US 12,192,850 B2
Method and system for enabling the creation and maintenance of proximity-related user groups
Jeffrey Alan Holden, Chicago, IL (US); Jeffrey M. Ayars, Geneva, IL (US); Gregory J. Conklin, Pleasanton, CA (US); Shafiq Shariff, Chicago, IL (US); Nathaniel Blake Scholl, Oakland, CA (US); and John Kim, Sammamish, WA (US)
Assigned to BYTEDANCE INC., Wilmington, DE (US)
Filed by Bytedance Inc., Wilmington, DE (US)
Filed on Dec. 13, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/065,380.
Application 18/065,380 is a continuation of application No. 17/012,763, filed on Sep. 4, 2020, granted, now 11,570,574.
Application 17/012,763 is a continuation of application No. 16/169,018, filed on Oct. 24, 2018, granted, now 10,798,524, issued on Oct. 6, 2020.
Application 16/169,018 is a continuation of application No. 15/684,723, filed on Aug. 23, 2017, granted, now 10,142,784, issued on Nov. 27, 2018.
Application 15/684,723 is a continuation of application No. 15/168,983, filed on May 31, 2016, granted, now 9,769,611, issued on Sep. 19, 2017.
Application 15/168,983 is a continuation of application No. 14/748,983, filed on Jun. 24, 2015, granted, now 9,380,120, issued on Jun. 28, 2016.
Application 14/748,983 is a continuation of application No. 13/418,208, filed on Mar. 12, 2012, granted, now 9,100,454, issued on Aug. 4, 2015.
Application 13/418,208 is a continuation in part of application No. 12/950,709, filed on Nov. 19, 2010, granted, now 8,150,439, issued on Apr. 3, 2012.
Application 12/950,709 is a continuation of application No. 11/697,617, filed on Apr. 6, 2007, granted, now 7,840,224, issued on Nov. 23, 2010.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/451,521, filed on Mar. 10, 2011.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/790,276, filed on Apr. 7, 2006.
Prior Publication US 2023/0188933 A1, Jun. 15, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H04W 4/02 (2018.01); H04L 67/104 (2022.01); H04L 67/306 (2022.01); H04L 67/52 (2022.01); H04W 4/021 (2018.01); H04W 4/029 (2018.01); H04W 4/08 (2009.01); H04W 4/21 (2018.01); H04W 8/18 (2009.01)
CPC H04W 4/023 (2013.01) [H04L 67/1044 (2013.01); H04L 67/306 (2013.01); H04L 67/52 (2022.05); H04W 4/021 (2013.01); H04W 4/025 (2013.01); H04W 4/029 (2018.02); H04W 4/08 (2013.01); H04W 4/21 (2018.02); H04W 8/186 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A computer-implemented method for providing functionality based on virtual groups of users of mobile devices, the computer-implemented method comprising:
generating one or more virtual groups of users of mobile communication-capable devices, the generation of the one or more virtual groups including:
determining one or more anchors, each anchor corresponding to a respective virtual group of the one or more virtual groups and having a geographical location; and
for each virtual group, determining one or more admission criteria for a prospective user to join the virtual group;
causing display of a visual location of a first prospective user on a graphical interface of a mobile communication-capable device of the first prospective user;
prior to the first prospective user being admitted to the virtual group, causing display of visual locations of the one or more anchors on the graphical interface in an instance wherein one or more user attributes associated with the first prospective user satisfies at least one of the one or more admission criteria such that the graphical interface of the mobile communication-capable device of the first prospective user visually depicts a relative location of the first prospective user with respect to the one or more anchors; and
causing updating of the graphical interface of the mobile communication-capable device of the first prospective user at a later time to provide a change in the relative location of the first prospective user with respect to the one or more anchors in response to one or more movements of the one or more anchors or the mobile communication-capable device of the first prospective user.