Method and apparatus for obtaining revenue from the distribution of hyper-relevant advertising through permissive mind reading, proximity encounters, and database aggregation

• US 9,299,077 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2006
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: V!E, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Vie, Inc.
• Inventors: Brubaker, Curtis M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Singh, Amresh
• Application Number:
  US11/552,932
• Publication Number:
  US 20070112762A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,443 Days
• Field of Search: 707/10, 707/5, 707/601
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A method and apparatus enabling the distribution of hyper-relevant advertising to consumers who have confirmed interests in specific content, products, and services is described. Users define “who they are” and “what they want” in a spontaneous, guided, voluntary disclosure of rich, candid, personal information conceived to attract individuals who seek or share common relationships, experiences, objectives, skills, knowledge, acquaintances, interests, needs, or desires for mutual gain. The information is converted into encrypted user codes; these codes are used to generate precisely controlled electronic encounters, the creation and delivery of highly personalized hyper-relevant advertising, and the gathering of amounts of research data through the ad hoc interaction of unique mobile devices.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method comprising:

(a) compiling a general profile for a first user based on information provided by the first user about the first user, wherein the general profile does not include specific encounter criteria, and wherein the general profile is accessible by a mobile proximity device of the first user;

(b) compiling a plurality of specific profiles for the first user based on information provided by the first user about the first user'"'"'s specific encounter criteria, wherein the specific profiles are accessible by the mobile proximity device;

(c) exchanging proximity communications between the mobile proximity device and one or more other proximity devices, wherein the general profile of the first user and the specific profiles of the first user are searchable by the one or more other proximity devices;

(d) conducting a plurality of proximity searches among the one or more other proximity devices by evaluating the criteria of the plurality of specific profiles of the first user without evaluating the general profile of the first user for at least a second user who meets the criteria of one or more of the first user'"'"'s specific profiles based on at least a portion of the second user'"'"'s general profile or specific profile, wherein said searching includes evaluating the criteria of the plurality of specific profiles for the first user;

(e) pairing the first user with the second user whose general profile or specific profile meets the criteria of one or more of the first user'"'"'s specific profiles without evaluating the first user'"'"'s general profile; and

(f) displaying information about the second user to the first user based on said pairing, wherein a processor implementing a software program determines which of the first user'"'"'s specific profiles is met in said pairing and selects a format for the display of the information from a plurality of potential formats based on which of the first user'"'"'s specific profiles is met.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the general profile is compiled based on information provided by the first user about the first user'"'"'s desired account settings.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein a determination is made whether the second user meets the criteria of the one or more of the first user'"'"'s specific profiles based on less than the entirety of the second user'"'"'s general profile.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more other proximity devices is in an immediate vicinity of the mobile proximity device of the first user.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein a determination is made whether the second user meets the criteria of the one or more of the first user'"'"'s specific profile based on a predetermined portion of the second user'"'"'s general profile.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving, from the first user, one or more user-generated search text for a desired spontaneous personal electronic encounter and searching among the one or more other proximity devices for at least a second user who meets the user-generated search text based on at least a portion of the second user'"'"'s general profile or specific profile.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more specific profiles identify participating second and/or third party databases that would be used in said searching.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein a plurality of specific profiles are compiled, said plurality of profiles belonging to multiple categories.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the multiple categories include one or more of the following:

personals/dating, employment, buyer/seller, or special interest.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more specific profiles or the contents of the one or more specific profiles are prioritized.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the information about the second user is displayed to the first user on the mobile proximity device of the first user.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying hyper-relevant information to the first user based on said first user'"'"'s general profile.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising receiving a response to the hyper-relevant information from the first user and updating the first user'"'"'s general profile with the response.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising generating and displaying subsequent hyper-relevant information based on said updated first user'"'"'s general profile.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the hyper-relevant information is an advertisement.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying hyper-relevant information to the first user based on said first user'"'"'s one or more specific profiles.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein said displaying of information depends on a display permission provided by the second user.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein said compiling the general profile or the one or more specific profiles comprises conversion of data in said general profile or said one or more specific profiles to a non-identifiable (NID) format;

and uploading said NID-formatted content to a central server, wherein analysis of said NID-formatted content influences the display to the first user.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising converting the NID format into one or more special interest user codes which influences the display to the first user.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the general profile includes information about the first user'"'"'s potential future locations.

21. A computer implemented method comprising:

(a) compiling a general profile for a first user based on information provided by the first user about the user, wherein the general profile does not include specific encounter criteria, and wherein the general profile is stored in one or more databases and is accessible by a device of the first user;

(b) compiling a plurality of specific profiles for the first user based on information provided by the first user about the first user'"'"'s specific encounter criteria, wherein the specific profiles stored in the one or more databases are accessible by the device;

(c) conducting a plurality of searches among the one or more databases by evaluating the criteria of the plurality of specific profiles of the first user without evaluating the general profile of the first user for at least a second user who meets the criteria of one or more of the first user'"'"'s specific profiles based on at least a portion of the second user'"'"'s general profile or specific profile, wherein said searching includes evaluating the criteria of the plurality of specific profiles for the first user, and wherein the general profile of the first user and the specific profiles of the first user are searchable by one or more other devices;

(d) pairing the first user with the second user whose general profile or specific profile meets the criteria of one or more of the first user'"'"'s specific profiles without evaluating the first user'"'"'s general profile; and

(e) displaying information about the second user to the first user based on said pairing, wherein a processor implementing a software program determines which of the first user'"'"'s specific profiles is met in said pairing and selects a format for the display of the information from a plurality of potential formats based on which of the first user'"'"'s specific profiles is met.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the general profile is compiled based on information provided by the first user about the first user'"'"'s desired account settings.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein a determination is made whether the second user meets the criteria of the one or more of the first user'"'"'s specific profiles based on less than the entirety of the second user'"'"'s general profile.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein a determination is made whether the second user meets the criteria of the one or more of the first user'"'"'s specific profile based on a predetermined portion of the at least one other user'"'"'s general profile.

25. The method of claim 21 further comprising receiving, from the first user, one or more user-generated search text for a desired spontaneous personal electronic encounter and searching among the one or more databases for at least a second user who meets the user-generated search text based on at least a portion of the second user'"'"'s profile.