Geotagged Message Threads with Segmented Access Zones
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current geotagged communication methods are not widely used, despite advancements in location determining technologies, as they do not effectively facilitate asynchronous and threaded communications between strangers with geographical restrictions, limiting their utility in situations like posting local messages or advertisements.
Innovation Solution
A location-based electronic messaging system that allows users to post geotagged message threads from a distance, with geographical restrictions for viewing and responding, enabling asynchronous communication where users can create threads with adjustable viewing and reply zones, ensuring that only proximal users can respond, enhancing privacy through password-protected channels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If geotagged communication methods are implemented, then location-based messaging capability is improved, but user adoption remains low due to lack of effective asynchronous threaded communication between strangers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the communication space into distinct geographical zones (viewing zone and reply zone) with different access permissions. This segmentation allows the system to provide differentiated communication experiences - public viewing for broad awareness and private replying for localized interaction - thereby making the system more adaptable and useful for various communication scenarios, which drives user adoption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic geographical zone definitions where the viewing zone and reply zone can be independently configured and adjusted. The system dynamically determines user access rights based on their current location relative to these zones, enabling flexible asynchronous threaded communication between strangers while maintaining geographical context, thus improving both versatility and user adoption.
2Reliability
If geographical restrictions are imposed for replying to messages, then privacy and localization are improved, but communication flexibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by imposing geographical restrictions specifically on the reply function while leaving the view function unrestricted. Users can view messages from anywhere in the viewing zone, but only users within the smaller reply zone can respond. This localized application of privacy controls protects local interactions while maintaining global communication flexibility, resolving the contradiction between privacy and versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments access rights into two distinct layers: viewing access and replying access. By separating these functions and applying different geographical constraints to each, the system maintains communication flexibility for information dissemination while enforcing privacy controls for local interactions, thereby balancing reliability and adaptability.
3Ease of operation
If users can post messages from a distance, then system accessibility is improved, but relevance to local context may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adds a geographical dimension to message relevance by implementing location-based access controls. While users can post messages from anywhere (maintaining accessibility), the system uses the reply zone geographical constraint to ensure that only locally-present users can respond, thereby preserving local context relevance. This dimensional approach separates posting accessibility from replying relevance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by requiring physical presence within the reply zone for responding to messages. This ensures that while the system remains highly accessible for posting, the actual local context and relevance are maintained through geographical restriction on replying, preventing loss of local information quality.
Data Source
AI summary
Communication by location method that geoplaces asynchronous message threads to a specific first geographic location geo-fence within which they are visible, and a second sub geo-fence for replies. The message threads have a first viewing distance parameter, a second reply parameter, and other parameters such as optional user set password prefixes. Users with mobile devices such as GPS equipped smart phones may set their devices to discover non-password protected message threads that are within a specified radius of the actual device itself, or a device virtual map location, and may use passwords to find password protected message threads. Generally only users with a real geographic proximity to the thread within the specified reply distance may reply to the thread. The method will generally be implemented by software residing on mobile devices and host servers, and may additionally use data from map servers to place the treads in a map context.