Electronic communication devices co-locating subject-related persons

Abstract

A method, system, and/or computer program product utilize a server system to receive a product buyer data set that includes (i) information indicative of a plurality of previous-buyer individuals who have purchased a product, and (ii) current location information respectively associated with devices operated by the plurality of previous-buyer individuals. The server system receives an indication that a first device of a shopper has been located within a location in a store where the product is being offered for sale for a time. In response to the indication, the server system determines that a second device of a previous-buyer individual is within a second threshold vicinity of the first device such that the previous-buyer individual is within the second threshold vicinity of the shopper. In response to the determination, the server system then connects in communication the first device and the second device in an instant messaging chat session.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 receiving, by a server system, a product buyer data set including: (i) information indicative of a plurality of previous-buyer individuals who have purchased a product, and (ii) current location information respectively associated with devices respectively being operated by the plurality of previous-buyer individuals;   receiving, by the server system, an indication that a first device of a shopper has been located within a first threshold vicinity of a location in a store where the product is being offered for sale for a time that exceeds a threshold amount of time;   responsive to the receipt of the indication that the first device of the shopper has been located within the threshold vicinity for the time that exceeds the threshold amount of time, determining, by the server system, that a second device of a previous-buyer individual from the plurality of previous-buyer individuals is within a second threshold vicinity of the first device of the shopper such that the previous-buyer individual is within the second threshold vicinity of the shopper; and   responsive to the determination that the previous-buyer individual is within the second threshold vicinity of the shopper, connecting in communication, by the server system, the first device of the shopper and the second device of the previous-buyer individual in an instant messaging chat session.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the current location information and the indication are received from a space-based satellite positioning system. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the current location information and the indication are received from a local vector-based positioning system. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the server system, messages from one or more biometric sensors, wherein the one or more biometric sensors detect biometric features being exhibited in real-time by the shopper while the shopper has been located within the threshold vicinity of the location for a time that exceeds the threshold amount of time;   determining, by the server system, a level of interest that the shopper has in the product being offered for sale based on the messages from the one or more biometric sensors; and   in response to a determined level of interest of the shopper in the product being offered for sale exceeding a predetermined level, authorizing, by the server system, transmission of a message from the first device of the shopper to the second device of the previous-buyer individual requesting that the previous-buyer individual meet the shopper at the location in the store where the product is being offered for sale.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the server system, messages from one or more biometric sensors, wherein the one or more biometric sensors detect biometric features being exhibited in real-time by the shopper while examining the product being offered for sale at the location in the store;   determining, by the server system, a level of interest that the shopper has in the product being offered for sale based on the messages from the one or more biometric sensors; and   in response to a determined level of interest of the shopper in the product being offered for sale being less than a predetermined level, blocking, by the server system, transmission of a message from the first device of the shopper to the second device of the previous-buyer individual requesting that the previous-buyer individual meet the shopper at the location in the store where the product is being offered for sale.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the server system, a time-on-station message from a timer wherein the time-on-station message indicates how long the shopper has been examining the product being offered for sale;   determining, by the server system, a level of interest that the shopper has in the product being offered for sale based on the time-on-station message, wherein the level of interest is determined to rise as a time-on-station of the shopper at the location increases; and   in response to a determined level of interest of the shopper in the product being offered for sale exceeding a predetermined level, authorizing, by the server system, transmission of a message from the first device of the shopper to the second device of the previous-buyer individual requesting that the previous-buyer individual meet the shopper at the location in the store where the product is being offered for sale.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the server system, a time-on-station message from a timer, wherein the time-on-station message indicates how long the shopper has been examining the one or more products being displayed at the location;   determining, by the server system, a level of interest that the shopper has in the product being offered for sale based on the time-on-station message, wherein the level of interest is determined to rise as a time-on-station of the shopper at the location increases; and   in response to a determined level of interest of the shopper in the product being offered for sale falling below a predetermined level, blocking, by the server system, transmission of a message from the first device of the shopper to the second device of the previous-buyer individual requesting that the previous-buyer individual meet the shopper at the location where the product is being offered for sale.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the server system, messages from one or more electronic olfactory sensors, wherein the one or more electronic olfactory sensors detect odorants being emitted by the product being offered for sale; and   further determining, by the server system, the location of the shopper by matching odorants detected by the one or more electronic olfactory sensors to a database of odorants found with the product being offered for sale.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 interrogating, by a radio frequency identifier (RFID) interrogator on the first device of the shopper, one or more RFID chips affixed to the product being offered for sale; and   further determining, by the server system, the location of the shopper by matching received RFID signals to a database of locations of RFID chips affixed to the product being offered for sale at the location in the store where the product is being offered for sale.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 interrogating, by a radio frequency identifier (RFID) interrogator on the first device of the shopper, one or more RFID chips affixed to a product display shelf at the location in the store where the product is begin offered for sale; and   further determining, by the server system, the location of the shopper by matching received RFID signals to a database of locations of RFID chips affixed to product display shelves within a physical retail store.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining, by the server system, that the shopper and the previous-buyer individual have moved apart beyond the second threshold vicinity; and   in response to determining that the shopper and the previous-buyer individual have moved apart beyond the second threshold vicinity, blocking, by the server system, transmission of a message from the first device of the shopper to the second device of the previous-buyer individual requesting that the previous-buyer individual meet the shopper at the location in the store where the product is being offered for sale.   
     
     
         12 . A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having program code embodied therewith, wherein the non-transitory computer readable storage medium is not a transitory signal per se, and wherein the program code is readable and executable by a processor to perform a method comprising:
 receiving a product buyer data set including: (i) information indicative of a plurality of previous-buyer individuals who have purchased a product, and (ii) current location information respectively associated with devices respectively being operated by the plurality previous-buyer individuals;   receiving an indication that a first device of a shopper has been located within a first threshold vicinity of a location in a store where the product is being offered for sale for a time that exceeds a threshold amount of time;   responsive to the receipt of the indication that the first device of the shopper has been located within the threshold vicinity for the time that exceeds the threshold amount of time, determining that a second device of a previous-buyer individual from the plurality of previous-buyer individuals is within a second threshold vicinity of the first device of the shopper such that the previous-buyer individual is within the second threshold vicinity of the shopper; and   responsive to the determination that the previous-buyer individual is within the second threshold vicinity of the shopper, connecting in communication the first device of the shopper and the second device of the previous-buyer individual in an instant messaging chat session.   
     
     
         13 . The computer program product of  claim 12 , wherein the method further comprises:
 receiving messages from one or more biometric sensors, wherein the one or more biometric sensors detect biometric features being exhibited in real-time by the shopper while examining the product being offered for sale at the location;   determining a level of interest that the shopper has in the product being offered for sale based on the messages from the one or more biometric sensors; and   in response to a determined level of interest of the shopper in the product being offered for sale being less than a predetermined level, blocking transmission of a message from the first device of the shopper to the second device of the previous-buyer individual requesting that the previous-buyer individual meet the shopper at the location.   
     
     
         14 . The computer program product of  claim 12 , wherein the method further comprises:
 receiving a time-on-station message from a timer, wherein the time-on-station message indicates how long the shopper has been examining the product being offered for sale at the location;   determining a level of interest that the shopper has in the product being offered for sale based on the time-on-station message, wherein the level of interest is determined to rise as a time-on-station of the shopper at the location increases; and   in response to a determined level of interest of the shopper in the product being offered for sale falling below a predetermined level, blocking transmission of a message from the first device of the shopper to the second device of the previous-buyer individual requesting that the previous-buyer individual meet the shopper at the location.   
     
     
         15 . The computer program product of  claim 12 , wherein the method further comprises:
 receiving messages from one or more electronic olfactory sensors, wherein the one or more electronic olfactory sensors detect odorants being emitted by the product being offered for sale; and   further determining the location of the shopper by matching odorants detected by the one or more electronic olfactory sensors to a database of odorants found with the product being offered for sale.   
     
     
         16 . The computer program product of  claim 12 , wherein the method further comprises:
 interrogating, by a radio frequency identifier (RFID) interrogator on the first device of the shopper, one or more RFID chips affixed to the product being offered for sale; and   further determining the location of the shopper by matching received RFID signals to a database of locations of RFID chips affixed to the product being offered for sale at the location.   
     
     
         17 . The computer program product of  claim 12 , wherein the method further comprises:
 determining that the shopper and the previous-buyer individual have moved apart beyond the second threshold vicinity; and   in response to determining that the shopper and the previous-buyer individual have moved apart beyond the second threshold vicinity, blocking transmission of a message from the first device of the shopper to the second device of the previous-buyer individual requesting that the previous-buyer individual meet the shopper at the location in the store where the product is being offered for sale.   
     
     
         18 . A computer system comprising one or more processors, one or more computer readable memories, one or more computer readable storage mediums, and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more computer readable storage mediums for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more computer readable memories, the stored program instructions comprising:
 program instructions to receive a product buyer data set including: (i) information indicative of a plurality of previous-buyer individuals who have purchased a first product, and (ii) current location information respectively associated with devices respectively being operated by the plurality previous-buyer individuals;   program instructions to receive an indication that a first device of a shopper has been located within a first threshold vicinity of a location in a store where the product is being offered for sale for a time that exceeds a threshold amount of time;   program instructions to, in response to the receipt of the indication that the first device of the shopper has been located within the threshold vicinity for the time that exceeds the threshold amount of time, determine that a second device of a previous-buyer individual of the plurality of previous-buyer individuals is within a second threshold vicinity of the first device of the shopper such that the previous-buyer individual is within the second threshold vicinity of the shopper; and   program instructions to, responsive to the determination that the previous-buyer individual is within the second threshold vicinity of the shopper, connect in communication the first device of the shopper and the second device of the previous-buyer individual in an instant messaging chat session.