Abstract:
A communications system includes a central server that communicates with a plurality of query servers for exchanging queries and receiving query responses. The system also includes a querying device that communicates with the central server to send queries thereto and receive query responses therefrom. The querying device sends a query to the central server that posts the query to each of the plurality of query servers. At least one third party provides a query response to the query on at least one of the plurality of query servers. The central server receives the response to the query from the at least one of the plurality of query servers and provides the response to the querying device.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This disclosure relates to communications systems in general and, more specifically, to communication with social networking sites. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Those who undertake activities on various social networking sites will understand the utility provided. These sites are often used to keep track of old acquaintances, and for non-time or location critical information exchange. In this respect, social networking sites operate in a similar manner as a bulletin board. However, with more and more users accessing these sites, and more frequently, the utility of these sites and services could be enhanced. 
         [0003]    Often when users are away from home or work, a simple answer to a question from friends or contacts could prove extremely helpful. An example could be: “Where can I get good sushi?” Another example might be: “Where is the best car wash?” Of course, one may begin calling each friend with knowledge of the area or subject matter but this is time consuming and often inconvenient. Moreover, it is not always known who will have a good answer to such a query. It is unlikely that one knows what each of his or her friends thinks of sushi in general, and would therefore be able to recommend a quality establishment. 
         [0004]    Social networking sites offer a solution to obtaining answers to these queries but, until now, do not provide an optimal solution to the timing question. One can login to each social networking site of which one is a member, post the query, and continually monitor for appropriate responses. Obviously, this presents problems, and these are multiplied by the number of social networking sites queried. The need to answer these questions will often arise when one is in a social situation or otherwise engaged such that spending time posting and monitoring queries is not feasible. Additionally, many queries would be time sensitive, and answers provided long after the fact may not be useful (for example, “Where can I get an oil change at lunch?”, or “my babysitter canceled, does anyone have a recommendation?”). 
         [0005]    What is needed is a system and method for addressing the above, and related, problems. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The invention of the present disclosure, in one aspect thereof comprises a communications system. The system includes a central server that communicates with a plurality of query servers for exchanging queries and receiving query responses. The system also includes a querying device that communicates with the central server to send queries thereto and receive query responses therefrom. In one method of operation, the querying device sends a query to the central server that posts the query to each of the plurality of query servers. At least one third party provides a query response to the query on at least one of the plurality of query servers. The central server receives the response to the query from the at least one of the plurality of query servers and provides the response to the querying device. The querying device may also supply a reply to at least one response, which may be received by the central server and sent to the plurality of query servers. 
         [0007]    In some embodiments the central server obtains location data from the querying device when receiving the query. The central server may provide the location data as a part of the query posted to the plurality of query servers. Each of the plurality of query servers may receive login credentials from the central server corresponding to a user issuing the query from the querying device. 
         [0008]    In one embodiment, at least one of the plurality of query servers is a social networking server. The querying device is a mobile computing device or a stationary computing device. It may communicate with the central server via a mobile phone network or by the Internet. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a communications system according to aspects of the present disclosure. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is another schematic diagram of a communications system according to aspects of the present disclosure. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a sequence diagram illustrating one possible sequence of communications within the systems described in the present disclosure. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart depicting one embodiment of a method of operation of the communications systems described in the present disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0013]    Referring now to  FIG. 1  a schematic diagram of a communications system  100  according to aspects of the present disclosure as shown. In the present embodiment, a mobile device  102  communicates wirelessly with a wireless communication tower  104 . The tower  104  may be coupled to a central server  108  via a data network  106 . The central server  108  communicates over the Internet  110  with social networking servers or query servers  120  and  130 . It can be seen that the social networking server  120  provides access for a number of users using devices  122 ,  124 , and  126 . In the present embodiment, a mobile phone  122 , a tablet computer  124  and a laptop computer  126  are shown communicatively coupled to the social networking server  120 . It is understood that a social networking server may have many users attached (e.g., via the Internet) simultaneously and the number of users connected may vary over time. The social networking server  130  is shown attached to a user&#39;s mobile phone  130 , tablet computer  132  and laptop computer  136 . 
         [0014]    The mobile device  102  of the present embodiment may be any personal communication device capable of issuing a query to the central server  108 . Examples include, but are not limited to, mobile phones, personal media players, tablet computers, laptop computers, desktop computers, and other devices. In the present embodiment, the mobile communications device  102  may be any device capable of accessing a social networking site. However, ability to connect to the social networking site is not required so long as the device  102  can communicate with the central server  108  and act as a querying device. 
         [0015]    The mobile device  102  of the present disclosure communicates via a cellular telephone network to the cellular tower  104 . This communication may be done over a 3G network, a GSM network, a CDMA network, a TDMA, or other type of network capable of supporting transmission of data.  FIG. 1  illustrates the cellular network (shown as tower  104 ) connecting to a central server  108  through a data network  106 . In the present embodiment, the data network  106  is provided as a part of the cellular communication system and is configured to transmit data packets instead of, or in addition to, voice data. The data network  106  allows for exchange of data between the mobile device  102  and the central server  108 . This data will be utilized through the central server  108  to communicate with the social networking servers  120 ,  130  as will be described in greater detail below. 
         [0016]    The central server  108  may connect to a plurality of social networking servers. The present embodiment illustrates two social networking servers  120 ,  130  but it is understood that the central server  108  may be capable of communicating with many more social networking servers. The central server  108  may contain the appropriate protocols, user provided login credentials, and APIs for accessing each of the social networking servers according to its own protocol. 
         [0017]    It is contemplated that the system of the present disclosure can be adapted to communicate with any social networking server that allows for connections from third party applications through the Internet  110 . Present day examples of such social networking services include, but are not limited to, Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, Flickr, Digg, Reddit, and many others. Each of the various social networking services may allow its users to authenticate or login from various different types of devices. In the present embodiment, the social networking servers  120 ,  130  are each shown connecting to a mobile telephone, a tablet computer and a laptop computer but it is understood that these are only exemplary, and many other types of devices may be utilized. Furthermore, in the present embodiment the social networking servers  120 ,  130  function as query servers. That is to say that the present system may operate with any server that allows a user to post a query that may be responded to by posts from a third party. 
         [0018]    Referring now to  FIG. 2  another schematic diagram of a communications system  200  according to aspects of the present disclosure is shown. It can be seen that it is possible that most or all of the entities shown in  FIG. 1  may actually communicate with one another via the Internet  110 . For example, the user devices  122 ,  124 ,  126  may actually interact with the social networking server  120  via the Internet  110 . Similarly, the user devices  132 ,  134 ,  136  may communicate with social networking server  130  via the Internet  110 . It is also possible that any single user device (mobile phone  122  for example) may actually be able to communicate with both social networking servers  120 ,  130 . In the present embodiment, the cellular data network  126  may communicate with the central server  108  via the Internet as well. It will be appreciated that the present disclosure is not meant to be limited to the particular way in the which the various servers and networks intercommunicate so long as appropriate protocols are followed allowing for reliable exchange of data and information. 
         [0019]    In operation, the systems as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  can provide the ability for the user of the mobile device  102  to simultaneously post one or more queries to each social networking server  120 ,  130 . As described above, there may be many social networking servers associated with the mobile device  102  and the device  102  may have the option of posting the query to all, or a subset, of the available social networking servers. Although complex queries are within the scope of the present disclosure, in the present example, the mobile device user may use the mobile device  102  to provide a simple query. Non-limiting examples of such queries would include a request for a local service such as a car wash or dry cleaner. Another example would be a request for a particular type of food available within a certain area. Yet another useful, and perhaps time sensitive query, that can be addressed by the system of the present disclosure would be a request for a last minute babysitter. 
         [0020]    The query will be transmitted from the mobile device  102  via one or more wireless towers  104  to the cellular data network  106 . The query will be received by the central server  108 , which will then post the query to each of the preselected social networking sites  120 ,  130  via the Internet  110 . Location information may also be provided by the mobile device  102  and may be posted on the social networking servers  120 ,  130 . 
         [0021]    Social networking sites often allow users to associate themselves with certain other users as friends or contact. Subgroups of friend or contacts may also sometimes be designated within a social networking system. All friends, or a group of friend, may be selected to receive the a query. In one embodiment, the query will simply be posted to the user&#39;s associated profile or status on one or more of the social networking servers  120 ,  130 . It is contemplated that after a period of time, or perhaps after being notified of the query by the social networking servers  120 ,  130 , that one or more of the users&#39; contacts or friends will respond to the query. Using Facebook as an example, the user may post on his or her status that he or she is looking for a place to receive a manicure near their current location. In some embodiments, the location will be provided as a part of the query from the user, and in other embodiments, the central server  108  will automatically provide the location of the querying user from data obtained automatically through the data network  106  from the mobile device  102 . 
         [0022]    Friends or contacts who see the status message or query and elect to respond will typically post a response on the server that will be associated with the original status message or query. Monitoring the ongoing status message conversation is one way that the central server  108  can detect responses to the query. The central server  108  may continuously or periodically monitor the one or more social networking servers  120 ,  130  waiting for a response. Responses may be reported back to the user of the mobile device  102  as they occur, or they may be collated and transmitted after a predetermined period of time. 
         [0023]    In some embodiments, the query may only be useful for a particular period of time, in which case the central server  108  may remove the query or provide an update on the social networking site indicating that answers to the particular query are no longer useful. Whether or not a time limit is to be associated with a particular query may be determined by the user of the mobile device  102 . 
         [0024]    It is also contemplated that a mobile device user may wish to issue follow up queries or replies to any responses received. In some embodiments, this can be handled in the same thread as the original query. For example, a user of the mobile device  102  may issue a note of thanks, or a follow up query (e.g., “has anyone else used this baby sitter?”) that is issued to the central server  108 , and then on to the social networking servers  120 ,  130  for posting in the same conversation, status message, or thread as the original query. In another embodiment, the follow on query may be posted as an entirely new query. 
         [0025]    It will be appreciated that just as the central server  108  may communicate with multiple social networking servers  120 ,  130 , that the central server  108  may be adaptable to communicate with a plurality of different types of mobile devices  102 . A mobile device  102  may be loaded with a set of software that enables the mobile device  102  to communicate with the central server  108 . It is also understood that the mobile device  102  need not necessarily be mobile but could be a stationary computer, for example, in an office building. In such case, the user&#39;s device may not communicate via the cellular system  104  and cellular data network  106  but could communicate with central server  108  directly over the Internet  110 . 
         [0026]    The central server  108  is highly adaptable in the methods that may be used to communicate with the mobile device  102 . For example, in some embodiments, the mobile device  102  will be a SMS or MMS capable cell phone that submits a query via a traditional cell phone network. The central server  108  may then accept the text message, formulate it into an appropriate query for posting on the social networking servers  120 ,  130 , and await a response as described above. When one or more responses are received, these may be transmitted back to the mobile device  102  also via text or other messaging service. Similarly, the central server  108  could accept queries via email and respond via email, text, or other means when answers are received. 
         [0027]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , a sequence diagram illustrating one possible sequence of communications within the aforedescribed systems is shown. In  FIG. 3 , a user, via mobile device  102  submits a query Q 1  to the central server  108 . For simplicity, the various methods that may be utilized to submit queries to the central server  108  will not be repeated here. The central server  108  then forwards the query Q 1  on to various social networking sites. In the present embodiment, a single social networking site  304  is shown but it is understood that the central server  108  may simultaneously transmit queries to multiple social networking servers or sites. 
         [0028]    As a plurality of social networking site users  306  view various updates that may be available on the social networking site, the query Q 1  is received by one or more users  306 . A response R 1  is posted by a user to the social networking server  304 . This may be transmitted back to the central server  108 . In the present example, the response R 1  is transmitted immediately back to the user  302 . 
         [0029]    To further illustrate the handling of multiple responses, a second response R 2  is posted by the one or more users  306  to the social networking server  304 . This response R 2  may be transmitted back to the central server  108 . However, the networking server also receives a third response R 3  from another of the users  306 . This response R 3  may also be received by the central server  108 . In the second example, the central server  108  collates both responses R 2  and R 3  before returning then to the user  302 . Whether or not answers are collated or combined before being returned to a user may be selectable at the option of the user. 
         [0030]    In addition to the query and responses, replies may be issued by the user of the mobile device  102 . In  FIG. 3  the reply is shown as Q 2 , and may or may not contain additional or follow on queries. As with the original query Q 1 , the reply/query Q 2  is forwarded to the central server  108  and then to the social network  304 . It may then be posted by the social network  304  in the same conversation thread as the original query Q 1  such that the query, responses, and replies or further queries may be presented to all users as a single conversation thread. The mobile device  102  may collate all the responses in an organized fashion for the user. 
         [0031]    Referring now to  FIG. 4  a flowchart  400  depicting one embodiment of a method of operation of the communications systems described above is shown. At step  402 , a query is received at the central server  108 . At step  404 , the query is sent by the central server to a social networking server (e.g.,  120  of  FIG. 2 ). At step  406 , the central server  108  may query the social networking site to determine if a response has been received. (In other embodiments, the social networking server  120  may provide an update to the central server  108  when a response is received.) In the present embodiment, the central server  108  will take no further action until the response is received on the social networking site as shown by delay  407  and its associated loop back to step  406 . When a response is received, a determination may be made at step  408  to wait for more responses. In some cases, a single response will be propagated back to the user as soon as it is received and in other embodiments, the central server  108  may wait for a plurality of responses for a predetermined time before returning such responses to the user. This is shown by the delay at step  409  and its associated loop back to step  408 . At step  410 , the responses are delivered back to the user or the original issuer of the query. As described, multiple responses may be collated. 
         [0032]    At step  412 , a user may have the option of submitting a reply, or additional or follow on query, in response to responses received at step  410 . The reply may be posted back to the central server  108  at step  414 . In some cases, this may be the end of the activity. However, at step  416  it may be determined whether the reply from step  414  also contains an additional query. In this case, in some embodiments, the steps  402  through  412  may be repeated in order that any additional responses can be taken into account and delivered to the user. 
         [0033]    Thus, the present invention is well adapted to carry out the objectives and attain the ends and advantages mentioned above as well as those inherent therein. While presently preferred embodiments have been described for purposes of this disclosure, numerous changes and modifications will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Such changes and modifications are encompassed within the spirit of this invention as defined by the claims.