System and method for location-based user matching

• US 7,505,772 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2008
• Issued: 03/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fleet Connect Solutions LLC (Empire IP LLC)
• Original Assignee: Richard B. Himmelstein
• Inventors: Himmelstein, Richard B
• Primary Examiner(s): Afshar, Kamran
• Application Number:
  US12/026,834
• Publication Number:
  US 20080146248A1
• Time in Patent Office: 405 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.2, 4554561-457, 455/415, 455/9, 455/345, 455/517, 455/524, 455/427, 455/12.1, 455/569.2, 340/7.55, 340/534, 340/539.1, 340/426.15, 340/426.19, 340/426.2, 342/357.01, 342/352, 342/357.02, 342/357.09, 342/357.12, 701/211, 701/29, 701/213, 701/207, 701/9, 701 1- 2
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• 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 of mobile communications devices comprising first and second first mobile communications devices for transmitting information defining a location of the first mobile communications device and a system administrator. The system administrator matching the first and second mobile communication devices based on information defining the respective locations of the first and second mobile communication devices.

Claims

1. A system for matching users of mobile units in a wireless communication system, the system comprising:

a first mobile unit for transmitting a status of the first mobile unit;

a second mobile unit for transmitting a status of the second mobile unit; and

a system administrator having a microprocessor coupled to a memory, the system administrator communicating with the first mobile unit over a first wireless communication link and with the second mobile unit over a second wireless communication link, the memory storing first user information fields including at least one optional field and information associated with a user of the first mobile unit, the memory further storing second user information fields including at least one optional field and information associated with a user of the second mobile unit;

wherein the system administrator receives at least one of the first user information fields, at least one of the second user information fields, the status of the first mobile unit and the status of the second mobile unit;

wherein the microprocessor determines the first mobile unit and the second mobile unit are available using the status of the first mobile unit and the status of the second mobile unit, and further determines the first mobile unit and the second mobile unit are in range for at least a duration of time of a minimum length based upon the speed and direction of at least one of the first mobile and the second mobile unit; and

wherein the microprocessor determines a match using at least one of the first user information fields and at least one of the second user information fields and, if there is a match, the system administrator sends a transmission including at least one of the second user information fields to the first mobile unit.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the system administrator sends the transmission to the first mobile unit via a global communications network.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first mobile unit includes an audio-visual interface for inputting the first user information fields.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first mobile unit comprises one of a cellular phone, a vehicle, a personal data assistant, a global positioning system receiver, a transponder, a radio, a walkie-talkie, and a wireless Internet access device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmission from the system administrator to the first mobile unit includes at least one of a map, directions, and an address.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmission from the system administrator to the first mobile unit includes at least one of audio information, video information, text files, and graphical information.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the status is updated to track a movement of at least one of the first mobile unit and the second mobile unit.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmission from the system administrator to the first mobile unit includes the status of the second mobile unit.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein in range includes the second mobile unit approaching a business location;

and the business location includes the first mobile unit.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the second user information fields include information identifying the user of the second mobile unit.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the system administrator further transmits information to inform the first mobile unit the amount of time left.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmission from the system administrator to the first mobile unit includes an address of the second mobile unit;

and the first mobile unit transmits a communication to the second mobile unit over a wireless communication link.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the first mobile unit receives a download from the second mobile unit.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the first mobile unit transmits an upload to the second mobile unit.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the first mobile unit transmits at least one of the first user information fields to the second mobile unit.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the second mobile unit blocks the communication.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the communication includes advertising information.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the communication includes payment instructions.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the communication includes a weather update.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the user of the second mobile unit configures the status of the second mobile unit to “

not available.”

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmission from the system administrator to the first mobile unit includes voice and data communications over the first wireless communication link.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmission from the system administrator to the first mobile unit includes a weather update.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmission from the system administrator to the first mobile unit includes advertising information.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmission from the system administrator to the first mobile unit includes payment instructions.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein the first mobile unit is a cell phone.

26. The system of claim 1, wherein the system administrator sends the transmission via a repeater.

27. The system of claim 1, wherein the first mobile unit is a base station.

28. The system of claim 1, wherein the first mobile unit is a base station.

29. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one optional field includes credit card information.

30. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one optional field of the second user information fields is defined by the user of the second mobile unit.

31. A method for matching users of mobile units in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:

receiving by a system administrator a status of a first mobile unit;

receiving by the system administrator a status of a second mobile unit;

storing at the system administrator first user information fields including at least one optional field and information associated with a user of the first mobile unit, and further storing second user information fields including at least one optional field and information associated with a user of the second mobile unit;

receiving at the system administrator at least one of the first user information fields, at least one of the second user information fields, the status of the first mobile unit and the status of the second mobile unit;

determining by the system administrator that the first mobile unit and the second mobile unit are available using the status of the first mobile unit and the status of the second mobile unit, and further determining that the first mobile unit and the second mobile unit are in range for at least a duration of time of a minimum length based upon the speed and direction of at least one of the first mobile unit and the second mobile unit;

determining a match by the system administrator using at least one of the first user information fields and at least one of the second user information fields; and

sending, based upon the match, a transmission from the system administrator to the first mobile unit, the transmission including at least one of the second user information fields.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the transmission from the system administrator to the first mobile unit includes the status of the second mobile unit.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the transmission from the system administrator to the first mobile unit includes an address of the second mobile unit;

and the method further includes transmitting a communication from the first mobile unit to the second mobile unit over a wireless communication link.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the communication includes at least one of the first user information fields.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the communication includes advertising information.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein the communication includes payment instructions.

37. The method of claim 33, wherein the communication includes a traffic update.

38. The method of claim 31, further including configuring the status of the second mobile unit to “

not available.”

39. The method of claim 31, wherein the transmission from the system administrator to the first mobile unit includes a traffic update.

40. The method of claim 31, wherein determining that the first mobile unit and the second mobile unit are in range includes determining that the second mobile unit is approaching a business location, and the business location includes the first mobile unit.

41. The method of claim 31, wherein the first mobile unit is a base station.

42. The method of claim 31, wherein the at least one optional field includes credit card information.

43. The method of claim 31, wherein the at least one optional field of the second user information fields is defined by the user of the second mobile unit.