Data processing: database and file management or data structures – Database design – Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-04
2003-12-02
Kindred, Alford (Department: 2172)
Data processing: database and file management or data structures
Database design
Data structure types
C709S200000, C345S215000, C345S215000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06658410
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system of information exchanging services which provides opportunities for establishing one-to-one communication while using a network system such as the internet.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various text information, image information and sound information are available through the internet from many web sites on the World Wide Web (WWW). The Bulletin Board System (BBS) has been a major method for finding persons on the internet.
Since messages posted to the BBS are open communications, anyone can browse them. This is a demerit for some users who do not want to open personal information to public inspection. Moreover, it is difficult to find people when searching by interests.
There are some member directory sites which require user charges. Most of those sites, for example, charge users for the service by monthly payment. Therefore, the users are charged even if they can not find persons who match their criteria.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in consideration of the above, and it is an object of the present invention to provide users with opportunities for easily finding matched folks for establishing communications.
It is another object of the present invention to provide users opportunities for establishing one-to-one communication with others through a network, while providing mated users with easy usability.
The present invention further relates to communication through a network, it is a further object of the present invention to provide a reasonable charging method.
To achieve the above objects, a method for intermediating information according to a first aspect of the present invention is a method for intermediating information comprises:
registering attribute information of a plurality of members at a database;
extracting members to be introduced to another member based on the attribute information registered at the database;
introducing the extracted members to a target member who searches other members, via a network; and
intermediating information between the target member and the introduced members via the network.
According to the above structure, a member can find appropriate introduction members because the introduction members are extracted based on the members' attribute information. The target member and the introduced member can exchange messages one-to-one between them.
The members may be charged for information transfer. In this case, since the member is charged not for introduction but for transferring information, the member can choose variable introduction.
The members may be charged when the target member transmits information to the introduced members first time, or a member transmits a reply to received information. If the user is charged each time he/she transmits information, the user tends to reduce the number of information transmissions. According to the above structure, the user is charged only when the target member transfers information to the introduction member first time, or only when the introduction member transfers reply information to the target member. In this structure, the members are not charged for transferring information second time and after. The users keep their motivation for continued communications.
The attribute information may include information representing characteristics of the members and search options In this case, members whose characteristics match with the search option of the target member may be introduced to the target member.
The extracting members and the introducing members may be repeatedly executed at predetermined timings such as every predetermined cycle or every predetermined time. Or they may be executed in response to a request given by a member.
The extracted members may be limited to the predetermined number by using, for example, random numbers, in a case where the large number of the members are extracted.
Predetermined information of the member may be open to the public in form of, for example, web pages so that other members can refer to the opened information. According to this structure, the member can refer to information of the introduced member, and can decide whether transfer information to the introduced member, in other words, establish communication between the introduced member or not.
Information may be exchanged via electronic bulletin boards prepared for each member. In this case, the member may be charged for posting a message to the bulletin board of the introduced member. Since only the members are allowed to access the bulletin boards, information exchanged among the members is not leaked to public BBS on the net, thus, the member's privacy will be protected.
The member (for example, member A) who is going to post a message to a bulletin board of other member (for example member B) is noticed that the member A will be charged after the message is posted, and the member A is allowed to post the message to the bulletin board when the member A agrees with the notice. According to this structure, the user is noticed when he/she is charged, therefore, the users can use the system with making their decisions whether they enjoy pay service or not.
The members may be allowed to exchange information via bulletin boards prepared for each member. And, a member (member A) posts a message to the bulletin board of the introduced member (member B), and the member B may be charged when posting a reply to the bulletin board of the member A.
In this case, the member (member B) who receives a message from other member through the bulletin board and is going to post a reply to the received message posted by the member A, may be noticed that the member B will be charged after the reply is posted, and the member B may be allowed to post the reply when the member agrees the notice.
The members may be extracted except members who have been introduce to the target member before and/or members to whom the target member has been introduced before.
A web page on which a list of the extracted introductions and a message arrival indicator item (including, icon, button, hypertext, pull-down menu, etc.) representing that messages by other members have arrived are arranged may be provided to each member; a web page showing profile data of the introduction may be presented to the target member in response to selecting the introduction from the list; and messages may be presented to the target member in response to selecting the message arrival indicator item.
The web page showing the profile data may have a request transmission item for transmitting a request for transmitting messages to other members; a form page for inputting and transmitting a message to other member may be provided to the target member in response to selecting the request transmission item; and the target member may be charged when the target member transmits a message to another member, or when the target member receives reply from other member to the target member.
To achieve the above objects, a system for intermediating messages according to a second aspect of the present invention comprises:
a database which stores attribute information of a plurality of members;
a member extraction unit which extracts members to be introduced to another member based on the attribute information stored in the database;
a member introducing unit which introduces the member extracted by the member extraction unit to a target member who has searched other members; and
an intermediate unit which intermediates messages between the target member and the introduced member.
According to this structure, a member can find appropriate introduction members because the member extraction unit extracts the introduction members based on the members' attribute information. The target member and the introduced member can exchange messages one-to-one between them.
Further, the user may be charged for message intermediate by the intermediate unit. In this case, since the user is not charged for introducing but for information tra
Omata Shingo
Sakamaki Katsuya
Wakui Kazuhiko
Casio Computer Co. Ltd.
Frishauf Holtz Goodman & Chick P.C.
Kindred Alford
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