Patent ID: 9047743
Filing Date: 2015-06-02
Classification: G06Q,G08B,H04L,H04W

Abstract:
1. An electronic communication device, comprising: communications circuitry to provide near-field transmitting and receiving communications; a user interface; and control circuitry configured to: (a) maintain a friends list comprising personal information of persons known to a user of the electronic communication device, the friends list also includes a first anonymous user indicia for at least a first person known to the user of the electronic communication device and associated second anonymous user indicia, wherein the first anonymous user indicia corresponds to information that identifies the first person in a database accessible by the electronic communication device but does not include personal information of the first person, (b) maintain a meetings log comprising records of previous meetings between the user and the persons known to a user of the electronic communication device, (c) activate the communications circuitry to determine near-field presence of a second electronic device having a predetermined modality and within communication range of the electronic device, (d) activate the communications circuitry to transmit to the second electronic communication device a portion of the first anonymous user indicia and/or second anonymous user indicia associated with the user of the electronic communication device, wherein the second anonymous user indicia corresponds to information that identifies the user of the electronic communication device in a database accessible by the second electronic communication device but does not include personal information of the user of the electronic communication device, (e) activate the communications circuitry to receive from the second electronic communication device third anonymous user indicia, (f) coordinate the third anonymous user indicia with information on the friends list and/or in the meetings log to determine the presence of any matches between the first and/or second anonymous user indicia and the third anonymous user indicia; and (g) provide to the user interface either a list of matches or an indication of no matches, but to share no personal information until such time as users of the electronic communication device and the second electronic communication device have decided to meet, thereby unambiguously identifying near-field users of electronic communication devices who are potential acquaintances in a way that allows anonymity and concealment of personal information until such time as the decision is made to actually make contact and to share such personal information.