Patent ID: 8369874

Claim:
A method for providing a mobile terminal search service, comprising the steps of: (a) requesting, by a first mobile terminal, to search for a second mobile terminal, the first mobile terminal having avatar information stored thereon; (b) searching for the second mobile terminal within a geographical range corresponding to the avatar information of the first mobile terminal; (c) requesting, by a third mobile terminal, to search for the second mobile terminal, the third mobile terminal having avatar information stored thereon; (d) searching for the second mobile terminal within a geographical range corresponding to the avatar information of the third mobile terminal; and (e) when the second mobile terminal is searched for in common in steps (c) and (d), notifying the first and third mobile terminals of a competition mode based upon one of the avatar information, avatar level or a game between the first and third terminals, wherein when the avatar information of the first terminal is a first level, the searching for the second mobile terminal occurs within a first geographical range, and wherein when the avatar information of the first terminal is a second level, the searching for the second mobile terminal occurs within a second geographical range, the first geographical range being smaller in size than the second geographical range.