System and Method for Identifying Potential Contact and Inviting Transmission of Contact Information Based on Proximity to a Location

Abstract

A communication system and method for exchanging wireless device user contact information based on a user's proximity to a predetermined radius that each user sets from the user initiating contact or on a user's presence within a boundary of a predefined location. The users sending and receiving the offers or messages can be subscribers of an information exchange service via an application program downloaded to the user's portable device that allows automatic receipt and acceptance of offers to exchange contact information.

Claims

1. A method for initiating communication with a wireless device according to a geographic location, comprising: identifying a geographic boundary into which a targeted sender's wireless communication device having a contact information enters; selecting, by a recipient's wireless communication device, at least one of a plurality of attributes of the targeting sender; receiving the contact information of the targeted sender upon entry of the targeted sender into the geographic boundary; and automatically storing the contact information of the targeted sender in storage associated with the recipient's wireless communication device upon a match of the selected at least one of the plurality of attributes of the targeted sender and a targeted sender attribute.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] The invention and a preferred mode of use, further objectives and advantages thereof, will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0015] FIG. 1 depicts a network diagram according to an embodiment of the present contact identification and invitation system.

[0016] FIG. 2 depicts various locations of users of an embodiment of the present contact identification and invitation system.

[0017] FIG. 3 depicts a method of requesting and receiving information from users according to an embodiment of the present contact identification and invitation system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] Several embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. Unless otherwise noted, like elements will be identified by identical numbers throughout all figures. The invention illustratively disclosed herein suitably may be practiced in the absence of any element which is not specifically disclosed herein.

[0019] FIG. 1 depicts a network diagram according to an embodiment of the present contact identification and invitation system. In FIG. 1, contact identification and invitation network 100 includes multiple user devices 120, 130 and 140. Each such user device may be a smart phone, tablet or other mobile device enabled to communicate over a communication network or locally with other devices via various protocols, such as cellular, Bluetooth, WiFi and the like. User devices 120, 130 and 140 include a processor for executing machine readable instructions and storage on which application programs and other data, such as contact information, photographs, etc. may be stored. User devices can also include an antenna, internal hardware and other application programs enabling location information to be provided and or received by the user device. This can include GPS components or application programs enabling a user through the device to invoke a geo-fencing operation associated with a known location or internal positioning system applications. These applications and/or hardware that enable a user to select the boundary of a known location or set a predefined radius of interest from the user can be cloud based or downloaded locally on the user device.

[0020] Various wireless technology can be used for identifying and locating a potential contact. Many different systems take advantage of existing wireless infrastructure for indoor positioning. There are three primary system topology options for hardware and software configuration, network-based, terminal-based, and terminal-assisted. Positioning accuracy can be increased at the expense of wireless infrastructure equipment and installations. A WiFi position system (WPS) can be used where GPS may be inadequate indoors. The localization technique used for positioning with wireless access points is based on measuring the intensity of the received signal and can employ a method of fingerprinting. Some parameters useful to geo-locate the WiFi hotspot or wireless access point include the SSID and the MAC address of the access point to rapidly map indoor spaces and that won several awards for its location accuracy. Bluetooth enabled device can provide a geo-fence or indoor positioning capability solution.

[0021] In one embodiment of the present system, the person in receipt of an invitation to connect from a subscriber of the contact identification and invitation system is also a subscriber. It is contemplated, however, that a subscribed user can initiate contact and send information to another person who is not a subscriber and does not have the application stored on his or device. For such unsubscribed users, the subscriber can send an email or text message with the sender's contact information. The sending person can obtain the receiving person's email or phone number by asking the receiving person or otherwise obtaining the information. The receiving person can click on an attachment within the email or text and store that information in his smart phone contact address book. The message can also include an invitation for the receiving user to register and become a subscriber to the application of the present contact identification system.

[0022] Within storage of user devices 120, 130 and 140 are parameters 150 entered by the user or otherwise made available for use with the present contact identification and invitation system. These parameters can include invite levels or filtering information set by the user and coverage zone information, such as a distance from user (radius) or physical address boundary setting. The physical address boundary setting may be established through a web based map provider, such as Google maps or the like.

[0023] Each user device that is subscribed to the present contact identification and invitation system can be in communication with data servers 170 over a wide area network 102, such as the internet. Data servers 170 include a processor and storage. Among other things, data servers provide cloud-based storage of information pertinent to users subscribed in the present contact identification and invitation system. This includes user enrollment data, user profiles, contact information, medical data, and social network information such as likes, groups joined and the like. Various social media platforms 160 may be communicated with by data servers and user devices through application programs of the contact identification and invitation system.

[0024] FIG. 2 depicts the location 200 of the various user devices 120, 130 and 140 within a predefined boundary established by each device user according to an embodiment of the present contact identification and invitation system. As shown, each user of a user device via an application program stored on the device can establish a boundary 220, 230 and 240 associated with each respective user device 120, 130 and 140. As seen, the boundary represents a region in which other device users subscribed to the contact identification and invitation system must enter in order to invoke the process by which offers to exchange information is made. As shown in FIG. 2 various user of mobile devices present at an event, for example, are located within the various boundaries set by user devices 120, 130 and 140. Users 202, 204 and 206 are located within the set boundary 220 of user device 120. Users 212 and 214 are located within the set boundary 230 of user device 130. Users 202, 204, 208, 210 and 212 are located within the set boundary 240 of user device 140. Note that users 202 and 204 are located within both set boundaries 220 and 240. Likewise, user 212 is located within both set boundaries 230 and 240. Also, user 216 is located within no set boundary.

[0025] In the alternative to the radius based boundaries 220, 230 and 240, the user may select the physical boundary of a known place, such as a facility hosting an event that is viewable via a web-based map. The users shown in FIG. 2 coming within at least one set boundary and who are subscribers to the contact identification and invitation system cause the corresponding subscriber user device 120, 130 or 140 to recognize the user so entering the boundary and invoke the invitation process. In addition, a subscriber can search for the name, phone, email, characteristics of another subscriber and send an invitation, regardless of whether latter comes within the preset boundary.

[0026] As described, a subscriber of the presently described system can set parameters as a recipient of contact information. A user of device 120, 130 or 140 can select parameters that will filter the list of received contact invitations or automatically accept contact information if a particular invitation sender's attribute matches a previously selected parameter of a sender set by the recipient of the contact information. In certain settings a subscriber may expect to receive contact invitations from many people of interest, often within a short time span. As such, a user may designate automatic acceptance and storage of received contact information from senders matching a pre-defined parameter. Further, a subscriber may set a parameter that invokes automatic acceptance and storage of received contact information from senders coming within a radius or particular distance from the subscriber. This automatic acceptance and storage feature eliminates the need of the subscriber to pause and manually accept invitations to connect one by one when face-to-face interactions at an event make such pauses difficult.

[0027] FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a contact identification and invitation process according to an embodiment of the present invention. The steps of methods described can be performed by one or more application programs comprising machine readable instructions residing on a user device or accessed remotely. In FIG. 3, the contact identification and invitation process begins at step 302 where the contact identification and invitation system receives subscriber information. This information includes various enrollment information and parameter information that a subscriber can use to filter information received by potential contacts or for potential contacts to determine if they want to connect with that subscriber. At step 304, the parameter information is stored locally in storage of the subscriber's user device and/or in data servers 170. Once a user is subscribed and various information is entered and stored, the user wishing to connect to other users may enter a boundary setting. At step 306, the system receives from the user device a boundary setting. This may consist of entry of a distance from the subscriber user that serves as a radius from the subscriber creating a virtual boundary around the subscriber as shown in 220, 230 and 240 of FIG. 2. The GPS capability of a potential contacts user device will be leveraged to indicate that user's presence within the boundary. In the alternative, other forms of indoor location systems, geo-fencing systems or other device location systems known in the art may be employed to set the boundary and provide an indication of when a person or device enters the boundary.

[0028] Next at step 308 the subscriber receives an indication that a user who is a potential contact is within the subscriber's predetermined boundary. This indication of boundary entry by a person can be a simple message, an audio indicator or a graphical representation provided to the user via the user device's user interface display that provides the subscriber with a mapping of the area. This mapping allows the subscriber to attempt to see the potential contact within the boundary and determine whether additional contact efforts will be pursued.

[0029] The subscriber through the application program can select a connect with all command at step 309 that starts the contact initiation process described in FIG. 3 in parallel with each person entering the boundary. Depending on the event or other circumstances, the subscriber can forego the further filtering process of potential contacts described above in whole or in part and simply send to every user within the boundary contact information, social media information and other information and request reciprocal information. At step 309 the system queries whether the user invokes the connect with all option. The connect with all option can take various forms. In one embodiment, a user can pre-set parameters to send contact information to any other subscriber that comes within a pre-defined distance of the user. This transmission can be automatic without the user depressing any keys on the device or selecting any commands. Similarly, a user may set a parameter that automatically causes acceptance of any contact invitation received from a person within the pre-defined distance or boundary and storage of the sender's corresponding contact information among the user's contacts. If such automatic acceptance occurs, the user's contact information can be automatically sent in kind to the person within the boundary range. The parameter that invokes automatic or hands free acceptance of the contact invitation can also be based on a different parameters, such as name, employer, distance, etc. If automatic acceptance is so designated, the process of FIG. 3 may return to step 308 at this juncture as contact information has been exchanged and accepted by the user for every individual meeting the pre-set criteria, such as distance from the user. If the answer to the query at step 309 is yes (but automatic acceptance has not been invoked), then the method proceeds to step 314 to transmit the invitation to connect to all of those identified within the boundary.

[0030] If the answer of query 309 is no then the process continues with step 310. At step 310, the potential contact's profile data is compared to invite level data previously stored by the subscriber. This comparison serves as a filtering mechanism that allows the subscriber to determine if the contact will be pursued. For example, if the subscriber has set certain minimum requirements that must be met prior to sending an invitation to connect, then no invitation will be sent until those requirements are met. These include a potential contact's place of business, type of business, location of business, university attended, interests, social media information and the like. As this filtering relies on information from the potential contact that was entered and stored by the potential contact when he or she subscribed to the contact identification and invitation system. The potential contact, however, could deactivate this feature and no parameter data will be provided to the inviting subscriber.

[0031] Following the comparison of the potential contact data to the subscriber's invite level data, the system queries at step 312 if the subscriber would like to send the potential contact an invitation to connect. If the answer to this question is no, then the method returns to step 308 for the subscriber to consider whether an invitation to connect will be sent to the next potential contact. If, on the other hand, the answer to this question is yes, then the method continues to step 314 where an invitation to connect is transmitted from the subscriber to the potential contact. The subscriber's device transmits a message displayed on the potential contact's user device with or without an image of the subscriber through the contact identification and invitation application stored in the subscriber's device.

[0032] Once the potential contact receives the invitation, the subscriber awaits a response. At step 316, the method continues with the query of whether the subscriber's invitation was accepted by the potential contact. If the answer is no, the method returns to 308 for the subscriber to consider whether an invitation to connect will be sent to the next potential contact. If, on the other hand, the invitation is accepted, the method continues with step 318 where the subscriber's parameter data is compared to the contact's parameter data. This is another layer of filtering used to determine the extent of the information that the subscriber wishes to exchange with the contact. Based on similarities between the subscriber's parameter data and the contact's parameter data, at step 320 the subscriber sends the resulting level of contact information to the contact. In return, and in one embodiment according to a comparison between the contact's parameter data and the parameter data of the subscriber, the method continues at step 322 where the subscriber receives the contact's contact data. This data may be as limited as a cell phone number, name or place of business or more extensive data based on the contact's settings. The data received at step 322 can include an invitation to connect on various social media platforms, the connection capability being facilitated by the contact identification and invitation system application stored on the user device, by sending a link to the inviting user's social media page through which the invited user can further connect. This eliminates the need for the invited user to search for the other's social media presence. The subscribing user, however, can include the link to social media pages as part of an initial contact message or any subsequent exchange during the connection process. The contact identification and invitation system described herein provides users with numerous capabilities to customize the content of an initial invitation to connect and subsequent exchanges with an invitee. At step 324, the contact's contact data is stored in the subscriber's device and/or remotely on cloud storage on data servers 170 or other remote storage device that permits retrieval by the subscriber and locally on the device. At step 326, after some level of contact information is exchanged, the system queries whether the subscriber wishes to send an additional request. If the answer to this query is no, then the method again reverts back to step 308 for the subscriber to consider whether an invitation to connect will be sent to the next potential contact.

[0033] If, on the other hand, the answer to this query is yes, then the additional request is sent and the subscriber receives some response to this additional request at step 328. Next, at step 330, the system queries whether any additional information was received by the subscriber from the contact. If the answer is no, then the process returns to step 308 for the subscriber to consider whether an invitation to connect will be sent to the next potential contact. If the answer is yes, then the contact's additional information is then stored at step 332. This may be in the form of further contact information of the type that a user saves in contacts on a phone or other device. The previously stored contact information, therefore, is updated. Or an electronic contact can be saved for the first time on the subscriber device if this is the subscriber's first receipt of information from the contact that is sufficient to create a contact file for this contact. The additional information can be in the form of a photo or other image of data such as an image of a business card or other document. Once the additional information received is stored by the subscriber at step 332, at step 334 the subscriber may send an additional communication to the contact, such as a text message, place a call or send another message or information to the contact via the messaging capability associated with the contact identification and invitation application. The process then returns to step 308 where the inviting subscriber determines whether an invitation to connect will be sent to the next potential contact.

[0034] In another embodiment, in the case where automatic acceptance and storage of a received contact is invoked, the further exchange of information between the subscribers initially connected by the automatic feature can take place according to the steps described above. The subsequent exchange of additional information such a photo or image data, or social media platform invitations may be exchanged as described in FIG. 3.

[0035] In the method described above, the sending and receiving steps can occur in both directions, as in one embodiment both the inviting user and the invited user are subscribers. In other embodiments, various steps of the disclosed method of FIG. 3 can be employed in a business setting as described above, such as a physician's office for the patient to provide required information to the physician via the contact identification and invitation system application. In this context, the patient coming in close proximity to the physician's office will invoke the method and cause the patient to receive a request to submit information to the physician through the patient's device. Similarly, in various entertainment venues where participant information or waivers are required from patrons or parental consent forms and information are required for child participation, the methods described above can be performed for fast and efficient receipt of customer data by the establishment prior to the customer reaching the point of payment or entry. This eliminates long lines and bottle necks that are common at such venues.

[0036] The foregoing description is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

[0037] While the disclosed embodiments have been described with reference to one or more particular implementations, these implementations are not intended to limit or restrict the scope or applicability of the invention. Those having ordinary skill in the art will recognize that many modifications and alterations to the disclosed embodiments are available. Therefore, each of the foregoing embodiments and obvious variants thereof is contemplated as falling within the spirit and scope of the disclosed inventions.

[0038] While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.