System and Method of Use of Interactive User Group Function for Network Devices

A system and method to specify user group function interactively among network devices and provide characteristics of the specified user group from remote accessible server for user's reference without disclosing each individual own identity. The user group can be specified interactively by changing the group parameters within user group function. User could specify another new group till user is satisfied with the new characteristics of the new group. A pedometer application software running on a smart phone is given as an example to demonstrate the novel user group function.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The embodiments described herein are directed to the use of wireless or wired network devices to upload data, specify user group and pull in-demand user group characteristics from remote accessible server for reference. Alternatively, the user group characteristics can be sent from remote server to each individual network device regularly. A pedometer application running in smart phone is given as an example to demonstrate the method of specifying user group and providing specified user group characteristics for reference. Refer now to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying figures to describe the features of the embodiments described herein in more detail.

FIG. 1is a schematic illustration showing an exemplary wireless network system100of the preferred embodiment. The wireless network system100has a plurality of wireless network devices110and110a-110nand a remote wireless server120. In the present embodiment, the wireless network devices110and110a-110nare communicated with the remote wireless server120through a wireless communication network. In one embodiment, the wireless communication network is a IEEE802.11 wireless local area network. In other embodiments, wideband code division multiple access network, high speed packet access3G based network, or long term evolution cellular network are used.

The network device110has an antenna115for transmitting and/or receiving wireless signals. The network device110has a modem111for modulating and/or demodulating the signals. The network device110has a CPU112for processing signals and controlling within the network device110. The network device110has a plurality of motion sensors114. In the present embodiment, the motion sensors comprise an accelerometer, a gyroscope, and a magnetometer. In other embodiments, the motion sensors comprise different combinations of sensors. The network device110has a locating device113. In the present embodiment, the locating device is a global positioning system (GPS). In addition, the network device110has a human interface (not shown) for communicating with a user. In one embodiment, the human interface is a screen for accepting user commands and displaying information. In another embodiment, the human interface comprises a keypad.

In the present embodiment, the network device110is a smart phone. In another embodiment, the network device110is a tablet. Yet in another embodiment, the network device110is personal computer.

Each of the network devices110a-110ncan have similar configurations as that of network devices110.

The remote server120has an antenna124for transmitting and/or receiving wireless signals. The remote server120has a modem121for modulating and/or demodulating the signals. The remote server120has a CPU122for processing signals and controlling within the server120. The remote server120has a storage123for storing information sent from network devices110and110a-110n.

The network device110can upload its user's personal information to the remote server120. In the present embodiment, a user's personal information comprises gender, age, race, height, weight, and location. In other embodiments, other combinations of more or less personal information can be included.

The network device110can transmit to remote server120its user's interested user groups by specifying characters of group parameters. In the present embodiment, group parameters comprise gender, age, race, height, weight, and region. In other embodiments, other combinations of more or less group parameters can be included. Each of the group parameters can be used to form groups. For example, a group can be specified as male, under age 20, White, height over 6 feet, weight over 150 lbs, and locates within 20 miles. Alternatively, more or less group parameters can be combined to form a group. For example, male, over age 50, locates within 100 miles group; female, Asian group; or simply weight over 200 lbs group, etc.

The network device110can transmit to the remote server120the information collected from the locating device113, and the motion sensors114.

Network devices110a-110ncan perform similar processes as described previously in connection with the network device110.

The remote server120then stores and processes the received information from network devices110and110a-110n. In the present embodiment, the remote server120processes activity information received from network devices110and110a-110nthat are within specified user group, analyzes the received information, and sends analyzed results of group characteristics to network device110upon a request from network device110. Alternatively, the remote server120can send the analyzed results of group characteristics to network device110in regular basis. In one embodiment, the remote server120sends the analyzed results of group characteristics to network device110every hour.

FIG. 2is a schematic illustration showing an exemplary Meter page200of a pedometer application software running in the network device110of the wireless network system100ofFIG. 1. As a pedometer, the Meter page200displays with walking control and walking information. The Start/Stop key210and Reset key211can be used to control a pedometer step counter (not shown) to start, stop or reset, respectively. The number of walking step201can be obtained by analyzing data collected from motion sensors114. The walking distance202, burn calories203can be derived from the number of walking step201and personal data information of group parameters in My Profile page300, which will be described in more detail hereafter. The walking duration204and walking speed205can then be obtained from a process of the CPU112of network device100. The activity information can be uploaded to remote server120for storage and analysis. The bottom of the Meter page200has page control keys. By touching Meter key220, Group key420or My Profile key320, a user can switch to associated Meter page200, Group page400or My Profile page300, respectively.

FIG. 3is a schematic illustration showing an exemplary My Profile page300of a pedometer application software running in the network device110of the wireless network system100ofFIG. 1. A user can provide his/her information of such as name301-302, gender303, birth year304, height305, weight306, race307and location308. The information may be used as group parameters to customize the user's interested user group, which will be described in more detail hereafter. By touching the Group Setting key309, the display leads to Group Setting page310. The page control keys220,320, and420shown on the bottom of the My Profile page300can perform the same function as described in connection withFIG. 2.

FIG. 4is a schematic illustration showing an exemplary Group Setting page310of a pedometer application software running in the network device110of the wireless network system100ofFIG. 1. A user's interested user group can be customized by specifying the characteristics of the group parameters301-308described in My Profile page300. The Group Setting page310ofFIG. 4lists several characteristics of the group parameters.

The gender characteristic311can specify either male group, female group, or all (which can be interpreted as not specified).

The age characteristic312can specify the age range around the user's age calculated from birth year304. In the present embodiment, the age group is selected from age range round +/−10, +/−20 of the user's age, or all. In another embodiment, absolute age ranges (e.g., age 21-30, 31-40, . . . ) can be used.

The race characteristic313can specify the race group among whites, blacks, Asians, Hispanics, or all.

The height characteristic314can specify the range around the user's height305. In the present embodiment, the height group is selected from height range of +/−0.5, +/−1, +/−1.5 or +/−2 ft around the user's height305. In another embodiment, absolute height ranges (e.g., height 5′0″ to 5′6″, 5′7″ to 6′, . . . ) can be used.

The weight characteristic315can specify the range around the user's weight306. In the present embodiment, the weight group is selected from weight range of +/−5, +/−10, +/−15 or +/−20 lb around the user's weight306. In another embodiment, absolute weight ranges (e.g., weight1301bto1391b,1401bto1501b, . . . ) can be used.

The region characteristic316can specify the range around the user's location308. In the present embodiment, the region group can be within a distance of 20, 100, 500 mile, or global (which can be interpreted as no distance limitation) from the user's location308.

In the present embodiment, the final user group is the group of users who meet all the specification of the group characteristics311-316. The final user group can be changed anytime later by going back to the Group Setting page310and modifying any of group characteristics311-316.

Once the final user group is specified, the data of all users within the specified final user group will be analyzed, and the results of user group characteristics will be sent to the user upon request for reference. Alternatively, the results of user group characteristics can be sent to the user in regular basis. The page control keys220,320, and420shown on the bottom of the Group Setting page310can perform the same function as described in connection withFIG. 2.

FIG. 5is a schematic illustration showing an exemplary Group page400of a pedometer application software running in the network device110of the wireless network system100ofFIG. 1. The Group page400displays the result of interested data parameter401which can be any of parameters such as the number of walking steps201, walking distance202, burn calories203, walking duration204and walking speed205displayed in the Meter page200. In the present embodiment, the interested data parameter401is the number of walking steps201. The user's performance402of the interested data parameter401can be displayed with corresponding performance403of specified user group for comparison. In addition the user's performance percentile404within the specified user group can be displayed. The comparison can be shown as for one day, one week, and one month. The analyzed data of specified user group can be sent to the user upon request. In the present embodiment, the request is performed by pushing the Group Update key405. The page control keys220,320, and420shown on the bottom of the page can perform the same function as described in connection withFIG. 2.

FIG. 6is a schematic illustration showing another exemplary Group page410of a pedometer application software running in the network device110of the wireless network system100ofFIG. 1. InFIG. 6, the user's performance412of interested data parameter401, corresponding performance413of specified user group, and the user's performance percentile414within the specified user group of past one day, one week or one month are selected by pushing Day key415, Week key416or Month key417, respectively. In the present embodiment, activity results displayed on Group page400or Group page410are data form or graphic form.

The embodiments described herein allow the network server120to provide performance information403,404,413,414of specified user group to the network device110without disclosing personal information of users from the specified user group.

FIG. 7is a flowchart diagram showing an exemplary process for a user to upload user data, specify user group, pull to view user group result, and redefine the user group. A user can first upload the user's information of group parameters such as name, gender, age, height, weight301-308, and user data such as activity progress to the remote server120from the network device110via step500. Then, the user can specify interested user group by specifying characteristics of group parameters311-316via step502. The remote server120can then analyze the data of all users among specified user group and then provide user group performance information to the network device110without disclosing personal information of users from the specified user group via step504. The remote server120can send the characterized user group characteristics back to the network device110upon request (pull on-demand) via step506. Alternatively, the remote server120can send the results to the network device110regularly. In step508, the user can review the group characteristics of specified user group for reference. The user can specify a new user group and view the results by repeating steps502to508until the user is satisfied with the final results of the new user group.

The process for a user to upload user data, specify user group, pull to view user group result, and redefine the user group described inFIG. 7can be applicable to any type of processing application and (without limitation) are particularly well suited for wireless applications. The process described herein may be implemented in hardware circuitry, in computer software, or a combination of hardware circuitry and computer software and is not limited to a particular hardware or software implementation.

According to one embodiment, the process can be implemented, in part, in response to a processor (e.g., the CPU112) executing one or more sequences of one or more instructions contained in a memory (not shown). Such instructions may be read into the memory from a computer-readable storage medium. Execution of the sequences of instructions contained in the memory causes the processor to perform the process steps described herein. One or more processors in a multi-processing arrangement may also be employed to execute the sequences of instructions contained in the memory. In alternative embodiments, hard-wired circuitry may be used in place of or in combination with software instructions to implement the embodiments described herein. Thus, embodiments described herein are not limited to any specific combination of hardware circuitry and software.

The term “computer-readable storage medium” as used herein refers to any medium that participates in providing instructions to processor for execution. Such a medium may take many forms, including non-volatile media and volatile media. Non-volatile media includes, for example, a PROM, an EPROM, a FLASH-EPROM or an optical disk.

Although the present invention has been described in accordance with the embodiments shown, it may be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications, variation and improvements of the embodiments described herein may be made in the light of the above teachings and within the purview of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and intended scope of the invention. In addition, those areas in which it is believed that those of ordinary skill in the art are familiar, have not been described herein in order to not unnecessary obscure the embodiments described herein. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited by the specific illustrative embodiments.