System and method for locational messaging

Abstract

Herein is disclosed a positional content platform and related systems and methods. According to some embodiments, the platform includes a mobile processing and communication device and a service layer executing on a server. The mobile processing and communication device communicates with the service layer. By virtue of the communication, a user of the mobile device is able to locate and view digital content that has been created and stored on the platform. The aforementioned content is associated with a geographic location, and, according to some embodiments, the content is represented in a user interface by an icon that is superimposed over a field of view representative of a geographic region.

1 . A computerized method for execution by a mobile communication and processing device comprising:
 displaying a user interface that presents a field of view representative of a region on earth;   sending a first service call to a service layer, wherein said service call includes field of view data;   receiving, in response to said first service call, attribute data descriptive of digital content that is associated with a locale within said region;   positioning an icon within said field of view of said user interface as a function of said locale.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said field of view data comprises latitude and longitude data. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said field of view data further comprises a radius. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said field of view data comprises a pair of longitude data and a pair of latitude data. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said attribute data comprises identity data indicating an identity of a creator of said digital content. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said attribute data comprises timestamp data indicating when said digital content was created. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said attribute data comprises timestamp data indicating when said digital content was last altered. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said attribute data comprises graphics data. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said digital content comprises a textual message. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said digital content comprises a graphical image. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said digital content comprises video data. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said digital content comprises a plurality of individual units of user-generated data. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein each of said units of user-generated data is associated with creation data that, for a given unit of user-generated data, indicates an identity of a creator of said given unit of user-generated data. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein each of said units of user-generated data is associated with timestamp data that, for a given unit of user-generated data, indicates a time of creation said given unit of user-generated data. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said plurality of individual units of user-generated data are associated with each other as a discussion thread. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said act of positioning said icon within said field of view comprises superimposing said icon on a map, wherein said icon is superimposed over an area on said map corresponding to said locale. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said act of positioning said icon within said field of view comprises superimposing said icon on a satellite image, wherein said icon is superimposed over an area on said satellite image corresponding to said locale. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said field of view comprises imagery generated by a camera integrated into said mobile communication and processing device. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said mobile communication and processing device is positioned at a location and in an orientation, and wherein said act of positioning said icon within said field of view comprises:
 determining said location of said mobile communication and processing device;   determining said orientation of said mobile communication and processing device; and   positioning said icon on said field of view as a function of said location, said orientation and said locale associated with said digital content.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said icon is selectable. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein in response to selection of an icon, said attribute data is presented. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said attribute data is selectable, and wherein in response to selection of said attribute data, said digital content is displayed. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said service layer executes on a processing platform that is separate from said mobile communication and processing device. 
     
     
         24 . A mobile communication and processing device comprising:
 A processor; and   A memory unit in communication with said processor, said memory unit storing a set of instructions that, when executed by said processor cause said processor and memory unit to cooperate to:
 display a user interface that presents a field of view representative of a region on earth; 
 send a first service call to a service layer, wherein said service call includes field of view data; 
 receive, in response to said first service call, attribute data descriptive of digital content that is associated with a locale within said region; and 
 position an icon within said field of view of said user interface as a function of said locale. 
   
     
     
         25 . The mobile communication and processing device of  claim 24 , wherein said field of view data comprises latitude and longitude data. 
     
     
         26 . The mobile communication and processing device of  claim 25 , wherein said field of view data further comprises a radius. 
     
     
         27 . The mobile communication and processing device of  claim 25 , wherein said field of view data comprises a pair of longitude data and a pair of latitude data. 
     
     
         28 . The mobile communication and processing device of  claim 24 , wherein said attribute data comprises identity data indicating an identity of a creator of said digital content. 
     
     
         29 . The mobile communication and processing device of  claim 24 , wherein said attribute data comprises timestamp data indicating when said digital content was created. 
     
     
         30 . The mobile communication and processing device of  claim 24 , wherein said attribute data comprises timestamp data indicating when said digital content was last altered. 
     
     
         31 . The mobile communication and processing device of  claim 24 , wherein said attribute data comprises graphics data. 
     
     
         32 . The mobile communication and processing device of  claim 24 , wherein said digital content comprises a textual message. 
     
     
         33 . The mobile communication and processing device of  claim 24 , wherein said digital content comprises a graphical image. 
     
     
         34 . The mobile communication and processing device of  claim 24 , wherein said digital content comprises video data. 
     
     
         35 . The mobile communication and processing device of  claim 24 , wherein said digital content comprises a plurality of individual units of user-generated data. 
     
     
         36 . The mobile communication and processing device of  claim 35 , wherein each of said units of user-generated data is associated with creation data that, for a given unit of user-generated data, indicates an identity of a creator of said given unit of user-generated data. 
     
     
         37 . The mobile communication and processing device of  claim 36 , wherein each of said units of user-generated data is associated with timestamp data that, for a given unit of user-generated data, indicates a time of creation said given unit of user-generated data. 
     
     
         38 . The mobile communication and processing device of  claim 37 , wherein said plurality of individual units of user-generated data are associated with each other as a discussion thread. 
     
     
         39 . The mobile communication and processing device of  claim 24 , wherein said positioning of said icon within said field of view comprises superimposing said icon on a map, wherein said icon is superimposed over an area on said map corresponding to said locale. 
     
     
         40 . The mobile communication and processing device of  claim 24 , wherein said positioning of said icon within said field of view comprises superimposing said icon on a satellite image, wherein said icon is superimposed over an area on said satellite image corresponding to said locale. 
     
     
         41 . The mobile communication and processing device of  claim 24 , further comprising:
 A camera in data communication with said processor; and   wherein said field of view comprises imagery generated by a camera.   
     
     
         42 . The mobile communication and processing device of  claim 41 , wherein said mobile communication and processing device is positioned at a location and in an orientation, and wherein said positioning of said icon within said field of view comprises:
 determining said location of said mobile communication and processing device;   determining said orientation of said mobile communication and processing device; and   positioning said icon on said field of view as a function of said location, said orientation and said locale associated with said digital content.   
     
     
         43 . The mobile communication and processing device of  claim 24 , wherein said icon is selectable. 
     
     
         44 . The mobile communication and processing device of  claim 43 , wherein said memory unit is further programmed with a set of instructions, which, when executed by said processor, cause said processor and memory unit to cooperate to:
 present said data in response to selection of an icon.   
     
     
         45 . The mobile communication and processing device of  claim 44 , wherein said memory unit is further programmed with a set of instructions, which, when executed by said processor, cause said processor and memory unit to cooperate to:
 Display said digital content in response to selection of said attribute data.   
     
     
         46 . The mobile communication and processing device of  claim 24 , wherein said service layer executes on a processing platform that is separate from said mobile communication and processing device. 
     
     
         47 . A system comprising:
 a first mobile communication and processing device under operation by a first user;   a second mobile communication and processing device under operation by a second user;   wherein said first and second mobile communication and processing devices are in communication, via a communication network, with a service layer executing on a server; and   wherein said first mobile communication and processing device comprises
 a processor; and 
 a memory unit in data communication with said processor, said memory unit storing a set of instructions, which, when executed by said processor, cause said processor to cooperate with said memory unit to
 display a user interface that presents a field of view representative of a region on earth; 
 designate a region of said field of view selected by said first user as being identified by a name selected by said first user; 
 send a service request to said service layer, causing said service layer to notify said first mobile communication and processing device of occurrence of an event determined said first user within said region. 
 
   
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 47 , wherein said region is defined by a latitude, longitude and radius. 
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 47 , wherein said region is defined by a pair of latitudes and a pair of longitudes. 
     
     
         50 . The system of  claim 47 , wherein said event comprises said second mobile communication and processing device being detected by said service layer as being located within said region. 
     
     
         51 . The system of  claim 47  wherein said event comprises said service layer responding to a service call from said second mobile communication device to create digital content associated with said region. 
     
     
         52 . The system of  claim 47 , wherein said event comprises creation of digital content by said second user, if said second user is selected as a friend by said first user. 
     
     
         53 . The system of  claim 47 , wherein said event comprises creation of digital content within said field of view of said user interface. 
     
     
         54 . The system of  claim 47 , wherein said first mobile communication and processing device is positioned at a location, and wherein said first mobile communication and processing device further comprises:
 a global positioning system receiver; and   wherein said memory unit further stores instructions, which when executed by said processor cause said processor to cooperate with said memory unit to
 interact with said global positioning system receiver to obtain data describing said position of said first mobile communication and processing device; and 
 determine said field of view as a function of said position of said first mobile communication and processing device. 
   
     
     
         55 . The system of  claim 47 , wherein said data describing said position of said first mobile communication and processing device comprises latitude data and longitude data. 
     
     
         56 . The system of  claim 55 , wherein said data describing said position of said first mobile communication and processing device further comprises a radius. 
     
     
         57 . The system of  claim 56 , wherein said data describing said position of said first mobile communication and processing device further comprises altitude data. 
     
     
         58 . A computerized method for execution by a mobile communication and processing device, said method comprising:
 displaying a user interface that presents a field of view representative of a region on earth;   creating digital content defined by a user of said mobile communication and processing device; and   sending a service call to a service layer, wherein said service call includes position data, wherein said position data identifies a position within said field of view, wherein said service call further includes said digital content, and wherein said service call causes said service layer to store said digital content in a persistence layer in association with said position data.   
     
     
         59 . The computerized method of  claim 58 , wherein said digital content comprises textual data. 
     
     
         60 . The computerized method of  claim 58 , wherein said digital content comprises image data. 
     
     
         61 . The computerized method of  claim 58 , wherein said digital content comprises image data generated by a camera integrated into said mobile communication and processing device. 
     
     
         62 . The computerized method of  claim 58 , wherein said digital content comprises video data generated by a camera integrated into said mobile communication and processing device. 
     
     
         63 . The computerized method of  claim 58 , wherein said position data is selected via said user interface by said user. 
     
     
         64 . The computerized method of  claim 58 , wherein said position data is obtained from a global positioning system receiver integrated into said mobile communication and processing device. 
     
     
         65 . The computerized method of  claim 58 , wherein said method further comprises:
 presenting on said user interface a selectable option to render said digital content discoverable only by other users designated by said user.   
     
     
         66 . The computerized method of  claim 58 , wherein said method further comprises:
 presenting on said user interface a selectable option to render said digital content discoverable by all other users.