Method and apparatus for targeted event networking

• US 7,966,194 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2005
• Issued: 06/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Trendy Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Trendy Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Iyer, Mangala
• Primary Examiner(s): CASLER, TRACI
• Application Number:
  US11/718,171
• Publication Number:
  US 20090018903A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,062 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1.1
• US Class Current: 705/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0212 Chance discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement

Abstract

A method and apparatus that eliminates blind networking and allows targeted networking amongst event attendees, both for personal as well as professional reasons, while also making events ubiquitously available anytime anywhere beyond the physical limitations of time and space, such that anyone anywhere in the world can not only attend the event from the comfort of his office desk or home but also network with the other event attendees without physically attending the event is disclosed. Event hosts can be any non-profit/for-profit organization or entity hosting events of any nature in any realm. Another embodiment of the invention provides enhanced, multiple levels of profile content privacy that give complete freedom, control, and flexibility to the users to express themselves fearlessly by controlling the specific chosen contents in their profiles for input, storage, analysis, retrieval, and/or display to specific chosen authorized users or groups. Another embodiment of the invention provides integration in a chat/instant messaging to allow a user to set up an online meeting with one or more participants in the chat and/or that allows a user to find a meeting place where one or more participants can decide to meet in person locally or globally in various parts of the world. Another embodiment of the invention is related to sales and revenue generation, particularly for e-commerce/e-services companies whose products or services, which include but not limited to, yellow page, directory, or business information databases by area, reach large numbers of users directly.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for targeted networking amongst event attendees, comprising the steps of:

an event manager accessing an event management module comprising a processor, memory, and a network interface for accessing a network event management module is coupled with a plurality of clients via said network, wherein said plurality of clients comprises plurality of potential attendees and an event host, wherein said management module is further configured with management tools and attendee tools

said event host registering into an event networking system using said management tools;

said event host establishing an event networking web-space using said management tools;

said event host configuring said event networking webspace with said attendee tools for allowing attendees the ability to individually register directly for said event networking web-space;

said event host preloading a plurality of attendee information directly into said event networking system via said event networking web-space, wherein said preloaded information is previously stored in said memory;

said event host saving any of professional and personal information into profiles for registered attendees, wherein said profiles are saved in said event networking system; and

said event host creating a login account with a username and a password for each registered attendee;

said event host providing said username and said password to each registered attendee; and

said event host creating an individual attendee web-space for each registered attendee to display a profile selected from among any of, a professional profile and a personal profile, for said attendees with said attendee'"'"'s respective professional and personal information currently available in said event networking system;

said attendees registering with a web-space to access at least some information about other registered attendees to allow targeted networking between registered attendees at any of before, during, or after said event;

said event host offering priority features to said attendees in a sub-navigation area of said individual attendee web-space;

said attendees storing in a sub-navigation area of said individual attendee web-space invitations to other users and introductions by other users and profiles sent along with said invitations and introductions;

said attendees storing in a sub-navigation area of said individual attendee web-space invitations and introductions received and corresponding replies and profiles as sent with each received invitation or introduction;

said attendees inviting other individuals, viewing accepted and rejected invitations, and viewing other individuals profile in any of said attendee'"'"'s professional and personal network;

said attendee exchanging messages between network members;

said attendees storing references from any of professional and personal contacts

said attendees controlling the content of said profile for input, storage, analysis, retrieval, or display to specific chosen authorized users or groups;

said attendees controlling multi-level privacy settings, said multi-levels comprising horizontal and vertical levels, said horizontal levels comprising any, many, or all fields in said individual'"'"'s profile with corresponding privacy selection options to control display of each field content specifically to vertical levels, said vertical levels comprising access and privacy levels, said horizontal level comprising profile field-level settings, said vertical levels comprising groups, wherein said user controls access to said user profile content at both a profile level and a field level, with multiple horizontal and vertical privacy levels for each field and for an entire profile, wherein access permission is provided by said individual to any, multiple, or all horizontal and vertical privacy levels to read a defined group of records, but not necessarily all fields in each record;

said attendee creating sub-networks where professional networking and personal networking are separate from each other;

said event host hosting an event in physical space;

said event host making said event available virtually via said network to virtual users via said networking web-space, further comprising;

said virtual users accessing said event in real-time;

said virtual users participating in said event via chat rooms or discussion boards;

said virtual users receiving any of video and audio-streams of said event during or after said event; and

said virtual users engage in professional networking from a location remote from the event with any of event attendees who are physically present at said event and virtual event attendees;

said attendee and said virtual users invite others to attend and network at said event using the said event networking system;

said event networking system proprietor monetizing said event management module by performing any of;

retaining, by said event networking system proprietor, a percentage of revenues generated by said event;

allowing event hosts to subscribe to event networking services using a flat fee contract model;

allowing event hosts to provide an event networking system which is partly or entirely paid by the sponsors or sponsored by companies in return for placement of their hyperlinks or advertisements in the event networking system;

establishing partnerships between said event networking system proprietor and online ticketing providers;

establishing revenue sharing partnerships between event networking system proprietor with service providers including, but not limited to, online registrations and event services;

providing either of fee-based, free, or advertising driven directory services and local listings with information concerning any of events, event attendees, and related services; and

providing a win-n-redeem points program, wherein points are allotted to attendees based on attendee actions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said processor is further configured for:

detecting an event which a registered attendee is authorized to attend;

allowing said registered attendee to enter additional information desired or required in said profile and attaching said profile to the event; and

providing said registered attendee with access to other event attendees'"'"' profiles.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said processor is further configured for:

allowing said registered attendee to select another event in at least an additional event networking web-space to network from a list of events available in said events networking area of said event networking system;

said attendee submitting an authorization code and completing and submitting any of a professional and personal profile to be attached to the event; and

said event networking system immediately providing said attendees with access to other event attendee profiles.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said processor is further configured for:

allowing said attendees to provide any of voice and video information to said event networking system;

responsive thereto, said event networking system creating a voice and video profile for said attendees, wherein said profile can be viewed and listened to before, during, or after said event; and

said system optionally converting voice to text and text to voice to allow searching of specific fields in an attendee profile.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said processor is further configured for:

providing remote event access to make said event ubiquitously available anytime, anywhere, beyond physical limitations of time and space, wherein any potential attendee, anywhere can both attend said event from a location that is remote from said event and network with other event attendees without physically attending said event.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

providing in-depth panel and session level networking.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

said event host using any of the following options during said event for attendee identification;

a barcode scanner with bar-coded badges;

a plain badge and a business card scanner; and

an RFID badge.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of:

scanning attendee badges or business cards during said event, when attendees enter panel and session rooms.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of:

said event networking system obtaining attendee information from said attendee'"'"'s badge or business card, wherein said attendee'"'"'s profile is accessed to identify attendee-specific panel and session attendance information.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of:

performing panel and session level information data entry, storage, and exchange amongst event attendees by the steps of;

said event host submitting said panel and session information to said event networking system, wherein said information is viewable by any attendee or prospect worldwide;

after entering attendee profile information, said event networking system returning a form to said attendees that allows said attendees to provide information before, during, or after said event about panels and sessions they are currently attending, plan to attend, or have already attended; and

said event networking system providing said attendees with access to other attendees'"'"' profiles for each session or/and panel.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

allowing individuals worldwide to post events of any nature in any realm and extend invitations to view and network at any of before, during, and after said events.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

providing a real time communications facility to allow an attendee to meet online with at least one event participant, allowing said attendee to establish a meeting place where said participants can meet in person.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein said event is selected from among watching stage shows, watching sporting games, watching movies, playing various other games involving one or more players, conferences, seminars, tradeshows, company employee meetings, company vendor meetings, company customer meetings, arranging a picnic, parties, weddings, any other meetings involving more than one attendee and combinations thereof.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein said web-space includes tools for users to view videos, photos, web presentations and other media within the event networking system.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein said web-space includes tools for users to buy or bid on items such as merchandise and accessories associated with said event before, during or after the event.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein event networking comprises data storage and exchange of information amongst attendees physically or remotely attending said event.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein targeted networking comprises searching in the search module inside the system using specific key words or criteria including city, state, title, etc. that is specifically targeted towards the searching attendees needs and then networking with those specifically targeted list of attendees.

13. A distributed computer environment for allowing event attendees to network using a browser-based interface before, during, and after an event, said distributed computer environment comprising:

a server-based event management module operated by an event manager, said event management module comprising a processor, memory, and a network interface for accessing a network;

a plurality of clients coupled to said server-based event management module via said network, wherein said plurality of clients comprises at least one organization hosting an event and a plurality of potential attendees, wherein said at least one organization includes a event host primary event manager;

said event management module configured for providing said plurality of clients access to said event management module via a browser-based user interface comprising;

management tools for said event host primary event manager to register said at least one organization into an event networking system, for said event host primary event manager to establish an event networking web-space, and for said event host primary event manager with tools for preloading a plurality of attendee information directly into said event networking system via said event networking web-space, wherein said preloaded information is previously stored in said memory;

business networking tools for making said event available virtually via said network, wherein anyone, anywhere worldwide is provided with tools including

tools for attending said event virtually in real-time;

tools for participating via chat rooms or discussion boards;

tools for receiving any of video and audio-streams during or after said event; and

tools for professional networking from a location remote from the event with any of event attendees who are physically present at said event and virtual event attendees;

wherein said webspace further comprises;

user tools for controlling the content of said profile for input, storage, analysis, retrieval, and/or display to specific chosen authorized users or groups;

user tools for providing said user with multi-level privacy settings, said multi-levels comprising horizontal and vertical levels, said horizontal levels comprising any, many, or all fields in said individual'"'"'s profile with corresponding privacy selection options to control display of each field content specifically to vertical levels, said vertical levels comprising access and privacy levels, said horizontal level comprising profile field-level settings, said vertical levels comprising groups, wherein said user controls access to said user profile content at both a profile level and a field level, with multiple horizontal and vertical privacy levels for each field and for an entire profile, wherein access permission is provided by said individual to any, multiple, or all horizontal and vertical privacy levels to read a defined group of records, all fields in each record.

wherein said web space comprises any of;

a sub-navigation area that allows an attendee to select and to pay for priority listing features;

a sub-navigation area that allows said attendee to store invitations and introductions sent and corresponding profiles sent with each invitation or introduction;

a sub-navigation area that allows said attendee to store invitations and introductions received and corresponding replies and profiles as sent with each received invitation or introduction;

a sub-navigation area that allows said attendee to invite other individuals, view accepted and rejected invitations, and view individuals in any of said attendee'"'"'s professional and personal network;

a sub-navigation area for exchanging messages between network members; and

a sub-navigation area that allows said attendee to store references from any of professional and personal contacts;

a plurality of sub-networks for keeping providing professional networking and personal networking separate from each other;

a mechanism that allows either of physically present and virtually present event attendees to invite others to attend and network at said event using the said event networking system;

attendee tools for potential attendees to individually register directly for said event via said event networking web-space;

wherein said preloading includes saving any of professional and personal information into profiles for registered attendees, wherein said profiles are saved in said event networking system; and

the browser-based user interface further comprising;

networking tools to allow targeted networking between registered attendees at any of before, during, or after said event; and

monetization tools selected from among a group of monetization tools consisting of;

tools for retaining, by an event networking system proprietor, a percentage of revenues generated by event hosts using the event networking system;

tools for allowing event hosts to subscribe to event networking services using a flat fee contract model;

tools for allowing event hosts to provide an event networking system which is partly or entirely paid by the sponsors or sponsored by companies in return for placement of their hyperlinks or advertisements in the event networking system;

tools for establishing partnerships of the event networking system proprietor and online ticketing providers;

tools for establishing revenue sharing partnerships of the event networking system proprietor with service providers including, but not limited to, online registrations and event services;

tools for providing either of fee-based, free, or advertising driven directory services and local listings with information concerning any of events, event attendees, and related services; and

tools for providing a win-n-redeem points program, wherein points are allotted to attendees based on attendee actions.

14. The distributed computer environment of claim 13, wherein said event comprises a plurality of sessions, wherein said browser-based user interface further comprises tools for allowing a registered users to check into a session, and wherein when a registered user checks in to a session, said registered user'"'"'s profile indicates that said registered user checked in to said session, thereby informing other registered users who are networking with said registered user.