Event based communication system

• US 20050076078A1
• Filed: 07/17/2003
• Published: 04/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ruby Salton
• Original Assignee: Ruby Salton
• Inventors: Salton, Ruby
• Application Number:
  US10/621,558
• Publication Number:
  US 20050076078A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/201
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A system and method for facilitating contact between people attending common events. The system comprises a members'"'"' database, including at least pictures of the members and contact information. A member attending an event notifies the system of his location and may subsequently browse through the pictures of the other participants to locate another person he wishes to contact.

Claims

1. Event-based communication system comprising:

a computer-based server, said server running a server application of said communication system;

a plurality of electronic devices communicating with said server; and

a database residing on said server, said database comprising at least pictures of subscribers to said communication system, information regarding events, and cross-correlation between said events and participants in said events from among said subscribers,

wherein said electronic devices communicate with said server application regarding a specific event, for updating and retrieving said database information of said specific event, or for updating and retrieving therefrom information regarding one or more participants in said specific event, said information regarding participants comprising at least pictures or video-clips.

2. The event-based communication system of claim 1, wherein at least one said events is virtual.

3. The event-based communication system of claim 1, wherein said electronic devices comprise wireless devices.

4. The event-based communication system of claim 1, wherein said electronic devices comprise at least one computer running a client application of said communication system.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said information regarding subscribers comprises personal identification data and contact data.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein said client application comprises sending commands to said server.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said commands prompt said server to manipulate said database.

8. The system of claim 4, wherein said client application comprises sending queries to said server and receiving replies from said server.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said electronic devices comprise at least one Contact Center, communicating with said server, said Contact Center comprising at least input means for entering identification data into said server.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said input means comprise one of a barcode reader and a magnetic-card reader.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein said Contact Center additionally comprises a computer-based system running a Contact Center application.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said Contact Center additionally comprises at least one of a digital camera, and a printer.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein said input means additionally comprise input means for entering queries into said Contact Center application, and wherein said Contact Center application comprises means for sending said queries to said server and receiving responses to said queries from said server.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said responses comprise at least one of textual responses, pictures and video-clips.

15. A method of enabling communication with a person attending an specific event, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an event-based communication system comprising a computer-based server, said server running a server software application of said communication system, said server additionally comprising a database residing on said server, said database comprising at least information regarding subscribers to said communication system, information regarding events, and cross-correlation between said events and participants in said events from among said subscribers,

said server communicating with at least one electronic device, wherein said communication with said at least one electronic device comprises communication regarding said specific event, for updating said database information of said specific event, or for retrieving therefrom information regarding one or more participants in said specific event, said information regarding participants comprising at least pictures or video-clips; and

receiving present location information of at least one said subscribers.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said receiving present location information comprises receiving automatic location information from a GPS, wireless or Bluetooth device.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said receiving present location information comprises receiving an MMS message or an SMS message indicating said location.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein at least one said events is virtual.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein said electronic devices comprise wireless devices.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein said electronic devices comprise at least one computer running a client software application of said communication system.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein said information regarding subscribers comprises personal identification data and contact data.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein said communication with said at least one electronic device comprises receiving commands from said electronic device.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein said communication with said at least one electronic device comprises receiving queries from said electronic device and sending replies to said electronic device.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said replies comprise at least one of text, picture and video-clip.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein said communication with said at least one electronic device additionally comprises receiving a further communication from said electronic device, following said step of sending a reply.

26. The method of claim 25, additionally comprising the step of forwarding said received further communication to said person attending said specific event.

27. The method of either of claims 25 and 26, wherein said further communication comprises a MMS message.

28. The method of claim 15, wherein said electronic devices comprise at least one Contact Center communicating with said server, said Contact Center comprising at least input means for entering identification data into said server.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said Contact Center additionally comprises a computer-based system running Contact Center software application.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein said input means comprise at least one of a barcode reader and a magnetic-card reader.

31. The method according to claim 28, wherein said receiving present location information comprises using said input means for reading said present location information.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein said Contact Center additionally comprises at least one of a digital camera and a printer.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein said input means additionally comprise input means for entering queries into said Contact Center application, and wherein said Contact Center application comprises using said Contact Center for sending said queries to said server and receiving responses to said queries from said server.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein said responses comprise at least one of textual responses, pictures and video-clips.

35. A method of contacting a person attending an event, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an event-based communication system comprising a computer-based server, said server running a server software application of said communication system, said server additionally comprising a database residing on said server, said database comprising at least information regarding subscribers to said communication system, said information about subscribers comprising at least pictures or video-clips, information regarding events, and cross-correlation between said events and participants in said events from among said subscribers;

providing a Contact Center in the location of said event and at the time of said event, said Contact Center comprising at least a computer with Internet access, a Contact Center software application and input means for entering identification data into said Contact Center software application; and

using said input means of said Contact Center application for communicating with said server.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein said input means comprise at least one of a barcode reader and a magnetic-card reader.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein said Contact Center comprises at least one of a digital camera and a printer.

38. The method of claim 35, wherein said using said input means comprises entering commands into said Contact Center application.

39. The method of claim 35, wherein said using said input means comprises entering a query into said Contact Center application and receiving a response to said query from said Contact Center application.

40. The method of claim 39, additionally comprising the step of sending a command to said Contact Center application, following said receiving a response.

41. The method of claim 39, additionally comprising the step of contacting said person attending said event, following said receiving a response.

42. The method of claim 39, wherein said query comprises requesting a list of said subscribers attending said event and wherein said response comprises said list of said subscribers attending said event.

43. The method of claim 39, wherein said query comprises requesting the pictures of said subscribers attending said event and wherein said response comprises said pictures of said subscribers attending said event.

44. A Contact Center for communicating between people attending an event and a location-based contact server, said server comprising a database, said Contact Center comprising:

a computer-based system with Internet access; and

a Contact Center software application running on said computer, said software application enabling said people attending said event to send queries to said server and receive responses from said server, said queries and responses relating to other people attending said event.

45. The Contact Center of claim 44, wherein said software application additionally enables said people attending said event to send commands to said server.

46. The Contact Center of claim 45, wherein said commands prompt said server to manipulate said database.

47. The Contact Center of claim 44, additionally comprising a digital camera controlled by said computer.

48. The Contact Center of claim 47, wherein said software application additionally enables said people attending said event to use said digital camera for taking their own picture and wherein said pictures are transferred by said Contact Center to said database.

49. The Contact Center of claim 44, additionally comprising a printer controlled by said computer.

50. A method of identifying a person previously located in at least one of a series of locations, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an event-based communication system comprising a computer-based server, said server running a server software application of said communication system, said server additionally comprising a database residing on said server, said database comprising at least information regarding subscribers to said communication system, said information about subscribers comprising at least pictures or video-clips, information regarding events, and cross-correlation between said events and participants in said events from among said subscribers;

providing at least one electronic location device in communication with said server;

using said at least one electronic location device to transmit a starting present location to said server; and

further using said at least one location device to transmit a subsequent series of locations to said server.

51. The method of claim 50, additionally comprising the steps of:

sending a query to said server regarding people present in at least one of said series of locations at the time said location was transmitted; and

receiving a reply from said server, said reply comprising at least one picture of at least one person.