Method for providing information to contacts without being given contact data
First Claim
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1. A method of operating a server configured to communicate via a communications network, the method comprising:
- receiving, via a network communication interface of the server, an electronic request transmitted via the communications network from a first mobile phone as a referrer for an invitation to join an organization, wherein the referrer is a member of the organization, wherein the invitation is stored in a database associated with a website, and wherein the website is supervised by the organization;
electronically processing, via one or more electronic processing units of the server, the electronic request;
transmitting, by the network communication interface via the communications network, the invitation to the first mobile phone in response to the electronically processing the electronic request, wherein the first mobile phone stores, in a contacts database, contact data for a contact, wherein the contact data is accessible by the second mobile phone, and wherein the contact data is not accessible by the website;
receiving, via the network communication interface, from the website one or more first categories associated with the invitation;
receiving from the first mobile phone, via the network communication interface, one or more second categories associated with the contact, wherein the one or more second categories are stored in the contact data;
electronically evaluating, via the one or more electronic processing units of the server, the one or more first categories against the one or more second categories;
encoding, via the one or more electronic processing units, a referral container file with instructions configured tocause the first mobile phone toselect the contact as a potential recipient for the invitation based on the electronically evaluating the one or more first categories against the one or more second categories, andforward the invitation to a second mobile phone using contact information stored on the first mobile phone, andcause the second mobile phone to respond to the invitation without providing the contact data to the server; and
transmitting, via the network communication interface to the first mobile phone, the referral container file to the first mobile phone.
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Abstract
The subject invention provides an information source, such as an advertiser or product vendor, with a method for transferring information to contacts for which the information source has no contact data. The information source stores information in an information database which communicates the information to a referrer which has the desired contact data. The referrer uses a communication device to transfer the information to one or more contacts using contact data.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method of operating a server configured to communicate via a communications network, the method comprising:
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receiving, via a network communication interface of the server, an electronic request transmitted via the communications network from a first mobile phone as a referrer for an invitation to join an organization, wherein the referrer is a member of the organization, wherein the invitation is stored in a database associated with a website, and wherein the website is supervised by the organization; electronically processing, via one or more electronic processing units of the server, the electronic request; transmitting, by the network communication interface via the communications network, the invitation to the first mobile phone in response to the electronically processing the electronic request, wherein the first mobile phone stores, in a contacts database, contact data for a contact, wherein the contact data is accessible by the second mobile phone, and wherein the contact data is not accessible by the website; receiving, via the network communication interface, from the website one or more first categories associated with the invitation; receiving from the first mobile phone, via the network communication interface, one or more second categories associated with the contact, wherein the one or more second categories are stored in the contact data; electronically evaluating, via the one or more electronic processing units of the server, the one or more first categories against the one or more second categories; encoding, via the one or more electronic processing units, a referral container file with instructions configured to cause the first mobile phone to select the contact as a potential recipient for the invitation based on the electronically evaluating the one or more first categories against the one or more second categories, and forward the invitation to a second mobile phone using contact information stored on the first mobile phone, and cause the second mobile phone to respond to the invitation without providing the contact data to the server; and transmitting, via the network communication interface to the first mobile phone, the referral container file to the first mobile phone.
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2. A non-transitory computer readable storage media configured to store instructions, which when executed by an electronic processing unit of a referrer device, cause the referrer device to perform operations comprising:
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detecting, in response to user input entered into the referrer device, an electronic request to provide information from an information source, connected to a communications network, to a contact communication device of a contact; receiving from the information source, via a network communication interface of the referrer device, one or more first categories associated with the information; automatically determining at least a portion of the information to transmit to the contact communication device based on electronically evaluating contact data specifying one or more second categories associated with the contact against the one or more first categories, wherein the contact data is accessible by the referrer device, and wherein the contact data is not accessible by the information source; encoding, via the electronic processing unit, a referral container file with programming instructions configured to cause the contact communication device to, upon accessing the programming instructions, electronically request the at least the portion of the information from the information source without providing the contact data to the information source; embedding the referral container file in an electronic message; and transmitting, by the referrer device via the communications network, the electronic message to the contact communication device.
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3. A method of operating a referrer device associated with a referrer, said method comprising:
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receiving, by a network communications interface of the referrer device, a first electronic message that indicates information from an information source; determining, by at least one of one or more electronic processing units of the referrer device, one or more first categories associated with the information; automatically determining, by at least one of the one or more electronic processing units, at least a portion of the information to transmit to a contact communication device of a contact based on electronically evaluating contact data specifying one or more second categories associated with the contact against the one or more first categories, wherein the contact data is accessible by the referrer device, and wherein the contact data is not accessible by the information source; encoding, via the electronic processing unit, a referral container file with programming instructions configured to cause the contact communication device to, upon accessing the programming instructions, electronically request the at least the portion of the information from the information source without providing the contact data to the information source; embedding the referral container file in a second electronic message; and transmitting, via the network communication interface, the second electronic message to the contact communication device. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A referrer device associated with a referrer, comprising:
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one or more processors; a network communication interface; and one or more memory storage devices configured to store instructions, which when executed by at least one of the one or more processors, cause the referrer device to perform operations to detect, in response to user input entered into the referrer device, an electronic request to provide information from an information source connected to a communications network to a contact communication device of a first contact; receive from the information source, via the network communication interface of the referrer device, one or more information categories associated with the information; automatically determine that the information is matched to the first contact based on electronically evaluating first contact data specifying one or more first contact categories associated with the first contact against the one or more information categories, wherein the first contact data is accessible by the referrer device, and wherein the first contact data is not accessible by the information source; encode a referral container file with programming instructions configured to, upon execution by a processor of the contact communication device, cause the contact communication device to electronically request the information from the information source without providing the first contact data to the information source; embed the referral container file in an electronic message; and transmit, via the network communications interface, the electronic message to the contact communication device. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A system comprising:
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one or more processors; a network communication interface; and one or more memory storage devices configured to store instructions, which when executed by at least one of the one or more processors, cause the at least one of the one or more processors to perform operations to, generate a referral container file to include first data related to promotional content, wherein the promotional content is available from a server separate from a first mobile device, determine first contact data for the first mobile device to which to send the referral container file, encode the referral container file with a first set of programming instructions, wherein the first set of programming instructions are configured to cause the first mobile device to, after receipt of the referral container file, automatically compare the first data to second data accessible to the first mobile device, wherein the second data is related to a contact entity associated with a second mobile device, cause the first mobile device to automatically determine, based on the comparison of the first data to the second data, that the promotional content is applicable to the contact entity, cause the first mobile device to automatically access contact data for the contact entity, wherein the contact data is accessible by the first mobile device, and wherein the contact data is not accessible by the server, cause the first mobile device to automatically provide the referral container file to a second mobile device using the contact data wherein the second mobile device is separate from the first mobile device and from the server, and encode the referral container file with a second set of programming instructions configured to cause the second mobile device to, after receipt of the referral container file, automatically request the promotional content from the server without providing the contact data to the server. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification