`(2) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2002/0103892 A1
`Rieger, III
`(43) Pub. Date:
`Aug. 1, 2002
`
`US 20020103892A1
`
`(54) SYSTEM FOR COMMUNICATING
`THROUGH MAPS
`
`(76) Inventor: Charles J. Rieger III, Potomac, MD
`(US)
`Correspondence Address:
`STERNE, KESSLER, GOLDSTEIN & FOX
`PLLC
`1100 NEW YORKAVENUE, N.W., SUITE 600
`WASHINGTON, DC 20005-3934 (US)
`Appl. No.:
`10/025,880
`
`(21)
`(22)
`
`Filed:
`
`Dec. 26, 2001
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`(63) Continuation-in-part of application No. 09/524,888,
`filed on Mar. 14, 2000.
`
`Publication Classification
`
`(51) Int. Cl." ................................................... G06F 15/173
`(52) U.S. Cl. … 709/223
`(57)
`ABSTRACT
`A communications system to post arbitrary information to
`any geographical region simply by outlining the region on a
`map in the system’s user interface and attaching the infor
`mation to the outlined region is provided. The outlined
`region can be of any size, e.g., a city block, a neighborhood,
`a county, and defines the information’s “region of rel
`evance”. Any user of the system can also browse and receive
`these geographically relevant postings simply by identifying
`a point or region of interest on one of the system’s maps.
`Uses of the system range from personal communication of
`questions and announcements to a geographically identified
`group, to governmental and commercial news and
`announcements aimed at a particular population, to “virtual
`billboards” for advertising.
`
`109
`
`Mobile Client
`
`
`
`
`
`HTTP Processor
`
`User Interface Manager
`
`
`
`-
`
`125.
`
`Transient
`Accounts
`Manager
`
`Notifications
`Manager
`129
`
`
`
`Manager
`131
`
`| -
`
`|
`
`---
`
`User
`M Map º: Accounts
`ººer
`123
`Manager
`
`Database
`
`119
`
`
`
`Intersection Engine
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`US 2002/0103892 A1
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`*~
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`105
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`107
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`109
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`UI Tools
`
`Ul Tools
`
`106
`
`108
`
`1 11
`S=S_
`r
`
`The Internet
`
`KI/
`
`115
`
`—
`
`User Interface Manager
`
`117
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Postings
`Manager
`123
`
`
`
`User
`Accounts
`Manager
`125
`
`Transient
`Accounts
`Manager
`127
`
`Notifications
`Manager
`129
`
`Manager
`131
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`Database
`
`119
`
`Intersection Engine
`133
`
`FIG. 1
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`200 TN
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`205
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`205
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`205
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`- m s m - s m a - a s = - w = a a
`
`The Internet
`
`211
`
`MASTER/HTTP
`Server
`Database
`Server
`
`213
`
`213
`
`Firewall
`
`High bandwidth LAN
`
`210
`
`USETTE *}”
`Server
`
`USER/HTTP 215
`Server
`
`Server
`
`225B
`ANTENNAT 247
`Server
`Database
`Server
`
`Database
`
`A s = * - s m s m = n = - - s m =
`
`Server
`
`225A
`
`ANTENNA
`Server
`Database
`Server
`
`ROAM
`Server
`Database
`Server
`
`DIALOG
`Server
`Database
`Server
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`ROAM
`Server
`Database
`Server
`
`DIALOG
`Server
`Database
`Server
`
`225D
`
`219
`
`225F
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`221
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`225H
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`223
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`MAP _*
`
`MAP
`
`FIG. 2
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`Update now Cancel
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`301
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`303
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`305
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`Patent Application Publication Aug. 1, 2002 Sheet 5 of 16
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`501 TN
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`
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`FIG. 5
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`Patent Application Publication Aug. 1, 2002 Sheet 6 of 16
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`
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`604
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`Account information
`
`User: Mary Smith
`
`Email:
`mary smith(?aol.com
`Address (optional): 1234 Main st.
`Bethesda, MD 23456
`
`-
`
`- - - - - - - - -
`
`...
`
`... … -----
`
`-
`
`-
`
`- -
`
`- - - - - - - - - 3Update so,
`
`i.
`
`Base antenna:
`Qther antennas:
`
`Name: Home Lat. N38.23.04 Lon: 120.1642 Change
`t
`F- i
`-
`i
`f
`Name
`| Latitude Longitude
`i
`My {}ffice
`N3350,047.1542 change?delete 609
`N38321674823 Changepºlete
`|Bill's {}ffice
`Harkers. Palo Alto N37.2533:1220517 changeBeet.
`change |Delete |
`Dogwood Dr. McL
`Reston Town center N3847.25755.26 change Delete
`Named regions: TNam, T.
`i
`our Neighborhood changepelete 64.
`|Greater McL ean changepºleº 3.
`Rºcº º
`;
`Notification º Antenna Post category| Överlaps With by tºo Send 31: Email ---
`G|Home Tºw Tournagºg? 30 TF changeBeere
`Myoffice ? community Reston (Center
`? 75
`Fº
`changed lete
`Biº office community Greater McLean
`75 T- R7 -----
`change?pecte
`
`FIG. 6
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`Fig 7A
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`º
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`Fig 7B
`
`
`
`…'
`
`-
`
`-
`
`|ADMIN ADMIN ADMIN ADMIN
`º Regional :
`nescala
`**,
`
`:
`
`*
`sº
`
`*:
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`~…~2,
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`š?
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`Patent Application Publication Aug. 1, 2002 Sheet 10 of 16 US 2002/0103892 A1
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`
`
`Identify broadcast channel
`
`ldentify broadcast region
`
`Enter message components
`
`Select behavioral options
`
`Transmit message and
`behavioral options
`
`FIG. 7D
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`
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`Receive posting request and
`verify integrity
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`Create Posting object
`
`Create hit list
`
`Create reception object
`
`FIG. 8
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`
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`Receive ping request and identify
`Candidate antennaS
`
`ls
`candidate antenna
`within ping region
`object?
`
`Create hit list
`
`Send hit list summary
`
`FIG. 10
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`Aug. 1, 2002 Sheet 14 of 16 US 2002/0103892 A1
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`
`
`1401
`
`Browse for Postings
`Please identify the point or region of interest:
`
`3. sº cº Hill
`
`Draw
`
`Reset
`
`Submit
`
`Category: Fersons --- º
`Return this many hits: E
`:
`
`Found 5 most recent postings:
`Subject
`y -------
`| ---
`H
`From
`|
`Mary Smith mary smithgaol.com Feb 26, 2000 at 4:05pm Personal Looking for a snow blower
`Andy Jones drewster@comink.com Feb 26, 2000 at 223 pm Personal Garage sale next Saturday
`Jeff Parker row? growfºaºlcom Reb 26, 2000 at 12.30 pm Personal Tennis this afternoon anyone?
`Linda Jensen |jensenøhotmail.com Feb.26, 2000 at 1049 am Personal Anyone seen our gray cat?
`Chuck oneichuckoanenow.com Feb.26, 2000 at 937 am Personal Houses
`-
`Chuck O'Neillchuckoºnetnow.com Feb 26, 2000 at 9:37 am Personal House swap this summer?
`
`FIG. 11
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`
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`Identify initial candidate postings
`in response to roam check-in
`
`Identify final candidate postings
`
`Generate reception object and
`Create hit list
`
`Generate and transmit hit list
`summary
`
`FIG. 12
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`SYSTEM FOR COMMUNICATING THROUGH
`MAPS
`
`CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED
`APPLICATIONS
`[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S.
`patent application Ser. No. 09/524,888, entitled “System for
`Communicating Through Maps”, filed Mar. 14, 2000, and
`incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
`
`STATEMENT REGARDING
`FEDERALLY-SPONSORED RESEARCH AND
`DEVELOPMENT
`[0002] Not applicable.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`[0003] This invention relates to the two-way communica
`tion of information, a “posting”, from a source agent to a
`target user community via a computer server connected to a
`wide-area network such as the Internet. In particular, the
`target user community for a posting is defined in terms of
`geographical coordinates, e.g., by a bounded region on a
`map. Targeted users, i.e., those whose geographical location
`falls within the bounded region of a posting, receive noti
`fication of the posting either automatically via email, or by
`logging on to the server and browsing for geographically
`relevant notifications via a user interface.
`[0004] The system described herein is intended to service
`mobile users as well as stationary users. Mobile users who
`pass through the targeted area of various postings can
`automatically receive those postings via their wireless con
`nection as they travel, resulting in information automatically
`flowing to them at the posted information’s point of rel
`€VäIl Cè.
`[0005] Related Art
`[0006] At least three areas of technology are relevant to
`the present invention:
`[0007] geographical product and services databases; one
`way communication of information to its “point of rel
`evance”; and communication of information via the Internet.
`However, the invention’s overall purpose, methods, and
`implementation differ substantially from all known disclo
`sures. Specifically, there is no known literature describing a
`communication system that targets unsolicited information
`to an anonymous user community identified only by a
`bounded region on a map.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`[0008] It is a first feature of the invention to provide a
`method for associating arbitrary information with a geo
`graphical region of relevance, as defined, e.g., by a closed
`outline on a map. Information so associated with a geo
`graphical region of relevance shall be termed a “posting”.
`[0009] It is a second feature of the invention to provide a
`method for communicating the information content of a
`posting to individuals who are situated in, or who pass
`through, the posting’s geographical region of relevance.
`[0010] It is a third feature of the invention to provide a
`system that implements these methods and makes them
`
`accessible to a user community via a user interface designed
`to run in the context of a wide area network such as the
`Internet.
`[0011] This invention empowers people to communicate
`with one-another through geography, rather than by indi
`vidual identity. In a typical scenario, a user selects a target
`audience by drawing a closed outline around the target
`community on a map. The user then “posts” the desired
`information to the region thus identified on the map. Poten
`tial recipients of the information, i.e., those within the
`designated region, receive notification of the posting and can
`act on its information content in any appropriate way.
`[0012] Example societal uses of this invention are:
`[0013] To ask questions of a local population. For
`example, if the target region is a neighborhood, a user could
`find a tennis partner, locate a desired item for sale, ask if any
`homes were on or about to come onto the market for sale, or
`ask a community-related question by “posting to the neigh
`borhood”.
`[0014] To ask questions of a larger population. For
`example, if the target region is a city, one family could look
`for another family wishing to house-swap by posting a
`request to the region.
`[0015] To initiate contact with individuals. If, for instance,
`the target is a particular home within a community, i.e., a
`very small geographical region, a user could communicate
`directly with the residents of the home without having any
`prior knowledge about them.
`[0016] To post community or regional announcements.
`State, county, and local organizations could post news about
`topical events to residents in relevant regions.
`[0017] To post traffic and road construction news. Mobile
`users could automatically receive news about traffic and
`road conditions relevant to a city block, an interchange, or
`a commuting corridor as they passed through.
`[0018] To advertise. The system can be used to implement
`“virtual billboards”.
`[0019] Businesses wishing to get their message out could
`post advertisements to specific regions, e.g., several city
`blocks, or a long narrow region covering a particular section
`of an interstate highway. Mobile users passing through such
`regions would automatically receive the information.
`[0020] To educate and inform. The National Park Service
`could, for example, post information about sites of historical
`interest. Vacationers, connected to the Internet via wireless,
`would receive such information when visiting the site, or
`prior to visiting by browsing the system’s maps.
`[0021] Further features and advantages of the present
`invention, as well as the structure and operation of various
`embodiments of the invention, are described in detail below
`with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the draw
`ings, like reference numbers generally indicate identical,
`functionally similar and/or structurally similar elements.
`The drawing in which an element first appears is generally
`indicated by the leftmost digit(s) in the corresponding ref
`erence number.
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`[0022] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a communications
`system according to an embodiment of the present inven
`tion.
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`[0023] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a communications
`system according to another embodiment of the present
`invention.
`[0024] FIG. 3 is an illustration depicting a ping topic user
`interface screen according to an embodiment of the present
`invention.
`[0025] FIG. 4 is an illustration depicting a visible icon
`representing a user’s home antenna on a map, as well as a
`marker denoting the presence of a photograph that has been
`attached to the map in accordance with an embodiment of
`the present invention.
`[0026] FIG. 5 is an illustration depicting a receive channel
`user interface screen in accordance with an embodiment of
`the present invention.
`[0027] FIG. 6 is an illustration depicting an account
`information user interface screen in accordance with an
`embodiment of the present invention.
`[0028] FIGS. 7A-7C depict a new message entry via a user
`interface screen in accordance with an embodiment of the
`present invention.
`[0029] FIG. 7D is a flow chart diagram of a message
`posting routine according to an embodiment of the present
`invention.
`[0030] FIG. 8 is a flow chart diagram of a message posting
`routine according to an embodiment of the present inven
`tion.
`[0031] FIG. 9 is an illustration depicting a ping entry user
`interface screen in accordance with an embodiment of the
`present invention.
`[0032] FIG. 10 is a flow chart diagram of a ping execution
`routine according to an embodiment of the present inven
`tion.
`[0033] FIG. 11 is an illustration depicting a browsing
`entry user interface screen in accordance with an embodi
`ment of the present invention.
`[0034] FIG. 12 is a flow chart diagram of a browsing
`execution routine according to an embodiment of the present
`invention.
`[0035] FIG. 13 is an illustration depicting a dialog
`between two users according to an embodiment of the
`present invention.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`INVENTION
`
`Table of Contents
`[0036] 1.0 Overview of the Invention
`[0037] 2.0 Exemplary System Characteristics
`[0038] 2.1 Computer System Embodiment
`[0039] 2.2 Data Representation
`[0040] 3.0 Exemplary System Operation
`[0041] 3.1 Map Servers
`[0042] 3.2 Personal Icons
`[0043] 3.3 Visible Antennas and URL Links
`
`[0044] 3.3.1 Representing Antennas
`[0045] 3.4 Ping Topics and Ping
`[0046] 3.4.1 Representing Ping Topics
`[0047] 3.5 Attaching Photos Directly to the Maps
`[0048] 3.5.1 Representing and Managing Photos
`[0049] 3.6 Channels and Tuning-In
`[0050] 3.6.1 Representing and Managing Channels
`0051] 3.7 Representing Regions
`p
`g Reg
`[
`0052] 3.8 Managing Dialogs
`[
`9.
`glng
`0053| 3.9 Managing Users and the Log-on Process
`glng
`9.
`[0054] 3.9.1 User Account Types
`[0055] 3.9.2 User Account Information
`0056 ||
`4.0 Representing Postings
`p
`9.
`9.
`0057| 4.1 Representing Posting Proxies
`p
`9.
`9.
`[0058] 4.2 Representing Receptions
`.0 Exemplary System Usage
`0059] 5.0 E
`larv S
`U
`[0060] 5.1 The Posting Process
`[0061] 5.2 The Ping Process
`[0062] 5.3 The Roam Check-In Process
`[0063] 5.4 The Dialog Process
`[0064] 6.0 Conclusion
`0065| 1.0 O -
`f the I
`-
`-
`VerView Of the InVention
`[0066] The present invention provides a communications
`system to post arbitrary information to one or more geo
`graphical regions. The information is posted by outlining or
`otherwise identifying the region(s) on a map in the system’s
`user interface and attaching the information to the outlined
`region. The outlined region can be of any size, e.g., a city
`block, a neighborhood, a county, and defines the informa
`tion’s “region of relevance”. Any user of the system can also
`browse and receive these geographically relevant postings
`simply by identifying a point or region of interest on one of
`the system’s maps. The system is useful for facilitating
`personal communication of questions and announcements to
`a geographically identified group, to providing governmen
`tal and commercial news and announcements aimed at a
`particular population, and for presenting virtual billboards
`for advertising.
`[0067] 2.0 Exemplary System Characteristics
`[0068] 2.1 Computer System Embodiment
`[0069] The present invention provides a communications
`system to enable anonymous communication between one or
`IITOre USerS.
`[0070] Referring to FIG. 1, in an embodiment of the
`present invention, a communications system 100 is com
`prised of a communications server 111, one or more mobile
`clients 109, and one or more stationary clients 105 and 107.
`In accordance with this embodiment, the communications
`server 111 is implemented as a World Wide Web server,
`although in practice, server 111 could be part of any type of
`communications network. Stationary clients 105 and 107
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`and mobile clients 109 connect to the communications
`server 111 over a network (such as a local area network, a
`wide area network, point-to-point links, the Internet, etc., or
`combinations thereof). Where the Internet is used, stationary
`clients 105 and 107 and mobile clients 109 communicate to
`the communications server 111 via Hypertext Transfer Pro
`tocol (HTTP) using standard Web browsers. Stationary
`clients 105 and 107 can be for example, general purpose
`computers. Mobile clients 109 can be for example handheld
`personal computers, Personal Data Assistants, or the like.
`[0071] The communications server 111 is organized
`among a series of geographical maps that cover the intended
`service area, e.g., county, metropolitan area, state, country,
`or world, to a sufficient level of visual detail. These maps
`serve as the basis of much of the communications system’s
`100 user interface (UI).
`[0072] The communications server 111 is further com
`prised of a HTTP processor 115 and a map manager 121. The
`HTTP processor 115 provides for communication between
`the communications server 111, the mobile clients 109, and
`the stationary clients 107 to communicate via HTTP. The
`map manager 121 manages the maps covering the commu
`nications system’s 100 intended service area.
`[0073] A user interface 117 is also included with the
`communication server 111. The user interface 117 processes
`user transactions, and dynamically composes HTML
`responses containing maps and other graphical elements
`(such as icons, photos, and the like), drawing in part upon
`the communications servers's 111 map manager 121. The
`user interface 117 permits users to interact with the com
`munications system’s maps via Zoom, pan, and drawing
`primitives, which are implemented partially on the commu
`nications server 111 side and partially on the client 105 or
`107 side, e.g., through Java classes 106 and 108 that are
`automatically made available when the user connects from
`a stationary client. Mobile users would interact with the
`communication system 100 via an interface appropriate to
`the particular technology of the mobile clients 109 commu
`nication devices.
`[0074] The communications server 111 is further com
`prised of a database 119. The database 119 stores informa
`tion about postings, permanent and transient user accounts,
`notifications, email addresses, etc., and is the storage back
`bone of the communications system 100.
`[0075] A postings manager 123 is further included with
`communications server 111.
`[0076] Postings manager 123 stores and retrieves infor
`mation about postings on demand from the user interface
`117.
`[0077] The system maintains a postings information data
`base for storing postings. Each posting is comprised of an
`identification tag that describes who has posted it, when it
`was posted, what its posting category is, and other such
`factual information about its origin. Examples of posting
`categories are “Personal”, “Neighborhood”, “Community”,
`“Governmental”, “Commercial”, “Educational”, and so
`forth. Each such category might be further refined by
`subcategories, e.g., Governmental/Road Construction.
`[0078] Postings are further defined by an information
`component, which is the content of the posting. As with
`
`ordinary email, this component could be just a simple textual
`message, or it could include a reference to one or more Web
`pages containing graphics, audio, links, etc.
`[0079] Each posting is also provided with a “broadcast”
`descriptor, which identifies the posting’s geographical target
`region(s). In an embodiment, this descriptor would be rep
`resented by a closed geometrical object such as a polygon or
`circle in a 2-dimensional geographical coordinate space,
`although it could also include 3-D elevation information as
`well. Users would typically define such a region by using the
`communications system’s 100 user interface 117 to outline
`it on one of the communications system’s maps. The system
`would also support compound regions, i.e., regions identi
`fied by more than one bounded object on the system’s maps.
`[0080] The system can also manage an optional password
`on any posting. For any posting with a password, the system
`would require any user wishing to view or receive the
`posting’s information content to present the correct pass
`word before allowing the user access to the posting’s
`content. This feature would be most useful for communica
`tions among a group of closely-knit users, such as the
`residents of a neighborhood or community.
`[0081] Administrators of the communications system 100
`can restrict the nature of postings created by any particular
`user by defining geographic regions into which the user is
`either authorized or unauthorized to post. Authorized
`regions can be assigned optional passwords and posting
`category restrictions that further narrow the user’s posting
`privileges in those regions. These controls would, for
`example, permit system administrators to grant specific
`privileges to a regional authority to create postings of
`particular categories, e.g., Governmental/Traffic, Govern
`mental/Weather, to particular regions, while excluding all
`other users from posting those categories to the regions.
`[0082] The communications server 111 is also comprised
`of a user accounts manager 125. The user accounts manager
`125 stores and retrieves user account information on demand
`from the user interface 117.
`[0083] In an embodiment, user account information is
`maintained in a database. Each user account is comprised of
`a user identification component, which describes the user’s
`identity, e.g., name, email, address, etc., as well as opera
`tional preferences and settings, such as whether or not
`automatic email notification of relevant postings is desired.
`[0084] The user account is further comprised of an
`“antenna” descriptor, which describes the user’s “base”
`location, e.g., the location of the user’s residence, in geo
`graphical coordinate space. A user would typically define
`this antenna descriptor by drawing an outline or cross hair on
`one of the system’s maps. In addition to the antenna descrip
`tor for the base location, each user account would be capable
`of maintaining a list of additional antenna descriptors,
`permitting the user to intercept postings relevant to multiple
`locations of interest.
`[0085] Each user account also includes a notification list,
`which records postings whose broadcast descriptor has
`intersected with one or more of the user’s antenna descrip
`torS.
`[0086] This list makes the connection between the user
`and postings that are determined to be relevant to that user.
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`[0087] Still further, each user account can also maintain a
`user-defined list of named regions. The user can add new
`regions to this list by drawing an outline on the system’s
`map, then giving the outlined region a name. Once defined,
`a named region can then be used either in conjunction with
`reception filters (described below), or as the broadcast
`descriptor for a new posting.
`[0088] A transient accounts manager 127 tracks users who
`have connected to the communications server 111 but who
`have no registered accounts, and is responsible for creating
`a transient account when such a user connects for the first
`time, and for garbage collecting the transient account after
`a suitable period of inactivity.
`[0089] Through transient accounts manager 127, the com
`munications server 111 is capable of managing a transient
`antenna descriptor for any user account, i.e., an antenna
`descriptor that would correspond to the continually changing
`location of a mobile user. In typical use, the mobile user’s
`PC or cell phone would have access to Global Positioning
`System (GPS) technology, and would know its location at
`any given moment. A mobile client 109 would periodically
`connect to the communications server 111 via its wireless
`channel to the Internet, e.g., every several minutes, and
`would identify itself as a mobile client 109, give its user
`account ID, if any, and indicate its current GPS coordinates.
`The communications server 111 would record and track this
`continually changing location via the transient antenna
`descriptor, and would send any non-redundant postings
`relevant to the current location at each check-in time. The
`communications server 111 would also be capable of deduc
`ing the user’s approximate route in-between check-in points,
`and would automatically find and send any postings deemed
`to have been appropriate in the missed intervals.
`[0090] Transient accounts manager 127 is further used for
`servicing anonymous users, i.e., those with no registered
`account. Such users could place themselves at arbitrary
`points on the communications system’s maps and browse
`the relevant postings at those points. For unregistered
`mobile users, the communications server 111 would set up
`and maintain a temporary account, including a transient
`antenna descriptor, that would time out and be garbage
`collected after some predefined period of inactivity.
`[0091] The communications server 111 is further com
`prised of an intersection engine 133. Intersection engine 133
`is a pattern-matching engine that constantly runs as a
`background process. This engine is capable of finding inter
`sections between broadcast descriptors and antenna descrip
`tors, system-wide. Upon finding an intersection for the first
`time, the engine adds the posting to the notification list of the
`relevant user account, noting which of the user’s antenna
`descriptors “received” the posting.
`[0092] Each user account can accept and store “reception
`filters”, which describe the content type and/or broadcast
`descriptor constraints that any posting must satisfy in order
`for the pattern matching engine 133 to add it to the user
`account’s notification list.
`[0093] Broadcast descriptor filters would, for example, be
`capable of filtering out postings whose target region was too
`broad, by requiring that the posting’s target area be under a
`specified size in square miles in order to qualify for recep
`tion. Another type of filter would require that the broadcast
`
`region have a minimal overlap, e.g., 75%, with some user
`specified region such as the user’s neighborhood.
`[0094] A notifications manager 129 is capable of present
`ing notifications to users on demand from the UI 117 as users
`browse for relevant notifications.
`[0095] The communications server 111 is also provided
`with an email manager 131.
`[0096] Email manager 131 detects the presence of any
`newly generated notifications that, based upon user prefer
`ences, should trigger email, and is responsible for sending
`email to relevant users.
`[0097] The communications server 111 permits any user
`account to accept and store preferences governing the dis
`position of accumulated notifications. One such preference,
`for example, would direct the server 111 to forward some or
`all notifications to the user as ordinary email. In this case, the
`end effect would be that the user receives direct email from
`other users whose postings have intersected one or more of
`the user’s antenna descriptors. Regardless of whether or not
`such automatic email has been enabled, the server would
`always permit a user to log on and manually browse noti
`fications, or to browse arbitrary regions of the systems maps
`for postings relevant to those regions. Further description of
`the features of the communications system will now be
`described with reference to FIG. 2.
`[0098] In another embodiment a communications system
`200 is implemented in a 3-tier architecture. As shown in
`FIG. 2, a 3-tier architecture embodiment of the present
`invention is comprised of: one or more thin clients 205, a
`middle-tier HTTP server 211 that responds to thin client 205
`requests and implements the communications system’s 200
`business logic, and a distributed, scaleable SQL database tier
`213.
`[0099] In the disclosed embodiment, the thin client 205
`runs inside a standard Web browser such as Microsoft’s
`Internet Explorer, and relies on HTML, JavaScript, and Java
`applet technologies. The middle-tier HTTP server 211 is
`implemented using such technology as Java servlets or
`Active Server Pages. The distributed SQL database 213 is
`implemented using such technology as Microsoft or Oracle
`SQL servers.
`[0100] In the disclosed embodiment, there are additional
`middle-tier servers that are capable of performing specific
`system functions, such as managing user subsets and their
`resources, composing map views, and so forth. Each such
`server can be requested to perform one or more of six
`logically distinct server roles: USER, ANTENNA, DIA
`LOG, ROAM, MAP, and MASTER, as described in sections
`following. Accordingly, FIG. 2 depicts a plurality of USER
`servers 215, ANTENNA servers 217, ROAM servers 219,
`DIALOG servers 221, and MAP servers 223. USER servers
`215 and the MASTER server 211, will typically also serve
`as the middle tier’s HTTP servers. The middle-tier servers
`communicate with one another over a high bandwidth
`network 210. An exemplary network 210 is a local area
`network. The goal of distributing functionality across many
`servers in this way is to maintain good performance and
`reliability as the system grows. Based on average anticipated
`usage levels, it is estimated that one server employing a 1
`GHz PC with 40 GB disk storage can adequately support
`20,000-40,000 users. Thus, if the system grew to 20 million
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`users, there would perhaps be 500-1000 such servers, each
`performing one or more of the indicated server roles, and all
`interconnected via a high bandwidth LAN backbone at the
`system’s physical site.
`[0101] As embodied in FIG. 2, clients 205 connected via
`the Internet, contact the communications system’s 200
`HTTP servers 211 and 215 through a firewall 213.
`[0102] MASTER server 211 supervises user log-ons. The
`MASTER server’s 211 database contains global system
`information, such as the identities and addresses of the other
`servers, the master list of user names, passwords, and email
`addresses, and so forth. Once a user is logged on, the
`MASTER server 211 redirects the client 205 to an appro
`priate USER server 215, which controls the remainder of the
`session until the user logs off or times out because of
`inactivity. During the course of a user session, various other
`servers (217, 219, 221, and 223) will be called upon to
`perform database searches and other specialized computa
`tions in support of user actions and requests. Many of the
`physical servers (211, 215, 217, 219, 221, and 223) also
`house database servers 213 and 225 (denoted individually as
`225A-225H). Each of these database servers 225 contains
`the