Method for establishing anonymous communication links

• US 5,907,677 A
• Filed: 08/23/1996
• Issued: 05/25/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Thryv, Inc. (Mudrick Capital Management LP)
• Original Assignee: Ecall, Inc.
• Inventors: Glenn, Steve, Day, James Francis, Zydney, Herbert Mortimer, Gross, William Tod, Neches, Philip Malcolm, McRae, John Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Pan, Daniel H.
• Application Number:
  US08/702,833
• Time in Patent Office: 1,005 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.56, 395/200.02, 395/500, 395/881, 395/200.33, 395/210.56, 340/825.79, 340/825.54, 379/201, 379/90.01, 379/67.93, 379/67.1, 379/88.26, 379/88.21, 379/88.23, 380/25, 380/21, 314/DIG. 1, 314/DIG. 2, 314/474.01, 348/13, 370/352, 701/1, 345/353
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4535 using an address exchange platform which sets up a session between two nodes, e.g. rendezvous servers, session initiation protocols [SIP] registrars or H.323 gatekeepers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4557 Directories for hybrid networks, e.g. including telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/00 Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications user-to-user messaging H04L51/00; network arrangements, protocols or services for supporting real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42008 Systems for anonymous communication between parties, e.g. by use of disposal contact identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 Directory assistance systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0045 where the text-based messaging service is an instant messaging service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0054 where the data service is an electronic mail service
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/72 Finding out and indicating number of calling subscriber

Abstract

A method for establishing anonymous communication links comprises the steps of: identifying a plurality of subscribers; assigning a code to each of the plurality of subscribers; accessing a proprietary directory of the subscribers containing the code of each of the plurality of subscribers; and connecting a first subscriber of the plurality of subscribers to a second subscriber of the plurality of subscribers for communications. The first subscriber is identified by a first code so that the first subscriber can communicate with the second subscriber anonymously.

Claims

1. A method for establishing anonymous communication links comprising the steps of:

identifying a plurality of subscribers;

assigning a code to each of said plurality of subscribers;

accessing a directory of said subscribers containing said code and a personal profile for each of said plurality of subscribers wherein a first subscriber of said plurality of subscribers and a second subscriber of said plurality of subscribers are matched in response to a first personal profile of said first subscriber and a second personal profile of said second subscriber; and

interconnecting said first subscriber to said second subscriber for communications;

wherein said first subscriber is identified by a first code so that said first subscriber communicates interactively in real time anonymously and privately with said second subscriber, said interconnection of said first subscriber to said second subscriber is initiated in response to said first subscriber entering in said first code and said second subscriber entering a second code into a programmable switch.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of classifying each of said plurality of subscribers.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said code is a unique code.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said code is unique to a group of said plurality of subscribers.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said communications comprises voice communications.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said communications comprises video communications.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said first subscriber and said second subscriber are connected in response to information in said directory.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising greeting said first subscriber and said second subscriber based upon information in said directory.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said first subscriber is matched to a subset of said plurality of subscribers which share personal profile information.

10. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said connection of said first subscriber to said second subscriber is initiated in response a predetermined stimuli such that to a programmable switch establishes a connection to said first subscriber and said second subscriber.

11. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said communications is established over a digital packet network.

12. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein at least one additional subscriber is connected with said first subscriber and said second subscriber while said first subscriber is connected to said second subscriber.

13. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising notifying said first subscriber when a predetermined subscriber is on-line on a network.

14. The method as recited in claim 13 further comprising selecting said predetermined subscriber in response to said personal profile.

15. The method as recited in claim 13 further comprising selecting said predetermined subscriber in response to a user identification.

16. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein the step of notifying is made over said network.

17. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein said notification is made over a wide area switched network.

18. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said second subscriber is selected in response to an external criteria and matched with said first subscriber.

19. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said first subscriber and other subscribers are matched in response to a first personal profile of said first subscriber and a personal profile said other subscriber.

20. The method as recited in claim 19 further comprising the step of inviting each of said other subscribers to be connected with said first subscriber.

21. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of soliciting said subscribers to determine which of said subscribers wish to communicate anonymously and privately with another of said subscribers, or a select group of said subscribers, on one or more topics of mutual interest.