Mobile Device Grouping by Orientation and Location
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for grouping users based on location are inflexible and limit user selection to geographic proximity, making it difficult to include users at different geographic locations or randomly selected from various cities in marketing campaigns.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses location and orientation information from mobile devices to select and group users, allowing information transmission without specifying recipients, by defining regions based on the initial device's location and orientation, and identifying mobile devices within those regions or with similar orientations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If users are grouped based on geographic location (GPS readings), then the number of users in a group is limited, but the system lacks flexibility to include users at different geographic locations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from two-dimensional geographic location grouping to three-dimensional grouping by incorporating orientation data. Users can be grouped based on facing direction (azimuth) in addition to location, enabling marketers to target users by the direction they are facing rather than just their physical location. This adds a new dimension to the grouping criteria, allowing users from different geographic locations to be included in the same group if they share similar orientation characteristics.
2Reliability
If the number of users in a group exceeds a predetermined threshold, then information transmission errors may occur, but limiting user number reduces marketing reach
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the user base into multiple groups based on orientation data rather than simply limiting group size. By dividing users into orientation-based segments (e.g., users facing north, east, south, west), the system can create multiple smaller, reliable groups that collectively reach a larger audience. Each segment maintains reliable communication while the aggregate of all segments achieves broad marketing coverage.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional GPS-based grouping is used, then users at the same location are grouped together, but users at different locations cannot be included in the same marketing campaign
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces orientation data as an intermediary parameter between location and user grouping. Instead of relying solely on precise location data to group users, the system uses orientation (facing direction) as a mediating criterion. This allows users at different geographic locations to be grouped together if they are facing similar directions, effectively using orientation as a bridge that connects users beyond geographic constraints while maintaining meaningful segmentation.
Data Source
AI summary
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for transmitting information. During operation, the system receives, by a server from an initial mobile device, a request for transmitting information. The request does not specify a recipient for the information. The system obtains location and/or orientation information associated with the initial mobile device and location and/or orientation information associated with a plurality of mobile devices. The system selects from the plurality of mobile devices a subset of mobile devices based on the location and/or orientation information associated with the initial mobile device and the location and/or orientation information associated with the plurality of mobile devices, and transmits the information to the selected subset of mobile devices.