Discovery of network members by personal attributes

• US 8,914,024 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2009
• Issued: 12/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wireless Discovery LLC
• Original Assignee: Ximoxi, Inc.
• Inventors: Alharayeri, Ramzi
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ajit
• Assistant Examiner(s): GENACK, MATTHEW W
• Application Number:
  US12/351,654
• Publication Number:
  US 20090181653A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,167 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/412.2, 455/414.1, 455/426.1, 455/432.3, 455/434, 455/456.3, 370/310.2, 370319-321, 370/338
• US Class Current: 455/434
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information

Abstract

A method and application for mobile phone users provides an ability to discover personal attributes including photo of other individuals in vicinity covered by a short range wireless network, such as Bluetooth or similar signals operating in a wireless free spectrum, such as WiFi. The users can elect to exchange, send or receive contact information with ones that are in the vicinity that includes photos.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a server configured to communicate personal information between a first user and a second user, the first user using a respective first mobile communications device and the second user using a respective second mobile communications device each connected to a mobile telecommunications provider network and each also connected to a short range wireless communication protocol through an ad hoc wireless network;

the server in communication with the mobile telecommunications provider network, and configured to provide access to stored user profile information about the first user and the second user, respectively, including personal attribute information and a mobile communications device address;

the server configured to receive from the first mobile communications device a received unique ad hoc network identifier for the second mobile communications device received by the first mobile communications device from the second mobile communications device responsive to a search by the first mobile communications device using the short range communication protocol for the presence of the second mobile communications device on the ad hoc network;

the server configured to receive from the first mobile communications device the unique ad hoc network identifier of the second mobile communications device and to send to the second mobile communications device, using the unique ad hoc network identifier, an invitation to accept personal attribute information from, or share personal attribute information with, the first user, upon receipt of permission from the second user to receive personal attribute information about, or share personal attribute information with, the first user; and

the server configured to connect the first user and the second user through the mobile telecommunications provider network for personal communication between the first user and the second user, without the first user and the second user first connecting for personal communication through the ad hoc network wherein the server is configured to receive from the first mobile communications device the unique ad hoc network identifier for the second mobile communications device, and locate information about the second user from a social network file of the second user, including a name and image of the second user, and transmit this information to the first mobile communications device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first user and the second user are registered members of a service that provides the server, wherein the server is configured to allow the first user to create a customized invitation or customized electronic card sent to the second mobile communications device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the customized electronic card contains contact information, a social network profile, a phone number and a photo.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the server is configured to recognize the respective unique ad hoc network identifier of the first mobile communications device and the second mobile communications device, that is linked to a social network user account profile.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the unique ad hoc network identifier comprises a Bluetooth device address or a WiFi address.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the server is configured to receive the Bluetooth device address or the WiFi address over a cellular data communication connection, and associate an account profile for the second user with the address.

7. The system of claim 1, further including the server is configured to receive from the mobile communications device of the first user a plurality of respective unique ad hoc network identifiers, each for a respective one of a plurality of mobile communication devices discovered by the mobile communications device of the first user responsive to the search by the mobile communications device of the first user using the short range communication protocol, and configured to compare the unique ad hoc network identifiers to unique ad hoc network identifiers stored in a database, and configured to provide results to the first user in the form of a notification including a photo and name of each of the users associated with each of the plurality of discovered mobile communications devices.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the server is configured to receive a respective plurality of unique ad hoc network identifiers, each for one of the plurality of mobile communication devices and to send a respective photo and name for only a portion of the plurality of unique ad hoc network identifiers for the plurality of mobile communication devices, that are identified as a member registered with a social network service.

9. The system of claim 2 wherein the server is configured to store exchanged cards in a mobile communications device phonebook and back up the stored exchanged cards on a centralized computer system in communication with a social network service provider.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the server is configured to allow a client application communicating with the server to permit the first user to invite non-registered members of the social network service to join the social network service by entering a unique personal identifier of the non-member, including a phone number.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the server is configured to provide an invitation to join the service using an SMS system managed by the server.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the server is configured to conduct an initiation process by making contact with the mobile communications device and an SMS of a user to exchange contact information or join a social network group.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein the server is configured to maintain updated information in the database and to update mobile address books of users, by pushing updated information to a respective mobile communications device address book.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the second user can elect to exchange information, reject an offer to exchange information, or to send information only or to receive information only.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein the first mobile communications device and the second mobile communications device are configured to communicate with the server through different mobile telecommunications provider networks.

21. The system of claim 8 wherein the server is provided by the social network service provider.

22. The system of claim 12 wherein the server is provided by the social network service provider.

23. The system of claim 1 wherein using the short range wireless communication protocol through the ad hoc wireless network comprises:

executing an application residing on the mobile communications device of the respective first user and second user.

26. The system of claim 1 wherein the first user and the second user are linked through a social network application residing on the mobile communications device of the respective first user and second user.

29. The system of claim 1 wherein the personal attribute information comprises at least a photograph and a name of the respective first user or second user.

16. A method comprising:

providing, via a computing device, accessible through a mobile telecommunications provider network, access to stored user profile information about a first user using a respective first mobile communications device and a second user, using a respective second mobile communications device, each also connected to a short range wireless communication protocol through an ad hoc wireless network;

receiving, via the computing device, from the first mobile communications device a received unique ad hoc network identifier for the second mobile communications device received by the first mobile communications device from the second mobile communications device responsive to a search by the first mobile communications device, for the presence of the second mobile communications device using the short range communication protocol on the ad hoc network;

sending, via the computing device, to the second mobile communications device, using the unique ad hoc network identifier, an invitation to accept personal attribute information from, or share personal attribute information with, the first user, upon receipt of permission from the second user to receive personal attribute information about, or share personal attribute information with, the first user; and

connecting, via the computing device, the first user and the second user through the mobile telecommunications provider network for personal communication between first user and the second user, without the first user and the second user first connecting for personal communications through the ad hoc network wherein the computing device is configured to receive from the first mobile communications device the unique ad hoc network identifier for the second mobile communications device, and locate information about the second user from a social network file of the second user, including a name and image of the second user, and transmit this information to the first mobile communications device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein personal information is transferred without permission or only by permission from one or more nearby mobile communications devices, wherein the one or more nearby mobile communications devices receives a photograph and name from the first mobile communications device user and is prompted to accept, exchange or ignore an invitation to receive personal contact information with the invitation.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising, the computing device sending an SMS text message to any of the one or more nearby mobile communications devices that are not currently members of a social network, including at least one of a URL for accessing the computing device and a download location for a client side application associated with the social network.

19. The method system of claim 17, wherein searching includes searching for Bluetooth devices permitting discovery within the ad hoc network of the mobile communications device and receiving a mobile device unique ad hoc network identifier from one or more nearby mobile communications devices includes receiving a Bluetooth address ID, and wherein the computing device associates an account profile of a user with the discovered Bluetooth address ID.

24. The method of claim 16 wherein using the short range wireless communication protocol through the ad hoc wireless network comprises:

executing an application residing on the mobile communications device of the respective first user and second user.

27. The method of claim 16 wherein the first user and the second user are linked through a social network application residing on the mobile communications device of the respective first user and second user.

30. The method of claim 16 wherein the personal attribute information comprises at least a photograph and a name of the respective first user or second user.

20. A non-transitory machine readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform a method, the method comprising:

providing through a mobile telecommunications provider network, access to stored user profile information about a first user using a respective first mobile communications device and a second user, using a respective second mobile communications device, each also connected through a short range wireless communication protocol through an ad hoc wireless network;

receiving from the first mobile communications device a received unique ad hoc network identifier for the second mobile communications device received by the first mobile communications device from the second mobile communications device responsive to a search by the first mobile communications device on the ad hoc network, for the presence of the second mobile communications device;

receiving from the first mobile communications device the unique ad hoc network identifier of the second mobile communications device and sending to the second mobile communications device, using the unique ad hoc network identifier of the second mobile communications device, an invitation to accept personal attribute information from, or share personal attribute information with, the first user, upon receipt of permission from the second user to receive personal attribute information about, or share personal attribute information with, the first user; and

connecting the first user and the second user through the mobile telecommunications provider network for personal communication between first user and the second user, without the first user and the second user first connecting for personal communications through the ad hoc network wherein the computing device is configured to receive from the first mobile communications device the unique ad hoc network identifier for the second mobile communications device, and locate information about the second user from a social network file of the second user, including a name and image of the second user, and transmit this information to the first mobile communications device.

25. The machine readable medium of claim 20 wherein using the short range wireless communication protocol through the ad hoc wireless network comprises:

executing an application residing on the mobile communications device of the respective first user and second user.

28. The machine readable medium of claim 20 wherein first user and the second user are linked through a social network application residing on the mobile communications device of the respective first user and second user.

31. The machine readable medium of claim 20 wherein the personal attribute information comprises at least a photograph and a name of the respective first user or second user.