Many persons, particularly singles, feel the need to come into contact with other persons. In places of entertainment for example, such as bars and discos, many people are often present, but it is found to be difficult to approach strangers. The process of matching up persons who in whatever way might be interested in one another is usually left, in practice, to the initiative of those persons themselves.

Proposals have been made of technical aids to allow persons to come into contact with other persons. A distinction needs to be drawn here between, on the one hand, a first type of technical aids which enable persons to make better contact themselves, and, on the other hand, a second type of technical aids which match persons to one another.

Regarding the first type of technical aids, a distinction can be made between aids for public contact, e. g. the so-called Chatbox of the Veronica broadcasting corporation, and aids for personal contact, such as the so- called TMF Party of the television station The Music Factory, and the apparatus described in DE-A-44 31 707.

According to the latter publication, a person who is interested in an other person causes his apparatus (which for example is worn round the wrist) to transmit his telephone number by means of infrared radiation. The apparatus of the other person is able to intercept said telephone number and optionally transmit the telephone number of the other person.

The technical aids of the second type are able to operate without more detailed information regarding e. g. qualities and interests of the persons in question, the process in fact being one of random matching of persons. The probability that any contact made will be successful is particularly small with this method, since the qualities and interests of the person can be widely divergent.

The technical aids of the second type can also operate with information specified beforehand in a so-called data profile, said information relating e. g. to qualities and interests of the person in question, or alternatively with criteria specified in a data profile and set by persons for contacts with other persons. In this case, persons are matched to one another only if the data profiles specified by each of them are sufficiently compatible with one another (profile matching). The probability that any contact made will be successful is higher than with random matching, and increases as the scope of the data profiles increases. The method is very time-consuming, however, since extensive data files have to be built up. A first example of a technical aid used for the method is disclosed by WO-A-90/13828, in which a system for tracing mutually compatible persons is described. To this end, each person has a memory device which contains a list of personal data such as interests and character traits. A central computer system compares the personal data of different persons and pages persons having compatible qualities by means of radio telephones. The persons are therefore passive and are matched on the basis of a plurality of qualities specified beforehand. The appearance of the persons is not taken into consideration, which can easily lead to disappointments. DE-U-297 03 365 describes an apparatus which checks, at regular intervals, whether comparable apparatuses are located in the vicinity of the wearer of the apparatus. In a memory area of each apparatus data of desired persons can be stored, which can be compared with the data of wearers of other apparatuses.

The technical aids of the second type can also work with identifications, which involves persons being matched to one another on the basis of their identification (s) (identification matching). The interest in a match of a person to an other person can originate from one of the persons or from both persons. If, in the latter case, the persons are located at physically separate locations, no direct contact is possible, which means that the mutual selection can be unsatisfactory. In this context it has, for example, been proposed (see http://www. secretadmirer. com)

that anonymous e-mails be compared with the aid of a computer and, in the event of cross-compatibility of senders and recipients, a message to be output to the senders. The e-mails need to be addressed to a specific person, whose identity must therefore be known beforehand. This method is therefore not suitable for matching up persons who do not know one another. Moreover, all the persons involved need to have an e-mail address.

It is an object of the invention to overcome the abovementioned and other drawbacks of the prior art and to specify a method and a system which enable persons located in one another's vicinity to be matched up anonymously and by simple means at a physical location, without said persons having to know one another beforehand.

It is a further object of the invention to specify a method and system for matching up persons, which are suitable for use in physically demarcated locations, such as bars, discos, marquees, festival sites, etc., with the possible option of some level of entertainment being provided.

It is another object of the invention to specify a method and system for matching up persons, which are suitable for use in public spaces (on terraces, in trains or buses, on motorways etc.) by making use of a telecommunications network.

To this end, the invention provides a method of matching up persons on the basis of pairs of identifications, each pair comprising a self-identification and an other identification, and the persons each being provided with a self-identification, said method comprising: (a) a person determining the identification of an other person and inputting said identification into an input device associated with the former person in order to obtain an other identification, the other person possibly receiving a message that his identification has been input; (b) transferring the self-identification of the person and the other identification of the other person by the input device to a comparison device; (c) storing the transferred identifications in the comparison device and comparing the

transferred identifications each time with previously transferred identifications; and (d) outputting a message by the comparison device if the other identification of a first person is identical with the self-identification of a second person and the other identification of the second person is identical to the self-identification of a first person.

As a result of a readable identification being worn or supplied in some other way or of an identification being determined in some other way it is not necessary for the persons to know one another beforehand and, for example, to know one anothers name. As a result of the identification of an other person being read out, transferred or determined, said other person can be identified, possibly without knowing his/her name.

By also transferring, to a comparison device, both the self-identification and the selected other identification of the person with whom the first person would want to be matched, the first person can specify anonymously his/her intention to be matched up with said other person, i. e. without informing said other person directly of this fact. After the transfer, the comparison device has a pair of identifications at its disposal. If the comparison device of a second person which can be identical to or different from the abovementioned identification device, receives a corresponding pair of identifications, both persons are apparently interested in a match and a message is output.

The invention is based on the insight that a person has need of anonymity as long as it is uncertain whether an other person is interested. If the other person likewise proves to wish to be matched up with the person in question, the anonymity can be lifted, this taking place, according to the invention, e. g. by a visible, sensible or audible message being output to both persons.

The invention is based on the further insight that the matching of persons can be considerably simplified by providing the persons with a readable identification which does not necessarily comprise the name of the person but, for example, other symbols and/or colours.

The reading out of a readable identification can take place visually or with the aid of reading means (for a bar code or a radio tag, for example). To this end the reading means can be provided with optical and/or electromagnetic transmitting and/or receiving means.

The identification of a person can also be determined in a way other than reading out a readable identification, such as selecting a passport photograph from a series of passport photographs stored in a memory and displayed by means of a display device.

Whilst it is possible for stationary terminals (computers) to be used as input devices, the persons are preferably each equipped with their own portable input device. Thus the persons concerned are able to input and transfer an identification in an essentially location- independent manner. This considerably increases the user friendliness. Moreover, anonymity is ensured more effectively.

Preferably, the message is transferred by the comparison device to the respective input devices of the persons in question. In the process, the message can be made known by a visible, audible or sensible indication which preferably can be recognized not only by the user but also by bystanders. Thus the person's attention is drawn to the existence of a match, and the existence of said match is also made known to others, including the other person concerned.

Advantageously, the method can be implemented in such a way that the message is displayed on a central display unit. This can take place instead of the display by the input devices or in addition thereto.

The method according to the invention is preferably implemented in closed groups of persons and makes it possible to match persons directly (in real time).

The invention further provides a system for matching up persons, comprising: identification means wearable by each person to enable recognition of an identification associated with the person; at least one input device for the purpose of a person inputting an

identification of one of the other persons and transferring the input identification and a self-identification to a comparison device; and a comparison device for storing the transferred identifications, each time comparing the transferred identifications with previously transferred identifications, and outputting a message if the other identification of a first person is identical with the self- identification of a second person and the other identification of the second person is identical with the self-identification of the first person.

Such a system, which in principle can consist of relatively inexpensive components, allows anonymous matching of persons to be carried out in a simple manner. The identification means, which can, for example, be worn by the persons concerned on their clothing, are not coupled to the comparison device (s), but can be read out remotely, either visually or with technical aids.

The invention further provides a system for matching up persons, comprising: identification determining means for the purpose of a person determining an identification pertaining to one of the other persons; at least one input device for inputting the determined identification and transferring the determined identification and a self-identification to a comparison device; and a comparison device for storing the transferred identifications, each time comparing the transferred identifications with previously transferred identifications, and outputting a message if the other identification of a first person is identical with the self-identification of a second person and the other identification of the second person is identical with the self-identification of the first person.

With such a system, the persons need not wear any readable identification, the identification instead being determined in a certain other way, for example with reference to passport photographs, as described hereinabove.

In a preferred embodiment of the system according to the invention use is made of an existing telecommunications network, such as the public telephony

network. To this end, provision is made according to the invention for a system for matching up persons, comprising: a telecommunications network including network terminals operated by the persons and means for establishing links between the network terminals, each person having a self- identification and each network terminal being provided with an input device for inputting an other identification pertaining to an other person; a service provider which is incorporated in the telecommunications network for managing a set of access codes for the network terminals and associated identifications; identification transmission means for transmitting the identifications of persons located in the vicinity of a person to a network terminal of the person; and a comparison device for storing the transferred identifications, each time comparing the transferred identifications with previously transferred identifications, and establishing a link between the network terminal of a first person and the network terminal of a second person, if the other identification of the first person is identical with the self-identification of the second person and the other identification of the second person is identical with the self-identification of the first person. In particular, for this arrangement, each access code and associated identification is supplemented with previously determined picture material of the person associated with the access code and identification, the identification transmission means being designed for the supplementary transmission of the picture material associated with each identification, such as passport photographs, photographs and videos.

The invention will be explained below in more detail with reference to the Figures.

Figure 1 schematically shows a first embodiment of a system for identifying persons according to the invention.

Figure 2 schematically shows a second embodiment of a system for the mutual identification and matching of persons according to the invention.

Figure 3 schematically shows an input device for use in the system of Figure 1.

Figure 4 shows identification means for use in the method and the system according to the invention.

Figure 5 shows a flow diagram of the method according to the invention.

The embodiment, shown only schematically and by way of example in Figure 1, of a system for matching up persons comprises identification means 1, input devices 3, a central comparison device 4 and a central display device 5.

Two persons A, B, which according to the invention are being matched anonymously are each provided with an identification means la and lb, respectively. Each identification means 1 is provided with a visible identification 2, unique within a group of persons, such as a number, a code name, a colour code or the like. In addition to this, a bar code can be provided on the identification means as supplementary identification, said bar code preferably corresponding to at least one identification. This will be explained below in more detail with reference to Figure 4.

In the embodiment shown, the input devices 3a, 3b are of such design that they can be attached to the wrist of the persons concerned. The input devices 3 comprise a keyboard, as will be explained below in more detail with reference to Figure 3. Via this keyboard, the user (e. g. person A) can input the identification of an other person (e. g. person B). The input device 3 thereupon transfers the self-identification of person A (identification 2a) and the input identification of person B (identification 2b) to the comparison device 4. Said transfer preferably takes place wireless, e. g. by means of infrared light or radiowaves. For this purpose the comparison device 4 can be provided with suitable transmitting and receiving means, including e. g. an aerial 6.

If person B wishes to make contact with person A, person B can input the identification 2a of person A on his input device 3b, whereupon the self-identification of person B (identification 2b) and the input identification of person A (identification 2a) are transferred to the comparison device 4. The comparison device compares the received pairs

of identifications and, in the case outlined, will conclude that the pair of identifications transferred by the input device 3a corresponds, in both directions, to the pair of identifications transferred by the input device 3b. In consequence of said correspondence, the comparison device 4 outputs a message which can be displayed, for example, on an (optional) central display device 5. In addition thereto, or instead thereof, the message can be transferred, e. g. via the aerial 6, to the input devices 3a, 3b, whereupon the message is made audible and/or visible to the persons concerned and preferably also to bystanders. This will be explained below in more detail with reference to Figure 3.

Thus the persons A and B who have input each other's identification have been matched up or at least been made aware of their mutual interest.

Preferably, each input device 3 is permanently provided with a (self-) identification (device identification), which is coupled to the identification of the corresponding identification means 1. Said coupling or association between the input device 3, the identification 2 and the name of the person concerned is preferably stored beforehand in a central list. The input device 3 and the comparison device 4 can be of such design that it is possible to cancel an input (other) identification. This gives the person concerned the option of putting right any mistakes and to revert an initial choice of a person to be approached.

In the embodiment of Figure 2, the input devices 3 are not of portable, but of stationary design. Here, the input devices 3 are, for example, terminals which are permanently linked to the comparison device 4. The terminals 3 and the comparison devices 4 can be formed by conventional computers (PCs). Here, too, an (optional) central display unit 5 can be coupled to the comparison device 4.

The input devices 3 can be used for inputting both the self-identification and the other identification.

Preferably, however, the input devices 3 are of such design that they can read the identification 1 of the person using the input device 3. To this end, a bar-code reader, for

example, is coupled to the input device 3, and an (other) identification can only be input once said bar code has been read. Mistakes are thus avoided. Alternately, identification is possible by means of transponders, magnetic cards or smart cards.

Figure 3 depicts a preferred embodiment of a portable input device 3. The input device 3 comprises a keyboard 31 for inputting an identification, a display monitor 32 for displaying the input identification and the number of available attempts, and a message indicator 33 for visibly displaying the message that a match has been made.

The device further comprises a delete key 34 for deleting an input identification and a cancel key 35 for cancelling an identification which has already been transferred. Instead of, or in addition to, the message indicator 33, the input device can comprise means for emitting sound or a vibration.

An infrared element 36 is used for the transmission and reception, by means of infrared light, of signals which, for example, contain identifications. The wrist strap 38 can be used to attach the input device 3 to the wrist of a user.

The embodiment shown of the input device 3 is suitable for manually inputting a (numerical) identification of another user with the aid of the keyboard 31. The input identification, and possible user options, can be displayed on the screen 32. Thus the screen 32 can, for example, display the prompt:"transmit input identification?", allowing said identification and any additional data, such as the device identification, to be transferred by means of infrared signals as a result of a specific key of the keyboard 31 being pressed.

Alternately, the input of the (other) identification can be made to take place not via the keyboard 31, but automatically. To this end, the input device 3 can, for example, be provided with means (not shown) to produce a light beam (e. g. a laser beam) by means of which a supplementary identification (2'in Figure 4) can be read out remotely. Equally, the input device 3 can be suitable for receiving (e. g. electromagnetic) signals from other input devices 3 or identification means 1 and be

capable of automatic selection of the strongest signal. As a result, the user is able to select the nearest other person.

Figure 4 shows identification means 1 which, in the example shown, consist of a so-called badge which can be pinned to the clothes of the user. The badge comprises an identification 2 which consists of a number which can be read by other persons. Moreover, a supplementary identification 2'is affixed which matches the identification 2 and can be read by a bar-code reader.

Instead of optical identification means, electromagnetic identification means can be used, such as a so-called transponder which, in response to an electromagnetic paging signal, outputs a code signal (identification) which is likewise electromagnetic.

The flow diagram of Figure 5 is a schematic representation of the method according to the invention.

In an initialization step 50, the persons involved in the procedure are provided with a (self-) identification.

This can be a visually readable identification, as indicated by 2 in Figure 4. It can also involve a machine-readable identification, as is indicated by 2'in Figure 4. For automatic readout, a (stationary or portable) input device can be provided with e. g. a laser-scanner. The identification can further consist of a recorded picture of (the face of) a person, said recorded picture being stored in a central device and on request being transmitted wireless to an input device, as will be explained below in more detail.

In a selection step 51, one other identification at a time is selected with the aid of an input device. To do this, an initial selection can be made by a person from e. g. visually readable identifications (visible numbers), after which the selected other identification is input into his/her input device. Said inputting can take place, for example, by manual input of alphanumeric data on a keyboard.

The selection can also take place after inputting.

To this end, a plurality of other identifications can be transferred to an input device, after which either the user of said input device or the input device itself performs a

selection. This will be explained in more detail with reference to two examples.

In the first example, the initialization step 50, as stated above, involves the taking of pictures (electronic passport photographs) of the persons concerned. If a person wishes to be matched up with an other person, the one person (A) positions himself in the vicinity of the other person (B) and operates an identification key of his portable input device. Thereupon, his input device sends a signal to a central device in which the recorded pictures are stored.

Thereupon the central device transmits a number of recorded pictures to the input device concerned. Preferably, these are only the recorded pictures of the other persons who are located in proximity to the one person. Said proximity can be output by means of a position determination (e. g. on the basis of signal strength or with the aid of GPS) of the input device worn by the persons. Alternately, the recorded pictures of persons can also be stored non-centrally in the input devices of the persons concerned, and are transferred when an other person operates the identification key of his portable input device. The one person (A) displays the received recorded pictures on a monitor of his input device and from these selects an other person (B) by operating a selection key. The selection therefore takes place from a number of identifications (recorded pictures) which have been transferred to the input device.

In the second example, where no use is made of recorded pictures, the one person (A) likewise positions himself in the vicinity of the other person (B) with whom the one person wishes to be matched. The one person (A) operates the identification key of his portable input device, whereupon all other input devices transmit an identification code. The input device of the one person (A) can now automatically, on the basis of the signal strength with which the identification codes have been received, select an other person.

To return to Figure 5, by a transfer step 52 both the self-identification, i. e. the identification of the user of the input device, and/or the identification of the input

device itself and also the other identification, i. e. the identification of an other person and/or the identification of an input device of the other person, are transferred to either a central comparison device or another input device.

In the first case, the case in which pairs of identifications are compared centrally, said pairs are stored in the central device, in expectation of a possibly corresponding second pair of identifications transferred by an other person. In the second case, in which the input devices are all provided with a non-central comparison device, comparison can take place directly.

In a comparison step 53, pairs of identifications are subjected to cross-comparison. To this end, checks are carried out continuously in a central comparison device as to whether the other identification of a first person is identical to the self-identification of a second person and vice versa. In the case of a non-central comparison, checks are constantly carried out as to whether the received other identification is identical to the self-identification and whether the received self-identification is identical to the (stored) other identification.

If the cross-comparison of step 53 has resulted in conformity, in a notification step 54 a message is output to the input devices concerned, by which the persons concerned are made aware of the existence of a match. Then the method is terminated in step 55, or a return is made to step 51.

One embodiment of the invention, based on the use of a telecommunications network, makes use of network terminals with access codes, such as stationary and mobile telephones with telephone numbers, which are employed by persons to make links between the network terminals via the telecommunications network. In particular, the following will be based on a telecommunications network composed of cells for mobile telephones, in which the location where the mobile telephone and therefore the person using the mobile telephone is situated, can be determined at least down to cell level.

Within the telecommunications network, a service provided by a service provider is available, where the

access codes, such as telephone numbers, of the network terminals of persons participating in the service and the corresponding identifications are managed.

In a first embodiment, use is made of the fact that persons present on or in a motor vehicle, such as a car, lorry, motorcycle or moped can be identified on the basis of the registration number of the motor vehicle. When a first person wishes to come into contact with a second person present in his/her vicinity on or in a motor vehicle having a specific registration number, the first person, using his/her network terminal, contacts the service provider where registration numbers and corresponding telephone numbers of persons taking part in the service are stored.

After the registration number of the motor vehicle of the second person has been entered via an input device, for example via a keyboard of the network terminal, the service provider locates the first and/or second person, and sends a message to the second person, if he/she is also a subscriber to the service, via the telecommunication network that a call to make contact has been received, accompanied by all the registration numbers of motor vehicles present in the vicinity of the second person. The transmission of registration numbers can take place immediately or only after the second person has indicated his/her interest in a contact. The second person is able, on the basis of his/her observations of persons present in his/her vicinity in or on motor vehicles provided with registration numbers, to make a selection from the received registration numbers and to feed this selection to a comparison device installed in the telecommunications network, after which, if the comparison device has established conformity between the registration number of the second person which was selected by the first person, and the registration number of the first person which was selected by the second person, the service provider sets up a telecommunications link between the network terminals of the first and the second person. The service provider can work entirely without human intervention, for example via talking computers, message exchange and the like.

Alternately it is possible for telephone numbers of persons and corresponding picture material such as (passport) photographs and videos to be stored with the service in the telecommunications network, with the option of displaying the picture material on each network terminal.

If a first person wishes to come into contact, in this embodiment of the invention, with a second person located in proximity to the first person, the first person contacts the service via his network terminal. The service provider then sends picture material of other persons (subscribers to the service) located in proximity to the first person to the network terminal of the first person. The latter uses an input device (e. g. a keyboard) of his/her network terminal to select the second person on the basis of the picture material received, whereupon the service provider makes contact with the second person and transmits picture material of persons located in proximity to the second person, including the first person. The transmission of picture material can take place immediately or only after the second person has indicated his/her interest in a contact. Then the second person makes a selection from the picture material and inputs said selection using the input device of his/her network terminal. At the service provider a check is carried out, using a comparison device, whether the picture material selected by the first person relates to the second person, and whether the picture material selected by the second person relates to the first person. If there is conformity, a link between the network terminals of the first and the second person is established via the telecommunications network.

Although the above discussion was based on the use of mobile telephones, such as GSM telephones, it is also possible to employ network terminals which are specifically suitable for making contacts between persons according to the invention.

Whilst the invention has been described in the above with reference to examples in which two persons at a time are being matched, the same principles can also be used for matching more than two persons, such as three, four or,

for example, ten persons so as to form a group in this manner.

It will therefore be evident to those skilled in the art that many modifications and extensions are possible without going beyond the scope of the invention.