Interactive Map Check-In Flow for Sharing Updated User Locations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing social networking systems lack the ability for users to easily and efficiently request and share updated location information, including points of interest, with their contacts without requiring direct contact information exchange.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for requesting and displaying a user's current location and point of interest on an interactive map, utilizing centralized servers and geographically aware computing devices to facilitate check-ins and share this information within a social network, allowing users to select and broadcast their current location and associated points of interest to interested parties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If GPS-enabled cell phones are integrated with interactive maps to display real-time locations, then users can view their locations and friends' locations on interactive maps, but users cannot easily request and share updated location information including points of interest without direct contact information exchange
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a social networking system as an intermediary between users. Instead of requiring direct contact information exchange, the system mediates location requests by receiving requests from interested users, transmitting them to subscribed users, and delivering selected points of interest back to the interested users. This intermediary approach resolves the contradiction by enabling location information sharing without compromising ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the location sharing process into distinct functional components: (1) receiving location requests from interested users, (2) transmitting requests to subscribed users, (3) receiving selected points of interest from subscribed users, and (4) providing results to interested users. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, improving overall ease of operation while maintaining comprehensive location information sharing.
2Loss of information
If users can select and broadcast their current location and associated points of interest, then seamless sharing of updated location information is enabled, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal check-in mechanism that serves multiple functions: (1) capturing current GPS location, (2) identifying associated points of interest, (3) enabling user selection of specific points of interest, and (4) broadcasting selected information to the social network. This multi-functional approach consolidates what would otherwise require separate systems, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining comprehensive point of interest information sharing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs self-service mechanisms where subscribed users automatically receive location requests and can independently select their points of interest without manual intervention. The system automatically processes these selections, formats the information, and distributes it to interested users. This self-service approach minimizes the operational complexity burden on users while enabling comprehensive location and point of interest information sharing.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method is disclosed for requesting an updated location, including a point of interest, from a user for display on an interactive map. On receiving from an interested user a request for a point of interest associated with a subscribed user's current location, a request is transmitted to the subscribed user to check-in to the point of interest. In response to the request, the subscribed user selects a selected point of interest from a selection list. A representation of the subscribed user and the selected point of interest is then provided for display on an interactive map associated with the interested user.