KOTA ENTERPRISES, LLC Patent applications |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20130042305 | FACEMAIL - Systems and methods are disclosed for generating, sending, and delivering a message addressed using an image of an intended message recipient of the message. In one embodiment, a central server receives a message including an image of an intended message recipient from a first user device of a first user. The central server then identifies a second user as the intended message recipient based on the image of the intended message recipient. Then, before delivering the message, the central server obtains an image of a user at a second user device associated with the second user and sends the image to the first user device where the image is presented to the first user. Upon receiving authentication from the first user device that the user at the second user device is the intended message recipient, the central server delivers the message to the second user device of the second user. | 02-14-2013 |
20120135744 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR GENERATING AND MANAGING COMMUNICATION RULES ASSOCIATED WITH GEOGRAPHIC LOCATIONS - Disclosed herein are methods and systems for generating and managing communication rules associated with geographic locations. According to embodiments of the present disclosure, a method may include storing a communication rule associated with a geographic location and a user. The method also includes receiving a communication identifying the geographic location. Further, the method includes applying the communication rule for routing the communication to the user. | 05-31-2012 |
20120072996 | FACEMAIL - Systems and methods are disclosed for generating, sending, and delivering a message addressed using an image of an intended message recipient of the message. In one embodiment, a central server receives a message including an image of an intended message recipient from a first user device of a first user. The central server then identifies a second user as the intended message recipient based on the image of the intended message recipient. Then, before delivering the message, the central server obtains an image of a user at a second user device associated with the second user and sends the image to the first user device where the image is presented to the first user. Upon receiving authentication from the first user device that the user at the second user device is the intended message recipient, the central server delivers the message to the second user device of the second user. | 03-22-2012 |
20120046860 | PASSIVE CROWD-SOURCED MAP UPDATES AND ALTERNATE ROUTE RECOMMENDATIONS - Systems and methods for providing passive crowd-sourced alternate route recommendations are disclosed. In one embodiment, locations of users of a number of mobile location-aware devices are tracked over time. Upon receiving a request, users of mobile location-aware devices that have traveled from a desired start location to a desired stop location are identified. Location histories for the identified users are analyzed to determine one or more different routes taken from the desired start location to the desired stop location. The one or more different routes, or a select subset thereof, are then returned to the requestor as recommended alternate routes. | 02-23-2012 |
20120046049 | SECONDARY INDICATIONS OF USER LOCATIONS AND USE THEREOF BY A LOCATION-BASED SERVICE - Systems and methods are disclosed for obtaining secondary indications of locations of users for use by a location-based service. In one embodiment, a secondary indication of a location of one or more users is obtained from a source of secondary indications of locations of users. The secondary indication includes a location of the one or more users and timing information defining when the one or more users were or will be located at the location. The secondary indication of the location of the one or more users is then stored and utilized to provide the location-based service. In one embodiment, the secondary indication is utilized to store historical aggregate user profile data by location and/or to provide aggregate user profile data for crowds of users formed via a spatial crowd formation process. | 02-23-2012 |
20120041983 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INFORMATION GATEKEEPER BASED ON AGGREGATE PROFILE DATA - Systems and methods are provided for controlling access to sharable items. In general, a computing device of a user stores a sharable item. A sharing rule is configured for the sharable item, where the sharing rule is based on an element of aggregate profile data for a current location of the user, a crowd characteristic of one or more crowds that are currently relevant to the current location of the user, or both. Depending on the embodiment, the element of the aggregate profile data, the crowd characteristic of the one or more crowds, or both are obtained and the sharing rule for the sharable item is resolved. Sharing of the sharable item is then provided according to a result of the resolution of the sharing rule for the sharable item. | 02-16-2012 |
20120041982 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ASSOCIATING CO-PRESENCE INFORMATION WITH A MEDIA ITEM - Computer-implemented methods and systems for associating co-presence information with a media item comprise creating a media identification (ID) for the media item in response to a media device acquiring a media item. The media ID is broadcast to at least one peer device co-present with the media device. A transmission is received from a registered user of the peer device reporting receipt of the media record ID, and an arbitrary ID for the registered user is created. The arbitrary ID of the registered user of the peer device that reported receipt of the media record ID is then associated with the media item. | 02-16-2012 |
20100198917 | CROWD FORMATION FOR MOBILE DEVICE USERS - A system and method are provided for forming crowds of users and providing access to corresponding crowd data. In one embodiment, a central system, which includes one or more servers, operates to obtain current locations for users of mobile devices. The central system receives a crowd request from a requesting device. In response, the central system establishes a bounding region for the request and identifies one or more crowds, each including number of users, that are relevant to the bounding region for the request. The central system then generates crowd data for the one or more crowds and returns the crowd data for the one or more crowds to the requesting device. | 08-05-2010 |
20100198880 | MUSIC DIARY PROCESSOR - A music diary processor for generating an electronic music diary. The music diary processor receives a plurality of event identifiers from a user, wherein each event identifier identifies a respective life event associated with the user. The user can also provide a date identifier identifying a date associated with the life event, a song identifier identifying one or more songs identified by the user as being associated with the live event. The event identifiers, song identifiers and the date identifiers are stored in an electronic storage medium wherein each song identifier and date identifier is coupled with at least one respective event identifier, and a plurality of event identifiers are coupled with each other. The music diary processor can serve as a music discovery vehicle, wherein the music diary processor can use data entered by a user to locate songs and other data associated with other music diaries. | 08-05-2010 |
20100198870 | SERVING A REQUEST FOR DATA FROM A HISTORICAL RECORD OF ANONYMIZED USER PROFILE DATA IN A MOBILE ENVIRONMENT - A system and method are provided for maintaining a historical record of anonymized user profile data for mobile device users and serving historical requests. In one embodiment, a central system, which includes one or more servers, operates to obtain current locations and user profiles for users of mobile devices. The central system processes the current locations and the user profiles of the users over time to maintain a historical record of anonymized user profile data by location. By anonymizing the user data, privacy of the users of the mobile devices is maintained. The central system may then use the historical record of anonymized user profile data to respond to historical requests. The historical requests may be made by users of the mobile devices, subscribers, and/or third-party services. | 08-05-2010 |
20100198862 | HANDLING CROWD REQUESTS FOR LARGE GEOGRAPHIC AREAS - A system and method are provided for processing a request for crowd data for a large geographic area. In one embodiment, a central system, which includes one or more servers, operates to obtain current locations for users of mobile devices and form crowds of three or more users based on the current locations of the users. In order to provide access to crowd data for crowds for a large geographic area, the central system receives a request for crowd data from a requesting device, establishes a bounding region for the request, and identifies one or more starting points within the bounding region for the request. Crowds are identified, crowd data for the crowds is generated, and the crowd data is returned to the requesting device in an iterative manner for a series of two or more outwardly radiating, concentric geographic regions centered at the one or more starting points. | 08-05-2010 |
20100198828 | FORMING CROWDS AND PROVIDING ACCESS TO CROWD DATA IN A MOBILE ENVIRONMENT - A system and method are provided for forming crowds of users and providing access to corresponding crowd data. In one embodiment, a central system, which includes one or more servers, operates to obtain current locations for users of mobile devices. The central system forms a crowd including a number of users based on the current locations of the number of users. The central system then generates crowd data for the crowd and provides access to the crowd data for the crowd. In one embodiment, the crowd data for the crowd includes an aggregate profile for the crowd. In another embodiment, the crowd data includes data characterizing the crowd. The central system provides access to the crowd data by serving crowd data requests. | 08-05-2010 |
20100198826 | MAINTAINING A HISTORICAL RECORD OF ANONYMIZED USER PROFILE DATA BY LOCATION FOR USERS IN A MOBILE ENVIRONMENT - A system and method are provided for maintaining a historical record of anonymized user profile data for mobile device users. In one embodiment, a central system, which includes one or more servers, operates to obtain current locations and user profiles for users of mobile devices. The central system processes the current locations and the user profiles of the users over time to maintain a historical record of anonymized user profile data by location. By anonymizing the user data, privacy of the users of the mobile devices is maintained. The central system may then use the historical record of anonymized user profile data to respond to historical requests. The historical requests may be made by users of the mobile devices, subscribers, and/or third-party services. | 08-05-2010 |
20100198814 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FILTERING AND CREATING POINTS-OF-INTEREST - Systems and methods are provided for filtering and/or creating Points-of-Interest (POIs). In one embodiment, a list of POIs is obtained and then filtered based on crowd data related to the list of POIs to provide a filtered list of POIs. In another embodiment, one or more crowd-sourced POIs are created based on one or more crowds relevant to a corresponding bounding region for POI creation. | 08-05-2010 |
20100197319 | MODIFYING A USER'S CONTRIBUTION TO AN AGGREGATE PROFILE BASED ON TIME BETWEEN LOCATION UPDATES AND EXTERNAL EVENTS - A system and method that maintain current locations for users of a number of mobile devices and compute confidence levels for the current locations of the users are provided. In one embodiment, the confidence levels of the users are computed as a function of amounts of time since location updates were received for the users. In addition, detection of location confidence events may be used to modify the confidence levels for the current locations of the users. The location confidence events may include positive location confidence events that result in an increase in the confidence levels of the current locations of corresponding users, negative location confidence events that result in a decrease in the confidence levels of the current locations of corresponding users, or both. Once computed, the confidence levels of the current locations of the users may then be utilized in a desired manner. | 08-05-2010 |
20100197318 | ANONYMOUS CROWD TRACKING - A system and method for tracking crowds of users are provided. In one embodiment, a central system, which includes one or more servers, operates to obtain current locations for users of mobile devices. Based on the current locations of the users, the central system forms crowds of users. As a result of movement of the users and corresponding location updates, the crowds move and change over time. In order to track at least some of the crowds, crowd snapshots for those crowds are created over time and stored. The crowd snapshots preferably maintain anonymity of the users in the crowd at the time the crowd snapshots are created. Thereafter, the crowd snapshots may be used to generate crowd tracking data for select crowds. | 08-05-2010 |
20100197219 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATED LOCATION-BASED WIDGETS - Systems and methods relating to location-based applications, such as widgets, are disclosed. In general, in one embodiment, a mobile device obtains a list of applications associated with a current or anticipated location of the mobile device from a centralized or distributed application service. One or more desired applications to be activated are either manually or automatically selected from the list of applications associated with the current location or the anticipated location of the mobile device. The mobile device then activates the one or more desired applications. Optionally, for each desired application that has been activated, the desired application may be deactivated once one or more deactivation criteria are satisfied. | 08-05-2010 |
20100094627 | AUTOMATIC IDENTIFICATION OF TAGS FOR USER GENERATED CONTENT - A method and system for automatically identifying tags for a media item. An audio track associated with a media item is analyzed. References to individuals in the audio track are compared to known acquaintances of a user. Matches are identified as potential tags. Duplicate matches can be presented to the user for resolution. | 04-15-2010 |
20100041419 | CUSTOMIZED CONTENT DELIVERY THROUGH THE USE OF ARBITRARY GEOGRAPHIC SHAPES - Methods and systems are disclosed for providing customized content to users based on their location. In one embodiment, for each of one or more content providers, a customized content delivery function receives information from the content provider defining a number of geographic shapes selecting corresponding geographic areas. Preferably, each of the geographic shapes overlaps at least one other of the geographic shapes and is assigned an importance level. For each geographic shape, the content provider defines one or more tags for the geographic shape and assigns a weight to each of the one or more tags. Thereafter, when a request is received from a requestor, one or more content items are selected for delivery to the requestor based on the geographic shapes, the tags and corresponding weights for the geographic shapes, and the location of the requestor. | 02-18-2010 |
20100017261 | EXPERT SYSTEM AND SERVICE FOR LOCATION-BASED CONTENT INFLUENCE FOR NARROWCAST - A method and system are provided for influencing media playback by target users in a defined geographic area in order to create social groups for targeted advertising. In one embodiment, an expert system receives input from an advertisement agency defining a geographic area of interest and an advertisement strategy for the geographic area of interest. The expert system then influences media playback by target users located within the geographic area of interest in a manner that influences creation of one or more social groups centered around media playback and satisfying the advertisement strategy for the geographic area of interest. When there is convergence between a social group created via the influence of the expert system and the advertisement strategy, the expert system notifies one or more advertisement systems, which, in response, present targeted advertisements to the target users forming the social group. | 01-21-2010 |
20100015991 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CALLING A GEOSOC - A system and method are provided for facilitating communication between a first user and a second user that is in a social network of a user of interest to the first user and located at or near a location at which the user of interest is located or believed to be located. In general, the first user identifies a user of interest and a location at which the user of interest is located or is believed to be located. A number of other users that are in a social network of the user of interest and located in a geographic area of interest corresponding to the specified location or a geographic area about and including the specified location are identified. Communication is then facilitated between the first user and one or more of the identified users. | 01-21-2010 |
20100015975 | PROFILE SERVICE FOR SHARING RIGHTS-ENABLED MOBILE PROFILES - A system and method are provided for sharing rights-enabled user profiles among users in voice communication system, such as a mobile telecommunications system. In general, each user defines a user profile and associated access rights, where the user profile and access rights are stored by or accessible to a profile service. When a voice session, or call, is initiated between a first and second user, a device of the first user requests a profile of the second user from the profile service. In response, the profile service determines whether the first user has been granted access rights to the user profile of the second user. If so, the profile service provides the user profile of the second user, or a portion thereof, to the device of the first user according to the access rights of the first user, and the user profile is presented to the first user. | 01-21-2010 |
20090307361 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTENT RIGHTS BASED ON EXISTENCE OF A VOICE SESSION - Systems and methods are provided for granting digital content access rights to shared content based on the existence of a voice session, such as a mobile telecommunications voice call, between users. In general, in the preferred embodiment, a voice session is established between a first user and a second user via associated devices. Either automatically upon establishment of the voice session or upon request by the first user, access rights to content shared by the first user are granted to the second user. The content shared by the first user may be content hosted by the device of the first user, another device associated with the first user, a third-party service, or the like. The access rights granted to the second user allow access to the content shared by the first user while the voice session between the first and second users is active. | 12-10-2009 |
20090271484 | FACEMAIL - Systems and methods are provided for generating, sending, and delivering a message addressed using an image of an intended message recipient of the message. In one embodiment, a sending user captures or otherwise obtains an image of an intended message recipient. A message to the intended message recipient is then generated, addressed using the image of the intended message recipient, and sent to a central server. The central server identifies the intended message recipient based on the image of the intended message recipient and optionally a location and time at which the image was captured. Optionally, the identity of the intended message recipient may be verified by one or more users such as one or more friends of the intended message recipient. The central server then sends the message to the intended message recipient using known contact information such as a username or email address of the intended message recipient. | 10-29-2009 |