CA2433187A1 - Method and system for building an internet replica of a city using network access points - Google Patents

Abstract

A method and system for building a virtual city over computer networks using network access points. The network replicates a city's function and serves as an alternate dimension for a city's growth and economic development. Each access point serves as an entrance point for local users and business entities to share and interact in their local area over the Internet, as if they would in real life. Each user or business entity using the network has a virtual presence in the website network, serving either as a virtual business entity or a virtual citizen; furthermore, governors are assigned for each local access point as module developers in order to further replicate a city's function.
Successfully implemented modules are adopted throughout the network like a government-adopted policy. This Internet based city replica provides an alternate means for civilization and economic development, a virtual ground to conduct a city's function and interactions.
The network also promotes social interaction and community awareness between local businesses and residences in a mass society.

Description

DE PT
Title Method and system for building an l:nternet replica of a city using netmork access points.
Technical Field of the Invention This invention relates generally to tl~~e Internet and network information services, more precisely to a method and system of integrating individuals and corporations in a city or local area information network.
Background of the Invention An information network is formed when multiple computers are connected to exchange information.
With the development of the Internet, information can be shared freely across the entire world through a standard known as the TCP/IP protocol, where by computers can be reached based on a unique address assign to them known as their IP (Internet Protocol) based on a set of information checks known as TCP (Transmission Control Protocol.) The increasing amount of IP address makes it very hard for humans to remember which Il' is associated to which set of information. Thus DNS (Domain Name Servers), were developed to associate each IP with a human readable name, such as www.google.com.
Even then the Internet continues to Explode with an exponential amount of new computers joining, the vast amount of information became unmanageable in terms of which domain offers useful information and do not. To add to the complexity, many domain names were parked - register and not being actively use, as people wish=to reserve the names for fixture usage.
Many methods and systems have been developed to organize the information so to minimize the effects of an information overload. 'Two main forms of information organization structure came about, a hots based and a human based search engine. A bots based crawler engine such as www.google.com sends little software bots that searches through the Internet for active websites and produce results in a listing or show results based search queries. A human based engine such as www.yahoo.com is a large man made directory where each site is manually visited by person and added to the directory for listing or result based search queries.
More and more the values of these engines have declined, as increased amount of irrelevant information is made available on thc; Internet. New forms of information networks are produced that focuses on special groups or community of people over the Internet. Interest groups and online communities are formed and forum:., chat, web pages, e-stores and e-services are developed for each interest group. For example www.gaming.com is a source of information for video garners;
www.date.com is a place where people can fmd friends and pen pals over the Internet.
With this continuous amount of information overload many information services are slowly being rendered less useful, as new methods and systems are developed to provide users with more relevant information. Many pioneer directory attempts to create local based searching.
For example, a local directory for Canadians such as a www.google.ca is differentiated from www.google.com and www.msn.ca from www.msn.com. 'hhese local directories contain information specifically for users in that area. Even larger e-commerce powerhouse such as www.ebay.com realizes the necessity of local based service and produces a www.ebay.ca. A traditional service may now have multiple sites for each specific target area.
What started off as a global information network ironically narrows back down to very specifics sets of criteria or groups of people. In a sense, the Internet has been build using a top down approach rather than a bottom up approach, as it started off as a place to find generic information, and slowly converting into a source to find very specific information relating to one's interest or area. In recent years, information providers have bc;gun to develop city based sites.
www.toronto.com is an information website for the city of Toronto; www.citysearch.com is a city website generator for any specified area in the United States.
These city based information website providers helps small-medium business to achieve a web presence as they already have the technology and expertise in creating an online presence that drives traffic. Businesses are inclined to join them, as they would save the tune to create, maintain, and drive traffic to their own site. These city based sites benefits their small-medium clients by helping them reach the large percent of Internet users in their local area.
Most recent technology being deployed by many city/local area based website is to provide additional sources of information by including a list of other local information sources and integrate each as part of their website. Both parties benefit as the local based site creates more content for their users and the local information source gains the extra traffic and recognition. As an example, a city based website Toronto.com, forms strategic relationships with other major local information websites entities such as Yellowpag~~s.ca, Toronto Transit, Canada 411, Canadian Restaurant Federation as well as a host of other small scale information website operators.
As a general structure, these website networks continuously include new website entities and operators that do not follow any form of unified rules. As a whole they form a scatter or loosely connected information network that represents a city or local area. From a user's standpoint, they appear to be broken up puzzle pieces that are suppose to depict a map of a city.
The fragmented website network I have just described provides a representation of our current state of society. In today's mass society, where there is so much information and so many people that we meet on a day to day basis, many people including youths and elders tend to lose contact with their neighbors or lose their sense of community. Furthermore, as new businesses emerge replacing old businesses in an area, people become uninformed as to what is available to them, thus feeling detached from their surroundings. With the current invention heretofore described, we can connect people back to their society and community, connect local businesses in one unified network, build trust and a stronger bond between people and businesses, as well as dramatically increase the current economy of any city or area.
The Current Invention The current invention provides a method and system that replicates a city or local living area through a network. It provides an alternate method of social, community, and economic development for a city by means of a connected infarmation network, one that can grow and serve like a city. The current invention provides such capability based on its ability to connect people with their society, to help to improve the economy in all business sectors, as well as to become a place for people and businesses to interact with each other in a communal way.
This virtual city network replica also serves as a stepping-stone in helping all businesses in a city or local area to achieve an online presence capable of real time information delivery. Through this invention each user becomes a virtual citizen with statistical and historical information that may be retrieved with the proper permission, each business becomes a virtual business entity with profiles and a virtual landmark on the information network. Government, news network and standard setting organizations act as backbone support structure for the information network and provide rules and guidelines over the information network.
The main tool used to achieve this tightly connected city network replica is through the development of various vital sets of access points to the information network. These access points are what people of any age can easily relate to, in one particular preferred embodiment, major street intersection domain name access points are used, since it is common for people to inquire, when asking for directions, the closest mayor intersection that a busincas or household is located. Most people, save those with photographic memory, are capable of travelling within their city by using a set of mental maps such as the major street intersections that they live near.
Another embodiment of access points is to use concierge kiosk stations in hotels, whereby visitors or travellers at a hotel or travel destination may access the local information network through a kiosk station to find out stores that are currently open, special attractions available, special discounts being offered, transportation information, and other features that may otherwise be made available by a concierge.
Yet, another embodiment of access points is privately owned hardware such as a pc with a WAN
(Wide Area Network) network connection such as the Internet. A standard interface is a terminal to access, retrieve, and update current information for the particular private owner's presence on the virtual city network. Components and modules can allow features such as wireless transport of information to nearby customers such as digital coupons, real time draw and prizes, or other forms of real time advertisement.

These sets of access points are chosen based on existing conventions ar locations well known by residents or traveller to a city or local area or by any private owner who wishes to develop their own custom access point. Each access point emphasizes on the connection between the real physical world that a city resides and the virtual city network that represents the city, by showing this close tie using various maps, simulations and other geospatial representations.
The most important feature of each embodiment is the integration point between the physical and virtual city. They act as reference points that produce mental rriaps of a well-connected city for the user as oppose to scattered or loosely held mental maps in prior arts. T his allows users and businesses to grow, learn, interact and prosper in a new continuum medium that replicates a real life city.
Beyond the fundamental structure of the information network, access point governors exist for at least one per access point. These access point governors are inventors or developers for each access point. Components and modules developed by governors allow enhanced features for each access point, and may also lead to network wide integration. One example already described above is the availability of wireless information delivery by private owners. Some other modules include:
People seek - A real time friend and family finder is implemented over the city network which allowing users or virtual citizens to :leave a trail mark on where about he or she is at a particular time.
What is open - An access point interface that shows what business location is current open and available, a particularly useful feature when looking for a place for late night snack or hangout;
Service availability- A unique listing of all locations within a user's proximity that provides delivery, online shopping, or takeout;
Local news - A real time news and information source is available based on a user defined area.
Trusted news can be produced form the network or other unverified new source can be published from personal, private or public institution.

What is popular - A information display of the most popular places, events and current attraction in each local area on specific time and dates;
Where is everyone - A real time hot spot indicator display based on where people are right now, through information feeds from users and business entities;
What to do - A feature showing lists of suggested things to do in the local area based on a user defined criteria such as the user age.. sex, location, ethnic, as well as the group size, occasion, venue, date and time;
Virtual landmark - A feature providing a referral point on the city network for users, on where they are or where they will be, as well as business entities in terms of where, they are located;
Private invitation - An interactive feature allowing users or business entities of the network to create events that involve a group of other users or business entities in the network. Receiving party may view more information regarding the event through the city network, as well as accept or reject invitation, which may require disclosure of certain personal information as well as confirmation to the acceptance;
Digital advertisement - A campaign allowing user or entities to advertise over certain parts of the network, as well as run marketing and promotional campaign that reach certain user description and physical proximity coverage;
Event coordination - A features showing special events and points of attraction by emphasizing icon landmark and description throughout each relevant location over the city network;
Local discussion - A virtual discussion place to get back in touch with your neighbour by chatting with your neighbour and people in users local area, fmd out what your lost old friends and buddies are, as well as finding the latest happening in the community;
Points and rewards - A system where city network users may gain reward and statistic points from stores and actual locations that the user visits by entering city network supplied codes using method such as codes printed on the receipts, or a card system such as "Air Miles", of these participating businesses. The points can redeem rewards from city network sponsors or directly from the city network. Furthermore this system .modifies the statistic in terms of individual virtual citizen user's or business entity's rank, statistic, reliability, popularity and other status indicators. These statistics provide accurately recorded transactions over the city network that indicates each user's or each business' trustworthiness and history;
Virtual marketplace - A virtual place to setup and conduct trade in the local area for reaK world goods, reward points on the city network, or electronic item and services such as information and soft wares. An enhance version of the marketplace allow the monitoring of supply and demand at different level of the supply chain from consumer to retailer, retailer to distributor, distributor to manufacturer, or manufacturer to raw material supplier. Group buys from one level to another can be made through bidding and asking between the parties.
The foregoing module examples provide a basis to show that the current invention is capable of acting very much like a real world city or area by providing a plLace for growth and interactions.
When combined with the capability of access point expansion, innovative component, and module creation, this can lead to the formation of a global replica of our world, capable of multiplying our present state of economy by multiple folds through information technology, by providing an alternate way of living in a city, at the same time integrating each individual not only into today's mass society but also into a global society in the future by providing them means to cope with and deal with information overload.
List of Figures and Brief Description of the Drawings Fig 1 Shows a prior art overview consisting of 3 prior art stages and the current invention.
Fig 1.1 Shows a traditional information network with directory service to personal or private sites.
Fig 1.2 Shows an information network with the addition of corporate and large entity sites as well as online business listings.

Fig 1.3 Shows an information network with the addition of local area or city based site that combines a list of relevant sites and have them linked up in a directory.
Fig 1.4 Shows the current invention, a virtual city network that replicates a real world city.
Fig 2 Shows an exploded version of Fig l .4, an overview of the current invention and it's interconnections. Each part will be shown in partial views starting from Fig 3.
Fig 2.1 Shows a list of existing Internet websites incorporating modules of the current invention.
Fig 2.2 Shows an overview or mother site that provides easy navigation between small local access points and between other virtual city networks.
Fig 2.3 Shows a blown up representation of an access point and it's neighboring access points.
Fig 2.4 Shows several stages of internal process to the network, in terms of data flow, functionality generation, and management systems.
Fig 2.5 Shows a live data center and it's micro databases, as well as arrows indicating data flow to and fro the data center.
Fig 2.6 Shows a representation of a common user of the virtual city network, including a virtual representation over the network (virtual citizen/user entity container,) a network access device, and the user in the physical world.
Fig 2.7 Shows additional access points to the virtual city network from various different industries.
Fig 2.8 Shows a representation of a business user or entity of the virtual city network, including a virtual representation over the network (business entity container,) a network access device, and the business user in the physical world.

Fig 2.9 shows a governor and it's role in the network, acting as a access point gatekeeper, module creator, and establishes relationships with users and businesses in both the virtual city and the physical world.
Fig 2.1 OShows a physical world city street network, consisting of household and businesses.
Fig 3 Shows governor and module roles in the network as well as their relationship with other parts of the network. Shows governor roles, module creation, and innovative processes.
Fig 4 Shows a Internet World Wide Web embodiment of the current intention, including the overview site, city site, access point site, and implemented module example.
Fig 5 Shows users and businesses entity representation on the virtual city network as well as a sample business entity container.
Fig 6 Shows an exploded view of liig 2.4, more particularly th.e data verification process and it's flow to the dev data and inncmative processes.
Fig 7 Shows interaction of user representation and business entity representation over the virtual city network and the physical city, as well as physical and network access connection methods.
Fig 8 Shows sets of additional access points to be implemented, from individually privately owned access point, to various existing industries, government and other news network.
List of Reference Numerals Utilized in the hrawing 100 uploading or publishing information 101 download information 102 a typical website 103 a typical website directory 104 common web user, may be network member (virtual citizen) or anonymous 105 entity group representing an organization or a business 106 a typical business listing such as yellow page online 107 a directory filled with a business listing of a city in a city based website 108 a site such as a city based website 109 a page representing a business entity in a city based website 110 a link that links similar business in a city website together 111 a virtual city website network that replicates a city's structure 112 business user container representing a business in the city website network 113 common user container representing a person in the city website network, also know as a virtual citizen.
114 a network link between an access point and its city network representation 115 an intersection access point 116 an access point network interface 117 an access point physical representation 118 a physical city such as the city of Toronto.
119 a physical connection of an access point 200 a group of typical website sites or specialty sites 201 a mother site, network overview site 202 a site interconnect, or a physical conne-ction mapped onto the virtual network.
203 a component or module 204 a master database 205 a subset database 206 a collection of network internal process 207 a collection of unformatted or raw data information 208 a data verification process 209 a representation of innovative process 210 a developmental data center 211 governor roles in the network 212 a collection of common users 213 a network connection device, i.e. computer, PDA.

214 a wireless connection 215 a physical connection 216 a group of other access point 217 a collection of business entities 218 a business location or front end 219 a user location, household, or home 220 a governor or access point gate keeper 221 a governor module creation process 222 a governor access point maintenance process 223 cross integration or module upgrades process 224 data downlink, information transferring to users 225 data uplink, information transferring to the network 226 a mental map, mapping real world city onto a virtual city network 227 data transfer between databases 300 a physical representation of access point coverage in a city 301 information feedback to governors based on field work or local information sources 302 a module creation process 303 a module implementation process 304 module cross integration, upgrade, purchase, leasing 305 virtual coverage of an access point in the virtual city 400 an easy view map of an intersection 500 a business entity update interface 501 a real world representation of people a.nd businesses 502 an Internet representation of people and business over the city website network 600 a geo-coordinate calculation process 601 a custom set of transformation information or transform coordinates 602 a change of coordinate or matrix transformation 603 a map transform process 604 a data transform process 605 a sliced map, real map slices 606 a transformed map, easy view map 700 interactions between people and businesses through virtual cit network _.. ~ . I.

701 interactions between people and businesses in person 800 a business owned access point 801 a custom module set of access point 802 combination link of 224 and 225 upload and download information to the network 803 a hotel or a motel, including it's staff, 'travelers, and tourists 804 kiosk station to assist concierge or acts as self serve concierge 805 hotel concierge or a web user him/her self 806 a public facility such as library, commmnity center, city center, including its staff and users 807 an industry specific custom access points, such as auto dealership, real estates, or other large corporations 808 an existing information and news netvwork, such as TV, radio stations, newspapers, publications, associations and governments."
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment Fig 1 consists of an overview of website network structure from the beginning of Internet age Fig 1.1 up to present day Fig 1.3. Fig l .l shows a simple structure consisting of users 104 creating websites 102 that are published 100 onto the lLnternet. Directories such as 103 are created which maintain a list of I02 available on the Internet, creating a convenient way for user 104 to retrieve 101 these information. In Fig 1.2 As Internet grows business and other organizations 105 see the benefits and develop web presence of their oven 102. As the continuous boom of businesses joining the Internet, online listing 106 of these businesses also became available.
Furthermore in Fig 1.3, city based websites 108 are developed in order to create local listing 107 that provide more relevant information to users based on where they live. In order to have better coverage of what is available to local users these city based websites helps local business to create their own presence by providing sub-hosting on their site 109 and forming communities by linking various sites internal or external together base on their area or category 110, creating a loosely held or scattered collect of information of a city. The current invention in Fig I.4 creates a strongly connected website network by mapping a physical city 118 onto the virtual city network 11 I through access points 115 connected by network 114 and physical I I7 connections, where both businesses I05 and individual users 104 have a living presence over the network as business entities 112 or user entities 113. Each . .. ,_.

access point 116 on the network is fully integrated and connected like a physical world where streets and intersections connect each area continuously.
Fig 2 is an exploded view of Fig 1.4, an ovenliew of the 9 major parts of the current invention. Each part is strongly integrated with the network that it make no sense describing individually as they work together to serve 6 major functions. Fig 3 Governor and modules roles.
Fig 4 Access point interface. Fig 5 Entity containers and feature:9. Fig 6 Internal data and mapping process for access points. Fig 7 virtual and real world business interactions. Fig 8 Additional access points.
In Fig 2.5 live data center shows the data flow between all major parts of the current invention comes back into the live data center 211. Information feed is made available at different access points through download channels 224 to the network. Information from the network may also be updated or provided as service modules through integration links 223. Further more, through internal processes 206, information is transferred 227 between the developmental database 210 and the live database 211 to allow continuous network updates and improvements.
This is made possible through information upload channels 225 from common users 212, and business users 217.
Fig 3 shows governor 220 and module 203 roles in the network. In 211 governor roles in the network is to work with business users 104 in their access point coverage 300 to discuss and formulate features that helps them to become part of the local network by creating a representation of their business 218 in the network. As governors gain more experience dealing with businesses 104, they will create modules through innovative process 209 that provides common business required features, as well as modules that further helps the city network 111 to integrate its people and businesses through their access point 115.
Modules 203 are created 302 by governors 220 and refined through innovative process 209 in a joint effort with other governors. Governors can bc° either a person 104 or an AI module 203 that simply maintain the access point 115 through a set of rules. Modules are born being implemented at a local access point covering a virtual area 305, or an equivalent of a physical coverage 300 in a city. After thorough refinement modules may mature and be implemented across the entire website network 111. Modules may also be provided or implemented outside of the website network through module cross integration 304, allowing existing external site 200 to tap into network resource and provide information back to the network. These modules can be purchased, leased, provided and upgraded from time to time. Sample of these module a:~ described above includes people seek, what is open, service availability, local news, what is popular, where is everyone, what to do, virtual landmark, private invitation, digital advertisement, evemt coordination, local discussion, points and rewards, and virtual marketplace.
Fig 4 provides a micro to macro representation of the current invention. At the micro level an access point 115 is represented by an intersection access point interface 116, containing an easy view map 400, user containers 113, business entity containers 112, as well as 2 implemented modules 203. An easy view map 400 is the physical coverage of the access point mapped into an easy to view map, in this case, all data and maps have been converted form a real world coordinates into rectangular coordinates, one that provide a mental map of' a city, with out having to remember extra details such as bends and curves on a street or its exact orientation. A list of active users and businesses in the local area made available to other users and businesses, establishing a sense of community. As new user or businesses are established they can quickly get acquainted with all of its existing neighbours, establishing a strong sense of community bonds. A local resident user will not only be able to finding out everything that is happening in hi;> local area he or she will be able to contact and reach out to them just as convenient as if they were in a small well connected community. This greatly diminishes the sense of alienation in a mass society as people can once again feel attached to their community and be able to communicate clearly and effectively to them. At the same time businesses greatly benefits from having their presence on the network, as it shows they are part of the community as well as they would be able to be involved in joint business ventures that provides better and cheaper products to both local and .other areas.
Fig 2.3 shows a virtual city network 111 consisting of all the access points 116 in the network tied together to form a virtual replica of the city. 1~ig 2.2 shows the macro level integration of city networks to form a nation or wide area websit:e network 201, by linking 202 them based on their real world geographical locations. This formation can further leads to the formation of a worldwide website network.
Fig 5 gives an Internet representation 502 of users 104 and businesses 105 in the form of a container 112 and their corresponding real world representation 501. User containers 113 consist of basic information regarding the user such as name, age, sex, location, characteristic, preference, as well as a set of statistics keep track of user's history can the website network.
Consider each new user as a newborn and as each day pass by, the user wil'.1 gain statistics and traits based on activities on the network or in the physical world, thus allowing each user to establish a virtual citizen presence on the virtual city network. Based on statistics many traits can be developed about a user. A popular user is one that gets good feed back from other users or have excellent response rate to his invitation; A wealthy user is one that receives plenty points from participating in various network event, give excellent feedback, or through the "points and rewards" system by visiting or participating business in the real world on a regular basis, these points can be used as a medium of exchange for other product or services offered by the network or any of its members; A trustworthy user is one that has established great transaction records and excellent feedbacks from other user and businesses. A friendly user is one that participates in activities and accepts a high percentage of invitations to community discussion and events. Through this network, virtual citizens gain the benefits of being able to fully involve in a local community. Users may find and join activities based on activities people are currently engaging in the local area; define them selves in order to find a list of location and events that they may participate in; leave feedback on places that they will or have visited in order to let other users find out more about who they are and what they do. They can become fully indulge like a small personal community. Similar container is available for business entities, a typical container for a business 500 includes name, years in business, contact information, hours of operation, and other information regarding the business' daily operations.
Business can also gain statistics and traits based on their activities on and off the network. A
popular business is one that receives more user review or user visits, through the "points and reward" system, than other businesses of its kind. A well establish company is one that have a steady record of transaction, years in business, as well as years being part of the network. An advanced business container may include a list of product, service, employee, discount, promotion, business portfolio, as well as a list of potentia business venture it may wish to embark on. With this information made available about users and businesses in the network, users and businesses may easily find friends or partners in engaging nevi activities and ventures;
furthermore find and match modules can help to define, locate, and establish new strategic relationships.
Fig 6 shows the internal data and mapping prcDcess starting from its input, raw data 207 and physical area 300 maps, through the verification process 208, and to its output, developmental data center 210 and access point interface 116 maps. Inflow of data 207 are imported into a database 204, the data goes through a geo-coordinate calculation program 600 returning addresses with global geo-coordinates, such program can be built in house based on longitude and latitude calculation that I
will not go into details or using a 3ra party geo-encoding service. Based on a set of mapping transform 601, both maps 605 and data 204, are transformed into new forms through a transformation program 602 that maps data from one coordinates to another.
This program can be written using basic calculus on mapping function or matrix of transformation with an input list of coordinate for the transformation calculated in house based on how the map are data is to be transformed. The data outputs into sets of sub-database 205, each serving an individual access point. The data may also go through the innovative process 209 as data analysis, data processing, redundancy check, consistency check, as well as the formulation of new data fields that serve new-implemented modules. A business data may be added that already exist in the database, in such case data redundancy and consistency will make sure only one of the correct data remain. A field may be added to keep track of business that does delivery so that a module may be implemented listing all local delivery location to the user.
Fig 7 Virtual and real world user business interaction shows the traditional user and business interaction where user receive service or product by purchasing through a business front-end location by physically travelling to the location 701. Through the virtual city website network user may logon as a virtual citizen, traverse 700 through the website network and arriving at the business virtual location and make purchases through tl'neir e-commerce front end. The benefit of the website network is that it helps to promote and enhance the user's local community and making it a better place to live and conduct business. Statistics have shown that in the physical world people tends to make their day to day purchases within 20 km radius from their home or work place. In today's mass society people tends to resort to services or product available afar although they are available in the neighbourhood mainly because they either do not know about or have not yet gain the trust in visiting a new place. In the virtual city network people will continue to make purchases at their nearby businesses, one that they are most familiar with or thus having the most trust in. Users would be able to support their local business, cut down their own travel expenses, and try out a greater selection of new product and services. Further enhances the sense of community by user supporting local businesses in their community and helping the community to become a better place.
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Fig 8 shows private and public institution taking part in the website network through additional sets of access points 801. Business users may setup their own access points to the network using modules provided by the network; such portal may be an access device 800 that allows the transport of information using wireless protocols. Users on the receiving end may interact with the business using their network access device 213 such as a PDA. A private business may advertise to the user based on his or her preference or history based on information available on the network, the user may set modes to enable advertisement or offer provided by certain business class or category. A
user may wish only to accept advertisement and offers from renowned or popular business locations to avoid spamming. When transaction occurs between user and businesses, historical records would be updated changing statistics for bath parties and points reward for the user.
Other access points may be provided as part of a custom solution package, for example a kiosk station 804 can be built based on a customized access point center at where the kiosk is physically located. One example is a kiosk that helps to serve as concierge 805 in hotel, motels, or other tourist attractions 803, providing updated information source for travellers, tourists, as well as locales 104.
A tourist arriving at a hotel destination at 10:00pm may instantly find out all the restaurant, pub, or places that are current open, an information source that may only be available through a very experienced concierge. This kiosk provides a consistent information source for all users any time throughout the day; furthermore, a module can be implemented to allow concierge to become a governor, allowing them to update information directly to the network when they see a discrepancy or when a user provides complaint feedbacks, thus providing the best and most accurate information at all time.
Public facilities such as library, community center and city center 806, can also provide access point to the network as learning and sharing resource for the community. Not only will this allow people to locate all the existing facilities available for them, it will help them to better understand their neighbourhood, as well as become aware of government and public efforts that are taking place the community. People will become better acquainted with their community and be able to provide live feedback regarding problematic issues that occur daily, as well as share new findings and resources that are made available, further strengthen the sense of community.

Industry and large corporations 807 can effectively use the network, by promoting their image and enhancing their branding by raising local support through local sponsorship and establishing virtual landmark on the website network. These landmark acts as a strong and permanent branding tool showing daily user that they are part of the community. Corporations can effectively establish their branding throughout the city or local area by pinpointing all of their local chain or franchise throughout the entire city network. Corporations may also apply for corporate accounts for their employee, such that when a corporate event occurs, their user may be well informed of different event and locations, as well as signing up for the event, by simply login onto their employee account. Corporation may convenient and efficient inform and find out expected attendance through the "private invitation" feature.
Government, news publication, and TV and radio stations 808 acts as updated information source for the website network providing up to date traffics, news, weather, and other information for users.
In return they can receive feedback directly from users that are affected by these news and policies, helping them to better understand and operate in the future.
Looking back at Fig 2 invention overview, this network consists of 10 major components Fig 2.1 to Fig 2.10, that are integrated to provide 5 major functions Fig 3 to Fig 8. By applying current knowledge the foregoing, either in parts or in whole, can be readily adapted to produce information networks that replicates a cities or local areas of any size, providing a ground for social and economical growth and development like a physical city itself, tying people back with their society, building a strong sense of community, increase economic growth and develop opportunities, and solving information overload in a mass or glolbal society.
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Claims (50)

1. Claims I claim, Claim1: A method for creating a virtual replica of a city or local area by forming a strongly connected network of sites by:
   .cndot. building a network of access points using mental mapping of the physical world onto a network;
   .cndot. establishing a virtual presence of a city or local area on the network and building physical connections to the real world through the access points;
   .cndot. building a structure that allows continuous improvement and circular feedback loop from access points to the network;
   .cndot. providing service utility features and a community bond between users and businesses using the network;
   .cndot. optionally building additional referential sets of access points and modules allowing existing and new network integration, expendable to national or global coverage.
   
   Access Point Naming Examples
2. Claim 2: Method of Claim 1 wherein the network sites are based on geographically referenced names in a street network of a city.
3. Claim 3: Method of Claim 2 wherein major street intersection names of a city is used, such as Peter and Richmond is used as a virtual city access point that references the intersection of Peter Street and Richmond Street.
4. Claim 4: Method of Claim 3 wherein TLD domain names such as com, net, org, etc. based on intersection name convention is used.
5. Claim 5: Method of Claim 1 wherein these "access points" to the city network represents sets of physically identifiable locations of the city.
   
   Access Point Reproduction and Functionality
6. Claim 6: Method of Claim 1 wherein a uniquely layout or structures blueprint is used to create each access point.
7. Claim 7: Method of Claim 3 and Claim 6 wherein each access point is linked to each other based on their physical location. Such that one may move from one access point to another in the virtual city network in a continuous manner like how they would in a real world city. In a street intersection access point, Claim 3, each access point is connected in all directions just like how each street intersection is continuously connected with other intersections surrounding them.
8. Claim 8: Method of Claim 1 wherein a global page is setup for instant navigation to any of the access point such that this global page is a representation of the entire network.
9. Claim 9: Method of Claim 7 wherein each access point consists of a major intersection name, such as Bloor and Yonge (Toronto City Street Name Example,) where navigation to other access points is based on the physical location of the intersection. For example, navigating to the east would reach next major intersection in the eastward direction, the Bloor and Bay access point.
10. Claim 10: Method of Claim 8 and Claim 9 wherein a city wide portal can instantly reach any of the access points. An example being the integration of all the street intersection access points through a structurally identical interface where each of these intersection points links to each other with the use of city map.
    
    Wireless Network
11. Claim 11: Method of Claim 1 wherein physical network or wireless devices is used to connect, store, or retrieve information from these access points based on any standard protocol. A possible connection example is the use of Internet, World Wide Web, a http connection to the network through port 80 under TCP/IP protocol.
    
    Network Growth
12. Claim 12: Method of Claim 1 wherein a comprehensive nation wide network is build based on continuous growth and combination of the joining of access points.
    
    User Features
13. Claim 13: Method of Claim 1 wherein users are able to define themselves to the access point and the access point will provide them with appropriate response data.
14. Claim 14: Method of Claim 13 wherein users can describe them self based on their age, sex, interest group, what they want to do, how many friend are with them, the system will return lists of suitable "to do" from the website network.
    
    Map Features
15. Claim 15: Method of Claim 1 wherein a map or other photo or media representing the physical area where the access point is located is provided to allow user to mentally relate to the actual physical location.
16. Claim 16: Method of Claim 15 and Claim 3 wherein a simplified or rectangular coordinate version of a map is produced based on matrix transformation, or mapping functions. The simplified map display North South Street as vertical, East West streets are horizontal, regardless of actually orientation of the streets based on true north. The transformation distort from true physical location but better representing a simple mental map of the area covered by the access point.
17. Claim 17: Method of Claim 16, icons are produced to represent separate class of entity in the website network on the map. Class of entity may include restaurants, entertainment, government, coffee shops, shopping, service or based on any other major directory classification system Hours Feature
18. Claim 18: Method of Claim 1 wherein location specific information is displayed to best represent the information as would be seen at the physical location.
19. Claim 19: Method of Claim 17 operating hours of locations is show based on what is currently open or closed based on information in the website network. Opened location may be highlighted, closed may be greyed out or any other form of indicator.
20. Claim 20: Method of Claim 18 and Claim 16 wherein icons are highlighted when a store is currently open, icons are greyed out when the store is currently closed.
    
    Database and Search
21. Claim 21: Method of Claim 1 wherein a database is used to store the information for each access point.
22. Claim 22: Method of Claim 21 wherein a global database is used from time to time to correlate all the data within the website network.
23. Claim 23: Method of Claim 21 wherein a search function across the entire network can be implemented to return user specific set of results such as what locations closet to the access points offer pickup orders, delivery, or serves on an online site.
    
    Uses Interaction Local Forum and Chat
24. Claim 24: Method of Claim 1 wherein a discussion group or gathering area is formed at each of the access points to enhance user interactivity.
25. Claim 25: Method Claim 24 wherein a discussion group can be a forum, chat room, video conferencing, or virtual meeting place.
    
    Internet Land Mark
26. Claim 26: Method of Claim 17 wherein each icon represents a virtual landmark on the website network.
27. Claim 27: Method of Claim 17 and Claim 16 wherein an extension allows custom icons to replace the standard set of icons. For example, a specific icon that represents a physical structure can be placed on the map.
    
    Business Access Points
28. Claim 28: Method of Claim 1 wherein new access points can be created to the website network to satisfy specific requirements.
29. Claim 29: Method of Claim 28 wherein a kiosk station is setup at one or more hotels, showing all information relevant at its location. Each kiosk acts as an new access point to the website network allowing user interactivity with the rest of the network.
    
    Future Access Points
30. Claim 30: Method of 28 and Claim 11 wherein strategically place set of access points are created to allow user interactivity anywhere within the coverage of the access point network.
31. Claim 31: Method of Claim 30 and Claim 13 wherein specific useful or requested information are submitted to the user based on what is available in the vicinity.
32. Claim 32: Method of Claim 31 wherein the user define a mode such as open to information feed, closed to information feed, accepting only certain types of information feed, or accepting only requested information feed.
    
    Business Users
33. Claim 33: Method of Claim 1 and Claim 17 wherein a generic container is built for each type of entity, where the container consists of geographical, historical and statistical characteristics of the specified entity.
34. Claim 34: Method of Claim 33 wherein each entity can add, delete, modify portion of the website network pertaining to their entity through their assigned or most convenient accessible access point.
35. Claim 35: Method of Claim 34 wherein each entity can also update, promote, or advertise them selves by means of multimedia contents on the website network. Such media. may include but not necessary limited to, flash movie, video clip, traditional, digital art, sound, or spoken voice.
    
    User Container Claim 36: Method of Claim 1 wherein a container is created for each individual user, keep track of user specification, characteristic, statistics, and interest.
36. Claim 36: Method of Claim 36, and Claim 24 wherein users interact with other users based on contents in the user container, and incites engagement in actual meeting or activity.
37. Claim 37: Method of Claim 36, and Claim 14 wherein the user may select activities based on feed back from the website network and invite other users to the activity.
38. Claim 38: Method of Claim 37, and Claim 33 wherein users who are invited may gain access to specific access points that the invitation is taking place as well as view detail information regarding the invitation place through information available on that place's entity container.
39. Claim 39: Method of Claim 38 wherein a user can refuse, accept, or ignore invitations.
    
    Access Point Governor
40. Claim 40: Method of Claim 1 wherein each access point is monitored by at least one access point governor responsible for the integrity of the access point and enforce rules set upon by the website network.
41. Claim 41: Method of Claim 40 wherein the governor is responsible for updating, maintain, and growth of the access point. Implement an additional feature module that applies specifically to the access point.
42. Claim 42: Method of Claim 41 wherein at least one feature module implemented at access point level is implemented across the entire website network.
    
    Business and User Interactions
43. Claim 43: Method of Claim 36 and Claim 33 wherein interaction make take place through the website network based on the contents of these containers. Interaction may include an online transaction or a contract for further negotiation in person.
44. Claim 44: Method of Claim 43 wherein two or more businesses formulate strategic partnership or conduct joint ventures based on contents of each party's container. Such an event may include an offering of a new service or product to user entities or other businesses on the website network.
45. Claim 45: Method of Claim 43 wherein the website network itself may promote modules that helps to establish connection between business and users. Such a module many include a point system module in the website network that rewards points each time a user entity visit a business entity.
46. Claim 46: Method of Claim 44 and Claim 45 wherein statistics will keep track of user activeness based on interaction with other entities over the network or in the physical world through the "points and rewards" system. Creating a status, much like a citizen in a city, in this case a virtual city citizen, whereby user with good status tends to have higher level of access and is naturally more sought after as someone to deal with and whose feedback to the network are regarded with more importance.
47. Claim 47: Method of Claim 45 and Claim 46, wherein a history of recordable event and activities are kept with regards to each user. With user's permission, when necessary parts or whole of this history may be downloaded by other users or businesses for reference purposes.
    
    Advance Modules
48. Claim 48: Method of Claim 41 wherein a governor may be a module.
49. Claim 49: Method of Claim 33 and Claim 36 wherein a user entity or a business entity may be a module; alternatively, a business entity may be a module container consisting of multiple user entity.
50. Claim 50: Method of Claim 49 and Claim 48 wherein modules may be created to suggest ideal real world trade and partnership. This can be used to help establish and incite innovative and productive business ventures.