Method and system for using a situational network
View Patent ↗A network system for accessing situation related information is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system includes a network connection for receiving an indication of an occurrence of a situation; a situational network formed based on the occurrence of the situation, the situational network including a plurality of participant devices determined to be geographically proximate to the situation, each of the participant devices corresponding to a participant in the situational network; a second network connection for presenting a roll call query to each of the plurality of participant devices soliciting a reply related to a status of the participant; a plurality of network connections established for receiving a status response from the participant devices; and a database for aggregating the status responses from responsive participants into a roll call list.
1. A server for accessing roll call related information, the server comprising:
a network controller configured to receive an indication of an occurrence of a situation; and
a central processing unit, coupled to the network controller, configured to identify a participant device that is geographically proximate to the situation;
wherein the network controller is further configured to:
provide a roll call query to the participant device, wherein the roll call query solicits a response related to a status; and
receive a status response to the roll call query from the participant device;
wherein the central processing unit is further configured to:
generate a message board based on the indication;
aggregate the status response into a roll call list; and
provide the participant device with access to at least a portion of the roll call list via the message board.
2. The server of claim 1 , wherein the central processing unit is further configured to:
update a profile of a user associated with the participant device based on the received status response; and
provide a supplemental information item to the participant device based on the profile of the user.
3. The server of claim 1 , wherein:
the network controller is further configured to receive a request to access the message board from a first device that is not geographically proximate to the situation, wherein the first device is associated with a first user;
the central processing unit is further configured to identify a second user related to the first user, wherein the second user is associated with a second participant device; and
the network controller is further configured to present a portion of the roll call list to the first device, wherein the portion of the roll call list includes a status response received from the second participant device.
4. A method of accessing roll call related information:
receiving an indication of an occurrence of a situation;
identifying a participant device, wherein the participant device is determined to be geographically proximate to the situation;
providing a roll call query to the participant device, wherein the roll call query solicits a response related to a status;
generating a message board based on the indication;
receiving a status response for the roll call query;
aggregating the status response into a roll call list; and
providing the participant device with access to at least a portion of the roll call list via the message board.
5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
updating a profile of a user associated with the participant device based on the received status response; and
providing a supplemental information item to the participant device based on the profile of the user.
6. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
retrieving demographic information from a profile of a user associated with the participant device; and
providing a supplemental information item to the participant device based on the demographic information.
7. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
in response to determining whether the participant device accessed the message board:
selecting from a plurality of supplemental information items, a supplemental information item relevant to users that reside near a location of the situation; and
providing the supplemental information item to the participant device.
8. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
in response to determining whether the participant device accessed the message board:
selecting from a plurality of supplemental information items, a supplemental information item relevant to users that that do not reside near a location of the situation; and
providing the supplemental information item to the participant device.
9. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
identifying a supplier that is geographically proximate to the participant device; and
providing a supplemental information item associated the supplier.
10. The method of claim 4 , further comprising updating a profile of a user associated with the participant device based on the determination that the participant device is geographically proximate to the situation.
11. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
receiving a request to access the message board from a first device that is not geographically proximate to the situation, wherein the first device is associated with a first user;
identifying a second user related to the first user, wherein the second user is associated with a second participant device; and
presenting a portion of the roll call list to the first device, wherein the portion of the roll call list includes a status response received from the second participant device.
12. The method of claim 4 , further comprises:
receiving, from a first device, a second status response that comprises a second status for a user not associated with the first device; and
updating the message board to display the received second status.
13. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
determining a location associated with the device; and
providing a supplemental information item to the participant device based on the determined location.
14. A method of accessing roll-call information, the method comprising:
transmitting, by a participant device, a location of the participant device, wherein the location is geographically proximate to a location of a situation;
receiving, by the participant device, a roll call query, wherein the roll call query solicits a response related to a status; and
receiving access to a message board generated based on an indication of an occurrence of the situation, wherein receiving access to the message board comprises:
receiving at least a portion of a roll-call list that aggregates status responses from responsive participant devices.
15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising in response to receiving the roll call query, transmitting a status response.
16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising receiving, at the participant device, a supplemental information item that was targeted, based on the status response, to a user associated with the participant device.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the supplemental information item was targeted based on demographic information of the user associated with the participant device.
18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the supplemental information item was targeted based on a determination that the user associated with the participant device resides near the location of the situation.
19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the supplemental information item was targeted based on a determination that the user associated with the participant device does not reside near the location of the situation.
20. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
transmitting, by the participant device, a second status response that comprises a second status for a user not associated with the participant device.