| 摘要 |
An internet-based conferencing system simulates the experience of Citizens' Band (CB) radio communications without the use of CB radio transceivers. Instead of direct RF links between participants, the CBI system employs a combination of user-resident application software, central server-based conferencing software, GPS location data, and Voice over IP (VoIP) or voice over cellular technology. In the set-up procedure of the application software, the participant selects an alias CB-style “handle” and a caricature picture, neither of which disclose the true identity or location of the participant. Since the participants are known only by their alias and caricature, their anonymity is preserved, thereby enabling greater freedom of expression and interpersonal tolerance. Participants do not select the other participants in their conference, but are assigned to a virtual “channel” based on a selected conference category and proximity criteria, thereby simulating the serendipity of CB radio communications. |
| 主权项 |
1. A method of establishing and conducting a conference between and among multiple participants, consisting of the following steps:
(a) providing each participant with an initiating device, wherein each initiating device is capable of accessing a wireless telecommunications network, accessing the internet and receiving satellite GPS location data; (b) providing each participant with an application software that is downloaded to each initiating device, wherein the application software, upon being downloaded, initiates a setup procedure whereby the participant selects an alias and a display picture, and wherein neither the alias nor the display picture reveals the actual identity or location of the participant; (c) incorporating in the application software a menu system, wherein each participant uses the menu system to select a conference category from among multiple conference categories and to select a maximum distance range between the participants in the conference, and wherein each of the conference categories describes either the subject matter of the conference or a characteristic of the participants in the conference; (d) from each initiating device, transmitting the participant's alias, display picture, GPS location data, selected conference category, and selected distance range via the wireless telecommunications network to a central server, wherein the central server uses a conference bridge software to assign each participant to one of multiple virtual conference domains based the participant's selected conference category and selected distance range; (e) assignment by the central server of the participants to a common conference domain based on the participants' selection of a common conference category and a coextensive distance range, thereby establishing the conference between and among the participants; (f) configuring the conference bridge software so that only one participant at a time can speak in the conference, such that at any time there is one speaking participant and one or more non-speaking participants, and such that the no voices of non-speaking participants are audible, and such that the speaking participant is identified to the non-speaking participants only by his/her alias and display picture; (g) transmitting utterances of the speaking participant from the initiating device of the speaking participant to the central server via the wireless telecommunications network, or via the internet, using a VoIP protocol; and (h) using the conference bridge to re-transmit the utterances of the speaking participant from the central server via the wireless telecommunications network, or via the internet, using the VoIP protocol, to the initiating devices of the non-speaking participants, and using the conference bridge to simultaneously transmit the alias and the display picture of the speaking participant via the wireless telecommunications network, or via the internet, using the VoIP protocol, to the initiating devices of the non-speaking participants. |
