System and method for matching users based on proximity and/or user-defined profiles

• US 20040162064A1
• Filed: 11/10/2003
• Published: 08/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Seong Sang Investments LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Seong Sang Investments LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Himmelstein, Richard B.
• Application Number:
  US10/705,065
• Publication Number:
  US 20040162064A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/422.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0265 Vehicular advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/063 using wireless information transmission between the vehicle and a fixed station identification of vehicles G08G
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3805 with built-in auxiliary receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/03 Protecting confidentiality, e.g. by encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/46 for vehicle-to-vehicle communication [V2V]
• 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 4/90 : Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 : Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A system for matching users in a wireless communication system based on proximity of the users and user-defined profiles includes at least two mobile units. The mobile units include a requesting unit and at least one target unit, and each mobile unit is capable of operating as both a requesting unit and a target unit. The system also includes profile means for storing a user profile on each of the mobile units and search means for searching for at least one target user by a requesting user. The search means compares the user profiles of each target user with the user profile of the requesting user. The search means can also indicate a match when a target unit is within a predetermined distance of the requesting unit.

Claims

1. A system for matching users in a wireless communication system based on user-defined profiles, comprising:

at least two mobile units, including a requesting unit and at least one target unit;

profile means for storing a user profile; and

search means for searching for at least one target user by a requesting user, said search means comparing the user profiles of at least one target user with the user profile of the requesting user.

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising notifying means for notifying the users when the user profile of said requesting unit matches the user profile of said at least one target unit.

3. The system according to claim 1, further comprising exchange means for exchanging information contained in the user profiles between said requesting unit and said at least one target unit.

4. The system according to claim 1, further comprising initiating means for initiating a communication between said requesting unit and said at least one target unit.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein each mobile unit functions as a requesting unit and a target unit.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said profile means includes entering means for entering profile information, including temporary profile information.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said profile means includes storing the user profile on a mobile unit.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein said profile means includes storing the user profile on the wireless communication system.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein said search means includes comparing the user profiles of said target units that are located within a predetermined distance of said requesting unit.

10. A method for matching users in a wireless communication system based on user-defined profiles, comprising the steps of:

providing each user with a mobile unit, including a requesting unit and at least one target unit;

storing a user profile;

comparing the user profile of each target unit with the user profile of the requesting unit;

notifying the users when the user profile of the requesting unit matches the user profile of at least one target unit; and

initiating a communication between the requesting unit and each of the matching target units.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein said providing step includes each mobile unit functioning as a requesting unit and a target unit.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein said storing step includes storing temporary profile information.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein said storing step includes storing the user profile on a mobile unit.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein said storing step includes storing the user profile on the wireless communication system.

15. The method according to claim 10, wherein said comparing step includes matching a predetermined number of items in the user profile of each target unit with the user profile of the requesting unit.

16. The method according to claim 10, wherein said notifying step includes providing a visual indicator to the requesting unit and each matching target unit.

17. The method according to claim 10, wherein said notifying step includes providing an audio indicator to the requesting unit and each matching target unit.

18. The method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of:

detecting at least one target unit when within a predetermined distance of the requesting unit.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein said detecting step is performed by a global positioning system device contained in each mobile unit.

20. A mobile unit for matching users in a wireless communication system based on user-defined profiles, comprising:

profile means for storing a user profile; and

search means for searching for at least one target user by a requesting user, said search means comparing the user profiles of at least one target user with the user profile of the requesting user.

21. The mobile unit according to claim 20, further comprising notifying means for notifying the users when the user profile of the requesting user matches the user profile of at least one target user.

22. The mobile unit according to claim 20, wherein said mobile unit functions as a requesting unit and a target unit.

23. The mobile unit according to claim 20, further comprising exchange means for exchanging information contained in the user profiles between the requesting user and at least one target user.

24. The mobile unit according to claim 20, further comprising initiating means for initiating a communication between the requesting user and at least one target user.

25. The mobile unit according to claim 20, wherein said profile means includes entering means for entering profile information, including temporary profile information.

26. The mobile unit according to claim 20, wherein said profile means includes storing the user profile on a mobile unit.

27. The mobile unit according to claim 20, wherein said profile means includes storing the user profile on the wireless communication system.

28. The mobile unit according to claim 20, wherein said search means includes comparing the user profiles of the target users that are located within a predetermined distance of the requesting user.

29. The mobile unit according to claim 20, wherein said mobile unit is a motor vehicle.

30. The mobile unit according to claim 20, wherein said mobile unit is a cellular telephone.

31. The mobile unit according to claim 20, wherein said mobile unit is a personal digital assistant.

32. The mobile unit according to claim 20, wherein said mobile unit is a wireless communication device.