Method and system for using a situational network
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 collecting and managing proximity-based device information, the server comprising:
a network controller configured to receive an indication of an occurrence of an event;
a memory for storing a database;
a central processing unit, coupled to the network controller, and configured to identify a plurality of devices based on their proximity to the event;
wherein the network controller is further configured to:
transmit a plurality of roll call queries to the plurality of devices; and
receive, via a network, a plurality of status responses to the plurality of roll call queries from the plurality of devices that were identified based on their proximity to the event; and
wherein the central processing unit is further configured to:
store in the database the plurality of status responses to the plurality of roll call queries; and
generate a message board accessible via the network to the plurality of devices, the message board providing access to the plurality of status responses to the plurality of roll call queries stored in the database, wherein the plurality of the roll call queries were transmitted to the plurality of devices based on their proximity to the event.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the network is a situational network generated for the event.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the central processing unit is configured to generate the message board by:
providing a user interface to a first device of the plurality of devices, wherein the user interface allows the first device to access the database for a status response received from a second device of the plurality of devices, only when a first user of the first device and a second user of the second device are connected through a social network.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the central processing unit is further configured to:
update a user profile associated with a first user device of the plurality of devices based on data indicating an access by the first user device of at least a portion of the plurality of status responses on the message board.
5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the central processing unit is configured to update the user profile based on determining that a user associated with the first user device is affiliated with the event.
6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the central processing unit is configured to update the user profile based on determining that the first user device transmitted a request to access the message board.
7. The system of claim 4 , wherein the central processing unit is further configured to:
provide supplemental information item to the first user device based on the updated user profile.
8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the central processing unit is configured to provide the supplemental information item to the first user device by:
providing the supplemental information item based on at least one of: geographical location of the first user device, demographic information indicated in the user profile, and social connections indicated by the user profile.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the connection indicated by the user profile indicates the social connections via a social network.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the message board comprises a display of plurality of posts related to the situation and a link to the plurality of status responses to the plurality of roll call queries.
11. A method for collecting and managing proximity-based device information, the method comprising:
receiving an indication of an occurrence of an event;
identifying a plurality of devices based on their proximity to the event;
transmitting a plurality of roll call queries to the plurality of devices;
receiving, via a network, a plurality of status responses to the plurality of roll call queries from the plurality of devices that were identified based on their proximity to the event;
storing in a database the plurality of status responses to the plurality of roll call queries; and
generating a message board accessible via the network to the plurality of devices, the message board providing access to the plurality of status responses to the plurality of roll call queries stored in the database, wherein the plurality of the roll call queries were transmitted to the plurality of devices based on their proximity to the event.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the network is a situational network generated for the event.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein generating the message board comprises:
providing a user interface to a first device of the plurality of devices, wherein the user interface allows the first device to access the database for a status response received from a second device of the plurality of devices, only when a first user of the first device and a second user of the second device are connected through a social network.
14. The method of claim 11 further comprising:
updating a user profile associated with a first user device of the plurality of devices based on data indicating an access by the first user device of at least a portion of the plurality of status responses on the message board.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein updating the user profile is based on determining that a user associated with the first user device is affiliated with the event.
16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the updating the user profile is based on determining that the first user device transmitted a request to access the message board.
17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
providing supplemental information item to the first user device based on the updated user profile.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein providing the supplemental information item to the first user device comprises:
providing the supplemental information item based on at least one of: geographical location of the first user device, demographic information indicated in the user profile, and social connections indicated by the user profile.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the connection indicated by the user profile indicates the social connections via a social network.
20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the message board comprises a display of plurality of posts related to the situation and a link to the plurality of status responses to the plurality of roll call queries.
21. A method for accessing proximity-based device information, the method comprising:
accessing, by a device of a plurality of devices, a message board accessible via a network to the plurality of devices, the message board providing access to a plurality of status responses to a plurality of roll call queries stored in a database, wherein the plurality of the roll call queries were transmitted to the plurality of devices based on their proximity to an event; and
wherein the message board was generated by:
receiving an indication of an occurrence of the event;
identifying the plurality of devices based on their proximity to the event;
transmitting the plurality of roll call queries to the plurality of devices;
receiving, via the network, the plurality of status responses to the plurality of roll call queries from the plurality of devices that were identified based on their proximity to the event; and
storing in the database the plurality of status responses to the plurality of roll call queries.
22. The method of claim 21 , further comprising:
receiving supplemental information by the device, wherein the supplemental information was transmitted based on updated user profile associated with the device.
23. The method of claim 21 , wherein the user profile associated with the device was updated based on data indicating an access by the device of at least a portion of the plurality of status responses on the message board.
24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the user profile associated with the device was updated based on determining that a user associated with the first user device is affiliated with the event.
25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the user profile associated with the device was updated based on determining that the device transmitted a request to access the message board.
26. Means for collecting and managing proximity-based device information, comprising:
means for accessing stored information related to an occurrence of an event;
means for identifying a plurality of user devices that are proximate to the event;
means for sending a plurality of roll call messages to the plurality of user devices;
means for receiving, via a network, a plurality of responses to the plurality of roll call messages from the plurality of user devices proximate to the event;
means for hosting by a database the plurality of responses to the plurality of roll call messages; and
means for providing a message board accessible via the network to the plurality of user devices, the message board providing access to the plurality of responses to the plurality of roll call messages hosted by the database, wherein the plurality of the roll call messages were sent to the plurality of user devices based on their proximity to the event.
27. The means of claim 26 , wherein the network is a situational network generated for the event.
28. The means of claim 26 further comprising:
means for updating a user profile associated with a first user device of the plurality of user devices based on data indicating an access by the first user device of at least a portion of the plurality of responses on the message board.
29. The means of claim 28 , wherein the means for updating the user profile comprise means for determining that a user associated with the first user device is affiliated with the event.
30. The means of claim 28 , wherein the means for updating the user profile is comprise means for determining that the first user device transmitted a request to access the message board.