a2) United States Patent
`US 6,819,919 BI
`(10) Patent No.:
`Nov.16, 2004
`(45) Date of Patent:
`Tanaka
`
`US006819919B1
`
`(54) METHOD FOR PROVIDING MATCHING
`AND INTRODUCTION SERVICES TO
`PROXIMATE MOBILE USERS AND
`SERVICE PROVIDERS
`
`4/1997
`WO 97/13387 AL
`WO
`11/1997
`WO 97/41654 Al
`WO
`8/1998
`WO 98/36585 A2
`WO
`2/1999
`WO 99/05597 Al
`WO
`7/1999
`WO 99/33199 Al
`WO
`11/1999
`WO 99/56144 Al
`WO
`Inventor: Hirohisa A. Tanaka, Menlo Park, CA
`(75)
`
`WO WO 99/66757 Al—12/1999
`(US)
`WO
`WO 00/04730 Al
`1/2000
`WO
`WO 00/22860 Al
`4/2000
`WO
`WO 00/35216 Al
`6/2000
`WO
`WO 00/40038 A2
`7/2000
`WO
`WO 00/51333 Al
`8/2000
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term ofthis
`(*) Notice:
`
`WO WO 00/62564 Al—10/2000
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`WO
`WO 01/24551 Al
`4/2001
`US.C. 154(b) by 425 days.
`
`(73) Assignee: Telcontar, San Jose, CA (US)
`
`(21) Appl. No.: 09/691,322
`
`(22)
`
`Filed:
`
`Oct. 18, 2000
`
`(60)
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`Provisional application No. 60/162,333,filed on Oct. 29,
`1999.
`
`Int. Ch?eee H04Q 7/20; H04Q 7/38
`(51)
`(52) U.S. Ch. occ 455/414.1; 455/414.2;
`455/456.1; 455/456.3; 455/412.1; 455/456.5;
`455/422.1; 342/357.7; 342/357.6; 342/357.8
`(58) Field of Search oe 455/456.1, 456.2,
`455/456.3, 456.6, 457, 404.1, 404.2, 414.1,
`412.1, 403, 427, 435.1, 422.1, 550.1, 552.1,
`426.1, 426.2, 414.2, 414.3, 414.4, 433,
`517; 342/357.12, 357.06, 357.08, 357.1
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
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`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
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`0 708 571 A2
`
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`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
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`www.signalsoftcorp.com (printed web pages).
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`Hadfield, Peter. “You can run, but you can’t hide,” Aug. 21,
`1999, New Scientist, 1 page.
`
`(List continued on next page.)
`
`Primary Examiner—William Trost
`Assistant Examiner—Keith Ferguson
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Fenwick & West LLP
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`Asystem enabling mobile wireless users to obtain informa-
`tion on other proximate users both fixed and wireless. Said
`information is gathered from a central database that stores
`user profiles and real-time locations of system users. Mobile
`users can request information on nearby users by submitting
`a request from a mobile telephone or similar communica-
`tions endpoint to the central database. The request is accom-
`panied by the user’s location, obtained from GPS (Global
`Positioning System) or other technology, or from user input.
`The server searches the profile database for nearby users
`based on requester’s location, locations of other users of the
`system and optional parameters specified in the request.
`Search results are returned to the requester. The system
`facilitates communication between requester and owner(s)
`of profiles returned by system.
`
`31 Claims, 4 Drawing Sheets
`
`12
`
`MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS
`INFRASTRUCTURE(S)
`
`
`
`
`WAP SERVER
`
`
`SRTP DATABASE
`
`Google Exhibit 1011
`Google Exhibit 1011
`Google v. Mullen
`Google v. Mullen
`
`

`

`US 6,819,919 BI
`
`Page 2
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`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
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`5,884,272 A
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`5,995,015 A
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`2/1999 Dunnetal.
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`6,286,005 B1
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`
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`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`Krishnaet al., “Static and Adaptive Location Management
`in Mobile Wireless Networks,” Computer Communications,
`Elsevier Science Publishers BV, vol. 19, No. 4, Apr. 1, 1996,
`pp. 321-334.
`:
`.
`.
`i
`Nelson, User Interaction with Machines on the Move:
`Location Aware Computing,” Computers
`in Industry,
`Elsevier Science Publishers BV, vol. 29, No. 1, Jul. 1, 1996,
`pp. 63-70.
`
`* cited by examiner
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov.16, 2004
`
`Sheet 1 of 4
`
`US 6,819,919 BI
`
`YSAANIS
`
`S
`
`Old
`
`
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`JSVEVIVGdlUs
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`ch
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`
`YAAYSSdVM
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`SNOLLYOINNWNIODJTIGOW
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`(S)JUNALONYLSVUSNI
`
`
`
`
`
`JOYNOSVIVOTWNOLLISOd
`
`
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov. 16, 2004
`
`Sheet 2 of 4
`
`US 6,819,919 B1
`
`USER PROFILE
`
`USERID
`PASSWORD
`
`POSITION.
`
`ACCESS GROUPS
`
`PUBLICIMAGE
`ACCESS CONTROL
`
`REGISTRATION TIME
`
`SECURITY LOCK
`
`ACCESS GROUPS
`
`FIG. 2
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov.16, 2004
`
`Sheet 3 of 4
`
`US 6,819,919 BI
`
`
`
`Arendaseap
`
`
`
`syinsalandesegp
`
`synsaJAenb
`
`ISVAVIVGdLUsUSANSSUSAJUNLONYLSVUANI
`
`
`STIS0W NW
`
`(dLLH)MAMdVMWNOILdO=SNOILWOINNWAOD
`
`€Old
`
`synsayAzanb
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`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov. 16, 2004
`
`Sheet 4 of 4
`
`US 6,819,919 B1
`
`search_req ARRIVESAT SERVER
`
`SERVER PARSES AND AUTHENTICATES SEARCH REQUEST
`
`SERVER UPDATESPOSITION OF USER
`
`+N?<> search_radiusSPECIFIED?
`SETSEARCHRADIUSTODEFAULT
`YS YES
`
`
`SERVER SUBMITS dbase_query TO SRTP DATABASE FOR
`RECORDS THAT HAVE POSITION WITHIN search_radius OF USER'S
`
`
`UPDATED POSITION. SAID RECORDS ARE *NEARBY* RECORDS
`AND ARE RETURNEDAS dbase_query_results.
`
`
`YES
`
`SETSEARCHWORDSTODEFAULT —S search_wordsSPECIFIED?
`
`
`
`SERVER SEARCHES "NEARBY" RECORDS
`- FOR SPECIFIED search_words.
`THIS STEP RESULTSIN “MATCHES”.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`SERVER PERFORMS ACCESS CONTROL
`
`
`CHECK ON "MATCHES", ONLY THE PORTIONS
`OF PUBLICIMAGES THAT THE USER
`IS "PERMITTED" TO SEE ARE PASSED ON.
`
`
`
`"PERMITTED’, "NEARBY", MATCHES"
`ARE SENT TO THE REQUESTOR
`AS query_results.
`
`
`FIG. 4
`
`

`

`US 6,819,919 B1
`
`1
`METHOD FOR PROVIDING MATCHING
`AND INTRODUCTION SERVICES TO
`PROXIMATE MOBILE USERS AND SERVICE
`PROVIDERS
`
`CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED
`APPLICATION
`
`This application claims the benefit of the filing date of the
`previously filed U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No.
`60/162,333 filed Oct. 29, 1999, as provided under 35USC
`119(e).
`
`TECHNICAL FIELD
`
`The present invention relates in general to a personal
`matching/meeting service that utilizes wireless, and/or Inter-
`net infrastructures coupled with real-time positional data.
`Said infrastructures are used to connect users to a database
`of user profiles and real-time positional data. Said database
`is used to inform system users when they come within range
`of other users who meet search criteria. In particular, the
`present invention relates to improving personal meeting/
`matching services by locating users using positioning tech-
`nology embedded within the wireless communicationsunit,
`peripherally attached, manually entered or obtained from the
`mobile communications infrastructure.
`
`BACKGROUNDART
`
`Several Internet based technologies have sought to intro-
`duce people and facilitate forms of dialogue. One such
`technologyis the “chat room”. In its traditional form, a chat
`room allows users to type messages via a keyboard and to
`viewin real-time the messagesthat are typed by themselves
`and other users. Another technology known as a “news
`group”allows users to post messages, data, and post replies
`to posted messages. In both of these technologies, the users
`in a given chat room or on given newsgroupsare physically
`separated, often by thousands of miles. Neither the chat
`room nor the news group allows the user to gather infor-
`mation about people around him, or to search for people
`around him.
`
`Another more traditional system for introducing people is
`the dating or personal matching service. The object of such
`a system is ultimately to arrange a face-to-face meeting. In
`traditional systems, users submit a profile to the system
`containing information about them and about whom they
`would like to meet. The problem with traditional personal
`matching systems is that they do not maintain the user’s
`real-time positions. This meansthat the system will probably
`only provide matches to users who live near each other. A
`dating service that matched a person in New York with a
`person in Moscow would be useless to most users despite the
`fact that the person in Moscow might well provide the best
`compatibility with the person in New York. The problem is
`that the parties are too physically distant for a meeting to be
`practical. However,if the New Yorker ever found himself in
`Moscow, a meeting would be feasible, but the traditional
`matching system would be unaware that the users had come
`within reasonable range of each other, because traditional
`systems do not maintain the real-time positions of the users.
`Thusthe traditional system would not arrange forthe parties
`to meet. A more detailed description of the need for the
`invention disclosed herein is found in U.S. Provisional
`application Ser. No. 60/162,333 filed Oct. 29, 1999 and is
`hereby incorporated by reference.
`
`2
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`FIG. 1 is a system level schematic.
`FIG. 2 illustrates one embodimentof a plurality of user
`profiles stored within the Secure Real-Time Positional data-
`base of FIG. 1.
`
`FIG. 3 illustrates a typical message timeline of the system
`of FIG. 1.
`
`10
`
`FIG. 4 is a flowchart embodimentof the present invention
`for searching the Secure Real-Time Positional database of
`FIG. 1.
`
`DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
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`An object of the invention is to provide matching and/or
`introduction services between mobile users, and other
`mobile users or non-mobile users, in response to real-time,
`proximate positioning and correlated user profiles.
`Users establish profiles in a central secure real-time
`positional. (SRTP) database via WWW technology. Said
`profiles contain personal information the user chooses to
`reveal. Individuals or service providers, such as a restaurant
`or a taxi service (mobile or fixed locations) can establish
`profiles. This information may include hobbies, interests,
`genderinformation, age, etc. Profiles are based on a standard
`format, but users have the option of customizing content.
`Users choose which portions of their profile to make
`accessible, when, and to whom, via a user customizable
`“PublicImage” which follows permissions similar to UNIX-
`based file permissions. Users define Access-groups and
`assign Access-control permissions to those groups for vari-
`ous sections of the PublicImage similar to the UNIX oper-
`ating system method for access control for file and directory
`structure read/write privileges. The system contains a secu-
`rity flag, which can be set by the user to prevent his
`PublicImage from being viewed by other users of the
`system. For example, a user might create a group called
`“Friends” and a group called “Business Associates.” The
`Friends group might be given read permissionsto the user’s
`hobbies list, while the Business Associates group would not.
`The Business Associates group might be given read permis-
`sions to schedule and resume information, whereas friends
`may not be given access to this data. Users may update or
`alter their profiles with their mobile unit (MU) or other
`communications terminal, fixed or mobile. Each user,
`is
`assigned a user_ID whichis a string of characters used to
`uniquely identify the owner of the PublicImage. The user_
`ID is conceptually similar to the UNIX user/login name.
`Essential to the functionality of the system is the real-time
`position of the users, and the exact date and timethe position
`is logged. The user’s position and “registration time” is
`stored in the. SRTP database with the user profiles. The
`registration time could be obtained from an operating system
`call made by the server to determine the exact date and time
`the server receives the user’s position, or the user’s message
`(with position information) could be date and time
`“stamped” by the MU immediately prior to transmission.
`Mobile users move about with mobile communication
`units in their possession. Said mobile units are capable of
`establishing data connections via a wireless link, through a
`wireless infrastructure, to the Internet, and ultimately to a
`server that communicates with the SRTP database. Said
`mobile units contain a means for determining and relaying
`the geographic position of the mobile unit to the server. Said
`means for determining the position of a MU might be an
`integrated GPSreceiver, cellular triangulation such as Time
`Difference of Arrival (TDOA), LORAN system, or even a
`
`

`

`US 6,819,919 B1
`
`3
`more coarse position determination technique such as using
`the closest broadcasting base-station based on Received
`Signal Strength Indication (RSSI) or other means. Ideally,
`the position sensor would be a GPS receiver embeddedin (or
`attached peripherally) to the mobile unit (or users mobile
`laptop computer), but the positional sensor (or data source)
`could also be the user himself. In this case, the user could
`manually enter his position into the mobile unit, either by
`typing on a keypad or keyboard, or by using a stylus and
`tapping a maporlocation in a table. The mostlikely format
`for user entered data would be street address or other
`physical landmark (e.g. Fenway Park in Boston Mass.). An
`element of this invention is the mechanics of tapping (or
`otherwise contacting) on a map (or table/spreadsheet entry,
`computericon etc.) displayed on a computerscreen resulting
`in the automatic relaying of the users current geographic
`position to the SRTP database. This is similar to the “click
`and buy” feature currently employed on the Internet for
`purchasing a product or service where a computer mouseis
`used to “click” on a computer icon. The system is not
`restricted to a single position data format(e.g. latitude and
`longitude used for GPS or LORAN coordinates). The server
`(or other system component) would simply identify the
`format and translate it into a data format used within the
`database.
`
`A serveris typically used to provide access to the SRTP
`database. One implementation of the server is an HTTP
`server. The purpose of the HTTP serveris to facilitate an
`HTTPtransport layer connection with the mobile unit or
`intermediate point. Said connection allows the user to
`update his portion of the database.
`In a typical
`implementation, the HTTP server would generate WWW
`pages that would be viewed from any WWW browser. Said
`WWWpagescontain forms that would allow the user to be
`authenticated by the HTTPserver,edit his PublicImage,edit
`his Access Control, edit his Access groups, submit search
`requests, etc. Said HTTPserveris also used to return results
`of database queries to the user in browsable form.
`Once users have registered their profiles with the system,
`they can use their MU to update their position and submit
`queries of the database and be notified of queries made by
`other users. Mobile user records exist in the database in one
`
`of the followingstates:
`Locked: Users in locked mode will not be included in
`searches from other users. Users can set
`themselves in
`
`locked mode for privacy or security reasons. If the user’s
`position has not been updated after a predetermined time set
`by the user, the position is considered invalid,i.e. timed out.
`Unless the user takes steps to update the position data, he or
`she will not be included in any query_results from other
`users. Non-mobile users, such as fixed-point service provid-
`ers can set time-out to infinity, meaning that their position
`will not change. An optional operational feature may be the
`users position can be updated autonomously simply by the
`user setting an auto_position flag. When the auto__position
`flag is set, the MU transmits the user’s geographic position
`to the server every time the MU unit registers with the local
`wireless cell/PCS site in the same way a cellular phone
`performsauto registration, already well knownin theart of
`wireless communications.
`
`Standby: The user goes from disconnected to standby by
`registering his current location to the server. In standby
`mode, user profiles become accessible to server queries and
`time-out counters areset.
`
`Browsing mode: In browsing mode, the user submits a
`request to the server. The request contains search parameters
`
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`4
`the database server usesto find matchingprofiles, as well as
`the position of the requester. By obtaining the location of the
`requester, the database can return profiles for users that are
`physically close to the requester. “Near” is a user defined
`search radius accompanying the requestoras part of the user
`profile. In addition to position, search parameters and search
`radius,
`the user can specify temporal parameters for the
`search(s) to occur. One temporal parameter, periodicity,
`allows a user to tell the server how often to perform the
`defined search, for example every 30 minutes. The user can
`also specify the persistence of the search. The persistence
`determines the numberof searchesthat are to be carried out.
`The user can define the persistence as a numberof searches,
`or aS a maximum time interval to continue searches. For
`example, perform 24 searches, or search for the next 12
`hours. Combining periodicity and persistence in the example
`supra yields “search every half hour for the next 12 hours.”
`Once a user has submitted a request, he or she receives a
`reply from the server containing accessible portions of
`PublicImages of other users matching the requesters query.
`The user reviewsthe search results via the MU andinteracts
`with the search results much in the same way WWW users
`interact with results from search engines. The user views the
`PublicImages and decides whether or not
`to request
`to
`contact the ownerof a specific PublicImage. The request to
`contact the owner of a Public Imageis initiated by sending
`the requester’s (Person A) PublicImage to the desired
`recipient(Person B). If Person B is not a member of any
`access control group previously defined by Person A, Person
`B accesses Person A’s PublicImage with “Public” access
`permissions, containing the most limited information from
`Person A’s Public Image. Included inthis request for contact
`is a list of preferred means of contacting Person A. Person
`B can chooseto accept orreject the request for contact from
`Person A. If Person B choosesto accept the request, Person
`B must choose a method of responding. The system supports
`secure contact, in which no personal contact information is
`disclosed. For example, an email message can be sent
`through the server without revealing either person’s private
`email address or location. Contact can also be initiated
`through Caller-ID blocked phone calls or any other means.
`Consequently, Person A and Person B can chooseto initiate
`face-to-face contact.
`
`FIG. 3 describes an embodiment of message traffic
`between a mobile terminal and the SRTP database. The
`nature of the transport layer connections is not shown on the
`diagram, but are well knownin the art. In one embodiment
`the MU would be connected to the WAP (Wireless Appli-
`cation Protocol) server via a WAP connection and the WAP
`server would be connected to the HTTP (WWW)servervia
`an HTTP connection.
`
`The purpose of the user initiated search request, search__
`req,is to allow the user of a mobile unit to query the WWW
`server to perform a database search. Search criteria are
`contained within the message body. For example, the mes-
`sage might
`instruct
`the web server to search the SRTP
`database for profiles including the word “baseball”. It could
`further instruct the web server to return profiles only for
`users within a given geometric radius, for example 2 miles
`from the user. The search_req of this embodiment has 5
`fields: requestor_ID, password, user position, search_
`words, and search_radius. These fields could either be
`encoded or sent as cleartext. The following search_req
`fragment assumes the search_req is sent as cleartext. In this
`embodiment the keywords and values are sent as colon
`separated pairs.
`search_req=“requestor_
`ID:John23:password:xdw94f4:position:GPS 234.33
`153.65:search__words:baseball:search_radius:1 mile”
`
`

`

`US 6,819,919 B1
`
`5
`The search_req becomes a dbase_query after being
`forwarded to the Secure Real Time Database by the server
`(e.g. WWW server). Said query is formulated based on the
`position, Search_radius and search_words fields in the
`search_req.
`The requestor_ID (or user_ID) field in the search_req
`divulges to the WWW server the identity of the registered
`system user who is making the request. The passwordis used
`for security to insure that the request in fact originated from
`the user whooriginally registered with the WWW server.
`The position field in the search_req is used to convey the
`requesting users geographic position to the web server. The
`value following the position field (also referred to as a key)
`includes information that identifies what type of positional
`data is being presented. If the mobile unit has an integrated
`(or peripherally attached) GPS unit, the mobile unit would
`send GPS coordinates as the standard latitude and longitude.
`Other formats are also supported. For example, users with-
`out GPSreceivers might need to enter the position manually
`as a street address. In this case the position key:value pair
`might appear as “position:STREET 345 main St., anytown,
`anystate, USA”. Furthermore, if this data were provided by
`the cellular infrastructure itself through triangulation of
`radio signals using Time Difference of Arrival (TDOA) or
`some other location technique,
`the position field would
`originate within the mobile communications infrastructure.
`Some key:value pairs are optional. For example, if no
`search words were sent,
`the WWW server would have
`default search capability that uses search words from the
`requester’s user profile as searchwords. The search_
`radius could also be omitted and the WWW server would
`perform the database search using a default radius (e.g. one
`mile). The password might also be omitted if some infor-
`mation such as the MU’s Mobile Identification Number
`and/or Electronic Serial Number could be automatically
`obtained from the phone or mobile communications infra-
`structure to verify the identity of the requesting MU.
`The Secure Real Time Position database (SRTP) yields
`raw, unformatted data, database__query__results, that are the
`results of the database query and are returned to the server.
`The WWWserverreformats the dbase_query_results and
`returns the data to the user in a browsable form as query__
`results.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
`
`With reference to FIG. 1 of the drawings, a system 10 for
`providing a method of matching and introduction services
`generally includes position determining means 1, a commu-
`nications device 2, which maybefixed or mobile, a wireless
`communications infrastructure 3, an Internet connection 4
`that may be wired or wireless, a server 5 provides access to
`Secure Real Time Positional (SRTP) database 6. Referring
`to FIG. 2, the SRTP database 6 includes a plurality of user
`profiles 7, 8, and 9.
`With reference to both FIGS. 1 and 2, a first user creates
`a user_profile 7 using a communications device 2 which is
`preferably a wireless mobile phone, wireless Personnel
`Digital Assistant (PDA), beeper, or additionally a fixed
`terminal, wired or wireless, and stores said user__profile 7 in
`the Secure Real Time Positional database 6. Said user__
`profile 7 comprises a user_ID, user password, said first
`users current geographic position, the time and/or date said
`first users current position was last updated, a security lock
`to prevent viewing of said user_profile 7 by other users,
`access control features to assign read/write privileges to
`other users or groups of users, and a PublicImage portion of
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`said user_profile 7 whichsaid first user customizes with any
`desirable content such as hobbies, dating preferences, music
`preferences, or even graphics, audio, video, or text.
`Said SRTP database 6 contains a plurality of previously
`registered additional user__profiles 8, 9 each also comprising
`a user_ID, user password, users current position, the time
`and/or date a users current position was last updated, a
`security lock, access control features, and a PublicImage
`portion of said user_profiles 8,9.
`Said first user submits a search_request to the system 10
`using communications device 2 together with search crite-
`rion including keywords and geographic search radius. Said
`first user’s geographic position is automatically determined
`by position sensor 1 and is embeddedin the search_request
`submitted to the system 10. Position sensor 1 is preferably
`an embedded Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver or
`“chipset” integrated into the communications device. An
`alternate embodimentis a display 11 in the communications
`device 2 that presents said first user with information such
`as a map so said first user may simply tap the display 11 in
`the communications device 2 with a stylus or other pencil-
`like instrumentat the location wheresaid first user currently
`resides, The communications device 2 recognizes the pre-
`cise geographic location of the user by where on the display
`11 said first user taps and automatically includes this loca-
`tion in the search_request submitted to the system 10. The
`techniques whereas a computer can correlate a tap on a
`display with data in the computers memoryis already well
`known in the art such as is uscd in the Hewlett Packard
`
`360LX palmtop PC. The novelty in the invention disclosed
`herein is that the tap on the display 11 is interpreted as a
`geographic position by the communications device 2 and is
`automatically relayed to a distant
`location,
`in this
`embodiment,
`the server 5. The information presented on
`display 11 can be a map, table of landmarks,list of streets,
`or even an address corresponding to a phone numbersuch as
`the E911 services employ.
`is transmitted by the
`Said first users search_request
`communications device 2 to the wireless communications
`infrastructure 3 where a connection is madeto the Internet
`
`4. The connection to the Internet 4 may alternately be made
`through an optional intermediate Wireless Application Pro-
`tocol server 12 to facilitate communications as shown in
`FIG. 1. Said first user’s search__request arrives at the World
`Wide Web (WWW)server 5 from the Internet 4.
`Referring to FIG. 4, said first users search_request is
`authenticated and parsed for the required information and
`syntax by server 5. The server 5 then updates saidfirst users
`geographic position in the SRTP database 6. The server 5
`begins the search process for a match or matchesto said first
`users search_request by first querying the SRTP database 6
`for otherusers that are geographically proximate to saidfirst
`user within the search radius specified in said first users
`search_request or said first users user_profile if a search
`radius is not included in said first users search_request.
`Other user_profiles 8,9 returned from the SRTP database 6
`are then searched by the server 5 for search__words specified
`in said first users search_request or said first users user_
`profile if search__wordsare not included in said first users
`search_request. The user_profiles 8,9 that are both geo-
`graphically close to said first user and contain some of the
`search__wordsspecified by said first user, are examined for
`access control restrictions specified in said user_profiles
`8,9. The PublicImages of the user_profiles 8,9 that do not
`have any access control features enabled are relayed to said
`first user as query__results. Said first user examines query__
`results returned by system 10 for user_profiles that are of
`
`

`

`US 6,819,919 B1
`
`7
`interest. Said first user chooses a user_profile 9 belonging
`to a second user. The system 10 respondsto said first users
`selection of user__profile 9 by notifying said second userthat
`said first user wishes to make contact in the mannerspecified
`by said first users user_profile 7.
`In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes
`and jurisprudence, exemplary configurations described
`aboveare considered to represent a preferred embodimentof
`the invention. However, it should be noted that the invention
`can be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated
`and described without departing from its spirit or scope.
`Whatis claimedis:
`1. A method for providing matching and introduction
`services to users of communications equipment comprising
`the steps of:
`storing at least two user profiles in a database;
`storing the real-time geographic position of a plurality of
`users in said database;
`a first user submits a first search request to a first server
`using a first wireless communications device;
`said server performsa first search of said database by:
`initially sorting said user profiles based on geographic
`proximity to said first user;
`further sorting the remaining said user profiles that
`contain at least one search word specified by said
`first user; and
`selecting remaining user profiles that contain access
`control features that have been disabled;
`said server returns search results to said first user;
`and facilitating communication between saidfirst
`user and other users whose user
`
`profiles have been selected bysaid first user.
`2. The method according to claim 1 wherein said user
`profiles are created and stored using said wireless commu-
`nications device.
`3. The method of claim 1 or 2 wherein said user profiles
`are created and stored in said database via a World Wide
`Web connection.
`4. The method of claim 1 wherein saidfirst user’s current
`
`geographic position is determined by GPS technology inte-
`gral to said wireless communications device.
`5. The method of claim 1 wherein said first user’s current
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`geographic position is determined by triangulation of radio
`waves emitted by said wireless communication device.
`6. The method of claim 1 wherein said first user’s current
`geographic position is determined by Received Signal
`Strength Indication of the transmitted signal
`from said
`wireless communications device by at least one receiving
`station remote from said communications device.
`7. The method of claim 1 wherein saidfirst user’s current
`
`geographic position is determined bysaidfirst user entering
`said position data via manual interface with said wireless
`communications device.
`8. The method of claim 1 wherein said wireless commu-
`nication device automatically determines and then transmits
`said first user’s current geographic position as part of said
`search request.
`9. The method of claim 1 wherein said search is per-
`formed a plurality of times in response to said user defining
`the periodicity and persistence of said search of said data-
`base.
`10. The method of claim 1 wherein said first user is
`
`automatically notified if an additional user becomes proxi-
`mate to said first user wherein said additional user meets
`criterion established in said search of said database.
`
`11. A method for providing matching and introduction
`services to mobile users of wireless communications equip-
`ment comprising the steps of:
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`creating and storing at least two user profiles in a data-
`base;
`storing the real-time geographic position of a plurality of
`uses in said database;
`a first user submits a first search request to a first server
`using a first mobile wireless communications device;
`said first users current geographic position is transmitted
`to said database with said search request;
`a first search of said database is performed by said server
`using parameters provided by said first user and
`includes:
`
`updating said database with said first user’s current
`geographic position;
`initially sorting said user profiles based on geographic
`proximity to said first uscr;
`further sorting the remaining said user profiles that
`contain at least one search word specified by said
`first user;
`selecting any remaining user profiles that contain
`access control features that have been disabled;
`said server returns search results to said first user; and
`facilitating communication between said first user and
`other users whose user profiles have been selected by
`said first user.
`
`12. The