Abstract:
A computer system for tracking the interest of visitors and vendors in a trade fair. The system has a plurality of sets of tokens, where each set of tokens has a unique ID which is associated with a visitor. A data entry device compatible with the sets of tokens is connected to a computer. A database is maintained by the computer and stores the associations between the unique IDs and the visitors. The database further stores a list of the vendors. For each vendor in the list, the database creates a second set of associations between the vendor and the unique IDs in response to the tokens being placed in communication with the data entry device. Each token placed in communication with the data entry is representative of the visitor associated with the token having an interest in the vendor which is being processed.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention relates generally to computerized systems for tracking the establishment of business-to-business relationships, and more particularly to such systems wherein the relationship data for such a computerized system is derived from the presentation of tokens from one business to another.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Many corporations are desirous of facilitating the establishment of successful minority-owned businesses. One envisioned method of facilitating the growth of such successful businesses is for a corporation to host a forum, such as a business fair, where host corporation&#39;s suppliers may be introduced to representatives of minority-owned businesses. Since many minority-owned businesses are too small to be directly suitable for the host corporation, it is the hope of the host corporation that its suppliers&#39; needs may instead be satisfied by the minority owned businesses. If a minority-owned business is successful in winning a suppliers&#39; business, the minority-owned business then has the opportunity to grow organically with manageable risk and at a manageable rate.  
         [0003]     In order for the host corporation to measure the success of its hosting effort, it is desirous for the host corporation to have a system of tracking participating minority-owned businesses and suppliers, and their resultant efforts at doing business with one another.  
         [0004]     To date, such systems have relied on human effort and record keeping and have suffered from the shortcomings of humans. For example, persons may forget to record that an introductory meeting occurred between a minority-owned business and a supplier, they may forget to follow-up as to whether a successful business relationship grew from the host event, and so forth.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     In accordance with these needs identified in the prior art, a computer system is provided for tracking the interest of visitors and vendors in a trade fair. The system has a plurality of sets of tokens, where each set of tokens has a unique ID which is associated with a visitor. A data entry device compatible with the sets of tokens is connected to a computer. A database is maintained by the computer and stores the associations between the unique IDs and the visitors. The database further stores a list of the vendors. For each vendor in the list, the database creates a second set of associations between the vendor and the unique IDs in response to the tokens being placed in communication with the data entry device. Each token placed in communication with the data entry is representative of the visitor associated with the token having an interest in the vendor which is being processed.  
         [0006]     Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)  
       [0007]      FIG. 1  depicts a computer system of the invention.  
         [0008]      FIG. 2  depicts a trade fair arrangement of the invention.  
         [0009]      FIG. 3  depicts a computer system of the invention.  
         [0010]      FIG. 4  depicts a method of the invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0011]     Turning now to  FIG. 1 , a computer system of the present invention is shown. A plurality of tokens  10   a - f  are provided. Each token has a unique ID and is associated with a visitor of the trade fair. A token may be, for example, an RF device, a bar coded card, a magnetic strip card, or an equivalent thereof. A token may also be substituted with a biometric of a visitor, such as a fingerprint or retinal pattern.  
         [0012]     Each vendor of the trade fair is provided with a data entry device  20   a - c  for reading the tokens  10   a - f . A data entry device may therefore be, for example, an RF receiver, a bar code reader, a magnetic card reader, or an equivalent thereof suitable for reading the chosen token type. In the case biometrics are used in place of a token, the data entry devices  20   a - c  are substituted with a biometric reader, such as a fingerprint reader or a retina-scanning device.  
         [0013]     The data entry devices  20   a - c  are connected to a computer  24  via a network connection  22 . The computer  24  maintains a database  26  for associating each trade fair vendor with visitors interested in developing a business relationship with a respective vendor. The database  26  makes an association between a visitor and vendor because of a vendor&#39;s data entry device  20   a - c  communicating with a visitor&#39;s token  10   a - f . For example, in  FIG. 1 a  visitor associated with token  10   a  may be interested in developing a business relationship with the vendor associated with data entry device  20   a . The interested visitor&#39;s token  10   a  is therefore placed in communication with the data entry device  20   a  in possession of the vendor. The communication between the token  10   a  and the data entry device  20   a  is represented by a lighting bolt symbol. Communication may be effected by placing an RF token in proximity to an RF receiver type of data entry device, by scanning a bar coded card with a bar code reader type of data entry device, by swiping a magnetic strip card token through a magnetic reader type of data entry device, or by whichever action is suitable for effecting communication between a chosen type of token and a chosen type of data entry device. In the event a visitor&#39;s biometric is used instead of a token, the communication may be effected by the visitor presenting his appropriate body part to the biometric data entry device.  
         [0014]     Further inspection of the example of  FIG. 1  shows that in addition the database associating token  10   a  with data entry device  20   a , token  10   b  is also associated with data entry device  20   b , and tokens  10   d - f  are associated with data entry device  20   c . While not shown, it is also envisioned by the inventor that a particular token may be associated with more than one data entry device  20   a - c.    
         [0015]     The computer  24  generates reports and contacts  28  representative of the visitor token/vendor data entry device associations made in the database  26 . The reports may show, for example, each association made, the quantity and identities of visitors, and the quantity and identities of vendors. The computer also generates letters for delivery, either by electronic mail via the internet or by the postal service, where the letters provide a formal introduction between the vendors and visitors associated in the database  26 .  
         [0016]     In one embodiment, the visitors of the trade fair are representatives of suppliers and the vendors are representatives of minority-owned businesses, however it is envisioned that the positions of the visitors and vendors may be swapped. The facility and computer system may be provided a host corporation.  
         [0017]     Turning now to  FIG. 2 , an alternate embodiment is shown. A trade fair space  34  is provided. Each visitor  30  is associated with a set of unique tokens  32   a - g . In this embodiment, a token may be, for example, an RF device, a bar coded card, a magnetic strip card, or an equivalent thereof. In the example of  FIG. 2 , visitor  30   a  is associated with unique tokens  32   a , visitor  30   b  is associated with unique tokens  32   b , and so forth. Sets of unique tokens  32   f - g  wait to be associated with arriving visitors, such as arriving visitor  30   f . The association between a set of unique tokens and arriving visitors preferably occurs at a token distribution area  38 , however it is envisioned that such association may also take place prior to the trade fair, such as during a registration period for prospective visitors.  
         [0018]     Once in the trade fair space  34 , visitors  30   a - e  are free to visit any or all of the vendors  36   a - c . If a particular visitor is interested in exploring a business relationship with a vendor, the visitor then leaves one of his tokens with the vendor. In the example of  FIG. 2 , it can be seen that visitor  30   a  has left one of his tokens  32   a  with vendor  36   a . This indicates that visitor  30   a  is interested in exploring a business relationship with vendor  36   a . Similarly, it can be seen that visitors  30   b - c  are interested in exploring business relationships with vendor  36   b , and visitor  30   d  is interested in exploring a business relationship with vendor  36   c . Visitor  30   e  has not left one of his unique tokens (which would be  32   e ) with a vendor and has therefore not yet indicated an interest in exploring a business relationship with one of vendors  36   a - c.    
         [0019]     At the conclusion of the trade fair, the tokens are collected from each vendor. Each vendor&#39;s tokens are kept in a group separate from the tokens collected from the other vendors. Each token within a group of tokens is then placed in communication with a data entry device  40  such that shown in  FIG. 3 . Communication may be effected by placing an RF token in proximity to an RF receiver type of data entry device  40 , by scanning a bar coded card with a bar code reader type of data entry device  40 , by swiping a magnetic strip card token through a magnetic reader type of data entry device  40 , or by whichever action is suitable for effecting communication between a chosen type of token and a chosen type of data entry device  40 . This process is repeated for each group of tokens.  
         [0020]     The data entry device  40  is connected to a computer  42 . In response to the communications between each token and the data entry device  40 , the computer  42  maintains a database  44  that associates each vendor  32   a - c  with its associated group of tokens that were collected at the conclusion of the trade fair. The database also maintains an association between each unique token  32   a - f  and the particular visitor  30   a - f  to which it was assigned when the tokens were initially distributed to the visitors. The computer  42  then uses information in database  44  to generate reports that may show, for example, each association made, the quantity and identities of visitors, and the quantity and identities of vendors.  
         [0021]     Turning now to  FIG. 4 , a method of the present invention is described. The method is preferably executed by computer  24  or  42 , depending on the chosen system architectures from  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The method is entered at block  50  and progresses to block  52 . In block  52 , a vendor list is created. In the event each vendor is in possession of a data entry device  20   a - c , the vendor list associates each vendor with his data entry device  20   a - c . From block  52  the method progress to block  54  and associates a token with each visitor. In the event tokens are substituted by biometrics, each visitor is associated with his respective biometric. From block  54 , the method progresses to block  56 . In block  56 , a particular token is associated with a particular vendor each time a token is placed in communication with a data entry device. From block  56 , the method proceeds to block  58  where the reports are generated based on the associations made in block  56 . From block  58 , the method proceeds to block  60  and contact letters are generated for the trade fair visitors and vendors. Again, these letters are generated based on the associations made in block  56 . The letters serve to facilitate the creation of a business relationship between the visitors and vendors in response to the presentation of tokens made during a trade fair such as shown in  FIG. 1  or  FIG. 3 . The letters are distributed to the respective vendors and visitors in block  62 . In block  64 , the hosting corporation may follow-up with the trade fair participants, e.g. the visitors and vendors, in order to determine whether successful business relationships occurred because of the trade fair. This allows the hosting corporation to determine a degree of success of the trade fair.  
         [0022]     While the best mode for carrying out the invention has been described in detail, those familiar with the art to which this invention relates will recognize alternative designs and embodiment for practicing the invention. Thus, the above described preferred embodiment is intended to be illustrative of the invention that may be modified within the scope of the following appended claims.