System and method for specifying observed targets and subsequent communication

• US 20080064333A1
• Filed: 06/18/2007
• Published: 03/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Charles Hymes
• Original Assignee: Charles Hymes
• Inventors: Hymes, Charles
• Application Number:
  US11/820,290
• Publication Number:
  US 20080064333A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/10 of different types
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services

Abstract

A system and method of facilitating communication, via a telecommunications system, among people that may perceive each other'"'"'s physical presence, but may not know each other'"'"'s identity or contact information (e.g., telephone number, e-mail address, etc.). A user indicates a target (another user or another user'"'"'s vehicle) by specifying values of various observable features that unambiguously describe the target within the constraints of the target'"'"'s location. Communication between two users may be mediated, and may be wholly or partially suspended unless it is initiated by both parties.

Claims

1. A system of facilitating the specification of an observed target, comprising:

means for receiving sets of information, each set comprising information descriptive of multiple observable features of one of a plurality of targets;

means for storing the sets of information;

means for receiving from a first user a first set of information comprising one or more feature values, each feature value describing an observable feature of a first target occupying a first spatial region during at least a portion of a first time period;

means for retrieving descriptive feature information of candidate targets, wherein candidate targets occupy the first spatial region during at least a portion of the first time period;

transmitting descriptive feature information among spatially separated components of the system to allow information in the first set to be compared with information descriptive of features of candidate targets;

means of comparing at least a portion of the first set to at least a portion of the descriptive information of candidate targets; and

means of determining the one or more candidate targets that have sets of descriptive feature information that are consistent with the first set;

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising

means of determining an ID/address associated with the one candidate target that has a set of descriptive feature information that best matches the first set;

3. A system comprising:

multiple target devices that have either the capability of detecting and reporting their own position, or the capability of responding to local wireless communications indicating their proximity to a particular user.

a data processing system that receives for each target a set of indications of multiple descriptive categories depicting the appearance of the target;

a first device that receives from a first person a first set of descriptive categories depicting the appearance of a target that is in a first spatial region during at least a portion of a first time period;

4. A system comprising:

a first device that receives from a first person a first set of indications of multiple descriptive categories depicting the appearance of a second person that is in a first spatial region during at least a portion of a first time period;

a second device that receives from a second person a second set of indications of multiple descriptive categories uniquely depicting the appearance of a first person that is in a first spatial region during at least a portion of a first time period;

a data processing system that directs to the second person a second communication associated with the first person and directs to the first person a first communication associated with the second person only after both the first and second devices receive respective first and second set of indications, wherein prior to both the first and second mobile devices receiving respective first and second indications at least a portion of the information in each of the first and second communications are not directed to the respective first and second persons.