Wireless identifiers for proximity applications
US8812028B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 17, 2011 |
| Grant date | Aug 19, 2014 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 5, 2033 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04W4/21
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A proximity matching system may use broadcast wireless identifiers transmitted by users' devices to match users with other nearby users. The identifiers may be collected by a plurality of agents, then the identifiers may be matched with pre-defined profiles to generate physically proximate users by a remote service. The group of proximate users may be provided to various applications and consumed with summarized properties or individual properties, depending on the approved privacy settings as selected by the users. In some embodiments, the broadcast wireless identifiers may be personal area network identifiers, local area network identifiers, cellular network identifiers, or other broadcast identifier. In some embodiments, the agents may not establish a peer to peer or other connection with the broadcasting device. The agents may be fixed or mobile agents, and the proximity of users may be generated through links between nearby agents in a meshed fashion.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.