SOPHISTICATED AUTOMATED RELATIONSHIP ALERTER
First Claim
1. An electronic communication device, comprising:
- communications circuitry to provide near-field transmitting and receiving communications;
a user interface; and
control circuitry to (a) maintain a friends list comprising first anonymous user indicia and associated real user information for a plurality of individual persons known to a user of the device and associated second anonymous user indicia, (b) maintain a meetings log of contacts between the user and the individual persons, (c) activate the communications circuitry to transmit to a second electronic communication device in a near-field a portion of the first and/or second anonymous user indicia, (d) activate the communications circuitry to receive from the second electronic communication device third anonymous user indicia, (e) coordinate the third anonymous user indicia with information on the friends list and/or in the meetings log to determine the presence of any matches between the first and/or second anonymous user information and the third anonymous user indicia; and
(f) provide to the user interface either a list of matches or an indication of no matches.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Device, process and program for determining and alerting a user of the existence of nearby acquaintance, including: providing a first electronic communication device having near-field transmitting and receiving communications capability, a user interface and control circuitry; transmitting from the first communication device an inquiry to determine the presence in the near-field of a compatible second electronic communication device; upon receipt of a positive response to the inquiry, transmitting from the first communication device anonymous user indicia; receiving anonymous user indicia from the second communication device; coordinating the received anonymous user indicia to determine the presence of any matches between the transmitted anonymous user information and the received anonymous user indicia; and providing either a list of matches or an indication of no matches to the user via the user interface. Based on the information exchanged, the users can determine whether a relationship between the users exists or might be created.
45 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An electronic communication device, comprising:
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communications circuitry to provide near-field transmitting and receiving communications; a user interface; and control circuitry to (a) maintain a friends list comprising first anonymous user indicia and associated real user information for a plurality of individual persons known to a user of the device and associated second anonymous user indicia, (b) maintain a meetings log of contacts between the user and the individual persons, (c) activate the communications circuitry to transmit to a second electronic communication device in a near-field a portion of the first and/or second anonymous user indicia, (d) activate the communications circuitry to receive from the second electronic communication device third anonymous user indicia, (e) coordinate the third anonymous user indicia with information on the friends list and/or in the meetings log to determine the presence of any matches between the first and/or second anonymous user information and the third anonymous user indicia; and
(f) provide to the user interface either a list of matches or an indication of no matches. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A process for determining and alerting a user of the existence of known and/or prospective acquaintances in a near-field, comprising:
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providing a first electronic communication device having circuitry to transmit and receive communications in a near-field, a user interface, and control circuitry to (a) maintain a friends list comprising first anonymous user indicia and associated real user information for a plurality of individual persons known to the user and associated second anonymous user indicia, and (b) maintain a meetings log of contacts between the user and the individual persons; transmitting from the first communication device an inquiry to determine the presence in the near-field of a compatible second electronic communication device; upon receipt of a positive response to the inquiry, transmitting from the first communication device the anonymous user indicia for a portion of the friends list; receiving third anonymous user indicia from the second communication device; coordinating the third anonymous user indicia with information on the friends list to determine the presence of any matches between the first and/or second anonymous user information and the third anonymous user indicia; and providing either a list of matches or an indication of no matches to the user via the user interface. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A program stored on a machine readable medium, the program for controlling operation of an electronic device and comprising executable logic to:
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control operation of communications circuitry providing near-field transmitting and receiving communications, a user interface, and control circuitry; control operation of the control circuitry to (a) maintain a friends list comprising first anonymous user indicia and associated real user information for a plurality of known individual persons and associated second anonymous user indicia, (b) maintain a meetings log of contacts between the user and the known individual persons; activate the communications circuitry to transmit to a second electronic communication device in a near-field a portion the first and/or second anonymous user indicia; activate the communications circuitry to receive from the second electronic communication device third anonymous user indicia; control operation of the control circuitry to coordinate the third anonymous user indicia with information on the friends list and/or in the meetings log to determine the presence of any matches between the first and/or second anonymous user information and the third anonymous user indicia; and
to provide to the user interface either a list of matches or an indication of no matches. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification