AU2006202656A1 - Introduction System and Method - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT/PATENT OF ADDITION

ORIGINAL

Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Mary Gwenda ZEGURA Lana Marie ZEGURA Mary Gwenda ZEGURA Lana Marie ZEGURA Address for Service: Invention Title: Details of Associated Provisional Applications: Patent of Addition Details: FRASER OLD SOHN Patent Attorneys Level 6, 118 Alfred Street MILSONS POINT NSW 2061 "Introduction System and Method" Australian Provisional Patent Application No. 2005 903 271 Filed: 21 June 2005 Australian Patent Application No.

2005 201 873 Filed: 4 May 2005 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: INTRODUCTION SYSTEM AND METHOD Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and system whereby participants are able to identify eligible prospective partners and establish contact with them safely, simply and discretely.

Background Art The increasing incidence of separation and divorce compounds an existing need for eligible persons to meet one another. Busy lifestyles limit the opportunity for introductions via mutual friends, and the like. Thus there is a social need which has hitherto been only partially filled.

Existing systems for introducing prospective dating partners are many and varied.

One of these systems is the so-called "intemrnet dating system" where prospective participants enter reams of information about themselves into a computerized database via the internet. Then a computer operated by the business conducting the dating system sorts through the information in order to attempt to match couples who appear to have similar attributes and requirements. Such a system suffers from a number of disadvantages. First of all, prospective users of the system are very reluctant to commit intimate personal details to an anonymous system, in general, and especially via the internet. Secondly, there is no way of knowing that the information supplied by a particular person is actually correct and therefore the match may be achieved on the basis of erroneous information. Thirdly, the matching algorithm may or may not be a particularly good one and thus mis-matches in terms of personality, interests, etc. in the views of the participants may be regarded as being a match as far as the computer is concerned.

A further problem with such systems is that the advent of"stalking", "date rape" and similar such social evils means participants are reluctant to commit information as to 5081C-AU where they live, their mobile telephone number, home telephone number, and the like, to an impersonal system and especially transmit such information over the internet.

In yet another system, prospective dating partners are provided with a transponder device which includes miniaturised electronics and which is coded with various possible categorized answers to a number of different questions. Such questions may be age group of preferred partner, income range of preferred partner, interests of preferred partner, and the like. The intention being that such transponders communicate with each other when potential partners are within a pre-determined transmission range, say metres, and the transponder checks for matches between their coded information. Where a match is achieved, both transponders emit a beep, a vibration, flash a light or the like so as to alert the wearer of the transponder that another transponder meeting the desired criteria has come into range. This then enables the two persons to introduce themselves as the result of their activated transponder.

Such transponder systems suffer from a number of disadvantages. Firstly, the range of the transponders is very limited. Secondly, the wearing of transponders is regarded as being socially gauche. Thirdly, there is often some embarrassment at the introduction process particularly since it is witnessed by third parties who are also aware that the transponders have been activated.

Object of the Invention The aim of the present invention is to provide a method of, and a system for, identifying and then facilitating the establishment of contact by participants in the system which go someway towards substantially overcoming, or at least ameliorating, the above disadvantages.

Summary of the Invention In accordance with the first aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a method of identifying and facilitating the establishment of social contact by participants, said method comprising the steps of:- 5081C-AU creating a database comprising minimalist information about each participant and in which each said participant is allocated an identifying numeric, alphanumeric or alphabetic identifier, (ii) setting up a communication system by means of which communications addressed solely by said identifier can be sent to the corresponding said participant, (iii) allocating a plurality of like indicia bearing objects to each said participant and each bearing said identifier of the corresponding said participant, (iv) permitting a recipient given one of said indicia bearing objects by a participant to access via said communications system said database and access at least some of the data there in corresponding to said donor participant, and permitting one-to-one communication via said communications system between said donor participant and said recipient.

In accordance with the second aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a system for identifying and facilitating establishment of social contact by participants in the system, said system comprising a first computer having a data storage means on which is stored a database comprising minimalist information about each said participant, the data for each said participant being accessible via a corresponding numeric, alphanumeric or alphabetic identifier; a plurality of second computers each able to communicate with said first computer via a publicly accessible communications system and each operable by a recipient of said identifier; and broadcast means in said first computer to notify via said communications system one of said second computers corresponding to an identified participant of an authorised access utilising said identifier from another of said second computers.

Brief Description of the Drawings A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of the system of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, and 5081C-AU Fig. 2 is a perspective view of an identifying card or chit which includes indicia in the form of an identifying number.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment As seen in Fig. 1, the system 10 of the preferred embodiment is based upon a publicly accessible communications system which, in the preferred embodiment, is the internet 22. Connected to the internet 22 is a main computer 23 which has a database 24 made up of a number of individual files 25. Each of the files 25 is identified with a, preferably numeric, identifier 26. The contents of the database 24 will be explained hereinafter in more detail.

Connected to the main computer 23, via the internet 22, are a plurality of note book computers 11 or desktop computers 12 each of which is accessible by a corresponding participant in the system 10. Normally such participants are prospective dating partners, or persons requiring an introduction for some other social purpose such as statistical research, special interest groups, or the like. By means of the computers 11 and/or 12, participants are able to log onto the main computer 23 and undertake two tasks. The first task is to enter an absolute minimum of information into the database 24 for each participant. This information takes the form of a name (which may be a pseudonym if desired) and a postal address. Preferably an internet address is also given along with a photograph. The second task is to arrange payment from the participant to the business operating the main computer 23. This payment could be via, for example, credit card information given over the internet but could also be by mail such as utilizing a cheque, money order, postal note or similar such conventional payment techniques.

Once these two requirements have been met the operator of the main computer 23 allocates a particular identifier number 26 to the participant and posts to the postal address (which may be a PO box number, a business address or the like in order to maintain undisclosed the home of the participant), an identifier CHAT CHIT which is preferably a business card sized printed card 31 which carries on it an indicium or indicia (132 in Fig. 2) which is the identifier 26 for that particular participant.

5081C-AU The CHAT CHIT card 31 in addition to carrying the indicium 132 also carries instructions which, if followed by a recipient of the card, enables the recipient to contact the donor participant who gave the recipient the card. Thus the particular participant identified by indicium 132 receives a supply of cards 31 after having paid his initial entry fee and having created his entry in the database 24. The participant with his supply of cards 31 is then free to give a card to any person with whom he would like to make subsequent contact. In particular, rather than attempting to "chat up" an attractive young lady in noisy environments such as a bar, the participant is able to simply give the lady one of his cards 31 thereby having to endure an absolute minimum of social interaction.

This is a particular advantage for tongue-tied participants.

The recipient reads the card 31 and in particular its text instructions 33 and web site address 34. The text instructions 33 explain that if the recipient visits the web site and enters in the indicium 132 as an access code, then the recipient will be given access to at least some of the data of the corresponding file 25 of the participant. For example the recipient can be given access to the photograph and profile of the donor participant.

Preferably, the recipient pays a nominal fee to the business operating the system in order to be given access. Such a fee is merely there to deter access by someone who, for example, finds a card 31 which has accidentally been dropped.

All such participants (including those who are normally overcome with embarrassment or shyness) are able to use their cards 31 to easily introduce themselves to others. It is not necessary that such participants actually talk to the recipients, although this of course is quite likely, since in many instances an instantaneous appraisal of a person can be made merely on the basis of looks, grooming, age, sartorial coherence, fashion sense, body language and similar such subjective and difficult to define qualities.

For some participants who may have been able to introduce themselves at the initial contact, it is of course possible that they can by exchanging, say, business telephone numbers, make their own arrangements for future one-to-one meetings.

However, for the less socially gifted, a recipient having received card 31, is then able by 5081C-AU following the instructions thereon, to communicate with the main computer 23 requesting that a message be sent to the person corresponding to identifier or indicium 132. That participant is then in a position to make no reply to the approach; either to agree to meet at a suggested venue; to decline the invitation to meet, or to request a "rain check" or delay by suggesting an alternate meeting place. For safety and security reasons it will not be possible for any participant in the system to communicate with any other participant or recipient. Thus only a recipient aware of a particular participant's indicium or identifier is able to contact that particular participant. Furthermore, this contact is carried out by means of one-to-one e-mail contact via the main computer 23.

The above described system and method provide a number of very important advantages. Firstly, the system is very low risk in that no crucially private information, particularly the home address, need be disclosed. This essentially eliminates the possibility of "stalking", "date rape" and the like. In addition, the excessively shy are also able to be accommodated. Such persons can attend any social venue, possibly with a friend or family member if they so wish. It is only necessary that they be bold enough to give the card 31 to prospective contacts.

Furthermore, the overall system 10 is relatively simple, does not require detailed information to be given over the internet and can be operated at relatively low cost. In addition, further revenues are available by means of charging the recipient a fee for the right to subsequent communications with the donor participant. Still further, a continual stream of revenue may be raised from the various participants by charging a monthly access fee, or similar, and not transmitting the recipient's email to any specific participant who is not up to date with payment of their monthly access fees.

The foregoing describes only one embodiment of the present invention and modifications obvious to those skilled in the art, can be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the internet 22 can be replaced by a public telephone network in which case the participants and the operator of the main computer 3 communicate by means of a conventional telephone call. However, such a 5081C-AU system is both labour intensive and slow relative to email communication via the internet.

In addition, if desired, the identifier 26 can include a two character country code e.g.

I 56US to indicate the country of original of the participant.

The CHAT CHIT need not be a business card 31 as illustrated but instead can be a discreet stick of candy, posy of flowers, or similar present which can be a suitable spontaneous gift from a stranger, and yet contain all the necessary information. Other possibilities will be apparent to those skilled in the sartorial arts.

The term comprising (and its grammatical variations) as used herein is used in the inclusive sense of "having" or "including" and not in the exclusive sense of "consisting only of'.

5081C-AU

Claims (7)

1. 2. The method according to claim 1 including the further step of: (vi) charging each said participant at the time of creating the corresponding database entry therefor.
2. 3. The method according to claim 1 or 2 including the further step of: (vii) charging said recipient for the right to access said database in step (iv).
3. 4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein said communication system comprises an email system. The method according to claim 4 wherein the email address for each said participant includes the corresponding identifier.
4. 6. A method of identifying and facilitating establishment of contact between participants, said method being substantially as herein described with reference to the drawings.
5. 7. A system for identifying and facilitating establishment of social contact by participants in the system, said system comprising a first computer having a data 5081C-AU storage means on which is stored a database comprising minimalist information about each said participant, the data for each said participant being accessible via a corresponding numeric, alphanumeric or alphabetic identifier; a plurality of second computers each able to communicate with said first computer via a publicly accessible communications system and each operable by a recipient of said identifier; and broadcast means in said first computer to notify via said communications system one of said second computers corresponding to an identified participant of an authorised access utilising said identifier from another of said second computers.
6. 8. The system as according to claim 7 wherein said publicly accessible communications system comprises the internet.
7. 9. A system for identifying and facilitating contact between participants in the system, said system being substantially as herein described with reference to the drawings. Dated this 21st day of June 2006 Mary Gwenda ZEGURA and Lana Marie ZEGURA BY: FRASER OLD SOHN Patent Attorneys for the Applicants 508IC-AU