Systems for communicating current and future activity information among mobile Internet users and methods therefor

Abstract

The invention relates, in one embodiment to a computer-implemented method implemented via the Internet for coordinating an activity between a user of a mobile Internet device and other users communicating through the Internet. The method includes receiving activity information pertaining to the event from the user via the mobile Internet device. The activity pertains to an activity occurring during a time period that overlaps the time the activity information is received. The method further includes transmitting the activity information to a backend database coupled to the Internet, the backend database being remote from the mobile Internet device. The method further includes rendering the activity information accessible to at least one recipient via the Internet. The recipient represents a subset of the users coupled to the Internet and having access privilege to information pertaining to the event involving the user.

1 - 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A method for using a commercial offering by a user's Internet-capable mobile device, said commercial offering pertaining to a product or a service provided by a merchant, the method comprising:
 a) receiving the commercial offering over the Internet at the user's Internet-capable mobile device, which commercial offering includes a bar code displayable on a display of the Internet-capable mobile device; and   b) presenting the bar code, displayed on the display, to said merchant for scanning by a bar code scanning device.   
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  wherein presenting the bar code further comprises causing the bar code scanning device to scan the bar code.