Communications system and method

• US 7,725,509 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2003
• Issued: 05/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Infederation Limited
• Original Assignee: Infederation Limited
• Inventors: Raff, Adam
• Primary Examiner(s): Lu; Kuen S
• Application Number:
  US10/542,365
• Publication Number:
  US 20080140640A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,349 Days
• Field of Search: 707/104.1, 707/101, 707/102, 707/10
• US Class Current: 707/639
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 2001/085 Partner search devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• 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: Y10S 707/913 Multimedia

Abstract

A system for matching information comprises a first sub-system adapted to store at least one profile, wherein the said at least one profile contains predetermined attributes and requirements and predetermined introduction information, and a second sub-system adapted to store at least one profile, wherein the said at least one profile contains predetermined attributes and requirements and predetermined introduction information, an introduction processor is programmed to receive data relating to the said introduction information from the said first sub-system, a match processor comprised within the said first sub-system is programmed to receive information relating to requirements of the said second sub-system when the said introduction processor registers a compatible profile introduction between the said first sub-system and the said second sub-system.

Claims

1. A system for matching information comprising:

a first sub-system programmed to store at least one profile, wherein the said at least one profile contains predetermined attributes and requirements and predetermined introduction information;

a second sub-system programmed to store at least one profile, wherein the said at least one profile contains predetermined attributes and requirements and predetermined introduction information;

an introduction processor programmed to receive data relating to the said introduction information from the said first sub-system, wherein the introduction processor is programmed to compare the said introduction information from the said first sub-system with introduction information received from the said second sub-system and to register a compatible profile introduction between the said first sub-system and the said second sub-system when the said introduction information of the said first sub-system or the said second sub-system is satisfied by the introduction information of the other of the said first sub-system or the said second sub-system; and

a match processor comprised within the said first sub-system, the said match processor being programmed to receive information relating to requirements of the said second sub-system when the said introduction processor registers a compatible profile introduction between the said first sub-system and the said second sub-system, the said match processor being further programmed to register a match between the said first sub-system and the said second sub-system when the said attributes of the said first sub-system match the said requirements of the said second sub-system; and

wherein the said first sub-system does not need to receive information relating to the said attributes of the said second sub-system, in order to register a match with the said second sub-system.

2. A system for matching information according to claim 1, wherein the introduction processor is programmed to register a compatible profile introduction between the said first sub-system and the said second sub-system only when both the said introduction information of the said first sub-system is satisfied by the introduction information of the said second sub-system and the said introduction information of the said second sub-system are satisfied by the introduction information of the said first sub-system.

3. A system for matching information according to claim 1, wherein the introduction information of the said first sub-system and the said second sub-system comprises introduction attributes and introduction requirements, and wherein the said introduction processor is programmed to compare the introduction attributes from the said first sub-system with the introduction requirements from the said second sub-system and to compare the introduction attributes from the said second sub-system with the introduction requirements from the said first sub-system, and to register a compatible profile introduction between the said first sub-system and the said second sub-system when the said introduction requirements of the said first sub-system or the said second sub-system are satisfied by the introduction attributes of the other of the said first sub-system or the said second sub-system.

4. A system for matching information according to claim 3, wherein the introduction processor is programmed to register a compatible profile introduction between the said first sub-system and the said second sub-system only when both the said introduction requirements of the said first sub-system are satisfied by the introduction attributes of the said second sub-system and the said introduction requirements of the said second sub-system are satisfied by the introduction attributes of the said first sub-system.

5. A system for matching information according to claim 1, further comprising an introduction data store connected to the said introduction processor, the said introduction data store being programmed to store received introduction information from the said first sub-system or the said second sub-system.

6. A system for matching information according to claim 5, wherein the said introduction data store is programmed to store information relating to the requirements of the said first sub-system and the said second sub-system, and wherein the introduction processor is programmed to send information relating to the requirements of the said first sub-system to the said second sub-system, and to send information relating to the requirements of the said second sub-system to the said first sub-system, on the establishment of a compatible profile introduction.

7. A system for matching information according to claim 1, wherein on the establishment of a compatible profile introduction the said first sub-system is programmed to send information relating to the requirements of the profile involved in the compatible profile introduction to the said second sub-system via the introduction processor.

8. A system for matching information according to claim 1, wherein on the establishment of a compatible profile introduction the said first sub-system is programmed to send information relating to the requirements of the profile involved in the compatible profile introduction to the said second sub-system via a peer-to-peer connection between the said first sub-system and the said second sub-system.

9. A system for matching information according to claim 1, wherein the said first sub-system is programmed to enter a matched mode when the said match processor has established that a match has been made.

10. A system for matching information according to claim 9, wherein the said first sub-system is programmed to enter the said matched mode only when the said match processor has established that a match has been made and that a match signal has been received from the said second sub-system, the said match signal indicating that the said second sub-system has registered a corresponding match.

11. A system for matching information according to claim 1, wherein the said second sub-system does not comprise a match processor, and wherein the said introduction processor is programmed to receive information relating to the said requirements of the said first sub-system when the said introduction processor registers a compatible profile introduction between the said first sub-system and the said second sub-system, the said introduction processor being further programmed to register a match between the said second sub-system and the said first sub-system when a condition determined by the information relating to the said requirements of the said first sub-system is satisfied.

12. A system for matching information according to claim 11, wherein the said attributes of the said second sub-system and the said requirements of the said first sub-system are null, and wherein the said introduction processor will always register a match between the said second sub-system and the said first sub-system.

13. A system for matching information according to claim 11, wherein the said first sub-system is programmed to enter a matched mode only when the said match processor has established that a match has been made and that a match signal has been received from the said introduction processor, the said match signal indicating that the said introduction processor has registered a corresponding match between the said second sub-system and the said first sub-system.

14. A system for matching information according to claim 1, wherein the said first sub-system is further programmed to store at least one tag, the or each said tag comprising information to be shared with the said second sub-system on the establishment of a match, wherein the said first sub-system is programmed to enable the or each said tag to be sent to the said second sub-system on the establishment of a match.

15. A system for matching information according to claim 14, wherein the said first sub-system is programmed to send the or each said tag to the said second sub-system via the introduction processor.

16. A system for matching information according to claim 14, wherein the said first sub-system is programmed to send the or each said tag to the said second sub-system via a peer-to-peer connection between the said first sub-system and the said second sub-system.

17. A system for matching information according to claim 14, wherein the or each said tag comprises any one or combination of text data, graphics data, audio data, video data, geographic data, hypertext-inks or computer software.

18. A system for matching information according to claim 17, wherein the or each said tag comprises a java applet, wherein the or each said Java applet is programmed to establish a programmed dialogue between the said first sub-system and the said second sub-system.

19. A system for matching information according to claim 1, wherein the said first sub-system is further programmed to allow a user to designate which of the stored at least one profiles the user designates as active;

and the introduction processor is further programmed to receive information relating to the said introduction information from only the active profile or profiles stored in the said first sub-system.

20. A system for matching information according claim 1, wherein the or each said profile comprises a self-describing data file, each self-describing data file comprising at least one field.

21. A system for matching information according to claim 1, wherein the said first sub-system is programmed to store at least one profile that is a finder-finder profile, the said finder-finder profile comprising at least one requirement field for every corresponding attribute field.

22. A system for matching information according to claim 1, wherein the said first sub-system is programmed to store at least one profile that is a finder-provider profile, the or each said finder-provider profile comprising a variant for a finder and a variant for a provider, and wherein for each attribute field in the or each provider variant there is at least one corresponding requirement field in the finder variant.

23. A system for matching information according to claim 22, wherein the said first sub-system is programmed to store an indication of whether a user of the said first sub-system is a provider or a finder in the profile.

24. A system for matching information according to claim 22, wherein the said first sub-system is programmed to store multiple instances of the said attributes for the provider variant of the profile.

25. A system for matching information according to claim 24, wherein the said first sub-system comprises a backend database, the said backend database comprising information relating to the at least one profile.

26. A system for matching information according to claim 25, wherein the said backend database is programmed to store information relating to multiple instances of the said attributes for the provider variant of the profile as multiple sets of virtual attributes.

27. A system for matching information according to claim 26, wherein the said first sub-system comprises a query processor, the said query processor being programmed to construct a query from the information relating to the received requirements of the said second sub-system and to submit the query to the said backend database, wherein on reception of the said query the backend database is programmed to provide the match processor with information relating to any matching instances of the said virtual attributes.

28. A system for matching information according claim 25, wherein the said first sub-system is further programmed to store at least one tag, the or each said tag comprising information to be shared with the said second sub-system on the establishment of a match, wherein the said first sub-system is programmed to enable the or each said tag to be sent to the said second sub-system on the establishment of a match;

and wherein the said backend database is programmed to store tag information as virtual tag data.

29. A system for matching information according to claim 28, wherein the said first sub-system comprises a query processor, the said query processor being programmed to query the said backend database in order to generate the said tag information from the virtual tag data.

30. A system for matching information according claim 1, wherein the or each said profile comprises a header section, the header section comprising the predetermined introduction information of the respective profile.

31. A system for matching information according to claim 30 wherein the said first sub-system is further programmed to allow a user to designate which of the stored at least one profiles the user designates as active;

and the introduction processor is further programmed to receive information relating to the said introduction information from only the active profile or profiles stored in the said first sub-system; and

wherein the said introduction processor is programmed to receive the header section of the active profile or profiles stored in the said first sub-system.

32. A system for matching information according to claim 30, wherein the header section of the or each said profile comprises one or more subset identifiers, the or each subset identifier comprising predetermined segregation information, wherein the introduction processor is programmed to use the or each said subset identifier to segregate otherwise compatible profiles according to the predetermined segregation information.

33. A system for matching information according to claim 1, wherein the said first sub-system is further programmed to store a unique ID of the said first sub-system.

34. A system for matching information according to claim 1, wherein the said first sub-system is further programmed to store a unique Profile ID for the or each profile stored in the said first sub-system.

35. A system for matching information according to claim 34, wherein the said first sub-system is programmed to store multiple instances of a profile with the same Profile ID, wherein each said multiple instance of a profile is assigned a unique Profile Instance ID.

36. A system for matching information according to claim 1, wherein the introduction processor comprises a recent encounters cache for the said first sub-system, the said recent encounters cache comprising information relating to compatible sub-systems that have been involved in profile introductions with the said first sub-system, wherein the introduction processor is programmed to refrain from trying to establish a compatible profile introduction with profiles received from compatible sub-systems if appropriate information is contained in the said recent encounters cache.

37. A system for matching information according to claim 36, wherein the said recent encounters cache comprises any one or combination of a list of unique IDs of compatible sub-systems, a list of unique Profile IDs from compatible sub-systems, or a list of the profile Instance IDs for a particular instance of a profile from compatible sub-systems.

38. A system for matching information according to claim 1, wherein the introduction processor comprises a blacklist cache for the said first sub-system, the said blacklist cache comprising information relating to compatible sub-systems that have been involved in profile introductions with the said first sub-system that have been blacklisted by a user of the said first sub-system, wherein the introduction processor is programmed to refrain from trying to establish a compatible profile introduction with profiles received from compatible sub-systems if appropriate information is contained in the said blacklist cache.

39. A system for matching information according to claim 38, wherein the said blacklist cache comprises any one or combination of a list of unique IDs of compatible sub-systems, a list of unique Profile IDs from compatible sub-systems, or a list of the profile Instance IDs for a particular instance of a profile from compatible sub-systems.

40. A system for matching information according to claim 1, wherein the said first sub-system comprises a sub-system recent encounters cache, the said sub-system recent encounters cache comprising any one or combination of:

a list of unique IDs of compatible sub-systems, a list of unique Profile IDs from compatible sub-systems, or a list of the profile Instance IDs for a particular instance of a profile from compatible sub-systems that have been involved in match processing with the said first sub-system.

41. A system for matching information according to claim 1, wherein the said first sub-system further comprises a sub-system blacklist cache, the said sub-system blacklist cache comprising any one or combination of:

a list of unique IDs of compatible sub-systems, a list of unique Profile IDs from compatible sub-systems, or a list of the profile Instance IDs for a particular instance of a profile from compatible sub-systems that have been blacklisted during match processing by a user of the said first sub-system.

42. A system for matching information according to claim 1, wherein the said first sub-system is programmed to store a match log, the said match log comprising information regarding previously established matches.

43. A system for matching information according to claim 42 wherein the said first sub-system is further programmed to store at least one tag, the or each said tag comprising information to be shared with the said second sub-system on the establishment of a match, wherein the said first sub-system is programmed to enable the or each said tag to be sent to the said second sub-system on the establishment of a match;

and wherein the match log comprises match information comprised in any received tags.

44. A system for matching information according to claim 1, wherein on establishment of a match the said first sub-system is programmed to enter a talk mode with the said second sub-system, wherein in the said talk mode the said first system is programmed to share information with the said second sub-system.

45. A system for matching information according to claim 44, wherein in the said talk mode the said first system is programmed to share information with the said second sub-system via any one or combination of:

direct text, direct voice, direct video, or anonymous email over a communications network.

46. A system for matching information according claim 1, wherein the introduction information comprises geographic information.

47. A system for matching information according to claim 46, wherein the said geographic information is obtained dynamically using GPS.

48. A system for matching information according to claim 1, wherein the said first sub-system is programmed to communicate with the said introduction processor via any one of the Internet, an intranet, an extranet, a local area network, a wide area network or a network employing wireless application protocol.

49. A system for matching information according to claim 48, wherein the said first sub-system is programmed to communicate with the said introduction processor via a wireless application protocol comprising any one of:

808.11a, 808.11b, WAP, GRPS or 3G transmission.

50. A system for matching information according to claim 1, wherein the introduction processor is programmed to send software to a user device to enable the said user device to function as a first sub-system.

51. A system for matching information according to claim 50, wherein the said software is in the form of a java applet.

52. An operation method for a system for matching information comprising:

using a first sub-system to store at least one profile, wherein the said at least one profile contains predetermined attributes and requirements and predetermined introduction information;

using a second sub-system to store at least one profile, wherein the said at least one profile contains predetermined attributes and requirements and predetermined introduction information;

using an introduction processor to receive data relating to the said introduction information from the said first sub-system, to compare the said introduction information from the said first sub-system with introduction information received from the said second sub-system, and to register a compatible profile introduction between the said first sub-system and the said second sub-system when the said introduction information of the said first sub-system or the said second sub-system is satisfied by the introduction information of the other of the said first sub-system or the said second sub-system; and

using a match processor comprised within the said first sub-system to receive information relating to requirements of the said second sub-system when the said introduction processor registers a compatible profile introduction between the said first sub-system and the said second sub-system, and to register a match between the said first sub-system and the said second sub-system when the said attributes of the said first sub-system match the said requirements of the said second sub-system; and

wherein the said first sub-system does not need to receive information relating to the said attributes of the said second sub-system, in order to register a match with the said second sub-system.

53. A computer storage medium having computer program code stored thereupon for controlling a computer to carry out a method according to claim 52.

54. The computer storage medium according to claim 53 comprising a carrier medium carrying the computer program code.