Computer-based networking service and method and system for performing the same

• US 6,963,900 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2001
• Issued: 11/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: TTB Technologies LLC
• Inventors: Boyd, John Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Meky, Moustafa M.
• Application Number:
  US10/110,711
• Publication Number:
  US 20020194049A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,715 Days
• Field of Search: 709/200, 709/201, 709/203, 709/204, 709/205, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4038 with floor control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

Methods and systems for assisting individuals (101) arrange meetings such as networking meeting with other individuals (101) at a specified time (or within a specified time range) and/or at a specified place (or within a specified geographic region). More specifically, methods and systems for allowing individuals (110) to post an invitation to for a meeting on an on-line network and for allowing one or more other individuals (101) to accept such invitation.

Claims

1. An on-line networking method for arranging a meeting between two or more users comprising:

(a) receiving a proposed invitation from an invitor, said proposed invitation comprising proposed invitation information including a time and a place for a proposed meeting; and

(b) providing or displaying said proposed invitation information at a location accessible by one or more users, wherein said method arranges a meeting between two or more anonymous users or wherein said invitation does not include a specific intended guest.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said invitation information does not include a specific intended guest(s).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said method arranges a meeting between two or more anonymous users.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said invitation information is provided or displayed to said one or more users via a computer-based network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said invitation information is provided or displayed to said one or more users via the Internet.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said invitation information is accessible via an on-line bulletin board.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising repeating steps (a) and (b) a plurality of times to obtain a plurality of invitations.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said plurality of invitations include at least 10 invitations.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said plurality of invitations include at least 100 invitations.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein said plurality of invitations include at least 1000 invitations.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein said plurality of invitations are searchable by said one or more users.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein said plurality of invitations are categorized by location of proposed meeting, time of proposed meeting or combinations thereof.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said plurality of invitations are categorized by one or more invitee criteria.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an acceptance from at least one acceptor, said acceptor being one of said one or more users.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising providing, displaying or transmitting said acceptance to said invitor.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of receiving from said invitor user a confirmation of said acceptance from said invitor.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said confirmation is provided, displayed or transmitted to said acceptor.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein said acceptance is provided to said invitor by letter, email, telephone and/or facsimile.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein said proposed invitation information further includes one or more invitee criteria selected from the group consisting of profession, education, employer, income, net worth, restaurant preference, meeting cost price range, food preference, city of residence, place of birth, nationality, hobbies, interests, college/university attending or attended, high school attended and former employers.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said one or more invitee criteria does not include a preferred gender for the invitee.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein said invitation information is automatically removed after said proposed meeting time.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein said proposed invitation information does not include the gender of the invitor.

23. The method of claim 1, further comprising notifying the invitor when said proposed invitation is received to confirm receipt.

24. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the information sent by the invitor based on a criteria thereof.

25. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the proposed meeting information based on a searchable criteria.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein said proposed invitation information is not actively transmitted to said one or more users.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein said proposed invitation information is passively made available to said one or more users via a network.

28. The method of claim 1, further comprising retrieving a matching available user from a database including available users for selected invitations.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said available users designate themselves as being available for selected invitations.

30. The method of claim 28, further comprising automatically generating an acceptance for said available user to transmit, provide or display to said invitor.

31. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving at least one acceptance from said one or more users and updating said invitation information include said acceptance.

32. The method of claim 1, wherein said invitation information includes a maximum number of acceptances.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein said invitation information is removed or designated as full when said maximum number of acceptance are received.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising creating and sending a confirmation message to each participant of said proposed meeting for confirmation.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein said confirmation message includes the date and time of the meeting.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein said confirmation message includes an identification of each user participant.

37. The method of claim 1, wherein said proposed invitation information is provided on a web page.

38. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing the invitation to expire after an appropriate time period.

67. A system or apparatus for arranging a meeting between a first user and one or more second users comprising:

(a) a memory for storing at least a secure database;

(b) a communication port; and

(c) a processor connected to said memory and said communication port, said processor being operative to performing the method of claim 1.

70. A system for arranging a meeting between a first user and one or more second users comprising:

a network to which said first user and said one or more second users have access and across which the first user and said one or more second users can communicate information using respective computer devices;

a server application operable to communicate across the network or a link to said server application, said server application operable to perform the method of claim 1.

39. An on-line method of facilitating a networking meeting between two or more users comprising:

(a) searching a database including one or more invitations for invitations matching search criteria of a user, said invitations including a time and place for a proposed meeting; and

(b) reporting the matching invitations to the user,

wherein said method arranges a meeting between two or more anonymous users or wherein said one or more invitations do not include a specific intended guest.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein said invitations further include one or more invitee criteria selected from the group consisting of profession, education, employer, income, net worth, restaurant preference, meeting cost price range, food preference, city of residence, place of birth, nationality, hobbies, interests, college/university attending or attended, high school attended and former employers.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein said search criteria includes said time of meeting, place of meeting or combinations thereof.

42. The method of claim 39, wherein said search criteria includes search criteria selected from the group consisting of profession, education, employer, income, net worth, restaurant preference, meeting cost price range, food preference, city of residence, place of birth, nationality, hobbies, interests, college/university attending or attended, high school attended and former employers.

43. The method of claim 39, comprising repeatedly searching the database for invitations matching said search criteria and relaxing at least some of the search criteria until at least a required number of matching invitations are found.

44. The method of claim 39, further comprising receiving an acceptance of one of said matching invitations from said user.

45. The method of claim 44, further comprising receiving a request for additional information regarding said matching invitation from said user.

46. A stored invitation on a public bulletin board accessible by one or more users via a computer network, said invitation being for a proposed meeting and comprising:

(a) a proposed time of said proposed meeting;

(b) a proposed place for said proposed meeting;

or

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combinations of (a) and (b),

wherein meeting is arranged between two or more anonymous users or wherein said invitation does not include a specific intended guest.

47. The stored invitation of claim 46, further comprising intended guest criteria selected from the group consisting of profession, education, employer, income, net worth, restaurant preference, meeting cost price range, food preference, city of residence, place of birth, nationality, hobbies, interests, college/university attending or attended, high school attended and former employers.

48. The stored invitation of claim 46, further comprising an identification for a user associated with said invitation.

49. A method of operating a computer system to facilitate an exchange between two or more parties, said exchange involving an invite and at least one acceptance of the invite, said invite and said at least one acceptance establishing a meeting between said two or more parties comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving from a first party first data including an identity of said first party and an invite comprising a time and location of a proposed meeting;

(b) receiving from a second party a search request comprising at least one search criterion;

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receiving from said second party second data including an identity said second party and an acceptance of said invite; and

(d) transmitting said acceptance to said first party,

wherein said method arranges a meeting between two or more anonymous parties or wherein said invitation does not include a specific intended guest.

50. The method of claim 49, further comprising repeating steps (a)-(d).

51. The method of claim 49, wherein said parties are anonymous parties.

52. The method of claim 49, wherein said meeting is a dining meeting at a restaurant.

53. The method of claim 49, wherein said invite further comprises an acceptance requirement comprising at least one criterion for the second party selected from the group consisting of profession, age, education, birthplace or combinations thereof.

54. The method of claim 49, wherein second data includes at least one criterion selected from the group consisting of profession, age, education, birthplace or combinations thereof.

55. The method of claim 49, wherein said invite is posted on a bulletin board accessible via a computer network.

56. A system or apparatus for arranging a meeting between a first user and one or more second users comprising secure database means, operatively connected to:

(a) means for receiving first user information from said first user, said first user information including an invitation to a proposed meeting, said invitation including a time and place;

(b) means for storing said first user information in said secure database means;

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means for receiving from one or more second users, a search request to the secure database means, said search request comprising at least one search criterion to be satisfied;

(d) means for processing said search request from said one or more second users to determine if said first user information satisfies said at least one search criterion; and

(e) means for communicating to said one or more second users, first user information satisfying said at least one search criterion,

wherein said system or apparatus arranges a meeting between two or more anonymous users or wherein said invitation does not include a specific intended guest.

57. The system or apparatus of claim 56, further comprising means for receiving, from said one or more second users an acceptance of said invitation.

58. The system or apparatus of claim 57, further comprising means for communicating said acceptance of said invitation to said first user.

59. The system or apparatus of claim 57, further comprising means for confirming time and place of said meeting between said first user and said one or more second users.

60. The system or apparatus of claim 56, further comprising means for authenticating authorship or transmission of said first user information from said first user.

61. The system or apparatus of claim 60, wherein said means for authenticating includes means for executing a cryptographic operation using a cryptographic key.

62. The system or apparatus of claim 60, wherein said means for authenticating includes means for recognizing an identifier selected from the group consisting of a password, a name, and an identification number.

63. The system or apparatus of claim 56, where the means for receiving first user information comprises means for receiving information in encrypted form and means for decrypting any encrypted information.

64. The system or apparatus of claim 56, further comprising means for providing a communication channel between said first user and said one or more second users.

65. The system or apparatus of claim 56, wherein said means for providing a communication channel comprises means for providing an asynchronous communication channel.

66. The system or apparatus of claim 56, further comprising means for receiving payment from said first user, said one or more second users or both.

68. A system for arranging a meeting between a first user and one or more second users comprising:

a user interface for allowing said first user to communicate an invitation through the system for a proposed meeting to said one or more second users;

a transport medium interface for allowing the system to transport the invitation between said first user and said one or more second users; and

a computer subsystem in communication with the user interface and transport medium for generating a database including said invitation, said invitation including a specified time and specified location for said proposed meeting,

wherein said system is capable of arranging a meeting between two or more anonymous users or wherein said invitation does not include a specific intended guest.

69. A system for arranging a meeting between a first user and one or more second users comprising:

a network to which said first user and said one or more second users have access and across which the first user and said one or more second users can communicate information using respective computer devices;

a server application operable to communicate across the network or a link to said server application, said server application operable to;

receive a propose invitation from an invitor, said propose invitation comprising proposed invitation information including a time and place for a proposed meeting; and

provide or display said proposed invitation information at a location accessible by one or more users,

wherein said system is capable of arranging a meeting between two or more anonymous users or wherein said invitation does not include a specific intended guest.

71. A system for an on-line networking method for arranging a meeting between two or more users comprising:

means for receiving a proposed invitation from an invitor, said proposed invitation comprising proposed invitation information including a time and place for a proposed meeting; and

means for providing or displaying said proposed invitation information at a location accessible by one or more users,

wherein said system is capable of arranging a meeting between two or more anonymous users or wherein said invitation does include a specific intended guest.

72. A system for an on-line method of facilitating a networking meeting between two or more users comprising:

(a) means for searching a database including one or more invitations for invitations matching search criteria of a user, said invitations including a time and place for a proposed meeting; and

(b) means for reporting the matching invitations to the user,

wherein said system is capable of arranging a meeting between two or more anonymous users or wherein said invitation does include a specific intended guest.

73. A system for facilitating an exchange between two or more parties, said exchange involving an invite and at least one acceptance of the invite, said invite and said at least one acceptance establishing a meeting between said two or more parties comprising:

(a) means for receiving from a first party first data including an identity of said first party and an invite comprising a time and location of a proposed meeting;

(b) means for receiving from a second party a search request comprising at least one search criterion;

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means for receiving from said second party second data including an identity said second party and an acceptance of said invite; and

(d) means for transmitting said acceptance to said first party,

wherein said system is capable of arranging a meeting between two or more anonymous parties or wherein said invitation does not include a specific intended guest.

74. A method for establishing a meeting at a specified time and at a specified location between one or more anonymous users comprising the steps of:

viewing using a computer, an invitation for said meeting, said invitation including said specified time and said specified location; and

transmitting, using said computer, a request to accept said invitation,

wherein said method arranges a meeting between two or more anonymous users or wherein said invitation does not include a specific intended guest.

75. The method of claim 74, further comprising receiving at a time subsequent to said accepting said invitation a confirmation of said scheduled meeting.