Predicted-location notification for social networking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current social networking systems lack the ability to provide real-time, context-aware push notifications based on continuous location information and social graph relationships, failing to effectively inform users about the presence or arrival of friends at specific locations.
Innovation Solution
A method and computer-readable storage media that utilize continuous-location or ambient-location information to infer social gatherings and send push notifications to friends at the same location, incorporating real-time traffic data to estimate arrival times, rather than relying on GPS coordinates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If GPS coordinates are used for location-based notifications, then location precision is improved, but user privacy and notification relevance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential location information (presence at a place, movement between places) from the complete GPS coordinate data, sending this simplified location context to the server for notification generation rather than transmitting detailed coordinate information
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using precise GPS coordinates to determine notifications, the patent inverts the approach by using ambient location information from multiple users to collectively infer location context and generate notifications based on social patterns rather than individual precise positioning
2Loss of time
If continuous-location information is collected, then notification timeliness is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines ambient location information from multiple users with social graph relationships to collectively determine notification triggers, reducing the need for each individual device to continuously monitor and process location data independently
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses partial location information (ambient location context rather than continuous precise tracking) to generate notifications, performing sufficient action to achieve timeliness without the excessive energy consumption of full continuous GPS monitoring
3Measurement precision
If real-time traffic data is integrated, then arrival time accuracy is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces real-time traffic data as an intermediary factor that mediates between location information and arrival time calculation, using traffic conditions to adjust and refine arrival time estimates without requiring complex direct modeling of travel dynamics
Data Source
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AI summary
In one embodiment, a method includes determining a geo-location of a first user; and identifying a second user that the geo-location of the first user is of interest to. The second user is identified based at least in part on a relationship between the first and second users. The method also includes sending to a mobile client computing device associated with the second user a notification contains information associated with the first user.