Sophisticated automated relationship alerter

• US 9,047,743 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2008
• Issued: 06/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Mobile Communications Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Gulin, Jens A., Hyttfors, Per, Sderstrm, Karl
• Primary Examiner(s): ABRAHAMSON, AMANDA C.
• Application Number:
  US12/050,451
• Publication Number:
  US 20090239467A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,632 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 2001/085 Partner search devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup

Abstract

Device, process and program for determining and alerting a user of the existence of nearby acquaintance, including: providing a first electronic communication device having near-field transmitting and receiving communications capability, a user interface and control circuitry; transmitting from the first communication device an inquiry to determine the presence in the near-field of a compatible second electronic communication device; upon receipt of a positive response to the inquiry, transmitting from the first communication device anonymous user indicia; receiving anonymous user indicia from the second communication device; coordinating the received anonymous user indicia to determine the presence of any matches between the transmitted anonymous user information and the received anonymous user indicia; and providing either a list of matches or an indication of no matches to the user via the user interface. Based on the information exchanged, the users can determine whether a relationship between the users exists or might be created.

Claims

1. An electronic communication device, comprising:

communications circuitry to provide near-field transmitting and receiving communications;

a user interface; and

control circuitry configured to;

(a) maintain a friends list comprising personal information of persons known to a user of the electronic communication device, the friends list also includes a first anonymous user indicia for at least a first person known to the user of the electronic communication device and associated second anonymous user indicia, wherein the first anonymous user indicia corresponds to information that identifies the first person in a database accessible by the electronic communication device but does not include personal information of the first person,

(b) maintain a meetings log comprising records of previous meetings between the user and the persons known to a user of the electronic communication device,

(c) activate the communications circuitry to determine near-field presence of a second electronic device having a predetermined modality and within communication range of the electronic device,

(d) activate the communications circuitry to transmit to the second electronic communication device a portion of the first anonymous user indicia and/or second anonymous user indicia associated with the user of the electronic communication device, wherein the second anonymous user indicia corresponds to information that identifies the user of the electronic communication device in a database accessible by the second electronic communication device but does not include personal information of the user of the electronic communication device,

(e) activate the communications circuitry to receive from the second electronic communication device third anonymous user indicia,

(f) coordinate the third anonymous user indicia with information on the friends list and/or in the meetings log to determine the presence of any matches between the first and/or second anonymous user indicia and the third anonymous user indicia; and

(g) provide to the user interface either a list of matches or an indication of no matches, but to share no personal information until such time as users of the electronic communication device and the second electronic communication device have decided to meet, thereby unambiguously identifying near-field users of electronic communication devices who are potential acquaintances in a way that allows anonymity and concealment of personal information until such time as the decision is made to actually make contact and to share such personal information.

2. The electronic communication device of claim 1 wherein the control circuitry further activates the communications circuitry to determine near-field presence of the second electronic communication device prior to (c).

3. The electronic communication device of claim 1 wherein the control circuitry further updates the friends list and/or the meetings log.

4. The electronic communication device of claim 1 wherein the second anonymous user information comprises information relating to one or more of the plurality of individual persons on the friends list.

5. The electronic communication device of claim 1 wherein the meetings log further includes information relating to contacts between pairs of the individual persons on the friends list.

6. The electronic communication device of claim 1 wherein the device is a mobile telephone.

7. A process for determining and alerting a user of the existence of known and/or prospective acquaintances in a near-field, comprising:

operating a first electronic communication device having circuitry operable to transmit and receive communications in a near-field, a user interface, control circuitry and a program stored on a non-transitory machine readable medium operable to;

(a) maintain a friends list comprising personal information of persons known to a user of the electronic communication device, the friends list also includes a first anonymous user indicia for the persons including at least a first person known to the user of the electronic communication device and associated second anonymous user indicia, wherein the first anonymous user indicia corresponds to information that identifies the first person in a database accessible by the electronic communication device but does not include personal information of the first person, and (b) maintain a meetings log comprising records of previous meetings between the user and the persons known to a user of the electronic communication device;

activating the communications circuitry to determine near-field presence of a second electronic communication device having a predetermined modality and within communication range of the first electronic communication device,

upon receipt by the first electronic communication device of a positive response to the determination, transmitting from the first electronic communication device to the second communication device the first anonymous user indicia for a portion of the friends list and/or second anonymous user indicia associated with the user of the first electronic communication device, wherein the second anonymous user indicia corresponds to information that identifies the user of the first electronic communication device in a database accessible by the second electronic communication device but does not include personal information of the user of the first electronic communication device;

receiving in the first electronic communication device third anonymous user indicia from the second communication device;

coordinating in the first electronic communication device the third anonymous user indicia with information on the friends list to determine the presence of any matches between the first and/or second anonymous user information indicia and the third anonymous user indicia; and

providing either a list of matches, or an indication of no matches, to the user via the user interface of the first electronic communication device, but to share no personal information until such time as users of the first electronic communication device and the second electronic communication device have decided to meet, thereby unambiguously identifying near-field users of electronic communication devices who are potential acquaintances in a way that allows anonymity and concealment of personal information until such time as the decision is made to actually make contact and to share such personal information.

8. The process of claim 7 further comprising reviewing the list of matches and determining whether to further communicate with the second communications device.

9. The process of claim 8 further comprising communicating with the second communications device to exchange more detailed information relating to at least a portion of the first, second and/or third anonymous user indicia.

10. The process of claim 7 further comprising reviewing the list of matches and determining whether to add any item from the third anonymous user indicia to the friends list and/or to update the meetings log with information based on the third anonymous user indicia.

11. The process of claim 10 further comprising communicating with the second communications device to exchange more detailed information relating to at least a portion of the first, second and/or third anonymous user indicia, and adding the more detailed information to the friends list and/or updating the meetings log.

12. The process of claim 7 wherein the second anonymous user information comprises information relating to one or more of the plurality of individual persons on the friends list.

13. The process of claim 7 wherein the meetings log further includes information relating to contacts between pairs of the individual persons on the friends list.

14. A manufacture embodying a non-transitory machine readable medium having stored therein a program for controlling operation of an electronic device and comprising executable logic configured to:

control operation of communications circuitry providing near-field transmitting and receiving communications, a user interface, and control circuitry;

control operation of the control circuitry to (a) maintain a friends list comprising personal information of persons known to a user of the electronic communication device, the friends list also includes a first anonymous user indicia for the persons including at least a first person known to the user of the electronic communication device and associated second anonymous user indicia, wherein the first anonymous user indicia corresponds to information that identifies the first person in a database accessible by the electronic communication device but does not include personal information of the first person, and (b) maintain a meetings log comprising records of previous meetings between the user and the persons known to a user of the electronic communication device;

activate the communications circuitry to determine near-field presence of a second electronic device having a predetermined modality and within communication range of the electronic device;

activate the communications circuitry to transmit to the second electronic communication device in a near-field a portion of the first anonymous user indicia and/or second anonymous user indicia associated with the user of the electronic communication device, wherein the second anonymous user indicia corresponds to information that identifies the user of the electronic communication device in a database accessible by the second electronic communication device but does not include personal information of the user of the electronic communication device;

activate the communications circuitry to receive from the second electronic communication device third anonymous user indicia;

control operation of the control circuitry to coordinate the third anonymous user indicia with information on the friends list and/or in the meetings log to determine the presence of any matches between the first and/or second anonymous user indicia and the third anonymous user indicia; and

to provide to the user interface either a list of matches or an indication of no matches, but to share no personal information until such time as users of the electronic communication device and the second electronic communication device have decided to meet, thereby unambiguously identifying near-field users of electronic communication devices who are potential acquaintances in a way that allows anonymity and concealment of personal information until such time as the decision is made to actually make contact and to share such personal information.

15. The manufacture of claim 14 wherein the program further comprises executable logic to activate the communications circuitry to determine near-field presence of the second electronic communication device prior to activating the communications circuitry to transmit the anonymous user indicia.

16. The manufacture of claim 14 wherein the program further comprises executable logic to update the friends list and/or the meetings log.

17. The manufacture of claim 14 wherein the program further comprises executable logic to control operation of the control circuitry to coordinate information relating to one or more of the plurality of known individual persons on the friends list and/or in the meetings log.

18. The manufacture of claim 14 wherein the program further comprises executable logic to control operation of the control circuitry to coordinate information relating to contacts between pairs of the individual persons on the friends list and/or in the meetings log.

19. The manufacture of claim 14 wherein the program further comprises executable logic to control operation of the communication circuitry to exchange with the second communications device more detailed information relating to at least a portion of the first, second and/or third anonymous user indicia.

20. The manufacture of claim 19 wherein the program further comprises executable logic to control operation of the control circuitry to add the more detailed information to the friends list and/or to the meetings log.