Method And System For Using A Situational Network
Patent No. US12120769 (titled "Method And System For Using A Situational Network") was filed by Sitnet Llc on Apr 18, 2024.
What is this patent about?
’769 is related to the field of situational awareness networks , particularly those leveraging multi-dimensional social networks to disseminate information during events. This includes technologies for connecting individuals and devices based on proximity, interests, or other relevant factors to facilitate communication and information sharing during emergencies, travel disruptions, or other situations.
The underlying idea behind ’769 is to create a dynamic network centered around a specific event, using a pre-existing multi-dimensional social network as a foundation. This involves establishing an 'event node' that users can discover and join, forming a centralized architecture for accessing event-related information. The system then intelligently identifies and connects other potentially relevant users based on their proximity to the event and their existing connections within the social network, even if they haven't explicitly joined the event node.
The claims of ’769 focus on a computer-implemented method and system for maintaining a database of user nodes and multi-dimensional links, establishing an event node for a geographical event, joining user devices to the event node, creating a projection of user nodes based on distance from the event, transmitting requests to connect to the event node, recording responses, making a subset of responses viewable, analyzing the database to identify a second node connected to the event node, and delivering information to the second node.
In practice, the system works by first establishing a baseline social network where users are connected through various dimensions like family, friends, or professional interests. When an event occurs, an event node is created, and users in the vicinity are invited to join. The system then analyzes the social network to identify other users who might be indirectly affected or have relevant information, even if they aren't geographically close. This is done by looking at connections within the social network and delivering information to these users, ensuring that relevant data reaches a wider audience.
This approach differs from prior solutions by leveraging the pre-existing social network structure to intelligently identify and connect relevant users. Instead of simply broadcasting information to everyone in a geographical area, the system uses the multi-dimensional relationships to target information delivery, ensuring that the right people receive the right information. The roll call feature and the ability to view responses from nearby nodes further enhance the situational awareness and coordination capabilities of the network.
How does this patent fit in bigger picture?
Technical landscape at the time
In the mid-2000s when ’769 was filed, location-based services were gaining traction at a time when mobile devices commonly relied on GPS for positioning, and wireless networks such as 3G were becoming more prevalent. At that time, ad-hoc networking was typically implemented using infrastructure-based wireless networks, and the creation of situational awareness systems often faced hardware or software constraints that made real-time data aggregation and dissemination non-trivial.
Novelty and Inventive Step
Claims 2-31 were pending in the application. Claims 2-31 were rejected for non-statutory double patenting over prior patents and a co-pending application. The rejection based on the co-pending application was provisional. The Office action indicated that a terminal disclaimer could be used to overcome the double patenting rejection. The prosecution record does not describe the technical reasoning or specific claim changes that led to allowance.
Claims
This patent contains 30 claims, of which claims 1, 11, 21, and 26 are independent. The independent claims are directed to a method and system for connecting users to events through a multi-dimensional information network. The dependent claims generally elaborate on the specifics of the connections, data analysis, and user interactions within the system and method.
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Date
Description
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US12120769
- Application Number
- US18639871
- Filing Date
- Apr 18, 2024
- Status
- Granted
- Expiry Date
- Oct 26, 2027
- External Links
- Slate, USPTO, Google Patents