SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MATCHING USERS IN A WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

• US 20080248785A1
• Filed: 02/25/2008
• Published: 10/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fleet Connect Solutions LLC (Empire IP LLC)
• Original Assignee: Seong Sang Investments LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Himmelstein, Richard B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,224,346 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0265 Vehicular advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/063 using wireless information transmission between the vehicle and a fixed station identification of vehicles G08G
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3805 with built-in auxiliary receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/03 Protecting confidentiality, e.g. by encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/46 for vehicle-to-vehicle communication [V2V]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 : Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 : Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A system for matching users in a wireless communication system based on proximity of the users and user-defined profiles includes at least two mobile units. The mobile units include a requesting unit and at least one target unit, and each mobile unit is capable of operating as both a requesting unit and a target unit. The system also includes profile means for storing a user profile on each of the mobile units and search means for searching for at least one target user by a requesting user. The search means compares the user profiles of each target user with the user profile of the requesting user. The search means can also indicate a match when a target unit is within a predetermined distance of the requesting unit.

Claims

1. A system for matching users in a wireless communication system, comprising:

storing means for storing identifying information for at least two mobile units, including a requesting unit and at least one target unit;

search means for searching at least one target user by a requesting user, said search means comparing the identifying information of at least one target user with information provided by the requesting user;

filtering means for filtering a target unit based on a speed, a direction and a location of the target unit in relation to the requesting unit;

call duration calculating means for calculating a call duration based on the speed, the direction and the location of the target unit in relation to the requesting unit; and

exchange means for exchanging communication packets between the requesting unit and the at least one target unit, each communication packet comprising a header and a payload, the header including the identifying information.

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising notifying means for notifying the users when the information provided by said requesting unit matches the identifying information of said at least one target unit.

4. The system according to claim 1, further comprising initiating means for initiating a communication between said requesting unit and said at least one target unit.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein each mobile unit functions as a requesting unit and a target unit.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said storing means includes entering means for entering the identifying information, the identifying information including temporary identifying information.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said storing means stores the identifying information on a mobile unit.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein said storing means stores the identifying information on the wireless communication system.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein said search means includes comparing the identifying information of said target units that are located within a predetermined distance of said requesting unit.

3. (canceled)

10. A method for matching users in a wireless communication system, comprising:

providing each user with a mobile unit, including a requesting unit and at least one target unit;

storing a identifying information;

receiving information provided by an operator of the requesting unit;

comparing the identifying information of each target unit with the information provided by the operator of the requesting unit;

determining a group of at least one target unit having identifying information that matches the information provided by the operator of the requesting unit and which is filtered according to a speed, a direction and a location of the target unit in relation to the requesting unit;

notifying the users of the group of at least one target unit when the information provided by the operator of the requesting unit matches the identifying information of at least one target unit;

calculating a call duration based on the speed, the direction and the location of the target unit in relation to the requesting unit; and

initiating a communication between the requesting unit and each at least one of the group of matching target units using at least one communication packet comprising a header and a payload.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein each mobile unit functions as a requesting unit and a target unit,

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein said storing includes storing temporary identifying information.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein said storing includes storing the identifying information on a mobile unit.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein said storing includes storing the identifying information on the wireless communication system.

15. The method according to claim 10, wherein said comparing includes matching a predetermined number of items of the identifying information of each target unit with the information provided by the operator of the requesting unit.

16. The method according to claim 10, wherein said notifying includes providing a visual indicator to the requesting unit and each matching target unit.

17. The method according to claim 10, wherein said notifying includes an audio indicator to the requesting unit and each matching target unit.

18. The method according to claim 10, further comprising the of:

detecting at least on target unit when within a predetermined distance of the requesting unit.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein said detecting is performed by a global system device contained in each mobile unit.

20. A mobile unit for matching users in a wireless communication system, comprising:

storing means for storing identifying information relating to a user of the mobile unit;

search means for searching at least one target user by a requesting user, said search means comparing the identifying information of at least one target user with information provided by the requesting user;

filtering means for filtering a target unit based on a speed, a direction and a location of the target unit in relation to the requesting unit;

call duration calculating means for calculating a call duration based on the speed, the direction and the location of the target user in relation to the requesting user; and

exchange means for exchanging communication packets between the requesting unit and the at least one target unit each communication packet comprising a header and a payload the header including identifying information.

21. The mobile unit according to claim 20, further comprising notifying means for notifying the users when the information provided by the requesting user matches the identifying information of at least one target user.

22. The mobile unit according to claim 20, wherein said mobile unit functions as a requesting unit and a target unit.

24. The mobile unit according to claim 20, further comprising initiating means for initiating a communication between the requesting user and at least one target user.

25. The mobile unit according to claim 20, wherein said storing means includes entering means for entering the identifying information, the identifying information including temporary identifying information.

26. The mobile unit according to claim 20, wherein said storing means includes storing the identifying information on a mobile unit.

27. The mobile unit according to claim 20, wherein said storing means includes storing the identifying information on the wireless communication system.

28. The mobile unit according to claim 20, wherein said search means includes comparing the identifying information of the target users that are located within a predetermined distance of the requesting user.

29. The mobile unit according to claim 20, wherein said mobile unit is a motor vehicle.

30. The mobile unit according to claim 20, wherein said mobile unit is a cellular telephone.

31. The mobile unit according to claim 20, wherein said mobile unite is a personal digital assistant.

32. The mobile unit according to claim 20, wherein said mobile unite is a wireless communication device.

23. (canceled)