System and method for establishing a temporary electronic communication channel to allow an introduction of operators of electronic communication capable devices

• US 10,462,831 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2017
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: John J. Melman
• Original Assignee: John J. Melman
• Inventors: Melman, John J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Abrishamkar, Kaveh
• Application Number:
  US15/633,091
• Publication Number:
  US 20180376518A1
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/068 using time-dependent keys, e.g. periodically changing keys cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for controlling usage of secret information H04L9/088
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0869 for achieving mutual authentication cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for mutual authentication H04L9/3273
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/18 using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths H04L9/0827; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for authentication using a plurality of channels H04L9/3215
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/141 Setup of application sessions admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42008 Systems for anonymous communication between parties, e.g. by use of disposal contact identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/16 selectively restricting mobility data tracking

Abstract

Introductions of the users of electronic communication capable devices can be made temporarily with each other. In one example, a first device presents, visually, audibly, electronically or otherwise, a code that may be received by one or more other devices, either visually, audibly, electronically or otherwise. The code can be used to establish a path for communications, for a predetermined finite period of time, to allow the users to exchange references or profiles with each other without revealing either user'"'"'s true identity or other personally identifying information, including that which is associated with the mobile or other devices involved in the communication, unless or until a user chooses to do so.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a server device comprising a processing device and a non-transitory computer-readable medium that is configured for storing;

a first user private profile that is associated with a first user ID and that stores personally identifiable information of a first user;

a first user public profile that stores data describing a physical attribute of at least one of the first user or a physical object associated with the first user;

a second user private profile that is associated with a second user ID and that stores personally identifiable information of a second user;

a second user public profile that stores data describing a physical attribute of at least one of the second user or a physical object associated with the second user; and

a communication link management engine that is executable by the processing device to;

receive a request for a code from a first user device that is controllable by the first user and that is configured for electronically communicating via a network, the request identifying or being associated with the first user ID;

provide the first user device with access to the code and associate the code with the first user private profile;

receive the code from a second user device that received the code in a channel other than through the server device from the first user, the code being received by the server device with the second user ID or associated with the second user ID; and

in response to receiving the code from the second user device, associate the code to the second user private profile, establish a communication link between the first user device and the second user device to allow the first user device to communicate electronically with the second user device for a predetermined finite period of time,

apply permissions to the communication link that;

permit the second user device to access, from the first user public profile and during the predetermined finite period of time, the physical attribute of the at least one of the first user or the physical object associated with the first user,

prohibit the second user device from accessing, from the first user private profile, the personally identifiable information of the first user that is stored in the first user private profile,

permit the first user device to access, from the second user public profile and during the predetermined finite period of time, the physical attribute of the at least one of the second user or the physical object associated with the second user, and

prohibit the first user device from accessing, from the second user private profile, the personally identifiable information of the second user that is stored in the second user private profile.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first user or the second user is a machine with artificial intelligence.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication link management engine is further executable by the processing device to randomly generate the code, wherein the system further comprises:

the first user device and the second user device, wherein the second user device is configured to receive, in the channel that is independent of the server device, the code (i) electronically from the first user device, (ii) by capturing a displayed representation of the code, (iii) from an audio signature, or (iv) as input from the second user.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the channel includes an optical acquisition device on the second user device that is configured to optically capture a visual representation of the code.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the personally identifiable information of the first user or the personally identifiable information of the second user includes at least one of a legal name, a user ID, a geographic address, or a telephone number.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined finite period of time is a period of time between ten seconds and twenty-four hours, wherein the server device is configured to receive a selection of the predetermined finite period of time from the first user device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the personally identifiable information includes information by which the first user or the second user is identifiable with the information alone or combined with other information.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the server device is configured to establish the communication link for the predetermined finite period of time to permit communication between the first user and the second user temporarily with an option for anonymity and reduce an amount of communication links maintained by the server device.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first user ID is specific to the first user, wherein the communication link management engine is further configured to:

receive, from the first user device, the first user ID as a logon credential prior to establishing the communication link;

receive, from a third user device, the first user ID as the logon credential subsequent to establishing the communication link and prior to the predetermined finite period of time expiring;

based on receiving the first user ID from the third user device, update the permissions of the communication link to;

permit the third user device to access, from the second user public profile and during the predetermined finite period of time, the physical attribute of the at least one of the second user or the physical object associated with the second user, and

prohibit the third user device from accessing, from the second user private profile, the personally identifiable information of the second user that is stored in the second user private profile.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the communication link management engine is further configured to maintain, during the predetermined finite period of time, the access of the first user device to the second user public profile after permitting the third user device to access the second user public profile.

11. A method comprising:

receiving, by a server device, a request for a code from a first user device controlled by a first user;

generating the code;

providing, by the server device, the first user device with access to the code and associating the code to a first user private profile that is associated with a first user ID and that stores personally identifiable information of the first user;

receiving, by the server device, the code from a second user device that is controlled by a second user and that received the code in a channel other than through the server device from the first user;

in response to receiving the code from the second user device;

associating, by the server device, the code to a second user private profile that is associated with a second user ID and that stores personally identifiable information of the second user,

establishing, by the server device, a communication link between the first user device and the second user device, to allow the first user device to communicate electronically with the second user device for a predetermined finite period of time

accessing, by the server device, (i) a first user public profile that stores data describing a physical attribute of at least one of the first user or a physical object associated with the first user and (ii) a second user public profile that stores data describing a physical attribute of at least one of the second user or a physical object associated with the second user; and

applying, by the server device, permissions to the communication link that;

permit the second user device to access, from the first user public profile and during the predetermined finite period of time, the physical attribute of the at least one of the first user or the physical object associated with the first user,

prohibit the second user device from accessing, from the first user private profile, the personally identifiable information of the first user that is stored in the first user private profile,

permit the first user device to access, from the second user public profile and during the predetermined finite period of time, the physical attribute of the at least one of the second user or the physical object associated with the second user, and

prohibit the first user device from accessing, from the second user private profile, the personally identifiable information of the second user that is stored in the second user private profile.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the channel is independent of the server device and includes (i) an electronic channel from the first user device, (ii) an optical channel by which a displayed representation of the code is captured, (iii) an audio channel from which an audio signature is captured, or (iv) a manual input channel from which input from the second user is received.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one of the first user or the second user is a machine with artificial intelligence.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one of the personally identifiable information of the first user or the personally identifiable information of the second user includes at least one of a legal name, a user ID, a geographic address, or a telephone number.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the predetermined finite period of time is a period of time between ten seconds and twenty-four hours, the method further comprising:

receiving, by the server device, a selection of the predetermined finite period of time from the first user device.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the personally identifiable information comprises information by which the first user or the second user is identifiable with the information alone or combined with other information.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

establishing, by the server device, the communication link for the predetermined finite period of time to permit communication between the first user and the second user temporarily with an option for anonymity and to reduce an amount of communication links maintained by the server device.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium on which instructions are stored that are executable by a processor device to cause the processor device to:

receive a request for a code from a first user device that is controllable by a first user and that is configured for electronically communicating via a network, the request identifying or being associated with a first user ID;

provide the first user device with access to the code and associate the code with a first user private profile that is associated with the first user ID and that stores personally identifiable information of the first user;

receive the code from a second user device that is controllable by a second user and that received the code in a channel other than through a server device from the first user, the code being associated with a second user ID;

in response to receiving the code from the second user device;

associate the code to a second user private profile that is associated with the second user ID and the stores personally identifiable information of the second user,

establish a communication link between the first user device and the second user device to allow the first user device to communicate electronically with the second user device for a predetermined finite period of time

access (i) a first user public profile that stores data describing a physical attribute of at least one of the first user or a physical object associated with the first user and (ii) a second user public profile that stores data describing a physical attribute of at least one of the second user or a physical object associated with the second user; and

apply permissions to the communication link that;

permit the second user device to access, from the first user public profile and during the predetermined finite period of time, the physical attribute of the at least one of the first user or the physical object associated with the first user,

prohibit the second user device from accessing, from the first user private profile, the personally identifiable information of the first user that is stored in the first user private profile,

permit the first user device to access, from the second user public profile and during the predetermined finite period of time, the physical attribute of the at least one of the second user or the physical object associated with the second user, and

prohibit the first user device from accessing, from the second user private profile, the personally identifiable information of the second user that is stored in the second user private profile.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the predetermined finite period of time is a period of time between ten seconds and twenty-four hours, wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor device to cause the processor device to:

receive a selection of the predetermined finite period of time from the first user device.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein at least one of the first user or the second user is a machine with artificial intelligence.