Simultaneous messaging system and method

Abstract

At least one of the embodiments described herein relate generally to a method of communicating an engagement to a plurality of active mobile devices, wherein each active mobile device is associated with an active user. The method may include providing at least one communication socket to each of the active mobile devices; receiving location data from those devices, information related to an engagement. In response to determining the location of the engagement, a first notification is provided to nearby active mobile devices to determine the corresponding active user's availability. In response to confirming the engagement a second notification is sent to the nearby active mobile devices to confirm the corresponding active user's availability. An active user is selected among the confirmed available active users and a third notification is provided with the selection result.

1 .- 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A method of selecting an active user for an engagement, the method comprising:
 receiving engagement information in respect of the engagement, the engagement information comprising an engagement location;   receiving, via a first data communication link, a location data of one or more active mobile devices indicating a location of the respective active mobile device;   identifying a set of nearby active mobile devices based on the location data of each active mobile device and the engagement location, the set of nearby active mobile devices comprising one or more active mobile device associated with a location within a predefined distance to the engagement location;   transmitting an engagement notification to the identified set of nearby active mobile devices;   receiving, via a second data communication link, an engagement confirmation response accepting the engagement from at least one nearby active mobile device of the set of nearby active mobile devices;   in response to receiving the engagement confirmation response from two or more nearby active mobile devices, selecting the active user to participate in the engagement, the active user being a user associated with a nearby active mobile device of the two or more nearby active mobile devices; and   generating an engagement confirmation notification to notify the set of nearby active mobile devices that the active user was selected.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein selecting the active user to participate in the engagement comprises evaluating a performance metric associated with each active user associated with the two or more nearby active mobile devices. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 transmitting the engagement confirmation notification to the nearby active mobile device, the engagement confirmation notification comprising at least a portion of the engagement information.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein generating the engagement confirmation notification comprises:
 generating an engagement assigned notification indicating that the engagement has been assigned to another active user; and   transmitting the engagement assigned notification to the nearby active mobile devices that transmitted the engagement confirmation response via the second data communication link other than the nearby active mobile device associated with the selected active user.   
     
     
         23 . The method of claim  09 , wherein identifying the set of nearby active mobile devices comprises, for each active mobile device:
 detecting a recent location of that active mobile device, wherein the location data comprises the location of that active mobile device at a predefined time interval; and   comparing the recent location of that active mobile device with the engagement location to determine whether that active mobile device is within the predefined distance to the engagement location.   
     
     
         24 . The method of claim  09 , wherein the second data communication link transmits data independently of the first data communication link. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein data can be transmitted via the second data communication link at the same time as the first data communication link. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein generating the engagement confirmation notification comprises:
 providing an engagement appointment interface to the nearby active mobile device for receiving an engagement time for the engagement.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 receiving an input from the nearby active mobile device via the second data communication link requesting an initial communication prior to the engagement; and   establishing a third data communication link for the initial communication.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 19  wherein receiving the location data of the one or more active mobile devices via the first data communication link comprises:
 continuously receiving an updated location data at a data transmission frequency determined based on a motion detected at each of the one or more active mobile devices. 
 
     
     
         29 . A system for selecting an active user for an engagement, the system comprising:
 a communication interface comprising a first and a second data communication link;   a non-transitory memory;   a computer processor configured to execute instructions stored on the non-transitory memory to:
 receive, at the communication interface, engagement information in respect of the engagement, the engagement information comprising an engagement location; 
 receive, via the first data communication link, a location data of one or more active mobile devices indicating a location of the respective active mobile device; 
 identify a set of nearby active mobile devices based on the location data of each active mobile device and the engagement location, the set of nearby active mobile devices comprising one or more active mobile device associated with a location within a predefined distance to the engagement location; 
 transmit an engagement notification to the identified set of nearby active mobile devices; 
 receive, via the second communication link, an engagement confirmation response accepting the engagement from at least one nearby active mobile device of the set of nearby active mobile devices; 
 in response to receiving the engagement confirmation response from two or more nearby active mobile devices, select the active user to participate in the engagement, the active user being a user associated with a nearby active mobile device of the two or more nearby active mobile devices; and 
 generate an engagement confirmation notification to notify the set of nearby active mobile devices that the active user was selected. 
   
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the computer processor is configured to evaluate a performance metric associated with each active user associated with the two or more nearby active mobile devices. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the computer processor is configured to:
 transmit the engagement confirmation notification to the nearby active mobile device, the engagement confirmation notification comprising at least a portion of the engagement information.   
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the computer processor is configured to:
 generate an engagement assigned notification indicating that the engagement has been assigned to another active user; and   transmit the engagement assigned notification to the nearby active mobile devices that transmitted the engagement confirmation via the second data communication link other than the nearby active mobile device associated with the selected active user.   
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein, for each active mobile device, the computer processor is configured to:
 detect a recent location of that active mobile device, wherein the location data comprises the location of that active mobile device at a predefined time interval; and   compare the recent location of that active mobile device with the engagement location to determine whether that active mobile device is within the predefined distance to the engagement location.   
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the second data communication link transmits data independently of the first data communication link. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein data can be transmitted via the second data communication link at the same time as the first data communication link. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the computer processor is configured to:
 provide an engagement appointment interface to the nearby active mobile device for receiving an engagement time for the engagement.   
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the computer processor is configured to:
 receive an input from the nearby active mobile device via the second data communication link requesting an initial communication prior to the engagement; and   establish a third data communication link for the initial communication.   
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the computer processor is configured to:
 continuously receive an updated location data at a data transmission frequency determined based on a motion detected at each of the one or more active mobile devices.