Granted Patent B2

US 9,374,398 · App. 13/887,456 · Granted Jun 21, 2016

Abstract

Claims (84)

1. A method for maintaining associations within a social network for a user comprising:

identifying a device proximate to a user device;

determining whether the identified device is associated with an entity having a pre-established association with a user of the user device within the social network;

if the identified device is not associated with an entity having a pre-established association with the user:

comparing at least one attribute of the user and at least one attribute of the entity to provide a correlation score;

determining that the user-entity association is to be established if the correlation score is greater than a first threshold; and

establishing the user-entity association within the social network if a determination is made to establish the user-entity association within the social network; and

maintaining the user-entity association within the social network based upon whether the entity and the user device remain proximate.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein maintaining the user-entity association within the social network based upon whether the entity and the user device remain proximate comprises:

determining that the entity and the user device are no longer proximate;

waiting at least an amount of time defined by a proximity exit delay;

after waiting the at least an amount of time defined by the proximity exit delay, determining whether the entity and the user device are still no longer proximate; and

removing the user-entity association within the social network if the entity and the user device are still no longer proximate.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein maintaining the user-entity association within the social network based upon whether the entity and the user device remain proximate comprises removing the user-entity association within the social network if the entity and the user device are no longer proximate.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising re-establishing the user-entity association within the social network when the entity and the user device are proximate again.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

determining when the entity and the user device are again proximate;

determining whether a re-establish wait period has expired since removing the user-entity association within the social network; and

if the re-establish wait period has expired, re-establishing the user-entity association within the social network.

6. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

determining when the entity and the user device are again proximate;

determining whether a re-establish wait period has expired since removing the user-entity association within the social network; and

if the re-establish wait period has expired:

determining whether to establish the user-entity association within the social network as a function of a comparison of at least one attribute of the user and at least one attribute of the entity; and

re-establishing the user-entity association within the social network if a determination is made to establish the user-entity association within the social network.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein maintaining the user-entity association within the social network comprises:

determining that the entity and the user device are no longer proximate;

notifying the user such that the user is enabled to choose whether to remove the user-entity association;

if the first user chooses to remove the user-entity association, removing the user-entity association; and

if the first user chooses not to remove the user-entity association, making the user-entity association persistent.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising, if the correlation score is less than the first threshold:

determining whether the correlation score is greater than a second threshold; and

if the correlation score is greater than the second threshold:

notifying the user of the entity such that the user is enabled to choose whether to establish the user-entity association; and

establishing the user-entity association if the user chooses to establish the user-entity association.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the entity is one of a business establishment and a user of an electronic device.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the user-entity association within the social network is the user being a follower of the business.

11. A system comprising:

a communication interface communicatively coupling the system to devices via a communication network; and

a control system associated with the communication interface and adapted to:

identify a device proximate a user device;

determine whether the identified device is associated with an entity having a pre-established association with a user of the user device within the social network;

if the identified device is not associated with an entity having a pre-established association with the user:

compare the at least one attribute of the user and the at least one attribute of the entity to provide a correlation score;

determine that the user-entity association is to be established if the correlation score is greater than a first threshold; and

establish the user-entity association within the social network if a determination is made to establish the user-entity association within the social network; and

maintain the user-entity association within the social network based upon whether the entity and the user device remain proximate.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the control system is adapted to:

determine that the entity and the user device are no longer proximate;

wait at least an amount of time defined by a proximity exit delay;

after waiting the at least an amount of time defined by the proximity exit delay, determine whether the entity and the user device are still no longer proximate; and

remove the user-entity association within the social network if the entity and the user device are still no longer proximate.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the control system is adapted to remove the user-entity association within the social network if the entity and the user device are no longer proximate.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the control system is adapted to re-establish the user-entity association within the social network when the entity and the user device are proximate again.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the control system is adapted to:

determine when the entity and the user device are again proximate;

determine whether a re-establish wait period has expired since removing the user-entity association within the social network; and

if the re-establish wait period has expired, re-establish the user-entity association within the social network.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein the control system is adapted to:

determine when the entity and the user device are again proximate;

determine whether a re-establish wait period has expired since removing the user-entity association within the social network; and

if the re-establish wait period has expired:

determine whether to establish the user-entity association within the social network as a function of a comparison of at least one attribute of the user and at least one attribute of the entity; and

re-establish the user-entity association within the social network if a determination is made to establish the user-entity association within the social network.

17. The system of claim 11 wherein the control system is adapted to:

determine that the entity and the user device are no longer proximate;

notify the user such that the user is enabled to choose whether to remove the user-entity association;

if the first user chooses to remove the user-entity association, remove the user-entity association; and

if the first user chooses not to remove the user-entity association, make the user-entity association persistent.

18. The system of claim 11 wherein the control system is adapted to, if the correlation score is less than the first threshold:

determine whether the correlation score is greater than a second threshold; and

if the correlation score is greater than the second threshold:

notify the user of the entity such that the user is enabled to choose whether to establish the user-entity association; and

establish the user-entity association if the user chooses to establish the user-entity association.

19. The system of claim 11 wherein the entity is one of a business establishment and a user of an electronic device.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the user-entity association within the social network is the user being a follower of the business.

21. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising software with instructions for:

identifying a device proximate a user device;

determining whether the identified device is associated with an entity having a pre-established association with a user of the user device within the social network;

if the identified device is not associated with an entity having a pre-established association with the user:

comparing at least one attribute of the user and at least one attribute of the entity to provide a correlation score;

determining that the user-entity association is to be established if the correlation score is greater than a first threshold; and

establishing the user-entity association within the social network if a determination is made to establish the user-entity association within the social network; and

maintaining the user-entity association within the social network based upon whether the entity and the user device remain proximate.

Assignments (8)