System and method for anonymous tracking of individuals

• US 7,835,755 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2006
• Issued: 11/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: 54 Essential Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: Home Producers Network LLC
• Inventors: Mowry, Craig P.
• Primary Examiner(s): MIZRAHI, DIANE D
• Application Number:
  US11/513,731
• Publication Number:
  US 20070111701A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,539 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.3, 455/3.03, 455/456.3, 455/1, 455/3.04, 455/436, 455/448, 455/450, 455/456.1, 455/464, 455/509, 455/529, 370/312, 370328-350, 370/432, 370/208, 370/211, 370/311
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

Preferably, the invention comprises a system for eliciting information anonymously from a user. The system comprises a plurality of broadcasting units operable to communicate over a communication network, wherein each respective unit is provided with a unique and identifiable code that is identifiable by the user. Further, a dedicated broadcast reception component is included and operable to interface with at least one of the plurality of units. Moreover, an audio transmitter is provided each of the plurality of units and operable to receive and transmit information from a user. Further, the user uses at least one of the plurality of units to convey the information and further wherein the conveyed information may result in an incentive provided to the user.

Claims

1. A system for eliciting information anonymously from a user and providing an incentive in exchange for the information, the system comprising:

a plurality of broadcasting units configured to communicate over a communication network, wherein each respective broadcasting unit is provided with a unique and identifiable code that is identifiable by the user;

a dedicated broadcast reception component including a computing device that is programmed and configured to interface with at least one of the plurality of broadcasting units;

a deployment container that includes a parachute for deploying one or more of the plurality of broadcasting units by air; and

a respective transmitter provided with each of the plurality of broadcasting units and configured to receive and transmit information from the user;

wherein the at least one of the plurality of broadcasting units receives the information anonymously from the user, further wherein the at least one of the plurality of broadcasting units conveys, via the respective transmitter, the anonymously received information associated with the unique and identifiable code to the dedicated broadcast reception component, and further wherein the conveyed information results in the incentive being authorized to be provided to the user or a third party associated with the user after the unique and identifiable code is received from the user or the third party associated with the user, and the system matches the unique and identifiable code received from the user or the third party associated with the user with the anonymously received information.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising cellular telephone radio technology included in the broadcasting units.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the deployment container is further configured to contain one of the broadcasting units, and further wherein the deployment container protects the broadcasting unit during deployment of the one broadcasting unit.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a respective visual display provided with the broadcasting units to provide visual information to the user.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the broadcasting units is further configured to communicate information to the user for collecting the incentive.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising an audio recorder provided with the at least one of the broadcasting units and configured to record information from the user.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the at least one of the broadcasting units transmits the recorded information to the dedicated broadcast reception component.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is programmed and configured to receive and transmit audio information.

9. A method for providing an incentive in exchange for anonymously provided information from a user, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of broadcasting units that are each configured with a respective transmitter and configured to receive and transmit information from the user, wherein the plurality of broadcasting units are configured to communicate over a communication network;

providing a unique and identifiable code that is readily identifiable with each of the plurality of broadcasting units;

providing a deployment container that includes a parachute for deploying one or more of the plurality of broadcasting units by air;

receiving, by at least one of the plurality of broadcasting units, the anonymously provided information;

transmitting, by the at least one of the plurality of broadcasting units via the respective transmitter, the anonymously provided information with the unique and identifiable code to a dedicated broadcast reception component that is configured to interface with the broadcasting unit;

receiving the unique and identifiable code from the user;

matching the unique and identifiable code with the anonymously provided information; and

authorizing the incentive to be provided to the user or a third party associated with the user in exchange for the anonymously provided information.