Social media systems and methods and mobile devices therefor

Abstract

Methods, systems, and mobile devices for providing users with social media-related information about other users based on the relative geographic locations of the users.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of interacting in a social media environment, the method comprising:
 receiving from a first user of a social media platform an indication of a first geographic location for pinning a virtual object, such first geographic location being selected by the first user via a first user interface displayed to the first user on a first mobile device;   displaying the virtual object to a second user of a second mobile device when the second user is physically located proximate the first geographic location, said displaying being via an augmented reality user interface that includes a display of the proximity of the first geographic location and a display of the virtual object, the display of the proximity of the first geographic location obtained via a camera element of the second mobile device;   receiving from the second user a selection of the virtual object via the augmented reality user interface, wherein at the time of the selection the first user is not physically located proximate the first geographic location; and   initiating a direct person-to-person communication between the first and second users in response to the selection.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first user is physically located proximate the first geographic location at the time of receiving from the first user the indication. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first user is not physically located proximate the first geographic location at the time of receiving from the first user the indication. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising receiving from the first user a setting via the first mobile device wherein the setting includes a distance over which other users may detect the virtual object. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising receiving from the second user a setting via the second mobile device wherein the setting includes a distance over which they may detect the virtual object. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the virtual object includes an image of the first user. 
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the virtual object includes an image of the first user superimposed upon the display of the proximity of the first geographic location. 
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the virtual object includes an indication of the username of the first user. 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the virtual object includes an indication of the real name of the first user. 
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising displaying a user content information of the first user to the second user via the second mobile device in response to accessing the virtual object. 
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein the first and second users are unacquainted. 
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second users are unacquainted when the virtual object is displayed to the second user. 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising receiving from the second user a friend request via a second user interface of the second mobile device to add the first user to a group of friends of the second user. 
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising providing a third user interface display via the second mobile device, the third user interface display including an indication on a map of the presence of other users within a predetermined distance around the second user. 
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 14 , wherein the third user interface display is filtered to include an indication of only other users based on a category and/or a type of the user content associated with a personal profile for the corresponding user. 
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising providing a third user interface display via the second mobile device, the third user interface display including an indication on a map of the presence of other users based on a category and/or a type of the user content associated with a personal profile for the corresponding user. 
     
     
         17 . A method of interacting in a social media environment, the method comprising:
 receiving from a first user of a social media platform an indication of a first geographic location for pinning a virtual object, such first geographic location being selected by the first user via a first user interface displayed to the first user on a first mobile device;   displaying the virtual object to a second user of a second mobile device when the second user is physically located proximate the first geographic location, said displaying being via an augmented reality user interface that includes a display of the proximity of the first geographic location and a display of the virtual object, the display of the proximity of the first geographic location obtained via a camera element of the second mobile device, wherein the virtual object includes an image of the first user superimposed upon the display of the proximity of the first geographic location such that the image of the first user is overlaid in the real world captured by the camera element;   receiving from the second user a selection of the virtual object via the augmented reality user interface, wherein at the time of the selection the first user is not physically located proximate the first geographic location; and   initiating a direct person-to-person communication between the first and second users in response to the selection.   
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 17 , wherein the first user is not physically located proximate the first geographic location at the time of receiving from the first user the indication. 
     
     
         19 . A method of interacting in a social media environment, the method comprising:
 receiving from a first user of a social media platform an indication of a first geographic location for pinning a virtual object, such first geographic location being selected by the first user via a first user interface displayed to the first user on a first mobile device;   displaying the virtual object to a second user of a second mobile device when the second user is physically located proximate the first geographic location, said displaying being via an augmented reality user interface that includes a display of the proximity of the first geographic location and a display of the virtual object, the display of the proximity of the first geographic location obtained via a camera element of the second mobile device, wherein the virtual object includes an image of the first user superimposed upon the display of the proximity of the first geographic location such that the image of the first user is overlaid in the real world captured by the camera element;   receiving from the second user a selection of the virtual object via the augmented reality user interface, wherein at the time of the selection the first user is not physically located proximate the first geographic location;   displaying a user content information of the first user to the second user via the second mobile device in response to receiving the selection of the virtual object; and   initiating a direct person-to-person communication between the first and second users in response to the selection.   
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 19 , wherein the first user is not physically located proximate the first geographic location at the time of receiving from the first user the indication.