FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of mobile communication devices and internet data-based application services. The invention particularly relates to a method and system for geo-tagging and geo-fencing for aggregating messages in user equipment’s (UE).

DEFINITIONS
Geo-tag: an electronic tag that assigns a geographical location to a photograph or video, a posting on a social media website, etc.
Geo-fence: it is a feature in a software program that uses the global positioning system (GPS) to define geographical boundaries.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Smartphones and other smart devices are increasingly taking over the role of personal-computing. The User Equipment/ Mobile Smart Phone market is growing rapidly, and consequently there are more mobile phones than Personal Computers (PCs) in use today. Smartphones can perform some functions better than PCs with an added advantage of portability. The biggest value is that, the smartphones provide users with necessary information on the go.

Due to the large amount of information that is available on the internet, users look for ways to narrow down the information based on their interests, needs and preferences as also, based on their interest in a specific geographical location. Further, the user may wish to access information that may be important while on the move, particularly when information may be related to the current location of the user. Existing systems and methods do not allow the user to have a single application installed on his/her smartphone that aggregates notifications from multiple data sources and presents them to the user. Further the existing systems and methods do not provide geo-location based information of the source or origin of the message tagged notification or messages.

The above mentioned shortcomings, disadvantages and problems are addressed herein and which will be understood by reading and studying the following specification.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The various embodiments herein disclose a method of combining geo-tagging, geo-fencing and broadcast capability in in a single system. The various embodiments of the present invention discloses a message/notification aggregation platform and method that receives one or more notifications from one or more data sources, based on a geo-tagged and geo-fenced approach, aggregates the notifications and displays the aggregated notifications as messages to the user.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a method of rendering information to user, the method comprises of enabling, a notification aggregation application, on a user device to search for one or more data sources over a network, Subscribing to the one or more data sources for obtaining notification messages corresponding to the user requirements, processing, by an aggregation engine, the notification messages sent from the one or more data sources, and displaying the notification messages from the one or more data sources on the user device.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the notification messages comprise of a message body tagged with Geo-location co-ordinates of a message sources so as to route the notification to the user device. According to another embodiment of the present invention, displaying the notification message comprises of geo-fencing of messages to display the notification messages to the users present within a preset geographical coverage area.

In an embodiment of the present invention, data sources can be one or more of, but not limited to, humanly assisted broadcasts sent out, scheduled alerts, alerts generated by connected devices (in the world of Internet Of Things), and the like.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the notification aggregation method comprises of accessing a notification aggregation application installed on a user device to search for the required data sources over a network. Further, the user subscribes to one or more data sources or channels to receive notifications based on the user interests. The notifications sent from the data sources or channels are processed through an aggregation engine. The aggregation engine aggregates notifications from various or multiple data sources or channels and pushes or posts the respective notifications to the respective user’s device connected to the network.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the notification aggregation method comprises of generating notification messages, comprising a message body tagged with the Geo-location co-ordinates of the source or origin of the message, such that the notification can be routed to the right user, based on location based routing rules.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the notification aggregation method comprises of using geo-fencing methods to broadcast notifications, such that the notifications can be restricted to be delivered to the recipients available within a preset geographical coverage area. The intelligence built into the notification aggregation system can detect the recipient’s geographical location and can decide whether to route/deliver the notification or not, based on the coverage area rule that is applicable at that point in time.

The foregoing has outlined, in general, the various aspects of the invention and is to serve as an aid to better understanding the more complete detailed description which is to follow. In reference to such, there is to be a clear understanding that the present invention is not limited to the method or application of use described and illustrated herein. It is intended that any other advantages and objects of the present invention that become apparent or obvious from the detailed description or illustrations contained herein are within the scope of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

The other objects, features and advantages will occur to those skilled in the art from the following description of the preferred embodiment and the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a notification aggregation system, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating receiving notifications from one or more data sources, aggregating the notifications and providing the aggregated notifications to the user, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 3 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a scenario where the notification aggregation engine geo-tags the notification messages and specifies the geo-fenced area within which the users receive the notification messages, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a scenario where the notification aggregation engine geo-tags the broadcast and specifies the number of nearest recipient users for receiving the notification messages, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a scenario where the user device specifies the geographical area within which the notification messages to be received, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating a scenario where the user device specifies the number of nearest data sources from which the user device receives the notification messages, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Although specific features of the present invention are shown in some drawings and not in others, this is done for convenience only as each feature may be combined with any or all of the other features in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The various embodiments of the present invention discloses a notification aggregation system and method adapted for receiving one or more notifications from one or more data sources based on user requirements, aggregates the notifications and displays the aggregated notifications to the user in the form of notification messages. In the following detailed description of the embodiments of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims.

The specification may refer to “an”, “one” or “some” embodiment(s) in several locations. This does not necessarily imply that each such reference is to the same embodiment(s), or that the feature only applies to a single embodiment. Single features of different embodiments may also be combined to provide other embodiments.

As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless expressly stated otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “includes”, “comprises”, “including” and/or “comprising” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations and arrangements of one or more of the associated listed items.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

The present invention provides a system and method of rendering information to user. The person having ordinarily skilled in the art can understand that the described embodiments use cases are for better understanding and illustration of the present invention, but not limit to scope of the present invention. The embodiments of the present invention are described with respect to user device or user equipment (UE) that can be any of electronic devices such as, but not limited to, laptop, mobile phone, tablet, PDA, camera, smart watch, and the like, and the person having ordinarily skilled in the art can understand that any of the electronic device with communication and sharing capabilities can be used, without departing from the scope of the invention.

The embodiments herein uses a geo-tagging and geo-fencing concept , based on which the message broadcasting and receiving end functions. The present invention provides an aggregation platform adapted for receiving one or more notifications from various data sources and present it to a user device phone. Further, the present invention allows users to create their own channel for broadcasting information, invite other users to subscribe and receive the information. Further, the embodiments herein also enable the user for allowing the public subscription and viewing of the message notifications.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a method of rendering information to user is described herein. According the present invention, the method comprises step of enabling a notification aggregation application on a user device to search for one or more data sources over a network. A user accessing the user device can enable the notification aggregation application for obtaining information over the network. Upon enabling the notification aggregation application on the user device can search and access one or more data sources for needed information over the network. In an embodiment of the present invention, the user device can access the data sources voluntarily by searching the available data sources, by receiving suggestions based on the frequency and type of data being searched, or based on request received from particular data source for accessing the data source, without departing from the scope of the invention.

Further, the method comprises steps of subscribing to the one or more data sources for obtaining notification messages corresponding to the user requirements. Upon enabling searching for one or more data sources, the notification aggregation application on the user device receives one or more data sources associated with the search. Upon receiving the one or more data sources, the user of the user device can select one or more data sources and subscribe to the data sources for obtaining notification messages corresponding to the user requirements. In an embodiment of the present invention, the one or more data sources can be one or more of, but not limited to, humanly assisted broadcasts, scheduled alerts, alerts from connected devices (internet of things (IOT) devices), and the like, and the person having ordinarily skilled in the art can understand that the user of the user device can subscribed for one or more of the data sources, without departing from the scope of the invention.

The method further comprises steps of processing, by an aggregation engine, the notification messages sent from the one or more data sources. The aggregation engine stores profile of the user of the user device, wherein the profile comprises of information associated with the user and one or more data sources selected and subscribed by the user. The aggregation engine continuously keeps track of the data sources. Whenever the data sources publish any new news feed and a notification message for the new news feed, the aggregation engine receives the notification messages and processes them. In an embodiment of the present invention, the notification messages comprise of a message body tagged with Geo-location co-ordinates of a message sources so as to route the notification to the user device.

The method further comprises step of displaying the notification messages from the one or more data sources on the user device. The processed notification messages are transmitted to the user device, wherein the notification messages are displayed on the user device. In an embodiment of the present invention, displaying the notification message comprises of geo-fencing of messages to display the notification messages to the users present within a preset geographical coverage area.

Figure 1 is schematic network diagram 100 illustrating rendering information to user by aggregation of notification messages, according to an embodiment of the present invention. According to the Figure 1, the network diagram 100 comprises of one or more client devices or also called as user devices 102a, 102b, 102c, a network 104, an aggregation engine 106, and one or more data sources 114a, 114b, …114n. Each of the one or more client devices or user devices 102a, 102b, 102c comprises of a notification aggregation application 112. The aggregation engine 106 further comprises of an aggregation server 108, and an aggregation database 110. In an embodiment of the present invention, the client device/ user device 102a, 102b, 102c can be any of, but not limited to, laptop, mobile phone, PDA, tablet, smart devices such as smart phone, camera and the like, and the person having ordinarily skilled in the art can understand that any of the known electronic device that can perform data aggregation can be used for communication, without departing from the scope of the invention.

The embodiments herein uses a geo-tagging and geo-fencing concept, based on which the message broadcasting and receiving end functions. The notification aggregation application 112 receives one or more notifications from various data sources 114a, 114b … 114n and presents it to the client device or user device 102a, 102b, 102c. Further, the present invention allows users of the client device 102a, 102b, 102c to create their own channel for broadcasting information, invite other users to subscribe and receive the information. Further, the embodiments herein also enable the user for allowing the public subscription and viewing of the message notifications.

In an embodiment of the present invention, a user profile can be created to access the notification aggregation application on the client device 102a, wherein the notification aggregation application 112 can be displayed on the graphical user interface of the client device 102a as the notification aggregation application. In an embodiment of the present invention, the user profile can be registered and accessed using at least one of authentication credentials that includes, but not limited to, user name and password, mobile number, QR code, biometric inputs such as retina scanning, face detection, thumb impression, voice recognition and the like. The user profile can be stored in the aggregation database 110 of the aggregation engine 106.

The data sources 114a, 114b … 114n can comprise of one or more channels through which they can be broadcasting the notifications. The aggregation server 108 of the aggregation engine 106 identifies that the user has subscribed to one or more channels of the one or more data sources 114a, 114b … 114n. The aggregation server 108 fetches the user profile stored in the aggregation database 110 and updates the user profile with the user subscribed data sources and the corresponding channels.

Figure 2 is a schematic diagram 200 illustrating client device or user device receiving notification from one or more data sources, according to an embodiment of the present invention. According to the diagram 200, one or more notifications or notification messages from one or more data sources are received by a notification aggregation application. The notification aggregation application can aggregate all the received notifications and display on the client device or user device. The user of the user device or client device can view notification messages associated with various data sources using single notification aggregation application.

According to an embodiment herein, the channels can be created by one or more of data sources that can include, but not limited to, other users, bulk message sending centers such as customer care services, local news providers, schools, institutions, non-government organizations (NGOs), government offices, clubs, offices and the like. The data sources can create the channels, and add the necessary information to be transmitted through that. Further, in an embodiment of the present invention, the data sources can select one or more users to whom the notification information is to be sent. In another embodiment of the present invention, the user only can select or subscribe to the channel of the data source to receive the notification related to the information. Once the selected receivers are identified, the data source can transmit the notification information to the users.

On the other side, the user of the smart device can be selected by the data source and can receive the notification from the data source. In another embodiment of the present invention, the user can search and select required data sources and channels associated with the respective data sources. The user can subscribe to required channel of the data source. In such manner, the user can subscribe to multiple channels of one or more data sources. Whenever the data source posts any information on its channel, the notification aggregation application installed on the user device or client device of the user can receive the notification related to it. Similarly, when one or more data sources posts any information on their channels, the notification aggregation application installed on the user device of the user can receive the notifications.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the information posted by the data source on its channel can be related to, but not limited to, humanly broadcasted sent out message that includes sale in a shop, special loans available to the customers, special offers on any products or services, mass messages sent during elections, weather forecasts, information to the parents regarding school meetings and the like. The user can receive one or more notifications on the notification aggregation application installed on the smartphone.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the data source can be scheduled for alerts that can include, but not limited to, periodic alert message from the bank for payment of loan installment, alert message from the movie theatre or any event, alert message from school for payment of school fees, and the like. In another embodiment of the present invention, the data source can be alerts generated by connected devices or also called as internet of things (IOT) devices.

Figure 3 is a schematic diagram 300 illustrating a use case of transmitting notifications within a pre-determined geographical region boundary, according to an embodiment of the present invention. According to the Figure 3, the diagram 300 comprises of a broadcasting device 302 and plurality of user devices as receivers 304a, 304b, 304c… 304n. According to the diagram 300, the broadcasting device 302 specifies a distance range within which the geo-tagged user devices present in the vicinity receive the broadcast message. The user devices which are outside the distance range specified by the broadcasting device 302will not be able to receive the notification messages.

Consider an example, wherein a mobile vendor can move from one place to another and have plurality of subscribers receiving his notifications. The mobile vendor can post a geo-tagged notification that comprises of location co-ordinates along with notification information. The geo-tagged notification can be broadcasted only to the user devices which are present within the location corresponding to the geo-tagged location. The other subscribers who are not in the location corresponding to the geo-tagged location will not receive the notification posted corresponding to the particular location.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the application or platform allows the data source to create a notification with geo-fencing, wherein the notification can be restricted or fenced to be broadcasted to all the smart devices within the preset geographical coverage area. According to the present embodiment, the server can check the geographical location information preset by the data source in the notification and the geographical location of the recipient. Based on the geographical location of the recipient, the server decides whether the particular recipient is within the determined geographical location or not. If the recipient is within the geographical location, then the notification can be transmitted to the user.

Figure 4 is a schematic diagram 400 illustrating a use case of transmitting notifications to all the user devices within a pre-determined geographical region boundary, according to an embodiment of the present invention. According to the diagram 400, a broadcasting device 402 transmits message to ‘n’ number of geo-tagged user devices acting as receivers which lie closest to the geo-tagged broadcast message.

For instance, consider an example where a news channel team would like to conduct exit polls in election for a particular demographic location. The news channel team, ie, the data source, can create a notification that can be broadcasted to all the recipients within the particular location. On the same channel that users have subscribed to, the news channel team can direct different messages/polls to different users based on their location. Thus, the news channel team can conduct exit polls for different locations on the same channel, wherein the candidate list is different for each of the election constituencies.

Figure 5 is a schematic diagram 500 illustrating a use case of receiving notifications from one or more data sources within the specified geographical region boundary, according to an embodiment of the present invention. According to the diagram 500, a user device 502 acting as a receiver receives broadcast messages from one or more data sources within a fixed distance range from the user equipment’s geo-tagged location. The distance range is set by the user of the user device and the distance is calculated between the user device’s geo-tagged location and the geo-tag given by the data source.

Figure 6 is a schematic diagram 600 illustrating another use case of receiving notifications from one or more data sources within the specified geographical region boundary, according to an embodiment of the present invention. According to the diagram 600, a user device 602 acting as a receiver receives the broadcast messages from ‘n’ number of data sources whose geo tagged locations are nearest to the geo-tagged location of the user equipment.

The present embodiments have been described with reference to specific example embodiments; it will be evident that various modifications and changes may be made to these embodiments without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the various embodiments. Furthermore, the various devices, modules, and the like described herein may be enabled and operated using hardware circuitry, for example, complementary metal oxide semiconductor based logic circuitry, firmware, software and/or any combination of hardware, firmware, and/or software embodied in a machine readable medium. For example, the various electrical structure and methods may be embodied using transistors, logic gates, and electrical circuits, such as application specific integrated circuit.

Although the embodiments herein are described with various specific embodiments, it will be obvious for a person skilled in the art to practice the invention with modifications. However, all such modifications are deemed to be within the scope of the claims. It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the embodiments described herein and all the statements of the scope of the embodiments which as a matter of language might be said to fall there between.

,CLAIMS:CLAIMS

What is claimed is:

1. A method of broadcasting information to a user device, the method comprises of:
enabling, a notification aggregation application, on a user device to search for one or more data sources over a network;
subscribing to the one or more data sources for obtaining notifications corresponding to the user requirements;
processing, by a notification aggregation engine, the notifications sent from the one or more data sources; and
rendering the notifications an notification messages on the user device, wherein the notification aggregation engine aggregates the notifications using one of geo-tagging and geo-fencing for broadcasting information to the user device.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification messages comprises of a message body tagged with a geo-location co-ordinates of the one or more data sources so as to route the notifications to the user device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein rendering the notification message comprises of geo-fencing of notifications to display the notification messages to the users present within a preset geographical coverage area.

4. A system for broadcasting geotagged messages information to users comprising:
one or more user devices;
a notification aggregation application installed in the one or more user device;
one or more data sources for providing notification messages corresponding to the user requests;
a notification aggregation engine adapted for:
processing the notifications received from the one or more data sources; and
rendering the notifications as notification messages on the user device.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the notification aggregation engine comprises of:
an aggregation database for storing a plurality of user profiles.; and
an aggregation server adapted for:
identifying whether the user has subscribed to one or more channels of the one or more data sources;
fetching the user profile stored in the aggregation database; and
updating the user profile with the user subscribed data sources and the corresponding channels.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the user device receives the notification messages from the one or more data sources having a geo-tagged location close to a geotagged location of the user device.