Method and apparatus for selective and automatic two-way beaming of related information to and from personal information management systems

Abstract

A method and system of automating two-way beaming of information from one handheld electronic device to another handheld electronic device. Specifically, the present invention discloses a method and system for selectively transmitting business cards, calendar appointments or executable programs from one device to a requesting device. The receiver makes the selection of a response. The receiver accepts the information, accepts and automatically transmits information of the same category, or rejects the information based on a user choice. If the user select the receive and transmit option, the device will automatically receives and file the information and sends information of the same category to the initiator of the transmission. The two-way transmission of information appears as one integral transmission between the users. In one embodiment, the data to be exchanged is business cards and the devices are handheld computer system.

1 . A method of communicating information comprising the steps of: 
 a) communicating a first information from a first electronic device to a second electronic device using a wireless communication mechanism, said first information having an information category type;    b) said second electronic device receiving said first information;    c) in response to step b), said second electronic device automatically displaying a message indicating at least one user selection, said user selection selected from the group consisting of accept and automatic response, accept and no response, and reject; and    d) responsive to a particular user selection, said second electronic device automatically communicating second information to said first electronic device wherein said second information is of said information category type.