Abstract:
A mechanism for initiating contact with someone, via a telecommunications system, who is in the admirer&#39;s proximity, but whose identity or telecommunications address (e.g., telephone number, e-mail address, etc.) is unknown. The illustrative embodiments enable the user to use what information he does know about the admired person—the admiring person&#39;s distinguishing characteristics—to get a telecommunications address through which the initial contact can be made.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of:
         i. U.S. Provisional Application 60/548,410, entitled “Handheld Communications Device For Making Initial Contact Based On Visual Identification,” filed Feb. 28, 2004,   ii. U.S. Provisional Application 60/603,716, entitled “Device And System For Electronic Communications With Visually Identified Targets,” filed Aug. 23, 2004,   iii. U.S. Provisional Application 60/612,953, entitled “Device And System For Wireless Communications With Visually Identified Targets,” filed Sep. 24, 2004, and   iv. U.S. Provisional 60/654,345 entitled “Wireless Communications With Visually-Identified Targets,” filed Feb. 19, 2005.
 
The underlying concepts, but not necessarily the nomenclature, of these applications are incorporated by reference.
       

    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to telecommunications in general, and, more particularly, to mobile social telecommunications. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     All potentially compatible people can be separated into two categories. The first category consists of all the people that one is not aware of because one has not met them, seen them, or even heard of them. This is the group addressed by online dating services, newspaper personal ads, and match makers in that they alert the individual to the existence of specific other individuals who may be compatible. 
     Newer technological developments that serve this same population are hand-held devices such as the Japanese Lovegety and the Spotme device that alert the user to potentially compatible people in the user&#39;s immediate environment that would have otherwise gone unnoticed. Even more recently a cellular telephone company, AT&amp;T Wireless, in conjunction with an online dating service, Match.com, has offered a profile matching service to cellular telephone users that is activated when users are in the same physical proximity. All of these services alert the user to potentially compatible partners that the user otherwise would not know about. 
     The second category of people consists of all the people that one does in fact already know about because one has already met them, heard of them, or at least seen them. This group includes friends, classmates, colleagues, acquaintances, and the largest group—strangers that one becomes aware of in the normal course of everyday activity in a grocery store, elevator, subway train, restaurant, etc. 
     When it comes to having a relationship with someone among this second category, one is usually aware of which individuals one is interested in and which individuals one is not interested in. In this case, the issue then is not who to date, but rather how to go about making that happen. There is, therefore, a need to facilitate developing relationships with the people that one is already interested in. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention facilitates the introduction to people with whom one is aware, without some of the costs and disadvantages of techniques for doing so in the prior art. To this end, the illustrative embodiment of the present invention addresses the three main obstacles that hinder people—admirers—from approaching others that they are attracted to—admired persons. The three obstacles are: 
     Invasiveness—If the admired person is a stranger, it may be awkward to approach him or her because the social circumstance may not be appropriate, conducive, or convenient to physically approach the person. For example, the admired person may be talking on the telephone, or talking to a group of friends. Some embodiments of the present invention address the invasiveness obstacle by providing a non-invasive mechanism for communication (e.g., text messaging, e-mail, etc.) between the admirer and the admired person. 
     Fear of Rejection—The fear of rejection hinders many admirers from approaching admired persons. If the admired person and the admirer already have a non-romantic relationship, such as that of co-workers, then the consequences of rejection can be quite significant. Some embodiments of the present invention address the fear of rejection obstacle by using additional entities (e.g., a data processing system, the admirer&#39;s and admired party&#39;s telecommunications terminals, etc.) to confide their interest in such that only when both persons express an interest in the other do the entities reveal to both of them their mutual attraction. 
     Fear of Embarrassment of Rejection—The fear of being embarrassed in front of one&#39;s friends hinders many admirers from approaching admired persons. Some embodiments of the present invention address the fear of embarrassment of rejection by enabling the admirer to initiate contact with the admired person via his or her telecommunications terminal, which is less conspicuous than approaching the admired person in front of one&#39;s friends. 
     To accomplish these goals, the illustrative embodiments provide a mechanism for initiating contact with someone, via a telecommunications system, who is in the admirer&#39;s proximity, but whose telecommunications address (e.g., telephone number, e-mail address, etc.) is unknown. The illustrative embodiments enable the user to use what information he does know about the admired person—the admired person&#39;s distinguishing characteristics—to determine a telecommunications address through which the initial contact can be made. 
     The first illustrative embodiment comprises: determining an address in the address space of a telecommunications network based on an image of a person; and directing a telecommunications terminal to reveal to a user of the telecommunications terminal at least a portion of a first message that is received from the address in particular, wherein the prior treatment for a message from the address and addressed to the user is to hide at least the portion of the message from the user. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  depicts a diagram of an environment in which the first illustrative embodiment of the present invention operates. 
         FIG. 2  depicts a block diagram of the salient components of wireless terminal  101 - i , for i=1 through 8. 
         FIG. 3  depicts a flowchart of the salient tasks performed by a person&#39;s wireless terminal, in accordance with the first illustrative embodiment, to enable that person to be an admirer. 
         FIG. 4  depicts a flowchart of the salient tasks associated with task  302  in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  depicts a flowchart of the salient tasks performed by a person&#39;s wireless terminal, in accordance with the first illustrative embodiment, to enable that person to be an admired person. 
         FIG. 6  depicts a diagram of an environment in which the second illustrative embodiment of the present invention operates. 
         FIG. 7  depicts a block diagram of the salient components of wireless terminal  601 - i , for i=1 through 8. 
         FIG. 8  depicts a flowchart of the salient tasks performed by a data processing system, in accordance with the second illustrative embodiment, to enable a person to be an admirer. 
         FIG. 9  depicts a flowchart of the salient tasks performed by a data processing system, in accordance with the second illustrative embodiment, to enable a person to be an admired person. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  depicts a diagram of an environment in which the first illustrative embodiment of the present invention operates. Environment  100  is a gathering of eight people within line-of-sight proximity of each other. The fact that the people are within line-of-sight proximity of each other is a salient characteristic of the first illustrative embodiment because the embodiment facilitates the introduction of people who are in actual physical proximity to one another and can see each other. 
     One of the people in the gathering, the “First Person,” sees another person, the “Second Person,” and desires to anonymously initiate communications with him or her. The other people who are present at the gathering are merely bystanders. 
     In accordance with the first illustrative embodiment, each person carries a telecommunications terminal that facilitates the introduction of the First Person and the Second Person. 
       FIG. 2  depicts a block diagram of the salient components of wireless terminal  101 - i , for i=1 through 8. In accordance with the first illustrative embodiment, wireless terminal  101 - i  is distinguishable and addressable by an address in the address space of the telecommunications system in which it functions. This is important because each user&#39;s terminal&#39;s address serves as an identifier for the user such that:
         i. a message addressed to the address of a user&#39;s wireless terminal can be considered a message to the user, and   ii. a message from the address can be considered a message from the user.       

     Wireless terminal  101 - i  comprises processor  201 , memory  202 , transceiver  203 , spatial positioning sensor  204 , and input/output  205 . 
     Processor  201  is a general-purpose processor, in well-known fashion, that is capable of interacting with memory  202 , transceiver  203 , and spatial positioning sensor  204  in well-known fashion, and that is additionally capable of performing the functionality described below and with respect to  FIGS. 3 through 5 . 
     Memory  202  is a non-volatile random-access memory, in well-known fashion, that stores the operating system and application software for processor  201 . In accordance with the first illustrative embodiment, memory  202  also stores an image (e.g., a picture, etc.) of the user associated with the terminal. 
     Transceiver  203  is a bi-directional radio transceiver, in well-known fashion, that enables wireless terminal  101 - i  to communicate voice, text, and video with the other wireless terminals directly (e.g., through a Bluetooth network, etc.), through a base station (e.g., a WiFi access point, etc.) (not shown in  FIG. 1 ), and with remote data processing systems that are accessible via a base station access point, etc. 
     Spatial positioning sensor  204  is a sensor (e.g., a Global Positioning System receiver, etc.), in well-known fashion, that is capable of ascertaining the spatial position (e.g., the latitude and longitude, etc.) of wireless terminal  101 - i.    
     Input/output  205  comprises a keypad, display, camera, and acoustic transducers, in well-known fashion, which enable a user to communicate via voice, text, and video. 
     It will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which one or both of the First Person&#39;s terminal and the Second Person&#39;s terminal are wireline terminals. Furthermore, it will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention that are part of a different system (e.g., a wireless local area network, the Internet, a Bluetooth network, etc.) and, therefore, are distinguishable and addressable by an address (e.g., an IPV6 address, a MAC address, etc.) in a different address space. And still furthermore, it will be clear to those skilled in the art how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention for purposes other than dating and romance (e.g., to facilitate business dealings, etc.). 
     In accordance with the first illustrative embodiment, the First Person&#39;s terminal communicates at the physical layer directly with the Second Person&#39;s terminal without the assistance of a base station or intermediary. Furthermore, in accordance with the first illustrative embodiment, the First Person&#39;s terminal communicates at the application layer directly with the Second Person&#39;s terminal without the assistance of a third-party data processing system. In contrast, the second illustrative embodiment of the present invention, which is described in detail below, operates in conjunction with a data processing system. 
     In accordance with the first illustrative embodiment, each person&#39;s terminal continually runs software that enables the person to be both:
         i. an admirer (i.e., anonymously initiate contact with an admired person), and   ii. an admired person (i.e., receive an anonymous message from an admirer).
 
The functionality depicted in  FIG. 3  enables a person, via his or her terminal, to be an admirer, and the functionality depicted in  FIG. 5  enables a person, via his or her terminal, to be an admired person.
       

     With respect to task  301  in  FIG. 3 , the First Person sees the Second Person. 
     At task  302 , the First Person&#39;s terminal (i) acquires one or more distinguishing factors for the Second Person, and (ii) determines a filtering criterion based on the distinguishing factors. 
     For the purposes of this disclosure, a “distinguishing factor” is defined as information that distinguishes the Second Person from at least one other person. For example, the distinguishing factor includes, but is not limited to:
         i. an indication of a physical trait of the Second Person (e.g., an image, a voiceprint, an iris scan, the person&#39;s genome, a fingerprint, a physical description, etc.), or   ii. an indication of the spatial position of the Second Person (e.g., the latitude and longitude of the Second Person, etc.), or   iii. an indication of the identity of the Second Person (e.g., a name, a social security number, a street address, etc.), or   iv. an address of the Second Person in the address space of a telecommunications network (e.g., a telephone number, a computer screen name, an e-mail address, etc.), or   v. any combination of i, ii, iii, and iv.       

     For the purpose of this disclosure, a “filtering criterion” is defined as information that distinguishes a telecommunications message from the Second Person from a telecommunications message from at least one other person. For example, the filtering criterion includes, but is not limited to:
         i. an address in the address space of a telecommunications network, or   ii. an indication of the identity of a person, and   iii. a combination of i and ii.
 
In accordance with the first illustrative embodiment, the distinguishing factor is an image of the user&#39;s face (i.e., a portrait of the user), and the filtering criterion is the telephone number of the terminal.
       

       FIG. 4  depicts a flowchart of the salient subtasks associated with the performance of task  302  in accordance with the first illustrative embodiment 
     At task  401 , the First Person&#39;s terminal broadcasts a request to all of the other terminals for (i) one or more distinguishing factors, and (ii) one or more filtering criterion for that user. In accordance with the first illustrative embodiment, the First Person&#39;s terminal requests an image of the terminal&#39;s user as the distinguishing factor and the telephone number of the terminal as the filtering criterion. 
     At task  402 , all of the other terminals within the purview of the First Person&#39;s terminal, including the Second Person&#39;s terminal, receive the request transmitted in task  401 . 
     At task  403 , all of the terminals that are programmed to respond to the request, including the Second Person&#39;s terminal, do so. 
     At task  404 , the First Person&#39;s terminal receives a distinguishing factor-filtering criterion pair from each of the responding terminals. 
     At task  405 , the First Person compares the images he or she has received with his or her actual view of the Second Person and indicates to his or her terminal which of the images corresponds to the Second Person. The terminal then selects the telephone number that was received with that image as the filtering criterion for use in tasks  303  through  306 . 
     Because the First Person&#39;s terminal was given the image-address pairs, the task of determining the filtering criterion based on the distinguishing characteristic is simple. But as alluded to previously and as described below and in conjunction with the second illustrative embodiment, the task of determining the filtering criterion based on the distinguishing characteristic can be more complex. For example, it will be clear to those skilled in the art however, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which the First Person&#39;s terminal generates the distinguishing factor itself (e.g., with a camera to take the Second Person&#39;s picture, etc.) or acquires it from another entity (e.g., a remote data processing system, etc.). One example of this is described below and in conjunction with the second illustrative embodiment. 
     As part of task  302 , the First Person compares, with his or her terminal, the images in the responses to the physical traits of the Second Person. When the First Person has determined which of the images corresponds to the Second Person, the First Person indicates that determination to the terminal. In accordance with the first illustrative embodiment the First Person&#39;s terminal is simply given the filtering criterion by the Second Person&#39;s terminal, and the association between the filtering criterion and the distinguishing factor. It will be clear to those skilled in the art however, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which the First Person&#39;s terminal uses the distinguishing factor to determine (e.g., through a pattern matching process, through a lookup process, etc.) the filtering criterion. This can, for example, involve the use of local or remote databases and can also, for example, involve the cooperation of remote data processing systems. One example of this is described below and in conjunction with the second illustrative embodiment. 
     At task  303 , the First Person indicates to his or her terminal his or her interest in communicating with the Second Person and does this by directing the terminal to reveal to him or her the existence and complete content of any messages that have been sent, or might be sent, from the Second Person (as identified by his or her filtering criterion). In accordance with the first illustrative embodiment, the First Person expresses either:
         (1) an active interest to communicate with the Second Person, or   (2) a passive interest to communicate with the Second Person.       

     When the First Person expresses an active interest in communicating with the Second Person, the First Person&#39;s terminal sends a message to the Second Person using the filtering criterion determined in task  302 . The message comprises:
         i. an indication of the identity of the First Person (e.g., the identity of the First Person, an image of the First Person, etc.), and   ii. the First Person&#39;s filtering criterion (e.g., Bluetooth network address, etc.),   iii. a subject (e.g., “Message From An Admirer,” etc.), and   iv. content (e.g., “Can I buy you a drink?” etc.).       

     When, in contrast, the First Person expresses a passive interest to communicate with the Second Person, the First Person does not send a message to the Second Person but informs his or her terminal that he or she is willing to communicate with the Second Person if it receives a message from the Second Person. 
     As described below and with respect to  FIG. 5 , the advantage of active interest is that it alerts the Second Person that he or she has a suitor, and, therefore, might prompt the Second Person to express an interest (either active or passive) to communicate with the First Person when he or she might otherwise not. The disadvantage of active interest is that the pain of rejection is increased if the Second Person does not express an interest to communicate. 
     In contrast, the advantage of passive interest is that it lessens the pain of rejection if the Second Person does not express an interest to communicate. The disadvantage with passive interest is that if both the First Person and the Second Person indicate passive interest with respect to each other, a deadlock arises and nothing materializes even though both persons are interested in each other. 
     In either case, as part of task  303 , the telephone number of the Second Person is stored in a List of Admired Persons that is permanently stored in the First Person&#39;s terminal. An example of such a list is depicted in Table 1. As described below and with respect to  FIG. 5 , this list is used by the terminal when messages arrive for the First Person to enable the terminal to discern which messages are from acceptable Second Persons and which are not. 
     
       
         
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 1 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 List of Admired Persons 
               
               
                 Telephone Number 
               
               
                 (filtering criterion) 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 201-555-2343 
               
               
                 323-443-5523 
               
               
                 345-646-3342 
               
               
                 532-343-6681 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     At task  304 , the First Person&#39;s terminal determines if the Second Person has previously expressed an interest in communicating with the First Person. This is necessary because the First Person&#39;s terminal might have previously received a message from the Second Person and which message was partially or wholly hidden from the First Person. This situation is likely because the First Person might be performing this series of tasks in response to the receipt of a message from the Second Person. In either case, the Second Person&#39;s telephone number is searched for in a List of Admirers (i.e., those people who have sent the First Person a message that was partially or wholly hidden from the First Person) that is permanently stored in the First Person&#39;s terminal. An example of such a list is depicted in Table 2. 
                     TABLE 2               List of Admirers       Telephone Number                   574-587-2541       965-852-3854       532-343-6681       201-587-6936       568-985-9699       542-875-8785                    
How and when Table 2 is populated is described below and with respect to  FIG. 5 . When the Second Person&#39;s telephone number is within the List of Admirers, control passes to task  306 ; otherwise control stops.
 
     At task  305 , the First Person&#39;s terminal alerts the First Person to the fact that the Second Person has previously sent the First Person a message, and, therefore, has previously expressed an interest to communicate. As part of task  305 , the First Person&#39;s terminal reveals to the First Person the entire messages that was received from the Second Person. 
     At task  306 , the First Person&#39;s terminal initiates a voice call with the Second Person&#39;s terminal so that the First Person and the Second Person can freely communicate. It will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which the communication in task  306  is through text, voice, or video. 
       FIG. 5  depicts a flowchart of the salient tasks associated with the First Person and his or her terminal when the First Person receives a message of admiration transmitted from a Second Person. 
     At task  501 , the First Person&#39;s terminal receives a message transmitted from a Second Person. The message comprises:
         i. an indication of the identity of the Second Person,   ii. the Second Person&#39;s terminal&#39;s telephone number,   iii. a subject, and   iv. content.       

     At task  502 , the First Person&#39;s terminal determines if the First Person has ever expressed an interest (either active or passive) in communicating with the Second Person. Task  502  is accomplished by searching for the Second Person&#39;s telephone number in the First Person&#39;s List of Admired Persons. If the Second Person&#39;s telephone number is in the List of Admired Persons, then control passes to task  503 ; otherwise control passes to task  505 . 
     At task  503 , the First Person&#39;s terminal alerts the First Person to the arrival of the message and provides the user with the message. 
     At task  504 , the First Person&#39;s terminal initiates a text messaging session with the Second Person&#39;s terminal so that the First Person and the Second Person can freely communicate. It will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which the communication in task  504  is through voice or video. 
     At task  505 , the First Person&#39;s terminal alerts the First Person to the arrival of the message, and provides the First Person with:
         i. the subject of the message, but withholds:   i. information that identifies the Second Person, and   ii. the Second Person&#39;s terminal&#39;s telephone number, and   iii. the content of the message.
 
Upon the receipt of the message from the Second Person, the First Person might be prompted to look around and consider sending a message to someone he or she admires. If that happens to be the Second Person, then a match is made. In some alternative embodiments of the present invention, all of the message and also its existence are withheld from the admired person until the admired person expresses an interest in communicating with the admirer.
       

     As part of task  505 , the First Person&#39;s terminal adds the Second Person&#39;s terminal&#39;s telephone number to its List of Admirers, as depicted in Table 2. After task  505 , control stops. 
     The first illustrative embodiment illustrates just one way in which the various telecommunications terminals can operate independently and without the assistance of a remote data processing system. Although there are advantages to this, there are disadvantages as well, and, therefore, the second illustrative embodiment illustrates one way in which the various telecommunications terminals can operate in conjunction with a data processing system. 
       FIG. 6  depicts a diagram of an environment in which the second illustrative embodiment of the present invention operates. Environment  600 , like environment  100  in  FIG. 1 , is a gathering of eight people within line-of-sight proximity of each other. The fact that the people are within line-of-sight proximity of each other is a salient characteristic of the second illustrative embodiment because it, like the first illustrative embodiment, facilitates the introduction of people who are in actual physical proximity to one another and can see each other. 
     One of the people in the gathering, the “First Person,” sees another person, the “Second Person,” and desires to anonymously initiate communications with the him or her. The other people who are present at the gathering are merely bystanders. 
     In accordance with the second illustrative embodiment, each person carries a telecommunications terminal that facilitates the introduction of the First Person and the Second Person. 
       FIG. 7  depicts a block diagram of the salient components of wireless terminal  601 - i , for i=1 through 8. In accordance with the second illustrative embodiment, wireless terminal  601 - i  is distinguishable and addressable by an address in the address space of the telecommunications system in which it functions. This is important because each user&#39;s terminal&#39;s address serves as an identifier for the user such that:
         i. a message addressed to the address of a user&#39;s wireless terminal can be considered a message to the user, and   ii. a message from the address can be considered a message from the user.       

     Wireless terminal  601 - i  comprises processor  701 , memory  702 , transceiver  703 , and input/output  705 . 
     Processor  701  is a general-purpose processor, in well-known fashion, that is capable of interacting with memory  702 , transceiver  703 , and input/output  704  in well-known fashion, and that is additionally capable of performing the functionality described below and with respect to  FIGS. 8 and 9 . 
     Memory  702  is a non-volatile random-access memory, in well-known fashion, that stores the operating system and application software for processor  701 . In accordance with the first illustrative embodiment, memory  702  also stores an image (e.g., a picture, etc.) of the user associated with the terminal. 
     Transceiver  703  is a bi-directional radio transceiver, in well-known fashion, that enables wireless terminal  101 - i  to communicate voice, text, and video with the other wireless terminals directly (e.g., through a Bluetooth network, etc.), through a base station (e.g., a WiFi access point, etc.) (not shown in  FIG. 1 ), and with remote data processing systems that are accessible via a base station access point, etc. 
     Input/output  704  comprises a keypad, display, camera, and acoustic transducers, in well-known fashion, which enable a user to communicate via voice, text, and video. 
     It will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which one or both of the First Person&#39;s terminal and the Second Person&#39;s terminal are wireline terminals. Furthermore, it will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention that are part of a different system (e.g., a wireless local area network, the Internet, a Bluetooth network, etc.) and, therefore, are distinguishable and addressable by an address (e.g., an IPV6 address, a MAC address, etc.) in a different address space. And still furthermore, it will be clear to those skilled in the art how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention for purposes other than dating and romance (e.g., to facilitate business dealings, etc.). 
     In accordance with the second illustrative embodiment, the First Person&#39;s terminal communicates at the physical layer with base station  602 . Furthermore, in accordance with the second illustrative embodiment, the First Person&#39;s terminal communicates at the application layer with data processing system  603 . 
     In accordance with the second illustrative embodiment, data processing system  603  continually runs software that enables each person to be both:
         i. an admirer, and   ii. an admired person.
 
The functionality depicted in  FIG. 8  enables a person, via his or her terminal, to be an admirer, and the functionality depicted in  FIG. 9  enables a person, via his or her terminal, to be an admired person.
       

     With respect to task  801  in  FIG. 8 , the First Person sees the Second Person. 
     At task  802 , the First Person acquires one or more distinguishing factors for the Second Person by capturing an image (e.g., taking a picture, etc.) of the Second Person with his or her terminal. 
     At task  803 , the First Person transmits the image to data processing system  603 , which contains a database of image/username pairs. As part of task  803 , data processing system  603  uses facial recognition software to match the received image to one of the images in its database, and, therefore determines the filtering criterion (e.g., username) for the Second Person. Data processing system  603  then notifies the First Person that it has successfully identified the Second Person. 
     At task  804 , the First Person indicates to data processing system  603 , via his or her terminal, his or her interest in communicating with the Second Person and does this by directing data processing system  603  to reveal to him or her the existence and complete content of any messages that have been sent, or might be sent, from the Second Person (as identified by his or her filtering criterion). In accordance with the second illustrative embodiment, the First Person expresses either:
         (1) an active interest to communicate with the Second Person, or   (2) a passive interest to communicate with the Second Person.       

     When the First Person expresses an active interest in communicating with the Second Person, the First Person&#39;s terminal sends a message to the Second Person through data processing system  603  using the filtering criterion determined in task  802 . The message comprises:
         i. an indication of the identity of the First Person (e.g., the identity of the First Person, an image of the First Person, etc.), and   ii. the First Person&#39;s filtering criterion (e.g., Bluetooth network address, etc.),   iii. a subject (e.g., “Message From An Admirer,” etc.), and   iv. content (e.g., “Can I buy you a drink?” etc.).       

     In either case, as part of task  803 , the username of the Second Person is stored in a List of Admired Persons that is permanently stored in data processing system  603 . An example of such a list is depicted in Table 3. 
     
       
         
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 3 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 List of Admired Persons 
               
               
                 UserName 
               
               
                 (filtering criterion) 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 HotBunny 
               
               
                 2Sexy4U 
               
               
                 CharleneZZZ 
               
               
                 LILSweetie 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     At task  805 , data processing system  603  determines if the Second Person has previously expressed an interest in communicating with the First Person. This is necessary because the First Person&#39;s terminal might have previously received a message from the Second Person, which message was partially or wholly hidden from the First Person by data processing system  603 . This situation is likely because the First Person might be performing this series of tasks in response to the receipt of a message from the Second Person. In either case, the Second Person&#39;s username is searched for in a List of Admirers (i.e., those people who have sent the First Person a message that was partially or wholly hidden from the First Person) that is permanently stored in the data processing system. An example of such a list is depicted in Table 4. 
                     TABLE 4               List of Admirers       UserName                   RU4ME       MarysHot       Shelle       LoveLorn       BarbieQ                    
How and when Table 4 is populated is described below and with respect to  FIG. 9 . When the Second Person&#39;s username is within the List of Admirers, control passes to task  806 ; otherwise control stops.
 
     At task  806 , data processing system  603  directs the First Person&#39;s terminal to alert the First Person to the fact that the Second Person has previously sent the First Person a message, and, therefore, has previously expressed an interest to communicate. As part of task  806 , data processing system  603  transmits to the First Person&#39;s terminal the entire messages that was received from the Second Person. 
     At task  807 , data processing system  603  initiates a text-messaging session between the First Person&#39;s terminal and the Second Person&#39;s terminal so that the First Person and the Second Person can freely communicate. It will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which the communication in task  806  is through text, voice, or video. 
       FIG. 9  depicts a flowchart of the salient tasks performed by data processing system when a message is sent from a Second Person to a First Person. 
     At task  901 , data processing system  603  terminal receives a message transmitted from a Second Person to a First Person, wherein both persons are identified by their respective usernames. The message comprises:
         i. an indication of the identity of the Second Person,   ii. the Second Person&#39;s username,   iii. a subject, and   iv. content.       

     At task  902 , data processing system  603  determines if the First Person has ever expressed an interest (either active or passive) in communicating with the Second Person. Task  902  is accomplished by searching for the Second Person&#39;s username in the First Person&#39;s List of Admired Persons. If the Second Person&#39;s username is in the First Person&#39;s List of Admired Persons, then control passes to task  903 ; otherwise control passes to task  905 . 
     At task  903 , data processing system  603  transmits a message to the First Person&#39;s terminal to alert the First Person to the arrival of the message and provides the user with the message. 
     At task  904 , data processing system  603  initiates a text-messaging session between the Second Person&#39;s terminal and the First Person&#39;s terminal so that the Second Person and the First Person can freely communicate. It will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which the communication in task  904  is through text, voice, or video. 
     At task  905 , data processing system  603  transmits to the First Person&#39;s terminal to alert the First Person to the arrival of the message and provides the First Person with:
         i. the subject of the message.       

     Data processing system  603  withholds from the Fourth First Person&#39;s terminal:
         i. information that identifies the Second Person, and   iii. the Second Person&#39;s terminal&#39;s username, and   ii. the content of the message.
 
Upon the receipt of the message from the Second Person, the First Person might be prompted to look around and consider sending a message to someone he or she admires. If that happens to be the Second Person, then a match is made. As part of task  905 , data processing system  603  adds the Second Person&#39;s terminal&#39;s username to its List of Admirers, as depicted in Table 4. After task  905 , control stops. In some alternative embodiments of the present invention, all of the message and also its existence are withheld from the admired person until the admired person expresses an interest in communicating with the admirer.
       

     It will be clear to those skilled in the art, after reading this disclosure, how to make and use alternative embodiments of the present invention in which the First Person&#39;s terminal withholds some or all of the subject or content of the message from the First Person. 
     It is to be understood that the illustrative embodiment of the present invention is merely one embodiment of the invention and that many variations of the illustrative embodiment can be made and used without departing from the scope of the invention. For this reason, these variations are to be included within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents.