System for publishing and searching interests of individuals

• US 5,796,395 A
• Filed: 03/11/1997
• Issued: 08/18/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ICON Internet Competence Network B.V.
• Original Assignee: Wegener Internet Projects BV
• Inventors: de Hond, Maurice
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Application Number:
  US08/815,461
• Time in Patent Office: 525 Days
• Field of Search: 345/331, 345/332, 345/329, 345/330, 345/349, 345/348, 345/334, 345/335, 345/968, 345/357, 395/200.31-200.33, 395/200.47-200.49, 707/3, 707/6, 707/501, 707/513
• US Class Current: 715/751
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2428 Query predicate definition using graphical user interfaces, including menus and forms G06F16/2423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/968 interface for database querying and retrieval

Abstract

A method for publishing and searching interests of individuals, the method including providing a memory bearing software for performing the following: providing to a user a request for data by providing a plurality of selectible differing graphics icons respectively having the appearance of a house, receiving a selection, adding the selection to a database and associating the selection with the user who made the selection, communicating to the user who selected a house icon a list of possible interests of the user, receiving a selection of interests from the user, adding the selected interests to the database and associating the selected interests with the house icon selected by the user who selected the interests, communicating to a user a form for use in requesting a search of the database, and generating graphics having the general appearance of a plurality of houses after the search is performed, in which the houses are respectively selectible by the user, and communicating to the user who uses the search request form the interests of the user associated with a house if that house is selected.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a server having a memory, and a database defined in the memory; and

a client in communication with the server, the server in operation communicating to the client a plurality of selectable graphics respectively having the appearance of a house, requesting a selection by a user of the client, receiving a selection from the client, and adding the selection to the database, the server in operation further communicating to the client a request for information identifying the user, receiving the information from the client adding the information to the database, and associating in the database the user with the house selected by the user.

2. A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the houses whose associated users are in communication with the server have the appearance of being illuminated by a light interior of the house.

3. A server comprising:

a memory;

a database defined in the memory, the database including data about a plurality of users including interests of the users, the database further including fields representing possible interests of the users; and

communication hardware providing for communication between the server and clients that connect to the server;

the server communicating to a client that connects to the server a request for data by providing a plurality of selectible differing graphics icons respectively having the appearance of a house, and the server receiving a selection from the client and adding the selection to the database and associating the selection with the user of the client, the server further communicating to the client a list of possible interests of the user, requesting a selection of interests of the user of the client, receiving a selection from the client, adding the selected interests to the database and associating the selected interests with the house icon selected by the user of the client;

the server communicating to a client which connects to the server a form for use in requesting a search of the database, and the server generating graphics having the general appearance of a plurality of houses after the search is performed, wherein the houses are respectively selectible using the client and wherein the server communicates to the client the interests of the user associated with a house if that house is selected.

4. A server in accordance with claim 3 wherein the server receives from a client which connects to the server an indication as to whether the user of the client desires to add data to the database or desires to search the database, and provides to the client a request for data or a form for searching the database depending on the response.

5. A server in accordance with claim 4 wherein, if the user desires to add data, the server communicates to the client a request for the user to provide a slogan which will appear adjacent to the user'"'"'s house in response to a database search, and stores the provided slogan in the database and associates the slogan with the user'"'"'s house.

6. A server in accordance with claim 4 wherein, if the user desires to add data, the server communicates to the client a request for the user to provide a location of a graphics file where there exists a picture of the user, and stores the location in the database and associates the location with the user'"'"'s house.

7. A server in accordance with claim 3 wherein the list of possible interests communicated by the server to the client for selection of interests is in the form of a checklist.

8. A server in accordance with claim 3 wherein the list of possible interests includes categories of interests, and the user'"'"'s level of interest is classified with respect to respective categories depending on the number of interests the user selects for respective categories.

9. A server in accordance with claim 3 wherein the houses whose associated users are in communication with the server are graphically distinguished from houses whose associated users are not in communication with the server.

10. A server in accordance with claim 3 wherein when the server communicates to the client the interests of the user associated with the selected house, the server further provides an icon which, if selected, launches a chat session between the user performing the search and the user associated with the house if the user associated with the house is in communication with the server.

11. A server in accordance with claim 3 wherein when the server communicates to the client the interests of the user associated with a house, the server further provides an icon which, if selected, addresses e-mail to the user associated with the house.

12. A method for publishing and searching interests of individuals, the method comprising:

providing a memory bearing software for performing the following;

providing to a user a request for data by providing a plurality of selectible differing graphics icons respectively having the appearance of a house,

receiving a selection, adding the selection to a database and associating the selection with the user who made the selection,

communicating to the user who selected a house icon a list of possible interests of the user, receiving a selection of interests from the user, adding the selected interests to the database and associating the selected interests with the house icon selected by the user who selected the interests,

communicating to a user a form for use in requesting a search of the database, and generating graphics having the general appearance of a plurality of houses after the search is performed, wherein the houses are respectively selectible by the user, and

communicating to the user who uses the search request form the interests of the user associated with a house if that house is selected.

13. A method in accordance with claim 12 wherein the software queries the user as to whether the user desires to add data to the database or desires to search the database, and provides to the user a request for data or a form for searching the database depending on the response.

14. A method in accordance with claim 13 wherein, if the user desires to add data, the software requests that the user provide a slogan which will appear adjacent to the user'"'"'s house in response to a database search, and stores the provided slogan in the database and associates the slogan with the user'"'"'s house.

15. A method in accordance with claim 13 wherein, if the user desires to add data, the software requests that the user provide a location of a graphics file where there exists a picture of the user, and stores the location in the database and associates the location with the user'"'"'s house.

16. A method in accordance with claim 12 wherein the list of possible interests communicated to the user for selection of interests is in the form of a checklist.

17. A method in accordance with claim 12 wherein the list of possible interests includes categories of interests, and further comprising classifying the user'"'"'s level of interest with respect to respective categories depending on the number of interests the user selects for respective categories.

18. A method in accordance with claim 12 wherein the houses whose associated users are on-line with a server using the software are graphically distinguished from houses whose associated users are not on-line with the server.

19. A method in accordance with claim 12 wherein the houses whose associated users are on-line with a server using the software have the appearance of being illuminated by a light interior of the house.

20. A method in accordance with claim 12 wherein when the software communicates to the user the interests of a user associated with the selected house, the software further provides an icon which, if selected, launches a chat session.