storing and managing a plurality of postings, each posting including a source identification tag, an information body, and a broadcast descriptor, said broadcast descriptor identifying a geographical region of said each posting, wherein said geographical region is defined by a closed region on a map; and means for receiving-and accepting a plurality of requests from mobile and stationary users, each request from a user including a user identification tag and an antenna descriptor, said antenna descriptor identifying a geographical location of said user; and means for processing said each request by identifying and sending to said user postings having geographical regions that contain said geographical location of said user, wherein said means for processing said each request operates on all requests of said users; and means for processing a subsequent request from said user, said subsequent request including a user identification tag and an antenna descriptor specifying a subsequent geographical location of said user, said subsequent geographical location being a current location of said user, wherein said means for processing said subsequent request sends to said user other postings having geographical regions that contain said subsequent geographical location of said user, wherein said other postings do not include any posting previously sent to said user.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
211 words
A computer system comprising: means for storing and managing a plurality of postings, each posting including a source identification tag, an information body, and a broadcast descriptor, said broadcast descriptor identifying a geographical region of said each posting, wherein said geographical region is defined by a closed region on a map; and means for receiving-and accepting a plurality of requests from mobile and stationary users, each request from a user including a user identification tag and an antenna descriptor, said antenna descriptor identifying a geographical location of said user; and means for processing said each request by identifying and sending to said user postings having geographical regions that contain said geographical location of said user, wherein said means for processing said each request operates on all requests of said users; and means for processing a subsequent request from said user, said subsequent request including a user identification tag and an antenna descriptor specifying a subsequent geographical location of said user, said subsequent geographical location being a current location of said user, wherein said means for processing said subsequent request sends to said user other postings having geographical regions that contain said subsequent geographical location of said user, wherein said other postings do not include any posting previously sent to said user.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
The system of claim 1 , further comprising: means for storing and managing a plurality of user accounts corresponding to said stationary and mobile users, each said user account including at least one user identification tag and corresponding antenna descriptor.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The system of claim 2 , wherein said means for processing said each request by identifying and sending includes means for sending postings via email to users associated with said plurality of user accounts.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
49 words
The system of claim 2 , further comprising: means for accepting definitions of, and removing definitions of, said postings and said plurality user accounts via a graphical user interface; and means for displaying said postings and information related to said plurality of user accounts via said graphical user interface.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
63 words
The system of claim 4 , wherein said graphical user interface displays geographical maps to depict at least one of a broadcast descriptor and an antenna descriptor, wherein said mobile and said stationary users use said graphical user interface to draw on said geographical maps with interactive drawing tools to define said at least one of a broadcast descriptor and an antenna descriptor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
73 words
The system of claim 2 , further comprising: means for automatically creating and maintaining a transient user account for a transient user that does not have a user account of said plurality of user accounts, said transient user account including at least one user identification tag and corresponding antenna descriptor, and serving as a temporary user account until timed out and garbage collected after a predefined period of inactivity of said transient user.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
46 words
The system of claim 6 , wherein said antenna descriptors of said transient user accounts enable said system to find and send postings to a mobile transient user based on global positioning system (GPS) coordinate data from a mobile communications device of said mobile transient user.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
40 words
The system of claim 2 , wherein said user accounts have associated user preferences, said user preferences including logical filters specifying further characteristics of said postings that must be present for said postings to be sent to the corresponding user.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
64 words
The system of claim 2 , further comprising: means for storing said postings having geographical regions that contain said geographical location of a particular user in a user account of said particular user; and means for permitting said particular user to define criteria to determine when postings stored in a user account of said particular user are to generate email to said particular user.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
105 words
The system of claim 2 , further comprising: means for restricting the posting authority of any said user account by accepting and storing a plurality of authorized region descriptors and unauthorized region descriptors, any said authorized region descriptor optionally having at least one of an associated posting password and posting category restriction list; wherein the system requires said at least one of said posting password and said category restriction list to be respected by any posting having geographical regions that contain said geographical location of a particular user in a user account of said particular user before said system will accept and store said posting.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein said geographical region is a closed region defined on a map by latitude and longitude.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system of claim 11 , wherein said geographical region is further defined by vertical distance from sea level.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is a server connected to a wide-area network.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is a server coupled to the Internet.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
32 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein the system is an HTTP server connected to the Internet, wherein said mobile and said stationary users interact with the system via standard Web browsers.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
55 words
The system of claim 1 , further comprising: means for maintaining a record for a particular user of which said postings having geographical regions that contain said geographical location of said particular user, wherein said record does not maintain duplicates of said postings having geographical regions that contain said geographical location of said particular user.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein said each posting further includes a password, said password being required to be used by any user requesting to view said information body of said posting.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
46 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein said each posting includes an optional activation time period, said activation time period including a start time and a stop time, said start time and said stop time governing the duration of an availability a respective posting to users.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
46 words
The system of claim 1 , further comprising: means for recording user transaction data, said user transaction data including information related to a duration of contact a respective user has with the system, and a record of actions performed within said duration by said respective user.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5564018A
Cited
EP0653862A1
Cited
US5493286A
Cited
US5948040A
Cited
US5682525A
Cited
EP0734189A2
Cited
US5732324A
Cited
US6183366B1
Cited
US5852810A
Cited
US5948041A
Cited
US5930474A
Cited
US5850433A
Cited
US5742769A
Cited
US6185610B1
Cited
US6052591A
Cited
US5898680A
Cited
US5828839A
Cited
US6161142A
Cited
US6060995A
Cited
US6144944A
Cited
US6393014B1
Cited
US6138009A
Cited
US6148261A
Cited
US5893093A
Cited
JPH1153278A
Cited
US6219696B1
Cited
US6151596A
Cited
US6233428B1
Cited
US6169897B1
Cited
US6119098A
Cited
US6185599B1
Cited
US6219691B1
Cited
US5990886A
Cited
US6184878B1
Cited
JPH11257976A
Cited
US6246672B1
Cited
US6182050B1
Cited
JPH11345184A
Cited
US6205432B1
Cited
US6247043B1
Cited
US6161130A
Cited
JP2000041063A
Cited
US6031467A
Cited
US6256664B1
Cited
US6480885B1
Cited
JP2000181814A
Cited
US6237022B1
Cited
JP2001016248A
Cited
JP2001024689A
Cited
JP2001077842A
Cited
US6374079B1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-11-24 | 2007-05-26 | 2007-11-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-11-24 | 2011-05-26 | 2011-11-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-11-24 | 2015-05-26 | 2015-11-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |