Patent ID: 9712972
Date: 2017-07-18
CPC Classifications: H04L,H04W

Claim:
1. A computer implemented method of determining that two or more members of a subscription group comprising a plurality of members are in close proximity to each other, the method comprising the steps of: enabling a mobile electronic device of at least one member of the subscription group to use a short range wireless communication module to detect other mobile electronic devices within signal range of its short range wireless communication module and, in response to detecting, to receiving and storing a unique identifier for each detected other mobile electronic device; at a processor, comparing each stored unique identifier for said detected other mobile electronic devices with a plurality of known unique identifiers of mobile electronic devices of said plurality of members of said subscription group; and determining that two members of the subscription group are in close proximity to each other if one of the stored unique identifiers for said detected other mobile electronic devices matches one of the plurality of known unique identifiers of mobile electronic devices of said plurality of members of said subscription group even if the stored unique identifiers for said detected other mobile electronic devices includes a unique identifier belonging to a mobile electronic device of a person who is not a subscription group member.