System and method for wireless communication between previously known and unknown users

• US 7,545,784 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2005
• Issued: 06/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pinterest, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mgrdechian, Richard, Lee, Man-Ho Lawrence
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Nhan T
• Application Number:
  US11/055,310
• Publication Number:
  US 20050174975A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,580 Days
• Field of Search: 455/334, 455/556.1, 455/551, 455/412, 455418-420, 455/550.1, 455/557, 455/423, 455/466, 455/566, 370/331, 370334-336, 370342-345, 370/347, 370/338, 370/349, 370/328
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention include improved communication system and methods. In one embodiment, the present invention includes a wireless communication method comprising, on a first wireless device, receiving one or more wireless device identifications associated with one or more other wireless devices, and transmitting at least one of the one or more wireless device identifications from the first wireless device to a remote computer system, and on the remote computer system, receiving the at least one wireless device identification, and accessing information associated with the at least one wireless device identification. Embodiments of the present invention may be used for electronic dating, social networking and other communication applications.

Claims

1. A wireless communication method comprising:

on a first wireless device,

receiving in the first wireless device one or more wireless device identifications associated with one or more other wireless devices;

transmitting at least one of the one or more wireless device identifications from the first wireless device to a remote computer system;

receiving for each of the transmitted wireless device identifications an image of a single other user associated with a respective wireless device identification;

receiving a selection of one of the received images from a user of the first wireless device;

transmitting a request for a profile associated with the selected image; and

receiving the profile associated with the selected image, wherein the profile is associated with the other user in the selected image;

sending a message to the other user associated with the received profile; and

wherein the remote computer system determines whether to deliver the message to the other user based on an indication of an interest by the other user in receiving messages from someone having a profile of the message sender; and

on the remote computer system,

receiving the at least one wireless device identification;

in response, providing for each received at least one wireless device identification the image of the single other user; and

in response to receiving a request for a profile associated with the selected image, providing the profile to the first wireless device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising, on the first wireless device, transmitting a wireless identification request.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the profile further comprises providing at least a summary of likes or dislikes of the associated single other user.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the received profile is configured to hide selected identifying information about the single other user associated with the image.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the user of the first wireless device is enabled to scroll through the received images.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the remote computer system transmits a list of mutual acquaintances between the selected single other user and the user, wherein the mutual acquaintances are not identified within the selected image.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the profile -includes text, audio, video, images, Blogs, website links or items or services for sale.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more wireless device identifications are unique identifications.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the unique identifications include a Bluetooth identification or an RFID.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the first wireless device and the one or more other wireless devices are coupled together using a first local wireless protocol, and wherein the first wireless device and the remote computer system are coupled together over a second wireless network.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the one or more other wireless devices is a wireless ID tag.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the message is an email message, a text message, an instant message or voicemail.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the other user specifies a location for receiving the message.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the message is sent from the first wireless device to at least one of the one or more other wireless devices.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the message is sent from the remote computer system further based on a number of messages the other user has identified as willing to receive in a given day.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein if the remote computer system determines the message is not to be delivered, the message is discarded.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the message is an advertisement.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the remote computer system filters the message based on the information associated with the at least one wireless device identification.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting a wireless device identification of the first wireless device to the remote computer system, wherein the remote computer system further whether to deliver the message based on information associated with the wireless device identification of the first wireless device.

20. A communication method comprising:

receiving at a first wireless device one or more wireless device identifications associated with one or more other wireless devices;

receiving at the first wireless device from each of the one or more other wireless devices, an image of a single other user associated with a respective wireless device;

displaying on the first wireless device the received images;

enabling a user of the first wireless device to select at least one image from the displayed images of the single other users;

sending a request for profile information about the single other user associated with each of the selected at least one image;

receiving the requested profile information for display at the first wireless device; and

sending a message to the other user associated with the received profile information, wherein message delivery is filtered based at least on whether the other user identified an interest in receiving a message from a user with a pre-defined profile.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising transmitting an identification request from the first wireless device.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the one or more wireless device identifications are unique device identifications associated with the one or more wireless devices.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein receiving an image of a single other user further comprises receiving from each of the respective wireless devices, the single other user image.

24. The method of claim 20 wherein the one or more wireless device identifications are received using a first wireless protocol, and wherein the one or more wireless device identifications are transmitted from the first wireless device over a second wireless network.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the first wireless protocol is a Bluetooth protocol, an 802.11 protocol, Zigbee or a directional ultrasonic beam, and the second wireless network is a wireless phone network.

26. The method of claim 20 further comprising sending by the first wireless device to at least one of the one or more other wireless devices an image of the user of the first wireless device.

27. A computer system coupled to a network, the computer system-comprising:

a data store for managing information;

memory for storing logical instructions; and

a processor configured and arranged for executing logical instructions stored in the memory, the execution of the logical instructions causing actions to be performed, including;

storing a plurality of wireless device identifications within the data store, each wireless device identification being uniquely associated with a wireless device;

storing profile information for each of a plurality of users within the data store, wherein each profile includes an image of the respective user;

associating the wireless device identifications with the profile information;

receiving from a user of a first of the plurality of wireless devices one or more wireless device identifications;

sending to the first wireless device, in response, the image of the respective user for each of the received one or more wireless device identifications;

receiving from the first wireless device, a request for additional profile information for at least one of the images; and

providing at least a portion of the profile information for the selected image, wherein the profile information is associated with a single other user, and wherein identifying information of the other user is hidden from the user of the first wireless device.

28. The computer system-of claim 27, wherein the hidden identifying information includes at least one of contact information for the other user.

29. The computer system-of claim 27, wherein the profile information is useable for at least one of on-line dating.

30. The computer system-of claim 27, wherein the processor is configured and arranged to cause further actions to be performed, including:

determining mutual acquaintances between the user of the first wireless device and the single other user, wherein the mutual acquaintances are not identified within the selected image.

31. The computer system of claim 27, wherein accessing the profile information comprises generating a query to a database using the one or more wireless device identifications and retrieving information associated with the one or more wireless device identifications in response to the query.

32. The computer system of claim 27, wherein the processor is configured and arranged to cause further actions to be performed, including:

receiving a correspondence instruction from the wireless device, and in accordance therewith, sending a message to at least one of the plurality of users.

33. The computer system of claim 27, wherein the processor is configured and arranged to cause further actions to be performed, including:

storing filter parameters, the filter parameters being used to filter a message sent from the user of the first wireless device to the single other user, wherein the filter parameters includes at least one of a condition that the single other user has indicated an interest in receiving messages from a defined profile, or a number of messages that the single other user has indicated a willingness to receive within a given time period.

34. The computer system of claim 27, wherein the data store further comprises a positional database for extending the range of the wireless device.