Method And System For Using A Situational Network
Patent No. US12238815 (titled "Method And System For Using A Situational Network") was filed by Sitnet Llc on Apr 18, 2024.
What is this patent about?
’815 is related to the field of situational awareness networks , specifically systems that leverage multi-dimensional social networks to disseminate information about events. The background involves the increasing need for efficient communication during emergencies or other significant events, where traditional communication channels may be overloaded or ineffective. Prior systems often lacked the ability to target information effectively or to leverage existing social connections to improve dissemination.
The underlying idea behind ’815 is to create a dynamic network centered around an event, using a pre-existing multi-dimensional social network as a foundation. This involves establishing an 'event node' that users can join, and then using the social network's structure to identify and connect relevant users, even those who haven't explicitly joined the event node. The system also implements a 'roll call' feature to assess the status of users in the affected area.
The claims of ’815 focus on a networked system comprising a networking server, a plurality of user devices, and at least one information node. The networking server maintains a database of user nodes and multi-dimensional node-to-node links. The server provides a composite data feed to each user device. An event node is established for an event in a geographical area and is discoverable by user devices. User devices that discover the event node are joined to the event node. The networking server creates a projection of user nodes based on distances from the event. The networking server transmits requests to connect to the event node to a subset of user devices. Responses to the requests are recorded and made viewable to a device connected to the event node. The database of multi-dimensional node-to-node links is analyzed to identify a second node that is not connected to the event node but is connected via at least one dimension to at least one user node that is joined to the event node. Information is delivered to the second node.
In practice, the system would work by first identifying an event, such as a natural disaster. An event node is then created, and users in the affected area are invited to join. The system then leverages the multi-dimensional social network to identify other potentially affected users, even if they haven't explicitly joined the event node. This is done by analyzing the connections between users and the event node, and identifying users who are connected to those already participating. A 'roll call' feature is used to solicit status updates from users, and this information is then shared with other users in the network.
The key differentiation from prior approaches lies in the use of a pre-existing multi-dimensional social network to enhance information dissemination. Instead of relying solely on location or explicit user registration, the system leverages existing social connections and user data to identify and connect relevant users. The 'roll call' feature also provides a mechanism for assessing the status of users in the affected area, which can be valuable for emergency response efforts. By analyzing the database of multi-dimensional node-to-node links, the system can identify and deliver information to users who are not connected to the event node but are connected via at least one dimension to at least one user node that is joined to the event node.
How does this patent fit in bigger picture?
Technical landscape at the time
In the mid-2000s when ’815 was filed, systems commonly relied on client-server architectures for network communication, at a time when mobile devices had increasing computational power but were still constrained by battery life and network bandwidth. Location-based services were emerging, but the integration of real-time situational awareness and ad-hoc networking capabilities presented non-trivial engineering challenges.
Novelty and Inventive Step
Claims 2-31 were rejected in a non-final office action. The rejection was based on nonstatutory double patenting over prior patents and a copending application. The office action suggests that a terminal disclaimer may be used to overcome the double patenting rejection under certain conditions. The prosecution record does not describe the technical reasoning or specific claim changes that led to allowance.
Claims
This patent contains 30 claims, with independent claims 1, 11, 21, and 26. The independent claims are directed to methods and apparatuses for delivering event information via a network using a networked system. The dependent claims generally elaborate on and refine the features and functionalities described in the independent claims.
Key Claim Terms New
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Date
Description
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US12238815
- Application Number
- US18639859
- Filing Date
- Apr 18, 2024
- Status
- Granted
- Expiry Date
- Dec 4, 2027
- External Links
- Slate, USPTO, Google Patents