System And Method For Generating A Call For Media In A Communication System

Abstract

Communication about an event is achieved through a call for media, allowing diverse forms of media such as text, audio, picture, and video to be associated with the call for media for a past, present and/or future event, an event being definable by location, a set time, an object, a state of being, an individual, any combination thereof and others, etc. Calls for media need not be stated as direct requests, but may simply be an event name, to which users may respond with related media. Associating specific communication with an event allows all forms of media used or captured to be related to the event for easier tagging, cataloging, or archiving, while also creating a way to alert others that media is desired for an event and can aggregate this media from one or many users, organize and prioritize event-related media to create presentations of the event, etc.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for generating a call for media in response to a request by a user in a communication system, comprising:
 receiving from the user the request for generation of the call for media including a designation of a friend type call for media;   determining users of the system identified as friends of the user;   sending to a device of the user, information to display to the user an option to select one or more of the friends of the user;   receiving from the user a selection of the one or more friends;   determining a select geographic area to which to send the call for media depending upon information received from one or more of the friends; and   sending the call for media to the select geographic area.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining additional geographic areas; and   sending the call for media to the additional geographic areas.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 sending to the device of the user, information to display an option to select a future date and time; and   receiving from the user a selection of the future date and time;   the sending the call for media step comprising sending the call for media upon occurrence of the selected future date and time.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving from the user a selection of a geographic area and a friend of the user;   the sending the call for media step comprising sending the call for media to the selected friend based upon a determination that the selected friend is within a predetermined distance of the selected geographic area.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , the determining the friends step comprising:
 accessing user information from third party systems to determine the friends of the user.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 enabling grouping of multiple users of the system for facilitating selection by the user of recipients of the call for media.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 ending the call for media if no media is received in response to the call for media within a predetermined period of time.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a designation of the call for media as private; and   limiting visibility of the call for media to select users based on the designation as private.   
     
     
         9 . A method for generating a call for media in response to a request by a user in a communication system, comprising:
 receiving in a transmission of data from a device of the user, the request for generation of the call for media and an identification of select individuals to which the call for media will be sent at a specified time;   sending to the device of the user, information to display to the user an option to select the specified time;   receiving from the user the selection of the specified time;   sending the call for media to each select individual upon occurrence of the specified time;   notifying the select individuals of the call for media; and   allowing compensation to be integrated into the call for media.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 allowing details of the call for media to dynamically change based upon user interaction.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 determining the compensation based on details of the call for media.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 determining the compensation based on advertising integrated with the call for media.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 determining the compensation based on advertising integrated with media replies to the call for media.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 requiring payment to generate the call for media.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 receiving payment from the user to establish a limit on permissible technology to be used for responses to the call for media.   
     
     
         16 . A method for generating a call for media in response to a request by a user, comprising:
 enabling the user to request creation of the call for media, the call for media being associated with at least one call for media record;   presenting to the user suggestions of events related to the user, for which the call for media is to be created;   receiving from the user a selected event for the call for media;   sending to users the call for media associated with the at least one call for media record; and   notifying users who are within a select area of selected event.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 enabling the user to enter additional events through a device of the user.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 automatically generating a call for media based upon the user's account details.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the suggestions of events are determined from events related to the user based upon information about the user. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the events are geographic location independent.