GB2387682A - Apparatus and method for communicating data - Google Patents

Abstract

A portable device comprises processing means wirelessly or otherwise connectable to a database, personal preference input means, and a wireless transceiver operable to wirelessly connect said processing means to said database and to effect transfer of personal preference data between said device and said database. Preferably the device is in the form of a wristwatch. A service provides a database operable to store personal preference data and enables users to receive and transmit said data via a network. The owner of the data may nominate other users whom he wishes to be able to access his personal preference data. This aids in choosing appropriate and imaginative presents.

Description

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR COMMUNICATING DATA

This invention relates to apparatus and a method for communicating data. It is particularly relevant to exchange between users of data relating to personal preferences.

Shopping for others can be difficult, especially when buying presents or gifts. Conventional approaches to gift buying often involve the consumer either asking the person for whom they are buying to provide ideas, or asking a friend of that person (or a family member or work colleague etc.) for suggestions. These approaches have several potential 10 shortcomings: The consumer may buy a gift that the recipient does not want, or for which he has no need. It is possible that the gift is something that the recipient already owns, either because he has bought it himself or has been given it by someone else.

Furthermore, by asking the recipient himself (or his friends or family) for suggestions, this can spoil the surprise of the gift.

It is known that gift-buying can be aided by accessing on-line wishlists" (e.g. at www.amazon.com), or by using wedding list type services to discover exactly what people want. However, these methods are usually only linked to one shop or support one type of gift buying. They also leave little to the shopper's own imagination, since they state exactly 20 what the person wants and do not provide an opportunity for the consumer to think through gift ideas and hence purchase imaginative gifts that the recipient will truly appreciate.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a portable wireless device comprising processing means wirelessly connectable to a database, personal preference 25 input means, and a wireless transceiver operable to wirelessly connect said processing

means to said database and to effect transfer of personal preference data between said device and said database. The device may advantageously be used both for compilation of personal preference data for a first user, and for accessing another user's data. The portability of this device advantageously enables users to add to or update their own profile 5 or record of preference data whilst shopping, waiting for a bus, travelling, etc. The connectivity of the device with a personal preference database advantageously enables users to communicate personal preferences via the database. This enables one user to learn of (and be inspired by) the interests and hobbies of another, which in turn assists gift buying and shopping for others.

Preferably the wireless device is in the form of a wristwatch. This has the advantage of being wearable, compact and extremely portable. It is also able to be worn continuously, which facilitates transfer of personal preference data to or from the database at any time, and encourages casual use such as when travelling.

In an alternative embodiment the device may be in the form of a mobile station (e.g. a mobile phone or a personal digital assistant). These are also advantageously highly portable, and being larger than a watch, provide greater scope for enhanced functionality such as text entry.

Preferably the device further comprises visual display means electrically coupled to said processing means. This enables images (static or moving) representing or relating to personal preferences to be viewed and transmitted. The use of images provides an evocative, eye-catching and memorable way in which to communicate personal preferences 25 to others.

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Preferably the device further comprises audio generation means electrically coupled to said processing means. This enables sound clips to be played, and, in combination with the video means, allows multimedia sequences to be reproduced.

Preferably the processing means are operable to enable images or audio or multimedia sequences to be selected, the selected image or sequence being recordable in said database. 10 Preferably the processing means are operable to acquire said images or audio, video or multimedia sequences from said database. This feature enables a user to use said device to browse through an publicly-accessible directory of such images or sequences stored on the database, from which to make a selection of images or sequences corresponding to the user's own personal preferences. The selected images (or links thereto) may then be 15 stored on the database in the user's personal profile of preference data on said database.

Furthermore, this feature advantageously enables other users to employ such a device to access the images and sequences chosen by their friends and family etc. and thereby learn of their preferences.

20 Preferably the processing means are operable to acquire said images or sequences via web-based data communication. This enables the user to download images to his own device for consideration, selection and inclusion in his own personal preference profile on the database.

Preferably the device further comprises an integral digital camera and/or microphone operable to acquire images or multimedia sequences corresponding to personal preferences. This advantageously enables a user to take a photograph or record a clip of something he sees in passing, and is not bound by those obtainable from the database itself 5 or from other pre-existing sources.

In one preferred embodiment the images or sequences relate to commercial goods or services. This may advantageously enable a consumer to select specific products for inclusion in his profile, and is therefore a means for constructing a wish-list" (for example, of 10 gifts one might like for Christmas) without being bound by any particular retailer.

Preferably the processing means are further operable to associate metadata with an image or sequence, the metadata specifying attributes or features relating to the corresponding image or sequence, or to personal preferences associated with the image or sequence. In a 15 preferred embodiment the metadata specify attributes or features relating to the corresponding image or sequence, or to personal preferences associated with the image or sequence. The metadata may specify attributes or features of products, such as type of product, colour, shape, style, manufacturer, retailer, advertising website address, or retail website address. Altematively the images or sequences may relate to hobbies, pastimes, 20 activities, interests or food and drink preferences. Particularly preferably the processing means are further operable to perform trend analysis on metadata of images or sequences selected by a user.

Preferably the processing means are further operable to perform feature analysis on one or 25 more images selected by a user.

Preferably the device further comprises text entry means operable to receive text from the first user to accompany a selected image or sequence, the processing means and wireless transceiver being operable to record said text in said database. Text may be recorded in the 5 database in association with a particular image or sequence (e.g. to provide further details about a product) or may be stored independently of any image or sequence (e.g. to state a fact such as the user's shoe size).

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a database operable to store 10 personal preference data and to receive and transmit said data via a network. Preferably the database is operable to transmit data to or receive data from a wireless device as summarised above and described herein.

According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a database access terminal for 15 installation in a commercial area such as a retail outlet or shopping centre, said terminal being operable by a user to interact with a database as summarised above and described herein. This advantageously enables members of the public to interact with the database mentioned above, without the need for a portable device of their own.

20 According to a fourth aspect of the invention there is provided a method of communicating personal preferences, said method comprising: operating processing means to select an image or an audio or multimedia sequence corresponding or relating to a personal preference; recording said image or sequence in a remote database via a network; and enabling another user to access said image or sequence on said database.

Preferably the step of selecting an image or sequence is performed using a portable wireless device.

Similarly, the step of accessing an image or sequence may also be performed using a 5 portable wireless device.

Preferably the method further comprises recording the date when the selected image or sequence is recorded in the database, the date of the recordal of the image or sequence in the database also being accessible by another user. Advantageously, when accessing a 10 user's preferences, this date may be consulted to ascertain how current a given preference is. Preferably the method further comprises providing access pemmissions identifying those users permitted to access a specific user's personal preference data. This has the 15 advantage of enabling only desired users to access a given user's personal preference profile. Preferably a user may provide a digital photograph or another image characteristic of himself, said image being stored on the database to accompany said user's personal 20 preference data.

Preferably the method further comprises sending the said photograph or image of said user to a another user for whom access permission has been granted.

In a preferred embodiment the method further comprises a first user inputting a date specifying an occasion for which a second user may wish to purchase an item for the first user. Accordingly, the method may further comprise alerting the second user of the said date via the said data communications network and presenting to the second user the first 5 user's images or sequences corresponding to their personal preferences. Optionally, the method may also further comprise sending said photograph or image of said first user to said second user on said date, or as a reminder in advance of said date Images or sequences for selection may provided by a commercial body, said images or 10 sequences relating to commercial goods or services.

Preferably the method further comprises associating metadata with an image or sequence, said metadata specifying attributes or features relating to the corresponding image or sequence, or personal preferences associated with the image or sequence.

Particularly preferably the method further comprises analysing the metadata of selected images or sequences for trends in personal preferences.

The method may also comprise operating the processing means to perform feature analysis 20 on one or more images selected by a user.

In a further aspect, the invention provides a service for enabling users to exchange user profiles, the service comprising: registering a user with the service; enabling the user to construct a user profile comprising a plurality of data items; enabling the user to designate

further users as allowed to access the user profile; and making the user profile available to the designated further users.

In a further aspect, the invention provides a portable computing device, comprising: a 5 communications interface through which data can be received by the portable computing device; a user interface by which data can be provided to the user; and a processor programmed to receive user profile data for a plurality of persons through the communications interface and to provide said user profile data to the user of the portable computing device through the user interface.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, and with reference to the drawings in which: Figure 1 illustrates a data communications network in communication through which are a database, a wireless device in the form of a wristwatch, a personal digital assistant, a 15 personal computer and a database access terminal; Figure 2 illustrates in detail a wireless device in the form of a wristwatch; and Figure 3 illustrates schematically the manner in which data is organised in said database.

Figure 1 illustrates a data communications network 16, for example, the Internet or a local 20 area network. The network provides for wireless communication (e.g. via GSM). In communication with this network 16 is a database 12 provided on a server.

In accordance with aspects of the present invention is a wireless device in the form of a wristwatch 10. This is operable as a watch, and is wearable about a user's wrist, as per a 7.R nnvntinnnI watch However. unlike conventional watches. this watch 10 is also equipped

with data processing means (i.e. a central processing unit and memory) and a wireless transceiver, both of which are operable to wirelessly send and receive digital data via the network 16.

5 The watch 10 and database 12 are operable to communicate personal preferences from a first user to other users. The method of operation involves using the watch 10 to populate a personal preference profile for a first user (the profile downer") on the database 12, and then enabling another user to access the owner's personal preference data on the database.

10 Instead of a watch 10, a personal digital assistant (PDA) 13 or a suitably equipped nnobile phone may also be used to interact with the database 12. A personal computer 14 may also be used, although this clearly does not benefit from the portability of the watch 10, PDA 13 or mobile phone. Also as shown in Figure 1, a database access terminal 18 may also be provided to enable people to access the database who do not own a suitable device. The 15 user device need not in all aspects of the invention be wireless - instead, the watch 10 or other device may be adapted to make a wired connection to the network 16 to obtain new data or to send out modified user profile data. Note also that the user may populate their own user profile on a device other than that used to view user profiles - a watch 10 or other device in accordance with some aspects of the present invention is not suitable for a user to 20 populate their own profile, but is useful essentially as a consumer of user profiles.

In the discussion that follows, the watch 10 will be described in detail, although it should be appreciated that the principles are equally applicable to the PDA 13, PC 14, mobile phone or database access terminal 18. Some of these alternative devices will be revisited later.

Figure 2 illustrates an embodiment of the watch 10 in detail. A strap 21 is provided to enable it to be attached to a user's wrist. A visual display screen 22 (which may be a liquid crystal or an active matrix display, for example) is incorporated in the watch. As well as being operable to display the time, the display 22 can display images 24, which may be 5 static or moving. One or more speakers (not illustrated), or alternative audio output means such as a headphone port, may also be provided to enable the watch to reproduce audio or multimedia sequences. Control buttons 23 are provided on the watch, thereby providing a relatively simple user interface. More sophisticated user interface means, such as an rotational wheel, a touch-sensitive display, or voice recognition, are also possible.

In use, the watch 10 may be operated to establish a wireless data communication connection 11 between it and the database 12, via the network 16. The watch may be configured to be permanently wirelessly connected to the network, or alternatively only to establish a connection when the device is required for data communication purposes. The 15 establishment of a connection may be executed by pressing one or more of the buttons 23.

In the interest of security, the watch may be configured to require entry of a user identifier, password or PIN number before access to the database is granted. Alternatively, user identification means may be hard coded into the watch. Access to the database may be stopped if the watch is stolen. One watch may be used to serve a number of users, with 20 each user being required to enter a unique identifier.

The database 12 will typically be provided by a service provider. In aspects of the invention, individual users will need to register with the service. It will be necessary for the service to be able to identify a user with a particular user profile of preferences, and also, where the 25 user requires that the profile be made available only to selected other users, for the service ...

to be able to identify those selected other users (most conveniently, these will also be registered users of the service, but as an alternative means can be provided for users who are not themselves providers of profiles to access the service to see the profiles of others -

this may be for example by use of passwords set by the profile owner). The type of 5 authentication and identification mechanisms employed may be any appropriate to this arrangement, including conventional mechanisms, and are not of any particular significance to the present invention.

Once connection with the database 12 has been established, the watch 10 may be operated 10 to display images 24 relating to personal preferences for selection by the user. These images may include or relate to hobbies, interests, objects of desire, food and drinks, sports and games, clothes, music and the arts, and so on. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of areas in which people have personal preferences or tastes, and it will be appreciated that there are many others.

Use of the watch in accordance with the method of the present invention involves first browsing through a plurality of images 24 or audio or multimedia sequences (typically viewing them one by one on the watch display), and selecting one or more for recordal in the database such that they are then associated with the user. The selected images (or 20 links thereto) are stored in the user's own personal preference profile on the database. By virtue of the watch's portability, it is intended that the user may add to or update his profile at any convenient time, e. g. whilst shopping or on a bus or train, etc. thereby taking advantage of Dead-time".

The images for selection may be obtained from a publicly-accessible directory held on the database 12. However, it is also possible for a user to send images to the watch from a personal computer 14 or to source them from other webservers. It is envisaged that these images would be sent to the watch via the database 12, although it would also be possible 5 to send them directly to the watch via the network. These images sourced from outside the database 12 may be stored on the database.

Instead of images, audio clips and multimedia sequences may be reproduced and selected using the watch 10. Audio clips may include extracts from favourite songs, whilst 10 multimedia sequences may include extracts from favourite films etc. As an alternative means by which to obtain images or sequences for selection and inclusion in the user's personal preference profile on the database, one embodiment of the watch (as shown in Figure 2) incorporates a digital camera 28, and optionally a microphone 29. The 15 camera 28 enables the user to take pictures of things he sees that appeal to him, wherever he may be. The microphone 29 enables recordal of audio clips or, in combination with the camera 28, multimedia sequences.

Figure 3 illustrates schematically an example of a way in which personal preference data 20 may be stored in the database 12. Individual users' personal preference profiles are indicated by 32, 34 and 36. As discussed above, publicly-accessible directories of images 70 and audio or multimedia sequences 80 are also stored in the database, for access by all users. In the illustration, only three publicly-accessible images 72, 74, 76 are shown, but in practice it would be envisaged that there would be many (e.g. hundreds) of such images.

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Similarly, although only one publicly-accessible audio clip 82 and two multimedia clips 84,86 are shown, there would be many of these from which selections can be made.

In the discussion which follows, the use and handling of images will be considered, although 5 it should be appreciated that it is equally applicable to audio or multimedia sequences.

Personal preference profile 36, which relates to a specific user, will now be considered in detail. This profile 36 includes three images 42, 51, 53 that have been selected by the user as being representative of his personal preferences. These particular images suggest that 10 the owner likes drinking tea or coffee (image 42), likes or owns a small car (51), and is interested in computers (53).

Each image 42, 51, 53 has additional data associated with it. The groupings of an image plus its associated data are indicated by 40, 50 and 52 in the illustration. The data 15 associated with image 42 are indicated by 44, 46 and 48. Of these, 44 represents metadata which is specific to the image. This metadata includes keywords describing the image, such as its colour, the type of item it depicts, and its style. If the image relates to a commercially available product, then the metadata may also include the manufacturer's name and contact details, the name of a supplier or shop which sells the product, an advertising website 20 address, or a retail website address. The metadata are supplied preassociated with the image, e.g. in the publicly-accessible directory 70. The metadata may be used for analytical purposes, as will be described later.

Field 46 includes text that has been entered by the user in connection with the image 42.

25 This text may be entered from the watch 10 by operating the buttons 23 or other user

interface controls provided, and the text 26 is displayed on the display 22 of the watch 10.

In the case of the PDA 13 and PC 14, text entry means are well known and need not be discussed here. Any text may be associated with an image. For example, in connection with image 42, the user may add the text string Colombian coffee". This text will be shown 5 in conjunction with the image to subsequent viewers, and makes the user's preference clear. Field 48 contains the date when the image was added by the user to his profile. This

information is shown to subsequent viewers of the image, and is also useful for analytical 10 purposes. The date infommation enables subsequent viewers to know how current the preference is likely to be, and enables sorting of preferences in chronological order.

Text strings 54 may be entered and stored in the user's personal preference profile without being associated with images. These text strings may be used, for example, if no image 15 can be obtained to represent the personal preference.

Images, sequences or text may also be used to specify what the user would not want others to buy for him. For example, details of products he already owns may be included, in order to try to prevent subsequent purchases of duplicate items. Personal dislikes may also be 20 recorded and designated accordingly.

Also stored in the database is a digital image 60 provided by the owner of the personal preference profile. This image is intended to be characteristic of the owner, and is particularly envisaged to be a digital photograph of him. Further characterizing information

62 about the owner is also stored, which may include his name and a user identifier and password to enable him to access and modify his personal preference profile.

The owner may nominate other users who he wishes to be able to access his personal 5 preference data. The details 58 of these other users, for whom access permissions are granted, are also stored. When granting access permission to the other users, the photograph 60 of the owner may be sent to them. If no photograph has been provided, then text (e.g. the owner's name) may be sent instead, by default. It is envisaged that these other users will also possess similarly equipped watches or PDAs as that of the owner. The 10 other users may operate their devices to cycle between different owners' profiles and to view a particular owner's personal preference data that has been stored in the database.

Dates 56 may also be stored in the personal preference profile. It is envisaged that these will include the owner's birthday, and other notable dates such as a wedding anniversary or 15 a forthcoming special occasion. The database may be configured to alert nominated other users to these dates, and to provide reminders in advance (e.g. one week before, then one day before). The photograph 60 of the owner may also be sent on those occasions. This facility is intended to provide a subtle reminder to the nominated users that they may wish to purchase gifts for the profile owner. The dates 56 may be designated as being specific to 20 certain nominated users, in which case only the appropriate nominated users are alerted of them. A nominated user may add their own dates in respect of the profile owner (e.g. as a reminder for a forthcoming event), and these dates are also stored on the database.

A watch 10 belonging to a user who has been granted access of several other users' 25 personal preference profiles may be operated to enable the user to select a user's profile to

be viewed. Selection of a user's profile may be performed by cycling through the digital photographs of each user and selecting the photograph relating to the desired profile owner.

The watch 10 will then display the images and text as selected by the chosen owner, and the viewer can thereby learn of the owner's personal preferences. A profile may be brought 5 up automatically on a user's watch in advance of a date 56 specified by the profile owner.

Separate databases may be employed for storing personal preference profiles and for hosting the publicly-accessible image directory.

10 Database access terminals in public places As indicated in Figure 1, a database access terminal 18 may also be used to access individuals' profiles on the database 12. These terminals may comprise a screen, robust casing and a user interface such as a keyboard or a touch screen. They intended to be installed in shops and shopping centres, and other public places. People who do not own 15 suitable watches or PDAs may use such terminals to enable them to access their own personal preference data (by entering a user identifier and password), or those of others for which they have access permission, whilst out shopping. A terminal provided in a specific store may be configured such that it informs users if the products they are viewing in a user's preference profile are available from that store. Altematively, the terminal may bias 20 the images for selection to those available from the store. If the terminal is used to add images to a user's profile, then the shop's name or logo could be stored alongside each image that was selected from that terminal in the shop.

Commercial provision of images for selection from the database

- Images 70 provided on the database, from which users can make selections in order to populate their own preference profiles, may be provided by commercial organizations such as shops (e.g. catalogue stores) . The metadata associated with each image may include the shop where the object can be bought, its price, and a link to an on-line ordering system.

Delegate management of personal preference profiles Users who are unable to manage their own personal preference profile may delegate others to do so on their behalf. This may be done by providing the appointed delegate with the required user identifier and password.

Personal preference profile management from a PC Personal preference profiles may also be accessed and updated over the Internet using conventional personal computers such as the PC 14 shown in Figure 1.

15 Metadata analysis The database 12 and access devices are preferably able to perform analysis of the metadata associated with images the profile owner has selected. This analysis may take two forms. Firstly,when presenting images from a public directory 70 to the user for selection, the metadata of previously-selected images may be analysed and the results 20 used to modify or bias the images now offered to the user. For example, if the user has previously selected a large number of gardening products, the sequence of images now offered for selection may begin with gardening products. Another example would be if all the food articles selected by the user are designated as being vegetarian, in which case the database may limit all future food products it offers for selection to just those that are 25 vegetarian.

The second form of metadata analysis that may be carried out is in order to look for trends in the preferences, either to assist the potential shopper or to enable the owner of the profile to gain an insight into his own personality. For example, if the images relate to clothes, an 5 analysis of colour metadata may reveal a liking for darker coloured clothes. This may assist a shopper looking to choose something as a present for the profile owner, and may also suggest to the owner himself that he may wish to consider adding more variety to his wardrobe. 10 Image feature analysis Analysis may also be performed on characteristics of images by analysing the composition of the images themselves. This is useful if the images do not have metadata.

Characteristics able to be analysed in this manner include colour and, to some extent, shape and configuration. For example, analysis could reveal a preference for articles 15 predominantly red in colour and having curved edges.

Financing the service The service described herein may be funded by subscriptions from users. Automatic subscription may be provided when buying the appropriate watch, PDA or mobile phone.

20 Altematively, the service may be funded through payments from those retailers who include their products in the public directory of images from which users may make selections.

Example Scenanos Having now discussed general aspects of the database and devices operable to access it, 25 some examples of the overall system's use by three users will now be described to further

explain aspects of the its functionality. In these examples, the owner of the personal profile is Tom Brown, whose profile 36 is illustrated in Figure 3. Tom has already used his watch 10 to select images of a cup 42, a car 51 and a computer 53, and these are stored in his profile together with text 54 specifying his hobbies of yoga, the cinema and books. He has 5 entered a forthcoming date of relevance 56 as being 20 June 2002 (his next birthday) and has specified John Smith and Sue Green as people who can access his data.

Scenano 1 Sue Green owns another compatible watch 10. When Tom Brown granted access 10 permission to her via his own watch, his photograph 60 was sent from the database to Sue's watch. Sue has also been granted access permission by several other users of the system, and has their photographs stored in her watch too.

Sue is out shopping, and decides she would like to buy Tom a present. However, she 15 cannot think what to buy him, and so she operates her watch, establishing a connection to the database 12. She operates her watch to cycle through the photographs of users for whom she has been granted access permission, and, on finding Tom's photograph, selects it. She is then able to cycle through the images 42, 51 and 53 selected by Tom, and can view his text entries 54. By applying a little imagination, and being inspired by his 20 selections, she decides to buy him a book on yoga techniques, being reasonably confident that this is a present he will appreciate.

Scenano 2 Tom is at a museum and discovers an ancient Greek urn that he finds particularly 25 fascinating. He wishes to add a representation of this to his personal preference profile. He

- operates his watch to connect to the database, and scans through the publicly available images for something suitable. He is unable to find anything appropriate, and so operates the digital camera built into the watch to take a photograph of the urn itself. He adds a few words of descriptive text about the urn and adds it to his profile.

Later that week, John Smith's PDA 13 provides him with a reminder of the forthcoming date 56 specified by Tom, and so John uses the PDA to access the database 12. He instructs the database to display Tom's preferences in the chronological order in which they were added, and leans that the most recent one is the Greek urn. He also notes Tom's other 10 preferences, and after some inspiration and some searching of on-line book sellers, finds him a book on Greek antiquities.

Claims (50)

1. A portable wireless device comprising processing means wirelessly connectable to a database, personal preference input means, and a wireless transceiver operable to wirelessly connect said processing means to said database and to effect transfer of 5 personal preference data between said device and said database.

2. A portable wireless device as claimed in Claim 1 being in the form of a wristwatch.

3. A portable wireless device as claimed in Claim 1 being in the form of a mobile 1 0 station.

4. A portable wireless device as claimed in any preceding Claim further comprising visual display means electrically coupled to said processing means.

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5. A portable wireless device as claimed in any preceding Claim further comprising audio generation means electrically coupled to said processing means.

6. A portable wireless device as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein the processing means are operable to enable images or audio or multimedia sequences to be 20 selected, the selected image or sequence being recordable in said database.

7. A portable wireless device as claimed in either Claim 5 or Claim 6, wherein the processing means are operable to acquire said images or audio, video or multimedia sequences from said database.

8. A portable wireless device as claimed in any of Claims 5 to 7, wherein the processing means are operable to acquire said images or sequences via web-based data communication.

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9. A portable wireless device as claimed in any preceding Claim, further comprising an integral digital camera and/or microphone operable to acquire images or multimedia sequences corresponding to personal preferences.

10. A portable wireless device as claimed in any of Claims 6 to 9, wherein the images or 10 sequences relate to commercial goods or services.

11. A portable wireless device as claimed in any of Claims 6 to 10, wherein the processing means are further operable to associate metadata with an image or sequence, the metadata specifying attributes or features relating to the 15 corresponding image or sequence, or to personal preferences associated with the image or sequence.

12. A portable wireless device as claimed in Claim 11, wherein the processing means are further operable to perform trend analysis on metadata of images or sequences 20 selected by a user.

13. A portable wireless device as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the processing means are further operable to perform feature analysis on one or more images selected by a user.

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14. A portable wireless device as claimed in any preceding Claim further comprising text entry means operable to receive text from the first user to accompany a selected image or sequence, the processing means and wireless transceiver being operable to record said text in said database.

15. A database operable to store personal preference data and to receive and transmit said data via a network.

16. A database as claimed in Claim 15 operable to transmit data to or receive data from 10 a wireless device as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 14.

17. A database access terminal for installation in a commercial area such as a retail outlet or shopping centre, said terminal being operable by a user to interact with a database as claimed in Claim 15 or Claim 16.

18. A method of communicating personal preferences, said method comprising: operating processing means to select an image or an audio or multimedia sequence corresponding or relating to a personal preference; recording said image or sequence in a remote database via a network; and enabling another user to access 20 said image or sequence on said database.

19. A method of communicating personal preferences as claimed in Claim 18, wherein the step of selecting an image or sequence is performed using a portable wireless device.

20. A method of communicating personal preferences as claimed in Claim 18 or Claim 19, wherein the step of accessing an image or sequence is performed using a portable wireless device.

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21. A method as claimed in any of Claims 18 to 20, further comprising recording the date when the selected image or sequence is recorded in the database, the date of the recordal of the image or sequence in the database also being accessible by another user. 10

22. A method as claimed in any of Claims 18 to Claim 21 further comprising providing access permissions identifying those users permitted to access a specific user's personal preference data.

23. A method as claimed in any of Claims 18 to Claim 22 wherein a user may provide a 15 digital photograph or another image characteristic of himself, said image being stored on the database to accompany said user's personal preference data.

24. A method as claimed in Claim 23 when dependent on Claim 22, further comprising sending the said photograph or image of said user to a another user for whom 20 access permission has been granted.

25. A method as claimed in any of Claims 18 to Claim 24, further comprising a first user inputting a date specifying an occasion for which a second user may wish to purchase an item for the first user.

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26. A method as claimed in Claim 25, further comprising alerting the second user of the said date via the said data communications network and presenting to the second user the first user's images or sequences corresponding to their personal preferences.

27. A method as claimed in Claim 26 when dependent on Claim 23, further comprising sending said photograph or image of said first user to said second user on said date, or as a reminder in advance of said date.

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28. A method as claimed in any of Claims 18 to 27, wherein images or sequences for selection are provided by a commercial body, said images or sequences relating to commercial goods or services.

29. A method as claimed in any of Claims 18 to 28 further comprising associating 15 metadata with an image or sequence, said metadata specifying attributes or features relating to the corresponding image or sequence, or personal preferences associated with the image or sequence.

30. A method as claimed in Claim 29 further comprising analysing the metadata of 20 selected images or sequences for trends in personal preferences.

31. A portable wireless device as claimed in any preceding Claim further comprising operating the processing means to perform feature analysis on one or more images selected by a user.

32. A wireless device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

33. A database operable to store personal preference data substantially as hereinbefore 5 described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

34. A database access terminal substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

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35. A method of communicating personal preferences substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

36. A service for enabling users to exchange user profiles, the service comprising: registering a user with the service; 15 enabling the user to construct a user profile comprising a plurality of data items; enabling the user to designate further users as allowed to access the user profile; and making the user profile available to the designated further users.

37. A service as claimed in claim 36, wherein the plurality of data items comprises one or more images.

38. A service as claimed in claim 37, wherein one or more of said one or more images 25 has associated metadata.

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39. A service as claimed in any of claims 36 to 38, wherein the service provides data items for selection by a user for inclusion in the user's user profile.

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40. A service as claimed in any of claims 36 to 39, wherein the service is adapted to allow the user to provide data items for inclusion in the user's user profile.

41. A service as claimed in any of claims 36 to 40, wherein the service provides a designated further user with a user profile on request from the designated further 1 0 user.

42. A portable computing device, comprising: a communications interface through which data can be received by the portable computing device; 15 a user interface by which data can be provided to the user; and a processor programmed to receive user profile data for a plurality of persons through the communications interface and to provide said user profile data to the user of the portable computing device through the user interface.

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43. A portable computing device as claimed in claim 42, wherein the device is wearable by a user.

44. A portable computing device as claimed in claim 43, wherein the device is in the form of a wristwatch.

45. A portable computing device as claimed in any of claims 42 to 44, wherein the user interface comprises a display.

46. A portable computing device as claimed in claim 45, wherein the user profile data 5 comprises one or more images.

47. A portable computing device as claimed in any of claims 42 to 45, wherein the processor is adapted to retain and modify user profile data of a user of the portable computing device, and to communicate modified user profile data through the 10 communications interface.

48. A portable computing device as claimed in claim 47, wherein the device further comprises a camera, and wherein images captured by the camera may be added to the user profile data of the user of the portable computing device.

49. A portable computing device as claimed in any of claims 42 to 48, wherein the communications interface comprises a wireless communications interface.

50. A portable computing device as claimed in any of claims 42 to 49, wherein the 20 communications interface comprises a connector for a wired communications interface.