Ad-hoc Micro-blogging Groups via Spatial Crowd Tagging
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current publish-subscribe micro-blogging services do not support many-to-many ad-hoc micro-blogging groups, limiting the ability to distribute micro-blog posts to spatially proximate users.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that determines the crowd a user is located in by using spatial proximity and tags micro-blog posts with a crowd identifier, allowing for the publication of these tagged posts to ad-hoc micro-blogging groups.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If current publish-subscribe micro-blogging services are used, then micro-blog posts can be distributed to followers, but many-to-many ad-hoc micro-blogging groups based on spatial proximity cannot be formed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent embeds crowd identifier tags within existing micro-blog posts, nesting the spatial grouping functionality inside the conventional publish-subscribe framework. This allows ad-hoc groups to be formed without adding a separate complex system layer
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces crowd identifier tags as an intermediary element that bridges spatial location data and micro-blog post distribution. These tags enable posts to be routed to spatially proximate users without requiring direct many-to-many group management
2Loss of information
If micro-blog posts are distributed to all followers, then information reaches a wide audience, but information cannot be targeted to spatially proximate users
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by associating micro-blog posts with specific crowd identifiers representing spatial locations. Posts are then distributed selectively to users in matching local crowds rather than uniformly to all followers, enabling geographic targeting while maintaining variable distribution scope
3Adaptability or versatility
If spatial proximity detection is implemented, then ad-hoc groups can be formed, but additional processing steps are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by pre-tagging micro-blog posts with crowd identifiers at the time of posting. This advance preparation eliminates the need for real-time spatial queries and group matching during distribution, maintaining efficiency while enabling spatial grouping
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses crowd identifier tags as simplified copies or representations of complex spatial crowd data. Instead of processing entire crowd profiles and spatial relationships, the system uses compact identifier tags that capture the essential grouping information for efficient post distribution
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are disclosed for distributing micro-blog posts to ad-hoc micro-blogging groups. In one embodiment, a micro-blog post of a user is obtained. A crowd in which the user is located is determined, where the crowd is a group of spatially proximate users. The micro-blog post of the user is tagged with a crowd identifier of the crowd in which the user is located such that the micro-blog post includes a crowd identifier tag. Publication of the micro-blog post including the crowd identifier tag is then effected.