Card – picture – or sign exhibiting – Card rack
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-10
2002-10-29
Knight, Anthony (Department: 3676)
Card, picture, or sign exhibiting
Card rack
C040S124010, C040S124110, C283S003000, C283S017000, C283S063100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06470608
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to a networking card and to a method of sending a networking card.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
All greetings cards and postcards known to the applicant are merely intended to be sent or given by a single sender or giver to a single recipient, where the sender or giver and the recipient are each always a different person or group or corporation of persons. As such, the sender or giver of known greetings cards and postcards always knows or knows of the recipient to whom he or she is sending or giving the card, and the recipient may not necessarily be in a different location from the sender or giver. By definition, the message in, or the content of, a greetings card or postcard received by a recipient is always fully predetermined by a single sender before the card is sent or given.
It is desirable to provide a card in which the message can be supplemented or modified. It is also desirable to provide a card that can be sent and received by a plurality of individuals in series, for the purpose of establishing a network between those individuals.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An objective of the present invention is to provide a networking card which can be circulated by repeated physical postings amongst a dispersed network or group of people, each of whom can add to or alter the contents of the card, prior to the card being finally received by an ultimate recipient. Another objective is to provide a networking card which can be sent by an initial sender to himself or herself indirectly via an intermediate network or group of dispersed people, who do not necessarily all know or know of each other.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a networking card, the networking card comprising a plurality of pages for bearing at least one of a greeting or other message, a drawing and an object added to the networking card by successive recipients of the networking card.
The networking card can be purchased by an initial sender. That person can add a message to a first page of the card and then send the card to a first recipient. The first recipient in turn can add his or her own message to the card, for example on a second page of the card, and then send the card on to a second recipient. The process can be repeated until for example all of the pages have been used. In this way, a card is provided which facilitates “networking” of people, i.e. it allows for the exchange of ideas, information, contacts or experiences amongst a dispersed group or network of people, for a variety of social and professional purposes. For example, the card can be used to develop joint ideas or projects, to make new friends or professional contacts, to sell or search for items amongst friends, and friends of friends, write collaborative stories, or play new games. The card can be used as part of a fund-raising exercise, for example for charity.
The card may have a page or other region on the card for bearing the name and address of the intended ultimate recipient of the card. The initial sender can insert the name and address of the intended ultimate recipient of the card on the page or region provided. The ultimate recipient may be the initial sender or some other person.
It will be understood that when a card is “sent” from one person to another, the card will typically be sent by means of a postal service (whether a state-run postal service or a private postal or courier or other physical delivery service).
Objects, such as photographs, small gifts or the like, may be added to the card by senders.
The card can be used for various purposes, as discussed in more detail below. Briefly, the card can be used as part of a game, in telling a story, as part of a fund-raising exercise for example for charity, or to provide a commemorative gift or memento. Competitions could be held to find the longest card, the card that has been through the most countries, etc. Such competitions could simply be for fun, or may be sponsored with prizes being given, or for fund-raising for example for charity.
The card can be used in a “self-returning” manner for example where the card is sent on from one person to another until eventually it is sent on from the last recipient to the initial sender. In this usage, consecutive recipients/senders (though possibly with the exception of the last recipient and the initial sender) will normally always know each other and all recipients/senders will therefore be friends of friends of each other without all of them necessarily knowing each other. In this usage also, the card can be initiated by a sender for or on behalf of someone else to whom the completed card can eventually be sent by the last recipient. In this usage, the ultimate recipient may appropriately be a mutual friend of the initial sender and the first recipient.
By way of another example, the card can be used in a “non-returning” manner where the card is always initiated for someone else and circulated amongst a network or group of people all of whom already know or are connected with each other. This second usage may be particularly desirable where the card is used to provide a single memento of some special occasion by a group of people who are all in geographically separated locations. For example, an important anniversary or other event in a family may be commemorated by sending the card successively from one family member to another, with each family member adding a personal message relating to the anniversary or other event, with the card finally arriving in the post as a joint commemorative gift to the ultimate recipient(s).
The card may have pockets or adhesive pads or some other means allowing photographs, small gifts, etc to be inserted into the card by individual recipients.
The card may have a portion for bearing name and address details of an initial sender of the card. As mentioned above, the initial sender may be the ultimate recipient.
The card may comprise a connector for connecting the card to another networking card or to an extension card. This allows the card to be extended by adding further cards if necessary or desired to provide an extended card having further pages. The further cards may be substantially identical to the first card. The connector may be provided on a rear cover of the card. The connector may be provided on a front cover of the card. A connector may be provided on both a front cover and a rear cover of the card. This allows the networking card to be extended, in principle as many times as desired, by adding further cards to provide a composite extendible networking card having further pages.
The connector may comprise an adhesive. The connector may comprise a detachable protective cover. The detachable protective cover can be removed to allow the networking card to be securely connected to another networking card. Alternatively, the detachable protective cover can be removed and reversed to disable the connector. The initial sender can disable the connector before sending the networking card to a first recipient, in which case the networking card may be sent to the ultimate recipient as soon as all of the pages have been used. As mentioned above, the initial sender may be the ultimate recipient. If the connector has not been disabled, a second networking card can be purchased and connected to the first networking card by an intermediate recipient/sender or by the final recipient of the first networking card, and the process can continue with the extended composite networking card. The composite networking card can be extended again in the same manner.
The initial sender and intermediate recipients/senders of the single or composite networking card may each also insert their own name and address details on the card. In this case they may receive the circulating card back again with a message from a subsequent recipient/sender whom they may or may not know. They may then themselves re-use the card to reply to the known or unknown sender, or re-send the card to another known or unknown intermediate recipient/sender on the network, or
Conley & Rose & Tayon P.C.
Peavey Enoch E
LandOfFree
Networking card does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Networking card, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Networking card will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2974102