Targeted messaging system and related methods

Abstract

A system for targeted messaging includes a messaging platform for communicating messages to a target group, a target group selecting module for selecting the target group from a group of potential message recipients based upon the location of each potential message recipient relative to a predefined targeted region. A method of targeted messaging includes defining a targeted region, selecting a target group from a group of potential message recipients based upon the location of each potential message recipient relative to the targeted region, and transmitting a message to the selected target group.

1 . A messaging system comprising: 
 a messaging platform for communicating messages to a target group; and    target group selecting module for selecting the target group from a group of potential message recipients based upon a location of each potential message recipient relative to a predefined targeted region.    
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of locatable wireless communication devices.  
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of locatable wireless communication devices includes a GPS-based location module.  
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the target group selecting module selects the target group from the group of potential message recipients based upon each potential message recipient's being within the targeted region during a prescribed time interval.  
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the target group selecting module identifies to a system user each potential message recipient who is within the targeted region.  
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a polling module for polling each member of the selected target group.  
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the polling module polls each member of the selected target group who is within the prescribed message space within a prescribed time interval.  
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein each member of the selected target group responds to the polling module's polling by transmitting a response.  
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the response is transmitted to at least one other member of the selected target group.  
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the polling module concludes the polling within a prescribed period of time.  
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the polling module passes results of the polling to the messaging platform which transmits to members of the selected target group results of the polling.  
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the target group selecting module selects the target group by 
 observing at different intervals an amount of time that a potential message recipient is within the targeted region; and    designating a potential message recipient to be a member of the target group based upon at least one of 
 number of time intervals that the potential message recipient is in the targeted region, and,  
 amount of time per different interval that the potential message recipient is in the targeted region.  
   
   
   
       13 . A method of targeted messaging over a telecommunications system, the method comprising the steps of: 
 defining a targeted region;    selecting a target group from a group of potential message recipients based upon the location of each potential message recipient relative to the targeted region;    transmitting a message to the selected target group.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the step of selecting comprises selecting the target group from the group of potential message recipients based upon each potential message recipient's being within the targeted region during a prescribed time interval.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the step of polling each member of the selected target group.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the step of polling comprises polling each member of the selected target group who is within the targeted region during a prescribed time interval.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein each member of the selected target group responds to the polling by transmitting a response.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the response is transmitted to at least one other member of the selected target group.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the step of polling is concluded within a prescribed period of time.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising the step of transmitting to members of the selected target group results of the polling.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the step of selecting comprises 
 observing at different intervals an amount of time that each potential message recipient is within the targeted region; and    deciding to designate a potential message recipient to be a member of the target group based upon at least one of 
 number of time intervals that the potential message recipient is in the targeted region, and,  
 amount of time per different interval that the potential message recipient is in the targeted region.  
   
   
   
       22 . A computer readable storage medium for use with a telecommunication system, the storage medium comprising computer instructions for: 
 defining a targeted region;    selecting a target group from a group of potential message recipients based upon a location of each potential message recipient relative to the targeted region; and    transmitting a message to the selected target group.    
   
   
       23 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 22 , wherein the computer instruction for selecting a target group comprises a computer instruction for selecting the target group from the group of potential message recipients based upon each potential message recipient's being within the targeted region during a prescribed time interval.  
   
   
       24 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 22 , wherein the computer instruction for selecting a target group comprises a computer instruction for: 
 observing at different intervals an amount of time that each potential message recipient is within the targeted region; and    deciding to designate a potential message recipient to be a member of the target group based upon at least one of 
 number of time intervals that the potential message recipient is in the targeted region, and,  
 amount of time per different interval that the potential message recipient is in the targeted region.  
   
   
   
       25 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 22 , further comprising a computer instruction for polling each member of the selected target group.