WO2020105046A1

WO2020105046A1 - A method for automatically communicating between devices and presenting users in a wireless network

Info

Publication number: WO2020105046A1
Application number: PCT/IL2019/051269
Authority: WO
Inventors: Aric KATZ
Original assignee: Checkmate Technologies Ltd.
Priority date: 2018-11-21
Filing date: 2019-11-20
Publication date: 2020-05-28

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention may include a method and a system for automatically connecting two or more wireless devices in a wireless network, each of the devices is capable of scanning and transmitting signals such as to allow automatically notifying or advertising to a user of a wireless device regarding personal profile, identity or information related to one or more other users that are located in proximity to him, for example, they are present in a same room, they are located at a predefined area or at a predefined distance from each other.

Description

A METHOD FOR AUTOMATICALLY COMMUNICATING BETWEEN DEVICES AND PRESENTING USERS IN A WIRELESS NETWORK

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of automatically communicating between devices in a wireless communication network and more particularly, to automatically communicate between devices for detecting and presenting users in a local wireless environment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Social Events, such as conferences, exhibitions, conventions and other professional or social gatherings are becoming a prevalent way to establish business connections and exchanging information and ideas among people with a common profession or special interest, also known as “networking”. Currently many networking opportunities are being missed, as a result of“lost in the crowd” phenomenon, which describes a situation of a person, surrounded by a large number of people, without the ability to filter or detect relevant people of interest. Traditionally, conversations between two or more people in a professional or social gathering may be initiated based on previous acquaintance, after an introduction of a third party or after reading one’s badge or tag of information. There is a growing need, for a practical and automated solution for breaking the cycle of missed opportunities in professional or social gatherings. Current solutions require GPS technology or internet connection and an external data repository. The need for an efficient, immediate and safe solution for automatically connecting people based on their profile and interests is highly required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] A computer based system and method for automatically communicating in a wireless network comprising a plurality of devices, each of the devices is capable of scanning and transmitting signals, the method comprising: transmitting, a contact transmission from a first device from the plurality of devices, wherein the contact transmission comprises identification information related to a user of the first device. The method further comprising: scanning for the contact transmission by at least one second device from the plurality of devices, receiving the contact transmission by the at least one second device, presenting to a user of the at least one second device the identification information related to a user of the first device, saving the identification information related to a user of the first device in a memory of the at least one second device and in response to the receiving of the contact transmission by the at least one second device, transmitting a contact transmission by the at least one second device, wherein the contact transmission comprises identification information related to a user of the second device and repeating the scanning, receiving and transmitting by one or more of the at least one second device.

[0004] Embodiments of the invention may include presenting to a user of the at least one second device a location of a user of the first device.

[0005] According to embodiments of the invention, scanning, receiving and transmitting are performed at a same time.

[0006] According to embodiments of the invention, the contact transmission comprises transmission of a first signal according to a first protocol and a second signal according to a second protocol.

[0007] According to embodiments of the invention, the contact transmission comprises a clock related information.

[0008] According to embodiments of the invention, the clock related information is to enable a modified contact transmission according to a change of the clock.

[0009] According to embodiments of the invention, the identification information related to the user of the first device comprises a name of the user of the first device and wherein the identification information related to the user of the second device comprises a name of the user of the second device.

[0010] According to embodiments of the invention, the identification information related to the user of the first device comprises a unique identification number of the user of the first device and wherein the identification information related to the user of the second device comprises a unique identification number of the user of the second device.

[0011] According to embodiments of the invention, the identification information related to the user of the first device comprises one or more characters encoded based on hash table saved in the first device and wherein the identification information related to the user of the second device comprises one or more characters encoded based on hash table saved in the second device. [0012] According to embodiments of the invention, the identification information comprises a unique network address of the first device to enable continuously identification of a first device by one or more of the at least one second device.

[0013] These, additional, and/or other aspects and/or advantages of the present invention are set forth in the detailed description which follows; possibly inferable from the detailed description; and/or leamable by practice of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] For a better understanding of embodiments of the invention and to show how the same can be carried into effect, reference will now be made, purely by way of example, to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals designate corresponding elements or sections throughout.

[0015] In the accompanying drawings:

[0016] Fig. 1 is a block diagram depicting a computing device, which may be included within an embodiment of a system for automatically connecting in a wireless network, according to some embodiments of the invention;

[0017] Fig. 2 is a schematic illustration of a system for automatically connecting devices and presenting users in a wireless communication network, according to some embodiments of the invention;

[0018] Fig. 3 is a schematic illustration a system for interactions between devices in a wireless communication network;

[0019] Fig. 4 is a schematic illustration of a screen display of a personal device, according to some embodiments of the invention;

[0020] Fig. 5 is a flowchart of a method for automatically connecting devices and presenting users in a wireless communication network, according to some embodiments of the invention; and [0021] Fig. 6 is a flowchart of a method for automatically advertising and receiving communication transmissions in a wireless communication network, according to some embodiments of the invention.

[0022] It will be appreciated that, for simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements shown in the figures have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements may be exaggerated relative to other elements for clarity. Further, where considered appropriate, reference numerals may be repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] In the following description, various aspects of the present invention are described. For purposes of explanation, specific configurations and details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will also be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention can be practiced without the specific details presented herein. Furthermore, well known features can have been omitted or simplified in order not to obscure the present invention. With specific reference to the drawings, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the present invention only and are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of the invention in more detail than is necessary for a fundamental understanding of the invention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the invention can be embodied in practice.

[0024] Before at least one embodiment of the invention is explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of constmction and the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is applicable to other embodiments that can be practiced or carried out in various ways as well as to combinations of the disclosed embodiments. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

[0025] Unless specifically stated otherwise, as apparent from the following discussions, it is appreciated that throughout the specification discussions utilizing terms such as "processing", "computing", "calculating", "determining",“enhancing” or the like, refer to the action and/or processes of a computer or computing system, or similar electronic computing device, that manipulates and/or transforms data represented as physical, such as electronic, quantities within the computing system's registers and/or memories into other data similarly represented as physical quantities within the computing system's memories, registers or other such information storage, transmission or display devices. Any of the disclosed modules or units can be at least partially implemented by a computer processor.

[0026] Unless explicitly stated, the method embodiments described herein are not constrained to a particular order in time or to a chronological sequence. Additionally, some of the described method elements can occur, or be performed, simultaneously, at the same point in time, or concurrently. Some of the described method elements may be skipped, or they may be repeated, during a sequence of operations of a method.

[0027] Embodiments of the present invention may include a method and a system for automatically connecting two or more wireless devices in a wireless network, each of the devices is capable of scanning and transmitting signals such as to allow automatically notifying or advertising to a user of a wireless device regarding personal profile, identity or information related to one or more other users that are located in proximity to him, for example, they are present in a same room, they are located at a predefined area or at a predefined distance from each other.

[0028] The term“communication” may be used herein to refer to a transfer of data between two or more computing devices, and may refer to data transfer of a plurality of types (e.g., synchronous communication types and asynchronous communication types) and/or protocols, including for example data (e.g., machine -to-machine), communication protocol, text communication (e.g., email) protocols, voice communication protocols, video communication protocols and audiovisual communication protocols.

[0029] The term“application” may be used herein to refer to executable software or code segments and optionally, to any graphical user interfaces (GUI), through which certain functionalities may be implemented on a computing device (e.g., element 1 of Fig. 1) that may be connected with other computing device, as known in the art.

[0030] The terms“Beacon”,“iBeacon”,“beacon transmitter” or“iBeacon transmitter” may be used herein to refer to a hardware device, software code or a component that may be capable of transmitting a stream of data in a pre -defined protocol. Data transmitted by beacons may be limited and may contain a universally unique identifier (UUID), Major and Minor integer values, manufacturer name, distance from the scanning device and its sensors’ data. [0031] The term“server” may be used herein to refer to a computer or a computer program, that may be accessible over a communications medium, such as a communications network or other computer network, including the Internet and may provide services to, or performs functions for, other computers, computer programs and/or their users.

[0032] Reference is now made to Fig. 1, which is a block diagram depicting a computing device, which may be included within an embodiment of a system for automatically connecting in a wireless network, according to some embodiments of the invention.

[0033] Computing device 1 may include a controller 2 that may be, for example, a central processing unit (CPU) processor, a chip or any suitable computing or computing device, an operating system 3, a memory 4, executable code 5, a storage system 6, input devices 7 and output devices 8. Controller 2 (or one or more controllers or processors, possibly across multiple units or devices) may be configured to carry out methods described herein, and/or to execute or act as the various modules, units, etc. More than one computing device 1 may be included in, and one or more computing devices 1 may act as the components of, a system according to embodiments of the invention.

[0034] Operating system 3 may be or may include any code segment (e.g., one similar to executable code 5 described herein) designed and/or configured to perform tasks involving coordination, scheduling, arbitration, supervising, controlling or otherwise managing operation of computing device 1, for example, scheduling execution of software programs or tasks or enabling software programs or other modules or units to communicate. Operating system 3 may be a commercial operating system. It will be noted that an operating system 3 may be an optional component, e.g., in some embodiments, a system may include a computing device that does not require or include an operating system 3.

[0035] Memory 4 may be or may include, for example, a Random Access Memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), a Dynamic RAM (DRAM), a Synchronous DRAM (SD-RAM), a double data rate (DDR) memory chip, a Flash memory, a volatile memory, a non-volatile memory, a cache memory, a buffer, a short term memory unit, a long term memory unit, or other suitable memory units or storage units. Memory 4 may be or may include a plurality of, possibly different memory units. Memory 4 may be a computer or processor non-transitory readable medium, or a computer non- transitory storage medium, e.g., a RAM.

[0036] Executable code 5 may be any executable code, e.g., an application, a program, a process, task or script. Executable code 5 may be executed by controller 2 possibly under control of operating system 3. For example, executable code 5 may be an application that may allow automatically connecting in a wireless network as further described herein. Although, for the sake of clarity, a single item of executable code 5 is shown in Fig. 1, a system according to some embodiments of the invention may include a plurality of executable code segments similar to executable code 5 that may be loaded into memory 4 and cause controller 2 to carry out methods described herein.

[0037] Storage system 6 may be or may include, for example, a flash memory as known in the art, a memory that is internal to, or embedded in, a micro controller or chip as known in the art, a hard disk drive, a CD-Recordable (CD-R) drive, a Blu-ray disk (BD), a universal serial bus (USB) device or other suitable removable and/or fixed storage unit. Content may be stored in storage system 6 and may be loaded from storage system 6 into memory 4 where it may be processed by controller 2. In some embodiments, some of the components shown in Fig. f may be omitted. For example, memory 4 may be a non-volatile memory having the storage capacity of storage system 6. Accordingly, although shown as a separate component, storage system 6 may be embedded or included in memory 4.

[0038] Input devices 7 may be or may include any suitable input devices, components or systems, e.g., a detachable keyboard or keypad, a mouse and the like. Output devices 8 may include one or more (possibly detachable) displays or monitors, speakers and/or any other suitable output devices. Any applicable input/output (I/O) devices may be connected to computing device 1 as shown by blocks 7 and 8. For example, a wired or wireless network interface card (NIC), a universal serial bus (USB) device or external hard drive may be included in input devices 7 and/or output devices 8. It will be recognized that any suitable number of input devices 7 and output device 8 may be operatively connected to Computing device 1 as shown by blocks 7 and 8.

[0039] A system according to some embodiments of the invention may include components such as, but not limited to, a plurality of central processing units (CPU) or any other suitable multi purpose or specific processors, controllers (e.g., controllers similar to controller 2), microprocessors, microcontrollers, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), programmable logic devices (PLDs) or application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC). A system according to some embodiments of the invention may include a plurality of input units, a plurality of output units, a plurality of memory units, and a plurality of storage units. A system may additionally include other suitable hardware components and/or software components. In some embodiments, a system may include or may be, for example, a personal computer, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a workstation, a server computer, a network device, a smart phone, a tablet device or any other suitable computing device. Where applicable, modules or units described herein, may be similar to, or may include components of, device 1 described herein.

[0040] Reference is now made to Fig. 2, which is a schematic illustration of a system for automatically connecting devices and presenting users in a wireless communication network, according to some embodiments of the invention.

[0041] A system 100 may include a plurality of wireless communication devices 101, 102, 103, 104, 105 and 106, each of wireless communication devices 101-106 may be a computing device. For example, each of wireless communication devices 101-106 may be a smart phone device, a tablet device, a smart watch, a laptop computer and the like. System 100 may include one or more wireless communication networks: Internet 170, cellular network 160, wireless wide area network (WWAN) 180 and personal area network (WPAN) 150. Each of wireless communication devices 101-106 may include hardware and software to enable wireless connections using one or more of wireless networks 150, 160, 170 and 180. Other wireless communication networks may be used by one or more devices 101-106. System 100 may further include one or more servers 175 associated with one or more of wireless networks 150, 160, 170 and 180.

[0042] System 100 may include one or more transmitter devices 110 and 111. Each of transmitter devices 110 and 111 may comprise a high, medium, and/or low energy transmitter device and/or any combination thereof. Each of transmitter devices 110 and 111 may be, for example, a BLUETOOTH device, such as a wireless beacon communicating using a low power or BLUETOOTH low energy (BLE) communication standard, also referred to herein as a“beacon” or a "BLE beacon". Although the term "BLE beacon" is used herein with respect to a BLUETOOTH low energy transmitting device, a BLE beacon may comprise any energy consuming device capable of communication with a wireless communication device.

[0043] According to some embodiments, each of wireless communication devices 101-106 and transmitter devices 110 and 111 may be or may include at least one computing device, such as element 1 of Fig. 1. Each of communication devices 101-106 may include at least one non- transitory memory device (e.g., element 4 of Fig. 1) upon which computer-readable instmction code modules are stored (e.g., element 5 of Fig. 1), and at least one processor (e.g., element 2 of Fig. 1), associated with the non-transitory memory device, and configured to execute the stored instruction code modules, to implement the functionality of system 100, as described herein. [0044] System 100 may include an area, region or zone 190, which may be a predefined physical area in which devices 101-106 and transmitters 110-111 may be located in. Each of devices 101 - 106 may be a mobile device and therefore may be positioned or located in zone 190 at a specific time or during a certain period of time while it may be located outside zone 190 at another specific time or during other certain period of time.

[0045] According to embodiments of the invention, each device from devices 101-106 and 110- 111 may advertise, transmit or broadcast data related to a user of the device, also referred to herein as “profile data” or “identification information”. The signal including the identification information may be transmitted in a predefined rate, e.g., every predetermined time interval. A time interval may include any duration of time and may range from one or more milliseconds and up to one or more number of seconds. The signal may be transmitted by each device from devices 101-106 and 110-111 in a predefined power, for example, according to a distance between the transmitting device and the one or more receiving devices.

[0046] Each of devices 101-106 and transmitters 110-111 may transmit, broadcast or advertise signals. Each of devices 101-106 may scan for signals transmitted by other devices or transmitters and may receive signals transmitted by other devices or transmitters. Communication between one or more of devices 101-106 and one or more of transmitters 110-111 may be performed using one or more suitable WPAN connections 151 , 151 , 152, 154 and 155. WPAN connections 151-155 may be, a short-range wireless connection that may propagate directly from a first user device to a second user device ("peer-to-peer"), for example, BLE, Bluetooth protocol or by any other short- wavelength radio waves protocol.

[0047] Device 101 is described herein as an exemplary device from a plurality of devices 101-106 and transmitters 110-111, for simplicity of the description, it should be understood to a person skilled in the art that any description of device 101 may be applicable to each of devices 101-106. Device 101 may include a transmitter 121 and a receiver 122. Transmitter 121 and receiver 122 may work in a dual mode or parallel manner, namely as a transmitter and a scanner or receiver at the same time. For example, device 101 may transmit signals and scan for signals at a same time, e.g., in parallel manner. In some embodiments transmitter 121 and receiver 122 may be implemented in hardware while in other embodiments transmitter 121 and receiver 122 may be implemented in software, for example, by a dedicated application installed on device 101. In some embodiments transmitter 121 and/or receiver 122 may be external to device 101, for example, an external transmitter 121 and/or receiver 122 may be positioned on a badge, a tag, a chip, a card or other equipment of a user of device 101 or positioned in proximity to a user of device 101. Transmitter 121 may be implemented by any low energy transmitter, e.g., a BLE compliant transmitter, a wireless direct transmitter, or by any other transmitting capabilities that may be embedded in device 101.

[0048] Device 101 may transmit or broadcast a contact transmission that may be scanned and received by one or more other devices of the plurality of devices 102-106, for example, by an application or an operating system of the receiving device. The contact transmission may be, for example, an advertising data signal, an advertising packet, broadcasting signal or any other data signal which may be received by another device. The contact transmission may be transmitted periodically, namely every predetermined time interval or at certain intervals times, e.g., on advertisement channels or continuously. The contact transmission may include identification information related to a user of the transmitting device. The identification information may be included in a data packet and may comprise a plurality of data segments.

[0049] According to embodiments of the invention, the identification information may include any data, records, description or information that may be related to, linked to, associated with or define in any way the transmitting device or a user of the transmitting device. Exemplary content or substance of the identification information are presented herein. The identification information may include a name of the user of the transmitting device, for example, a first name and/or a surname name and/or a last name of a user of the transmitting device. The identification information may include a gender, a profession, a job, a title, a degree, a hobby, an interest or any other information related to a user of the transmitting device. Additionally or alternatively, the identification information may include information related to an appearance or look of the a user of the transmitting device such as for example, a color of a shirt, hair color, badge color or any other information that may be used for identifying, finding or recognizing a person from a group of a plurality of people.

[0050] The identification information may include a unique identification number which is associated with a user of the transmitting device and may be used for one or more purposes related to identification of the transmitting device or a user of the transmitting device. For example, a unique identification number may be used as an identity number of a user of the transmitting device, a number to be used as a remote notification for the transmitting device or a user of the transmitting device and/or as a short Uniform Resource Locator (URL) address that may be used for receiving meta data related to a user of the device from an external data server, e.g., server 175. Meta data may include, for example, a profession of a user, a business of a user, a company name in which the user is employed, an image of the user or any other data related to a user or data which may be used to identify a user. The identification information may further include a unique network address, e.g., a MAC address of the transmitting device to enable continuously identification of a transmitting device by one or more of the receiving devices, e.g., mapping a MAC-Address to a BT local name, e.g., using the payload of the transmitted data packet, enabling continuously identification of the transmitting devices by their MAC-Address.

[0051 ] The identification information may include a current location or position of the transmitting device or a user of the transmitting device. The position may be included in a dedicated format, for example, a hash table that may connecting a unique integer to a presented text. In order to transmit information within a limited data packet, encoding may be used to reduced data size, e.g., a long text may be encoded into one or more characters, in order to allow transmitting it within the identification information. The information to be transmit and the encoded version of the information may be saved locally in a memory or a storage of the transmitting device, e.g., memory 4 or storage 6 of Fig. 1 in a form of a hash table. According to embodiments of the invention, any form or stmcture that may map keys to values may be used and saved in a local memory of the device, e.g., a table, a hash table, has map. The identification information may include additional hash map-based data, e.g., connecting or mapping between a category lists to unique integer values. One or more data bytes included in the contact transmission may hold one or more characters which may be mapped, by a hash table to text, category or other information related to a user of the device. For example, the identification information may include three bytes that may be used to hold any hash table data, mapping a single character to its integer value and that to its text display, e.g., a char“!” may be mapped to the number“78”, which points to the text “Cardiologist”. In some embodiments of the invention, a plurality of bytes may be mapped to a specific information related to a user, for example three bytes may map 3 categories describing a person’s field, such that the digits 723 (7,2,3) may be mapped to three categories.

[0052] An exemplary embodiment may include transmitting or broadcasting contact transmission according to the BT protocol. BT local name may include a Preamble (1 byte), Access address (4 bytes), Header (2 bytes), Advertising address (6 bytes), Payload (0 to 31 bytes) and CRC (3 bytes). In some embodiments the 31 bytes payload, or the lowest 26 bytes which may be common denominator for a large variety of smart phones may be used to transfer, advertise or broadcast identification information related to a user of the device. For example, 17 bytes may include a user name, 4 bytes may include the user's unique id which is also used as the user’s remote notifications user’s ID and as a short URL to receive meta data such as company name, user’s image and the like from an external storage, e.g., from a cloud. 2 bytes may include a user’s position or any other hash table list connecting a unique integer to a presented text and 3 bytes may include additional hash map-based data, e.g., that may connect a unique integer value to a category or other user related information. Any other information, data, description, details, facts or aspects related to a transmitting device or to a user of a transmitting device may be included in the identification information.

[0053] According to embodiments of the invention, the contact transmission may include a universally unique identifier (UUID). A UUID is a standard identifying system which allows a unique 128-bit (16 byte) number to be generated for a device. A UUID may contain 32 hexadecimal characters or digits which are split into five groups, separated by hyphens. A UUID may distinguish between devices, e.g., between Beacons and/or transmitters in a network, e.g. network 150. A UUID may be used to prevent identity theft. UUID and additional transmitted detection parameters, e.g., Major and Minor parameters are generated by the networking application on each device based on the device’s unique signature.

[0054] According to embodiments of the invention, the contact transmission may include a clock related information to enable a modified contact transmission according to a change of a clock. The contact transmission, for example, a UUID included in the contact transmission may be changed, modified or updated in a predetermined manner related to a clock, a clock signal or clock information of the device transmitting the contact transmission. One or more digits of the UUID may be changed or modified every predetermined time interval, in a predetermined way. The predetermined way of change may be related to a clock signal, e.g., a clock of device 101. According to embodiments of the invention, the contact transmission, e.g., at least one character of a UUID may be changed every predetermined number of milliseconds, seconds or minutes such that at least one digit is replaced with a digit identical or related to a digit presented by a clock signal of device 101. For example, the last hexadecimal character of a UUID may be changed every minute to the actuals minute value presented by a clock signal, e.g., if a clock of device 101 shows a time as 10:35 a related UUID may include“5” as a last character. This may cause an iBeacon“enter region trigger event” on all devices who installed a dedicated application. The term “enter region monitoring event” or“enter region event” may refer to a way for detecting when a computing device enter or exit a predetermined range, e.g., determined by beacons in a region. When a device is in“enter region monitoring event” it may perform any predefined action such as displaying content, prompting a payment, recording a visit, or sending data to the cloud.

[0055] Such a change in the UUID may cause an event that may“wake” an application that has been previously closed or“killed”. The terms“wake” and“wake-up” as used herein may refer to a process of launching an application into a background and enabling access of the application to any resource for a limited grace time, e.g., between 10 to 30 seconds. A device may“wake” into the background every predetermined time interval and may advertise its profile data for a predefined time interval, e.g., for at least 30 seconds. AS“exit region event” may occur after 10 to 30 seconds after not receiving the waking UUID, a device may continually be in a“wake- sleep” cycle causing it to consciously advertise its profile data without requiring a background service running on the device. The“exit region event” may also be used to continue advertising for another predefined time interval, e.g., for 30 seconds (long mnning task).

[0056] According to an embodiment of the inventions each of the plurality of devices 101-106 may monitor or scan for contact transmission or advertising signals. The contact transmission, transmitted by device 101, for example, may be detected or received by at least one device from the plurality of devices 102-106. For example, device 102 may scan for contact transmission, may detect a contact transmission from device 101 and may receive the contact transmission from device 101. Device 102 may scan the contact transmission for the identification information and save the identification information from device 101. In response to the receiving of the contact transmission by device 102, device 102 may transmit a contact transmission that may be received by one or more devices from device 101 and 103-106. By transmitting a contact transmission, each transmitting device may cause or ignite other devices to transmit their contact transmission and therefore to allow a“chain reaction” of devices that receive and transmit contact transmissions.

[0057] For example, device 102 may receive a contact transmission from device 101 via connection 151 and transmit its contact transmission to device 103 via connection 152, to device 104 via connection 153 and to device 105 via connection 154. In response to the receiving of the contact transmission by device 105, device 105 may transmit a contact transmission via connection 155 which may be received by device 106. Each device located in area 190 may receive a contact transmission from one or more of the other devices located in area 190 and therefore may have the identification information included in the received contact transmission. In some embodiments of the invention the contact transmission may be locally saved by each receiving device and may be also sent to ab external storage or a cloud, e.g., server 175. The information saved on each device may be locally transferred between devices or may use the external storage to share that data, enabling devices to see additional information of users that may be located outside their immediate proximity, e.g., more than 50 meters.

[0058] According to an embodiment of the inventions each of the devices 101-106 may monitor or scan for contact transmission or advertising signals or packets. In some embodiments, scanning may be performed each of the devices 101-106 according to predefined parameters, rules, policies and the like. A scanning device may filter out or ignore non relevant devices while scanning based on specific parameters, such as scanning for a specific role or name (based on data broadcasted in the BT local name), device distance of the scanning device, e.g., each of the devices 101-106 , from the transmitting device (RSSI) and/or device’s advertising rate In a case where one or more devices fit the preset scanning categories, the receiving device may prompt an alert and/or a notification to a user of the device.

[0059] Reference is now made to Fig. 3, which is a schematic illustration of a system for interactions between devices in a wireless communication network, according to some embodiments of the invention. System 300 may include a plurality of users: user 301 , user 302, user 303, user 304 and user 305. Each of the plurality of users may have, own or use a computing device, e.g., a personal computing device such as a smart phone, a tablet device, a laptop or any other suitable computing device. User 301 may use a personal computing device 311, user 302 may use a personal computing device 312, user 303 may use a personal computing device 313, user 304 may use a personal computing device 314, user 305 may use a personal computing device 315 and user 306 may use a personal computing device 316. Each computing device 311-316 may be computing system, e.g., computing device 1 of Fig. 1. Each of computing device 311-316 may include an operating system from a plurality of operating systems applicable, for example, Android, Windows, iOS or any other operating system.

[0060] Embodiments of the present invention may include computerized processes performed by each of personal computing devices 311-316 using a dedicated application deployed or installed on the personal computing device. According to an embodiment of the inventions, a plurality of parameters, variables and profiles may be set via each of personal computing devices 311-316, e.g., in a configuration screen of the application.

[0061] Each of personal computing devices 311-316 may include a beacon transmitter module, implemented by a hardware component or a software code or and may be capable of transmitting a contact transmission, an advertising packet, advertising signal or any other contact signal according to one or more pre -defined protocols. Some embodiments may include independent beacon transmitter, e.g., transmitter 10-111 of Fig.2. The Beacon functionality may be built on- top of the short-wavelength technology, e.g., BLE and enables to create a region around an object. This allows each of personal computing devices 311-316 to determine when it has entered or left a region along with an estimation of proximity to the beacon.

[0062] The transmission power of the beacons, the identification of the user, the advertisement intervals of the beacons and the user’s advertising data may be adjustable or fixed locally or remotely by a dedicated application that is authenticated with the beacon. The beacon transmitters and smartphones, e.g., computing devices 311-316, may include additional sensors, such as movement, temperature and light sensors. Each beacon transmitter and/or smartphone may uniquely identify itself by a unique number, for example, a UUID number or media access control (MAC) ID that may be adjusted or generated on the fly for transmitting encoded specific data, such as identification information. The identification information may encode specific data related to a user, e.g., one of users 301-306, of the device, e.g., devices 311-316. The identification information may be decoded by another computing device, e.g., a smart phone. The identification information may include any user related information, for example, a user’s name, a user shirt color, a website presenting the user, etc.

[0063] According to an embodiment of the inventions, the contact transmission generated by each one of computing devices 311-316, may include one or more data segments. The plurality of data segments are generated such that each data segment, e.g., a packet may be in accordance to a different protocol to allow scanning and receiving of the contact transmission by a plurality of operating systems or protocols. As each computing device, e.g., each smart phone of computing devices 311-316 may use, work or operate by a different operating system, the contact transmission is generated and transmitted such that all computing devices 311-316 may be able to scan and receive the contact transmission, regardless of the differences between their operating systems. [0064] A contact transmission may include a plurality of data signals, each data signal may be generated and transmitted according to a different protocol. For example, contact transmission may include a first signal according to BL protocol and/or characteristics, a second signal according to BLE protocol and/or characteristics and a third signal according to beacon transmitting protocol and/ or characteristics. Transmitting or advertising data signal, data packet or advertising packets in accordance with a plurality of protocol, methods and rules may ensure that all the personal computing devices 311-316 located in a predefined area may receive the contact transmission.

[0065] An exemplary embodiment of the inventions, a contact transmission, e.g., iBeacon data packets may be transmitted by device 301, the contact transmission may be detected by devices who runs a first operating system, e.g., iOS and by devices who runs a second operating system, e.g., Android. Contact transmission, e.g., iBeacon data packets may be transmitted from a first device, e.g., device 301 also in situations when BT protocol and wireless network are switched off, e.g., when device 101 is in sleep mode and/or after restart operation. Transmitting contact transmission packets by device 301 may ignite a chain reaction of one or more devices advertising contact transmissions and scanning for contact transmissions including profiles of users of other devices. The contact transmission transmitted by device 301 packet may“wake all nearby devices, in its proximity e.g., in a range of between 30 to 50 meters, or any other range according to a used protocol or specification , e.g., the BT specifications by triggering an“enter region monitoring event”, causing a chain reaction of waking all nearby phones in their proximity. For example, in some embodiments only one device, e.g., a smart phone may cause a plurality, e.g., unlimited number of active devices located in a predefined area. For example, advertising of a single device may be initiated from opening the application, or from a silent remote notification, e.g., in non- iOS devices.

[0066] In some embodiments of the invention, if internet connectivity exists, a “remote notification” may be sent by device 301 to a remote device (not shown) which may be located outside a predefined area, e.g., not in the immediate proximity to the transmitting device 301. A remote device 301 may exist in an archive list of devices 303, just by being in its proximity at any time during the event. The identity, e.g., a unique identification number of the remote device 301 may be saved in an archive, e.g., a local memory of scanning device 303. The remote device may start a chain reaction in a region where it is located, this may result in a“mesh of meshes”, namely cause a plurality of“n” devices to start advertising their profile and be visible to a plurality of“n” devices located near them and cause all device to locally save information regarding the devices they scanned in their immediate proximity, e.g., in a predefined area.

[0067] Additionally, according to some embodiments of the invention, a“mesh of meshes” may be used to find a specific user. For example, a first device, e.g., a smart phone may“wake” all nearby devices and causing each device to scan for a specific ID. all nearby devices, once receiving a contact transmission, may“wake” other nearby devices such that a distance from the first device is enlarging by the“mesh of meshes” technique to increase the area of search. A device which may find the required ID may send its location and the distance of the device with the required ID from his location. As an exemplary use, such a technique may be used to find a lost person by his smart phone.

[0068] This“mesh of meshes” technique may be also be used as a profile validation platform. For example, a class attendance scenario in which a device of a teacher may send a contact transmission which includes a key that may cause all receiving devices to answer him or to send a response that they are nearby. In addition, all devices may validate nearby devices at a specific time and place in a“mesh” manner. For example, a device A is near devices B, C, and D, where device D is near devices A, D, C, E and F and all devices A-F may vouch for each other.

[0069] An exemplary embodiment of the present invention is presented with reference to system 300. Device 311 such as a smart phone, smart watch tablet or any other mobile, wireless device may include a first operating system, for example, Android or iOS. The device may include an application for presenting other users in a defined area neighboring user 301 , holding device 311. The application may be a dedicated application, deployed or installed on a personal computing device, e.g., each one of computing devices 311-316.

[0070] Device 311 may enter or may be positioned in an area, zone or a defined region, such as a room 320. Other users having mobile computing devices may be present at a same time, during a time interval in room 320. For example, device 312 of user 302, device 313 of user 303, device 314 of user 304, device 315 of user 305 and device 316 of user 306. By way of example, device 312 may include Android operating system and an application in a closed state, device 313 may include Android operating system and an application in an open state , e.g., in the background or foreground, device 314 may include iOS operating system and an application in a closed state, device 315 may include iOS operating system and an application in an open state and device 316 may include iOS operating system and an application in the background.

[0071] Device 311 may advertise, transmit or send a contact transmission comprises transmission of a first signal according to a first protocol and in parallel, at the same time, advertise, transmit or send a second signal according to a second protocol. For example, a first signal or a first data packet may include a BLE device name and/or local name and in parallel transmitting a second signal or a second data packet which may include, for example, an iBeacon packet including the event UUID. According to embodiments of the invention, the following reaction of the other devices may happen when device 311 may enter room 320:

[0072] Device 312 may“wake up” and may start advertising a contact transmission of a first signal according to a first protocol and in parallel, at the same time, advertise, transmit or send a second signal according to a second protocol. For example, device 312 may advertise its BLE device name, e.g., may be seen as clear text, an iBeacon data packet in order to“wake up” other devices in its proximity. In parallel device 312 and may start scanning for relevant matches and alert user 302 with a local notification when a relevant match was found, e.g., by the application. In parallel, device 313 may sense, detect or identify device 311 and may display user 311 on a screen of device 313 and may alert the user 313 with a local notification when a relevant match was found, e.g., a relevant match may be previously defined by the user and may be saved in the application. As the application of device 313 is in an open state it may constantly advertise and scan for nearby devices.

[0073] Device 314 may“wake up” into the background and may advertise a contact transmission of a first signal according to a first protocol and in parallel, at the same time, advertise, transmit or send a second signal according to a second protocol. For example, device 314 may advertise only a BLE temp MAC-address discoverable only by devices using Android operating system and a UUID discoverable only by devices using iOS operating system, e.g., as devices using iOS operating system cannot advertise iBeacon when in the background. The BLE advertisement transmitted may also contain additional BT services with several characteristics. In this example, if device 311 uses Android operating system, device 311 may detect a connectable BT device with a specific MAC-address and a manufacturer id and may try to connect to it, e.g., by a non-paired connection. When such a connection is established, device 311 may scan for a specific BT Generic Attribute Profile (GATT) service and scan for the service’s characteristics. A GATT service may establish how to exchange all profile and user data over a BLE connection.

[0074] The characteristics may hold all relevant textual and image data broken into chunks according to the characteristic’s storage limitations. If, as another example, device 311 uses iOS operating system, it may scan for a specific UUID in the advertised data overflow section in parallel to a standard generic scan that looks for device’s friendly name (validates a friendly name’s stmcture to fit the checkmate format). Device 311 may capture a specific UUID and may try to connect to it, e.g., by a non-paired connection. When such a connection is established, device 311 may look for a specific BT GATT service and scan for the service’s characteristics.

[0075] Device 315 may advertise a contact transmission of a first signal according to a first protocol and in parallel, at the same time, advertise, transmit or send a second signal according to a second protocol. For example, device 315 may transmit its iBeacon and BLE data packets and thus may be visible to device 311 and may detect device 311 in its nearby location. Device 316 may advertise a contact transmission according to a single protocol, e.g., may transmit only BLE data. In case device 311 had detected device 316 in a previous time, when it was in the foreground, meaning its local name was broadcasted and cached, e.g., textual and image data paired with the MAC address and/or UUID then device 311 will display device 316 based on cached data paired to its MAC address and/or UUID. If device 311 had not detected device 316 in a previous time, it may act as described with reference to device 314.

[0076] In some embodiments of the invention, device 311 may receive an image data of a relevant user detected. For example, if Internet connectivity exists on device 311 , image data may be received from an Internet site, server or web site, in some other embodiments of the invention, no Internet connection is required and image data may be received from the BT GATT service characteristics. BLE advertisement of a local name / device name may be based on a broadcasting non-paring concept, which may enable faster devices detections and covers longer distances, e.g., up to double from paired distance. The data advertised in the device name / local name is limited to up to 26 characters and contains the user’s name, basic profile data and the user’s unique id (a combination of 4 characters) that is also used a short URL code. The short-URL is mapped to internet relevant data, as for the user’s image and additional data. The format of the resulting URL returned from the short-URL may be a URL image and additional parameters that may include a user’s URL to his personal social media page, the remote notifications user’s id and extra additional meta-data. Setting the BT device’s name on devices using Android operating system may enable old BT 3.0 devices to also advertise their data.

[0077] Reference is now made to Fig. 4, which is a schematic illustration of a screen display of a personal device, according to some embodiments of the invention.

[0078] Embodiments of the present invention may include computerized processes performed by a computing device, for example, by each of devices 101-106 of Fig. 1 and/or by each of personal computing devices 311-316 of Fig. 3. A dedicated application, for example, application presented in Fig. 3, may deployed or installed on a personal computing device. According to an embodiment of the inventions, a plurality of parameters, variables and profiles may be set via each of personal computing devices, e.g., by each of devices 311-316 of Fig. 3, in a configuration screen of the application. The application may present to a user of the computing device, e.g., users 301-306 of Fig. 3, details and information based on the contact transmission received by each of the computing devices.

[0079] A screen display 400 may be presented on a screen of a personal computing device, e.g., a smart phone, a tablet device, a smart watch and the like. Display 400 may present to a user of the device information regarding people detected, scanned or identified based on contact transmission received by the device of the user.

[0080] Display 400 may present information related to each of the detected person. For example, each detected person may be presented on display 400 by a dedicated area, section or segment on display 400. For example, segments 410, 420 and 430. Segment 410 may include information about a first person. The information may include a name of the first person, 415, an image of the first person 411 , a profession, job, business or academic degree of the first person 414, a distance 413, e.g., in meters of the first person from user, a match level display 416 and graphical match level indicator A match level display 416 may be based on predefined categories that may be set by a user of the scanning device. For example, if a scanning user is looking for an expert in a specific field, the application may determine a percentage of a match based on the level of the match to information received from a scanned user. If a match level display 416 shows a 66% the graphical indicator 412 may show a 66% filled circle.

[0081 ] Segment 420 may include information about a second person. The information may include a name of the second person, 425, an image of the first person 421, a profession, job, business or academic degree of the second person 424, a distance 423, e.g., in meters of the second person from user, a match level display 426 and graphical match level indicator 422. Segment 430 may include information about a third person. The information may include a name of the third person, 435, an image of the third person 421 , a profession, job, business or academic degree 434, a distance 433, e.g., in meters from the user, a match level display 436 and graphical match level indicator 432.

[0082] According to embodiments of the present invention, each detected user may be presented or introduced on display 400 any characteristics, details or information related to that user and a distance from the user of the device from the detected user. It should be understood to a person skilled in the art that display 400 is presented as an exemplary presentation. Any other information related to a person which is in proximity to a user, e.g., within a predefined area, a room, a zone or a defined region may be presented by display 400. In addition, any other type of presentation may be included in display 400, e.g., a list, a table, diagram, map, chart, graph, icons, text, image and any other form of illustration may be used in accordance with embodiments of the invention.

[0083] Embodiments of the invention may display, at any given time and by demand a proximity map of all relevant persons of interest. The proximity map may display, show or indicate all people located in a predefined area where the center of the screen may represent the scanning/receiving user and around him by proximity the relevant persons of interest. The proximity map may include information regarding each of the plurality of users or persons in the map. For example, a gender, a name, a profession, a shirt color or any other visible attribute that may allow identification of a user. Any other relevant information may be presented by the proximity map.

[0084] The proximity map may show a distance from each of the other users from the scanning/receiving user. The proximity map may be update constantly or every predetermined time interval by scanning and receiving additional contact transmission as a default packet may be transmitted continually by a transmitter, e.g., another user device. Additional data may be displayed on the proximity map using visual enhancements, for example, bold icons may represent better fits, branded icons may symbol person who work for a company, Any other data may be displayed to enhance or improve the information displayed by the proximity map.

[0085] According to embodiments of the invention, tapping on a person’s icon on a proximity map may establish an online connection to that person, for example, via the Internet or an offline connection to a database of users profile based on Bluetooth connecting in order to display additional information about that person. As the data transmitted continuously by the transmitter, namely the contact transmission, may be limited in size, additional data may be accessed by actively connecting to the device of a user. Active connection to device of a user may be done, for example, by clicking on the relevant icon on the proximity map. Additional information may be transmitted to the scanning device internally based on the Bluetooth connection or by externally accessing the Internet. Additional information may include, for example, an image of a user, Curriculum Vitae (CV) of a user, company profile and the like.

[0086] Reference is now made to Fig. 5, which is a flowchart of a method for automatically connecting devices and presenting users in a wireless communication network, according to some embodiments of the invention. Operations of the method may be implemented, for example, using system 100, by one or more of the elements in system 100, namely, devices 101-106, transmitters 110-111 and WPAN 150 and/or by other suitable units, devices, and/or systems.

[0087] As indicated at box 510, the method may include transmitting a contact transmission from a first device from a plurality of devices, for example, a first device of a first user that is located at a specific location. The contact transmission may include identification information related to the first user of the first device. The identification information may include any data, records, description or information that may be related to, linked to, associated with or define in any way the transmitting device or the user of the transmitting device. The contact transmission may be transmitted periodically, namely every predetermined time interval or at certain intervals times, e.g., on advertisement channels or continuously. The contact transmission may include a first signal according to a first protocol and a second signal according to a second protocol. In some embodiments, if more than two protocols are being used by one or more devices, a contact transmission may include a plurality of signals, packets or data in accordance with a plurality of protocols, methods or techniques according to the number of protocols, methods or techniques that are being used by the plurality of devices that are to be scanned.

[0088] As indicated at box 520, the method may include scanning for the contact transmission by at least one second device from the plurality of devices. Scanning may be performed at a same time, e.g., in parallel manner to transmitting contact signals by the at least one second device from the plurality of devices. Scanning may be performed periodically, namely every predetermined time interval or at certain intervals times, e.g., on advertisement channels or continuously.

[0089] As indicated at box 530, the method may include receiving the contact transmission by the at least one second device. [0090] As indicated at box 540, the method may include presenting to a user of the at least one second device the identification information related to a user of the first device the method may further include presenting to a user of the at least one second device a location of a user of the first device. A location may include a distance between the at least one second device and the first device and an angle between the at least one second device and the first device The identification information may be related a user of a device and may comprise a name, unique identification number, a profession, a location, an external characteristic or identifying characteristics of a user. The method may further include presenting to a user of the at least one second device a proximity map comprises a location of a user of one or more of the at least one second device. The method may further include saving the identification information related to a user of the first device in a memory of the at least one second device. Saving identification information of one or more users may create an archive including identification information related to each of the scanned users. A local memory in a device may save identification information received by each of the scanned users, e.g., each of the users who is in proximity to him, in defined area and therefore create a database, a list, a table which may include data or information related to one or more users. Such an archive may be also transferred between users and may allow to share information between users regarding users. For example, a first user may receive identification information related to a second user from a third user, by being in proximity to the third user only.

[0091] As indicated at box 550, the method may include transmitting a contact transmission by the at least one second device in response to the receiving of the contact transmission. The contact transmission comprises identification information related to a user of the second device.

[0092] As indicated at box 560, the method may include repeating operations of scanning, receiving and transmitting by one or more of the at least one second device. Each of a plurality of devices which are in proximity to the first device, e.g., in the near area, around, at a predefined distance, in a location within a predefined area, room or zone, may include in the term“one or more of the at least one second device”. By repeating operations of scanning, receiving and transmitting, embodiments of the invention may include igniting a chain reaction of a plurality of “wake up” events of a large number of devices which may allow a user to receive information regarding a plurality of people located in proximity to him. According to embodiments of the invention, scanning, receiving and transmitting are performed at the same time. [0093] It should be understood to a person skilled in the art that other operations or sets of operations may be used in accordance with embodiments of the invention.

[0094] Reference is now made to Fig. 6, which is a flowchart of a method for automatically advertising and receiving communication transmissions in a wireless communication network, according to some embodiments of the invention. Operations of the method may be implemented, for example, using system 100, by one or more of the elements in system 100, namely, devices 101-106, transmitters 110-111 and WPAN 150 and/or by other suitable units, devices, and/or systems.

[0095] As indicated at box 610, the method may include installing an application on a mobile device. The application may allow automatically connecting of user devices in a wireless network. The application may be, for example, an executable code, e.g., executable code 5 of Fig.1.

[0096] As indicated at box 620, the method may include setting up personal information of a user of a mobile device. The information may include personal information such as name, surname, address, professional, email address, phone number, race, nationality, civilization, origin, religious, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, identifying number, identification card number and the like. Other information that may be provided by a user of the device may include preferences or preferred details regarding the display of the application, for example, how a user may like to see the information presented, on a display screen, e.g., display 400 of Fig. 4. For example, a user may decide which information related to other users may be presented. For example, a user may decide to see only users which are located in a predefined distance from him, users which has a certain profession or users which are above a certain age. A user may decide how the information may be presented to him, for example, a user may decide to see the information in a form of a list, a table, diagram, map, chart, graph, icons, text, image and any other form of illustration.

[0097] The application may enable adding relevant profiles of other users into contact list included in the application. Embodiments of the invention may allow a user of a mobile computing device to receive by a dedicate application a notification regarding people detected at a first time in their vicinity. A notification may be any form of an icon, text, sound or any other form of notification by an application. Clicking on the notification will present a proximity map, identifying only relevant users. For example, based on their occupation or job description. Minimizing application alerts may be done via updating filter categories and by specific identifying or marking of a user on a display screen, e.g., clicking on an icon related to a person.

[0098] As indicated at box 630, the method may include advertising a contact transmission. In exemplary embodiments the contact transmission may include a first signal, for example, a data packet according to the BLE standard and a second signal, for example, a data packet according to beacon technology. The contact transmission may include switching or alternating between the first signal and the second signal, transmitting the first signal and the second signal at a same time, during a predefined time interval or at any other method of transmission.

[0099] Advertising the contact transmission may allow communication between BT based devices, e.g., smart phones and/or smart watches with and without Internet connectivity. Embodiments of the invention may allow nearby devices or devices in a mesh region to view and validate basic profile of other users while a dedicated application may be opened in the foreground and/or while the dedicated application may be closed and may be disconnected from the Internet network and while the BT mode and WIFI mode may be switched off in the device.

[00100] According to embodiments of the invention, the method may include advertising in a fusion of a plurality of methods and according to a plurality of standards to reach as many devices as possible in an area around a transmitting device. For example, advertising in a BT data packets, such as standard BLE and GATT servicers and Beacon data packets. A basic BT data packets may be common to a plurality of platforms, e.g., iOS and Android platforms, thus may enable a full data communication between different operating systems. For example, smart phones that include Android operating system may advertise both full BLE and iBeacon data packets to“wake” other nearby phones and may include their profile data in the foreground and in the background. Smart phones that include iOS operating system may advertise both full BLE and iBeacon data packets only when in the foreground, and may advertise their temporary connectable BLE MAC-address which may be only detectable by smart phones that include Android operating system also referred herein to as“Android devices”, and may advertise their UUID which may be only detectable by other that include iOS operating system.

[00101] According to embodiments of the invention, receiving additional profile data, such as, for example, a profile image may be via detectable, custom GATT services and characteristics if the receiving device may include iOS operating system, also referred herein to as“iOS devices”. As iOS operating system cannot advertise iBeacon data while in the background and may only advertise a UUID generated by the operating system. The advertised UUID may be detected by other iOS devices that may search for it explicitly. When iOS devices are in the foreground the MAC-address which may be visible for Android devices, and a UUID may be visible to iOS devices, may be visible and include their Bluetooth friendly name, e.g., 26 bytes from the packet payload that identify a user, that may be caught by all nearby devices, for example, to Android devices and iOS devices. The devices’ friendly name may be cached in all devices and may be paired with their identification number, e.g., by MAC-address or UUID, for future caching. This functionality may enable all devices to keep seeing the iOS devices’ friendly name even when the application is in the background and the device is in sleep mode, as long as they saw it first in the foreground.

[00102] Embodiments of the invention may support profile discovery of closed applications, Non advertising iOS devices may be done by the initial iBeacon wake that starts the BLE advertisement that displays devices’ MAC-address and/or UUID as according to iOS 11 and Android 7.0, iBeacon detection may keep working even if BT is disabled from the control center/panel. Additionally, BLE advertisements, meaning advertising as a peripheral, may also continue to work when the BT is disabled from the control center. Embodiments of the invention may add to a BLE advertisement a new GATT service with several characteristics. Each characteristic may contain up to 512 bytes and each service may contain up to 64 different characteristics. This added advertisement may enable nearby devices, e.g., iOS devices and Android devices to connect to the advertising iOS or Android devices which may connect to multiple devices, to access their former mentioned characteristic -values and may immediately disconnect afterwards. Such a connection may not require any consent of a user and may be done in the background.

[00103] As indicated at box 640 and at box 650, the method may include scanning for contact transmission. In exemplary embodiments the contact transmission may include a first signal, for example, a data packet according to the iBeacon standard and a second signal, for example, a data packet according to BLE technology, e.g.,

[00104] Embodiments of the invention include scanning for each type of contact transmission by a dedicated logic, process and/or algorithm. For example, each type of contact transmission or advertisement may be scanned for independently. A first scan method may be used for scanning iOS devices in the background and a second scan method may be used for a scanning Android devices and iOS devices in the foreground, [00105] For example, in Android devices it may be done only for devices that do not display a BT friendly name, meaning iOS devices that may be in the background, their manufacturer ID is Apple and they are connectable. In the case of iOS devices, a dedicated additional Bluetooth manager object is used to explicitly scan for the overflow service UUID of the background iOS advertising devices.

[00106] This may enable nearby devices to get the full profile data of all Android devices and iOS devices, when they are in a sleep mode with a dedicated application is closed or is in the background. In some embodiments, combining this concept with a“wake you, wake me” protocol may result in a situation where devices that do not have an open application may be“woken-up” by the contact transmission, e.g., by detecting iBeacon UUID, and may advertise their BLE profile data for several minutes enabling access to their custom characteristics. For example, Android devices may not be constraint to background process as iOS devices, therefore this method may generate a situation where all devices scan and advertise their full profile without an open application, when in sleep mode, after restart and when BT mode and WIFI mode may be switched off in the device.

[00107] As indicated at box 660, the method may include the process of“scan callback event” that may be triggered or“fired” when a BFE device is found in proximity. A device may scan for all nearby advertising devices or for specific devices according to a predefined filter. For background scanning a filter may be included, otherwise the event will not fire.

[00108] As indicated at box 670, the method may include saving user details. User details may be extracted from the received contact transmission and/or data packets received during advertising time intervals as indicated at boxes 640 and 650. In some embodiments the extracted user details may be saved in a local memory of the receiving device, e.g., memory 4 or storage 6 of computing device 1 of Fig. 1. In other embodiments the extracted user details may be saved in an external data storage, such as a server, a or a cloud, e.g., server 175 of Fig. 2.

[00109] As indicated at box 680, the method may include displaying information related to users and user details that may be extracted from the received contact transmission as indicated at boxes 640 and 650. The method may further include alerting to a user regarding a relevant match. Embodiments of the invention may include displaying, e.g., on a screen of a personal computing device, e.g., a smart phone, a tablet device, a smart watch and the like information, details regarding people detected, scanned or identified based on contact transmission received by the device of the user.

[00110] As indicated at box 690, the method may include detecting“enter region event” and/or receiving a“remote notification” which may lead to advertising a contact transmission as described at box 630 and to scanning a contact transmission as described at box 650. According to embodiments of the invention a“enter region event” may start a chain reaction of devices that may “wake” nearby devices. This may allow to cover a large distance in a concept of mesh or mesh of meshes.

[00111] It should be understood to a person skilled in the art that other operations or sets of operations may be used in accordance with embodiments of the invention.

[00112] An exemplary embodiment of the invention may include enabling devices to wake-up in a scenario of a closed application. For example, iOS devices may advertise their profile, by triggering an“enter region event” from a specific iBeacon UUID. The limitation of iOS devices may be scanning up to 20 iBeacon UUIDs and for a specific UUID an“enter region event” will not“fire” or triggered. If no“exit region event” happened previously or it is the first time it was detected. Triggering an“exit region” may only happen if the UUID will not be detectable for more than 30 seconds, meaning the advertising device or devices stopped advertising or went out of range. Additionally, the“enter region event” is not specific to a certain device, but is specific to a UUID, e.g., if one device advertising a UUID went out of range and a second device came in range and advertised the same UUID in a time frame less than 30 seconds an“enter region event” will not fire. For example, once an iBeacon UUID has been detected in the background, with or without an open application, causing the application to be launched to the background, the operating system may provide several minutes up to several hours of background advertisements.

[00113] Some exemplary embodiments of the invention may enable“wake-ups” of devices, e.g., of iOS devices, to nearby attendees, organizer representatives and exhibitors. A separate spectrum of UUIDs may be used for each group, to support multiple“wake-ups”. For example, the attendees may receive UUIDs ending by digits ranging from 0-9, exhibitors’ attendees may receive UUIDs ending by digits ranging from 10-14 and organizers attendees may receive UUIDs ending by digits ranging from 15-20. Since exhibitors may mostly be in the exhibition hall the point where an attendee will enter the exhibition hall his phone will start advertising his profile. In the organizer’s application the point where the attendee will cross an organizer’s representative (reception, conference rooms, lecture rooms) the attendee will start advertising his profile. We can limit the rang of advertisement to 3 meters, for instance, causing quick exit regions for this scenario. In the case of attendees to attendees a spectmm of 10 changing ids. Using the 10 changing IDs, each phone will advertise one of the 10 numbers for 1 minute based on the clock time, for instance if the clock has the minutes ending with 7 then the UUID will end with 7. This will sync most phones to change every minute its advertising wake-up id in a synchronized manner resulting in controlled exists and enters forcing iOS devices to continue advertising when the app is closed. The iBeacon scan will begin when the app loads and react to advertising iBeacon UUID’s. The enter region will raise an immediate disappearing local notification only if the iOS app is closed and in lock-screen mode, this will force the app to advertise in lock-screen mode (iOS may not start advertising BLE packets if the phone is idle for some time). Regarding device advertisement Android devices in all states (foreground, background and with a closed application) will advertise iBeacon packets, whereas iOS devices will advertise those packets only when the app is in the foreground. The enter region event launches the app to the background and will also enable BLE scans and alerts for nearby matches, via local notifications. Using this technique will enable the full support of profile advertisement and scanning without being constrain to internet connectivity. It should be mentioned that Android devices can mn a background service that will constantly scan for profiles and advertise a profile under all conditions.

[00114] Embodiments of the invention may allow filtering relevant devices based on their advertising rate. Receiving additional data from GATT BT service may take several seconds, thus connecting to non-relevant devices may not be necessary and may be time consuming, therefore filter out relevant devices based on their advertising rate may be valuable. For example, devices that may found to be not relevant may be devices advertise at 270 milliseconds, e.g., iOS devices while relevant devices may advertise in a rate of 180 millisecond measuring these values and connecting to only relevant devices may improve time detection.

[00115] According to an embodiments of the invention, there may be provided a minimized transferrable advertising protocol, the transferred data may include the basics as for identification code, proximity distance, gender and shirt color all additional information may be transferred via connecting directly to the device selected from the proximity map or by connecting to the internet. Accordingly, each smart phone user may have full control on where and when to advertise a profile manually or based on any internal or external triggers, such as time, GPS location, WIFI, Bluetooth or any other smart phone communication triggers. This feature may assist in protecting users’ privacy. The dedicated application may fully support a disconnected mode, thus no existing data on the web, where all communication and data transfer may be based on data stored internally on the user’s smart phone. The minimized transferable advertising protocol for advertising basic profile information according to embodiments of the invention may not require a full connection to a BLE device.

[00116] Embodiments of the invention may allow a smart phone to monitor and receive contact transmission, such as beacon transmission and BLE transmissions or other advertising transmissions from smart phones in its pre -defined proximity. A smart phone may filter out non relevant profiles based on predefined mles, guideline, procedures and policies. In a case where a smart phone may scan and detect a relevant profile of a user in its proximity, the user may immediately receive a notification from his smartphone, e.g., scanning in the background regarding a person of interest in proximity to him.

[00117] Embodiments of the invention may allow negotiating between a controller and a smartphone to minimize smartphone battery usage and enable continues background advertisement, e.g., advertisement may start only after detecting the controllers signal, background scanning is enabled on all platforms and with minimized battery impact.

[00118] Some embodiments of the invention may allow using Bluetooth service characteristics to transfer information e.g., an image or a photo of the user. In order to support the non-internet concept, a reduced image size, e.g., up to 10 kilo bytes may be used and additionally compressed. The compressed image may be broken into batches, e.g., of 512 bytes and may be stacked in several service characteristics. Scanning devices may access those characteristics to recreate the transferred image. Embodiment of the invention may optimize the situation and use Internet, which is faster, to transfer an image of a user, yet in situations where there is no Internet connection Bluetooth service characteristics may be used.

[00119] Some embodiments of the invention may allow using a URL shorter service to store user’s data while using the Internet. Due to the BLE limitation of data size that may be broadcast among different devices. For example, a lowest common denominator may be 26 bytes and a full payload may be 37 bytes, but some of the data is fixed and may not be modified. Embodiment of the invention may use a 4-character code to serves as a user’s unique ID, a user’s image source and a link to store additional data such as the user’s company name and his remote notification ID. This may release the limitation of data size and enable to set the full URL returned as an image source and additional user data. The 4-character code may be also transmitted via the advertised iBeacon protocol through the combination of the Major and Minor id’s, e.g., 2 digits that may be mapped to each one of the four character’s ASCII-code minus 32, namely getting a number less than 100.

[00120] Embodiments of the invention may allow using Bluetooth device name, e.g., friendly name and/or local name. For example, using Bluetooth device name as the advertised BLE packet. Usage of device’s name/local name may enable to broadcast up to 26 characters on, e.g., a users’ name may be included in the first 17 characters, the users short-URL / unique ID (the short-URL is a set of 4 URL approved characters that serve as the user’s unique ID allowing more that 4 million combinations for each event. When being used in a URL-shortened service it may return the user’s image and additional query-string data, e.g., for a user’s company, a user’s remote notifications ID, a user’s job position (2 characters decoded to text in the app) and the user’s profiles (selection of 3 categories represented as 3 characters). Additionally, broadcasting of the device’s BT name may enable compatibility for older version. For example, older versions of Android devices do not support BLE advertisement, by setting the device’s name and enabling it to be visible by, for example a toggle button that may be set programmatically, the device may constantly advertise its packets and may be found using classic Bluetooth scanning.

[00121] Some embodiments of the invention may allow a person and/or a device detection based on“mesh of meshes” concepts presented in accordance the detailed description of the invention. For example, embodiments of the invention may allow to find a location of a specific device or a specific user based on a parallel advertisement in the near proximity to the user or device. In addition, a remote notification may be sent via the Internet informing other devices to send a wake signal to all nearby devices to look for a specific identification number. A first device to detect the specific identification number in its vicinity may return a remote notification of its location and its proximity to the relevant searching device.

[00122] Other embodiments of the invention may be used for a cross-platform enabling one-to- one chat by triggering local notifications on smart phones for notifying on messages received by advancing a beacon scan UUID by 1. For each message received, the smart phone may listen for the next message by scanning for the“UUID + 1” region.

[00123] Some embodiments of the invention may allow broadcasting contact transmission in a cyclic manner. For example, multiple iBeacon packets and BLE packets with different UUID and/or Major and/or Minor parameters and standard 26 characters BT data packets. Advertising a contact transmission may be done on cyclic timeframes, for example, a predefined first duration of time, e.g., a number of milliseconds, broadcast an iBeacon packet and then a predefined second duration of time broadcast a BT packet having, for example, a 27 characters and repeat the transmission in a cyclic manner.

[00124] According to some embodiments of the invention a decentralized, social, mesh profile\ identity validation platform in the physical layer may be performed. A unique platform that may validate a user profile based on nearby devices is presented. For example, a group of devices may be located in the same region and a validation process may mn in the background or with users’ interactivity. A pending validated profile advertising a key in order to random nearby devices to validate it and all their nearby devices. An example for a silent validation may be a device sending a key in a supermarket that causes a chain reaction by all nearby device to validate each other in the background. Another example for an interactive validation may include a user walking in the street, passing by random users that receive a validation request with the user’s photo and approve that the user nearby them is the user in the photo. The same process may also work with validator agents like lawyers validate users’ identity and signature. Additionally, validation may be strengthened by several social circles like people around a user from his immediate family, neighbors and work colleges. Another exemplary use may be for class attendance. For example, a device of a teacher may send a key that may cause all nearby phones to return or send to the cloud a response including all nearby devices that validate each other of being at the same place and at a same time. Other embodiments may include GPS location validation. For example, a device may receive a validation request to its location and may respond by GPS coordinates including all devices nearby that may validate each-other by a mesh chain reaction of validation.

[00125] Other embodiments of the invention may allow merge augmented reality (AR) with smart phone broadcasted profile. This may enable end-users to receive on-line user’s basic info displayed on their smartphones camera while pointing at a different user based on a symbol, e.g., a small barcode located on both sides of the user’s badge.

[00126] Other embodiments of the invention may be used for local, e.g., without Internet connection, focused, proximity, smartphone-based lead retrieval system for exhibitors. Attendees may provide explicit interests of products or services advertised by exhibitors, lead retrieval may inform attendees and exhibitors on relevant matches. [00127] Embodiments of the invention may include a method for sharing a list of MAC-Addresses with their short-URL between nearby devices. The list of MAC-Addresses with their short-URL may be saved locally on devices or uploaded to a cloud, for improving performance and discoverability of nearby devices. For example, some BT devices may require a serial and not parallel GATT connections, e.g., especially Android devices, this may cause non-discovery or longer times of discovery of nearby iOS devices, advertising their profile in the background. On the other hand iOS devices may not share the same disadvantage, thus may be used as a local proxy to the BT challenged devices, therefore a challenged device may establish a light weight connection to one nearby iOS device and may get immediate access to relevant MAC-Address and their profile data, e.g., short-URL, by accessing the connected iOS local repository. Using this growing list may release the constraint of challenged devices from establishing serial connections and may immediately display relevant profile data of nearby devices. Alternatively, a growing list of MAC-Addresses with their paired profile may be constantly updated by devices to a cloud storage, enabling all devices to access that storage for better performance and discoverability. For example, due to the fact iOS devices in the background may change their MAC-Address periodically, the local and remote lists may be updated accordingly. This may enable MAC- Address tracking of profiles, even though their MAC-Address would be periodically changed by the operating system. Every device, such as a smart phone, may be used as a spying agent to scan and update the local or global cloud-based database with current devices MAC-Address. External system may access this database for tracking relevant users.

[00128] Embodiments of the invention may include a method for“waking” devices to start advertising and scan for profiles based on a remote notification causing a chain of wakeups. Sending a silent remote notification to all Internet connected devices may cause the devices to start advertising their profile in the background and to scan for profiles as a method controlled by an event manager. The background advertising devices may cause all nearby devices, e.g., with and without Internet connectivity, to start advertising and scanning in the background as well, causing a chain reaction.

[00129] Embodiments of the invention may include using a search engine, for example Google search Representational State Transfer (REST) to access social network data of users with connecting to any social network via login or a supplied SDK. The described method may be used to import user’s social data by asking users to supply their full name and an additional field, such as place of work or name of school, by generating a search on a global search engine, at a very high percentage the first result would be the relevant user. Receiving the relevant info may be done by displaying the user with a list of several profiles including an image and some descriptive data. The user may click his relevant profile. Using this method may simplify the authentication process due to, not requiring users to remember their username and password and it would be easier for them to enter the former mentioned data on smartphones. This method may display profiles for an aggregate of a number of social networks. This method may be based on the interest of social networks requiring their users’ profiles with their link to the users’ profile page to be returned as the first result from a search engine search.

[00130] Embodiments of the invention may enable phones to wake-up each other while in the sleep-mode and without a running an application. For example, Android device may continuously advertise iBeacon data packets also when in the background, iOS devices may advertise iBeacon data packets only when in the foreground, namely when opening the application. Once a phone is woken, it may start advertising its BLE profile and be fully detected be other phones. For example, Android devices may also advertise iBeacon packets to generate a“mesh wake-ups”. For better support of iOS devices detections, a long running task may be started which may add a predefined additional time of advertisement when the phone is woken from an iBeacon packet detection and also when the user explicitly closes the application.

[00131] Embodiments of the invention may enable merge real-time location (software or hardware -based solutions, such as indoor located beacons or platforms like indoor-atlas or even google maps, who mapped indoor public domains) with smartphones broadcasted RSSIto navigate users to their relevant matches combining vectored data including an angle and a distance from a first user to a second user. Combining existing technologies of rough distance evaluation, e.g. by the BEE protocol with existing venue software or hardware mostly used for indoor navigation may improve a navigation between a first user to a second user by supply more accurate results and add an ability to display an angle between a location of the users.

[00132] Embodiments of the invention may be used for solving the direction problem to BT devices by a mathematical equation: using a math formula based on a known north of each device and a current snapshot of proximity to a number of nearby devices. The target and the scanner will both see the same devices between the with different distance to each device, using geometry and algebra equations to find the relevant angle between the 2 devices (target and scanner). [00133] Embodiments of the invention may allow location-based data collection of attendees at events for supplying event analytics and heatmaps. Data can be collected by conference staff smartphones or session speakers sending a unique id that causes smartphones to send a message to a local or remote backend service.

[00134] Embodiments of the invention may support post event connection when combining online and offline capabilities. For example, a user may automatically collect all nearby attendees that he passed by, even if docent have internet connectivity. The data may be added to his archive view. When the user may go into the archive view, e.g., when Internet connectivity is available, a user may see all the attendees and their additional data and may start a one to one chat to communicate with relevant attendees he may have missed during the conference.

[00135] Embodiments of the invention may include a method for increasing users archive by social sharing and enlarge a database of potential contacts. Each attendee may create his own archive of attendees he passed by, sharing this data among users may generate a broader archive of relevant contacts. Embodiments of the invention may use Bluetooth GATT services to transfer each attendee’s archive to his nearby colleagues. Each personal profile in the archive may be built out of 26 bytes, meaning that transferring 20 contacts may be accomplished by one characteristic and by reading 10 characteristics 200 contacts may be transferred, in the background and in parallel, summing to about 5k of data.

[00136] Embodiments of the invention may include a method to help users remember people they met or new people who are in front of them. A dedicated application may present basic user information, e.g., name and image of people in one’s immediate proximity, for example, up to 3 meters or other predefined area. For example, present basic user information of a person standing in a certain location or a group of people seating in a meeting. The nearby users’ info may be displayed on any relevant device such as a phone, tablet, glasses, etc. The data may be displayed in any form, for example, as a minimal list from 1 to“n” immediate nearby devices ordered by their proximity from closest to furthest. Additionally, a triggered may be added regarding a person in one’s immediate proximity if he met him in the past or in his contacts list.

[00137] Embodiments of the invention may use an application to collect information about attendees you crossed by during an event, into the archive, even if their phone was idle with no running application and they switched their WIFI and BT off. This feature may generate a growing archive of contacts that may be reached-out during or post the event. The archive may also be filtered by name, company name or the attendee’s job-title and may support export of data to third- party application, such as salesforce. The ability to reach-out to relevant contacts is based on an application of a one-to-one chat. This concept may protect user’s privacy by transmitting personal information locally, e.g., between one device to another device in a peer-to-peer format without sharing a user personal information with others or transferring the information to the cloud.

[00138] For example, there is no request for log-in process, so the user is not required to share personal info such as r email or phone number. Users may choose to disregard messages or uninstall the application after the event. The advantage of reaching-out during the event assures that the attendees still have the application and will receive reach-out messages. Monetizing according to this feature may be achieved by displaying all collected contacts with a bluer image and only displaying their first name with the first letter of their last name. In order to view all the details in the contacts list, enable the functionality of direct chat reach-outs and export to third parties, users will need to purchase the premium package. Charging money based on a premium feature of a contact magnet archive may be achieved in accordance with embodiments of the invention.

[00139] Embodiments of the invention may include method for navigating between two or more people or devices. For example, in a situation of a Taxi driver and a passenger, when Internet connectivity or GPS signals are lost or do not exist. Using a driver’s phone or a dedicated Beacon to advertise a long distance (200 meters and above) BT signals with a dynamic changing UUID and BLE packets. The driver’s phone or dedicate beacon supporting BT 5.1 may continuously advertise its distance and direction. Passengers’ phones may detect that signal and receive accurate distance and direction to the driver. Additionally, passengers may get notified when the relevant driver is in their proximity even while their phone is in sleep-mode, without an open app and with no internet and GPS connectivity. Drivers may dynamically change their advertisement data regarding their status in order to tell their status, For example, when they are free for pickups or not, thus enabling users looking for the closest free driver, just walking the street, to be alerted and connect with him without internet connectivity. Add to the iBeacon advertised packet, dynamic BLE GATT data, for enabling users to see the driver’s image and car image to easily find him. Additionally, the beacon may be used with the driver’s phone, meaning the beacon may supply longer distance, accuracy and directionality and point to the phone unique identification, whereas the phone in the shorter range and may supply the additional disconnected data of the drivers image, car image, drivers name, etc..

[00140] Embodiments of the invention may use“mesh concepts” and trigonometric calculations to find the distance and direction between to remote devices and/or people. Mesh technology may use users’ devices as proxy to find the distance by summing the distances of all proxy devices and using the direction and trigonometric calculations to calculate the straight line between the 2 devices.

[00141] . Embodiments of the invention may use the BT GATT connection as an alternative “wake” event for conducting periodic scans on devices. The BT GATT service may be used to trigger a background or foreground scan of nearby devices to generate a proximity map and to archive information regarding other users identified in a certain area during a certain predefined time. This may be used as a complimentary method for collecting data, e.g., especially from iOS devices that may be limited to access in their background state, based on triggers that occur from nearby devices that may trying to get a device’s identification information and causing it to connect to additional nearby devices. This scenario may also result in a“chain reaction” of devices waking each other to generate periodically scans of nearby devices. An initial scan may also be triggered through a silent remote notification.

[00142] Embodiments of the invention may allow social assistance between smart phone in order to support better discoverability and performance, e.g., speed of detection a Mac-address map to BT local name may be transferred between devices, generating the full map of devices around one device. Receiving identification information of iOS devices in the background requires a BT GATT connection which is more expensive in time and OS resources. Additionally, when a user explicitly stops the application, the device may continue to advertise its MAC-Address, but without its local BT name. Using this mechanism maps a MAC-Address to a BT local name, e.g., using the payload of the transmitted data packet, enabling continuously identification of devices just by their MAC-Address, without an open application in the foreground or in the background and without the need for iBeacon wake’s, resulting from permissions denial.

[00143] This mechanism uses nearby devices to“tell” and save locally or to the cloud a MAC- address with its paired BT local name and this data may be shared among all devices. This data may be shared locally by nearby devices through BT GATT services or through a shared cloud. Before each device starts to scan for other devices it may get an updated fresh map of Mac-address to BT local name and based on that it may save time while trying to connect to devices when their MAC-Address already exist in the updated map. Embodiments of the invention may allow for multiple devices which are in proximity to update a MAC-Address map and to enable continuously identification of devices even with a closed application.

[00144] Aspects of the present invention are described above with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or portion diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems) and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each portion of the flowchart illustrations and/or portion diagrams, and combinations of portions in the flowchart illustrations and/or portion diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instmctions. These computer program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instmctions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or portion diagram or portions thereof.

[00145] These computer program instmctions can also be stored in a computer readable medium that can direct a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to function in a particular manner, such that the instmctions stored in the computer readable medium produce an article of manufacture including instmctions which implement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or portion diagram portion or portions thereof. The computer program instmctions can also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other devices to produce a computer implemented process such that the instmctions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide processes for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or portion diagram portion or portions thereof.

[00146] The aforementioned flowchart and diagrams illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each portion in the flowchart or portion diagrams can represent a module, segment, or portion of code, which includes one or more executable instmctions for implementing the specified logical function(s). It should also be noted that, in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the portion can occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two portions shown in succession can, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the portions can sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be noted that each portion of the portion diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of portions in the portion diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware -based systems that perform the specified functions or acts, or combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.

[00147] In the above description, an embodiment is an example or implementation of the invention. The various appearances of "one embodiment”, "an embodiment", "certain embodiments" or "some embodiments" do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiments. Although various features of the invention can be described in the context of a single embodiment, the features can also be provided separately or in any suitable combination. Conversely, although the invention can be described herein in the context of separate embodiments for clarity, the invention can also be implemented in a single embodiment. Certain embodiments of the invention can include features from different embodiments disclosed above, and certain embodiments can incorporate elements from other embodiments disclosed above. The disclosure of elements of the invention in the context of a specific embodiment is not to be taken as limiting their use in the specific embodiment alone. Furthermore, it is to be understood that the invention can be carried out or practiced in various ways and that the invention can be implemented in certain embodiments other than the ones outlined in the description above.

[00148] The invention is not limited to those diagrams or to the corresponding descriptions. For example, flow need not move through each illustrated box or state, or in the same order as illustrated and described. Meanings of technical and scientific terms used herein are to be commonly understood as by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the invention belongs, unless otherwise defined. While the invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but rather as exemplifications of some of the preferred embodiments. Other possible variations, modifications, and applications are also within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should not be limited by what has thus far been described, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.

Claims

1. A method for automatically communicating between devices in a wireless network comprising a plurality of devices, each of the devices is capable of scanning and transmitting signals, the method comprising:

transmitting, a contact transmission from a first device from the plurality of devices, wherein the contact transmission comprises identification information related to a user of said first device;

scanning for the contact transmission by at least one second device from the plurality of devices;

receiving the contact transmission by said at least one second device;

presenting to a user of said at least one second device the identification information related to a user of said first device;

saving the identification information related to a user of said first device in a memory of said at least one second device;

in response to the receiving of the contact transmission by the at least one second device,

transmitting a contact transmission by the at least one second device, wherein the contact transmission comprises identification information related to a user of said at least one second device; and

repeating said scanning, receiving and transmitting by one or more of the at least one second device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting to a user of said at least one second device a location of a user of said first device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the scanning, receiving and transmitting are performed at a same time.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the contact transmission comprises transmission of a first signal according to a first protocol and a second signal according to a second protocol.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the contact transmission comprises a clock related information.

6. The method of claim 6, wherein the clock related information is to enable a modified contact transmission according to a change of said clock.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identification information related to said user of said first device comprises a name of said user of the first device and wherein the identification information related to said user of said second device comprises a name of said user of the second device.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identification information related to said user of said first device comprises a unique identification number of said user of the first device and wherein the identification information related to said user of said second device comprises a unique identification number of said user of the second device.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identification information related to said user of said first device comprises one or more characters encoded based on hash table saved in said first device and wherein the identification information related to said user of said second device comprises one or more characters encoded based on hash table saved in said second device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification information comprises a unique network address of the first device to enable continuously identification of a first device by one or more of the at least one second device.

11. A system for automatically connecting a plurality of devices in a wireless network comprising:

a first device, from the plurality of devices, to transmit a contact transmission, wherein the contact transmission comprises identification information related to a user of said first device;

a second device, from the plurality of devices, to:

scan for the contact transmission;

receive the contact transmission;

present to a user of said second device the identification information related to a user of said first device;

save the identification information related to a user of said first device in a memory of said second device; transmit a contact transmission, wherein the contact transmission comprises identification information related to said user of said second device; and

to repeat said scan, said receive and said transmit by said second device.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the second device is to present to a user of said second device a location of a user of said first device.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein said scan, said receive and said transmit by said second device are performed at a same time.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the contact transmission comprises transmission of a first signal according to a first protocol and a second signal according to a second protocol.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the contact transmission comprises a clock related information.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the clock related information is to enable a modified contact transmission according to a change of said clock.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the identification information related to said user of said first device comprises a name of said user of said first device and wherein the identification information related to said user of said second device comprises a name of said user of said second device.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the identification information related to said user of said first device comprises a unique identification number of said user of the first device and wherein the identification information related to said user of said second device comprises a unique identification number of said user of the second device.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the identification information related to said user of said first device comprises one or more characters encoded based on hash table saved in said first device and wherein the identification information related to said user of said second device comprises one or more characters encoded based on hash table saved in said second device.

20. The system of claim 11 , wherein the identification information comprises a unique network address of the first device to enable continuously identification of a first device by one or more of the plurality of devices.