Apparatus, methods and systems for anonymous communication
First Claim
1. A method of facilitating anonymous communication between a first station and a second station, the second station having an address for communication, and each station being enabled to transmit and receive packet data and being connected directly to a packet data network, the method comprising:
- providing a transaction specification from at least one of the first and second stations, generating a reference code in response to the transaction specification, there being a defined relationship between the reference code and said address, supplying the reference code to at least the first station, receiving a communication request from the first station, receiving the reference code from the first station, using the reference code to recover said address, and opening a channel for communication between said first and second stations, whereby anonymous communication can be established between the first and second stations without providing said address to the first station.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Anonymous voice communication between a first station and a second station is facilitated by providing an interface that allows input of a transaction specification from at least one of the first and second stations. A reference code associated with the transaction is generated, there being a defined relationship between the reference code and the address of the second station for voice communication. The reference code is supplied to the first station, and a voice communication request and the reference code are received from the first station. The reference code is used to recover said address and a channel for voice communication is opened between said first and second stations. Voice communication can thereby be established between the first and second stations without providing the address of the second station to the first station.
78 Citations
57 Claims
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1. A method of facilitating anonymous communication between a first station and a second station, the second station having an address for communication, and each station being enabled to transmit and receive packet data and being connected directly to a packet data network, the method comprising:
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providing a transaction specification from at least one of the first and second stations, generating a reference code in response to the transaction specification, there being a defined relationship between the reference code and said address, supplying the reference code to at least the first station, receiving a communication request from the first station, receiving the reference code from the first station, using the reference code to recover said address, and opening a channel for communication between said first and second stations, whereby anonymous communication can be established between the first and second stations without providing said address to the first station. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 36, 37)
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30. A method of establishing anonymous communication between a first station and a second station, the second station having an address for communication, and each station being enabled to transmit and receive packet data and being connected directly to a packet data network, the method comprising:
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supplying a transaction specification as packet data over the packet data network from at least one of the first and second stations to a controller, generating a reference code in response to the transaction specification at the controller, there being a defined relationship between the reference code and said address, supplying the reference code from the controller to at least the first station, making a communication request from the first station to the controller, supplying the reference code from the first station to the controller, using the controller to recover said address from the reference code, and opening a channel for communication between said first and second stations. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32)
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33. An apparatus for facilitating anonymous communication between a first party and a second party employing first and second stations respectively, each station being enabled to transmit and receive packet data and being connected directly to a packet data network, the second party having an address for communication, including
a means for enabling negotiation of a transaction specification over the packet data network, a means for generating a reference code, there being a defined relationship between the reference code and said address, and for supplying the reference code to at least the first party, a means for receiving a communication request from at least the first party and for receiving the reference code from at least the first party, a means for using the reference code to recover said address, and a means for opening a communication channel between said first party and said address without supplying said address to the first party.
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38. A method of facilitating voice communication between a first station and a second station, the first and second stations being operated by a first party and a second party, respectively, each station being able to transmit and receive packet data and being connected directly to a packet data network, the method comprising:
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receiving a transaction specification by a controller from at least one of the first and second stations, the transaction specification defining a transaction involving one or more of a product, a service and information, related to the second station or second party, receiving a connection instruction by the controller related to the second station or second party, receiving a communication request by the controller from the first station for voice communication with the second station, providing a reference code by the controller to the first station in response to the communication request, there being a defined relationship between the reference code and the connection instruction, receiving a request for voice communication by the controller from the first station employing at least in part the reference code, the reference code having been previously provided by the controller to the first station, and opening a channel for voice communication by the controller between the first and second stations, the channel for voice communication including voice over Internet protocol and including at least the packet data network that is connected directly to the first station. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A method of facilitating communication between a first station and a second station, the first and second stations being operated by a first party and a second party, respectively, at least the first station having an interface screen device, each station being able to transmit and receive packet data and being connected directly to a packet data network, the method comprising:
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receiving a transaction specification by a controller from at least one of the first and second stations, the transaction specification defining a transaction involving one or more of a product, a service and information, related to the second station or second party, receiving a connection instruction by the controller related to the second station or second party, the connection instruction including an address or security information, posting by the controller over the Internet information related to the second station or second party, receiving a communication request by the controller from the first station for communication with the second station, providing a reference code by the controller to the first station in response to the communication request, there being a defined relationship between the reference code and the connection instruction, the reference code including one or both of an image and graphics for display on the interface screen of the first station, receiving a request for communication by the controller from the first station employing at least in part the reference code, the reference code having been previously provided by the controller to the first station, and opening a communication channel by the controller between the first and second stations providing communication channel between the first and second stations without requiring said connection instruction or address or security information related to the second party or second station to be provided to the first party, the communication channel including the packet data network that is connected directly to at least one of the first and second stations. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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52. A method of facilitating, voice communication between a first station and plurality of second stations, each station being enabled to transmit and receive packet data and being connected directly to a packet data network, with a party operating each station, the method comprising:
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receiving a transaction specification by a controller from a plurality of second stations, the transaction specification for each of the plurality of second stations defining a transaction involving one or more of a product, a service and information, related to the associated second station or second party providing the transaction specification, receiving a connection instruction by the controller from each of the associated second stations or second parties, each connection instruction including an address or security information related to the associated second station or second party, posting on a web page over the Internet by the controller information related to the transaction specification of each of the second stations or second parties, receiving a communication request by the controller from the first party for communication with a selected second station or second party among the plural second stations or second parties, providing a reference code by the controller to the first station in response to the communication request, there being a defined relationship between the reference code and the connection instruction of the selected second station or party, receiving a request for voice communication by the controller from the first station employing at least in part the reference code, the reference code having been previously provided by the controller to the first station, and opening a channel of voice communication by the controller that includes voice over Internet protocol between the first and second stations providing communication between the first and second stations without requiring said address or security information related to the second party or second station to be provided to the first party, the communication channel including the packet data network that is connected directly to at least one of the first and second stations. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
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Specification