Systems and methods for controlling information sharing among and between individuals and groups of individuals

Abstract

A conference organizer uses conference software to define a conference and to store conference information, including a list of individuals attending the conference. The software assigns each individual a personal proxy with storage space for information to be shared. Responsive to input from the individuals, the software organizes the individuals into groups, such as interest-based groups and lists of “buddies.” Messages and can then be directed between individuals or broadcast to groups buddy groups via their respective proxies. The use of proxies allows attendees to send messages to one another and to receive messages from one another without divulging their primary email addresses. The proxy storage also allows individuals to store and selectively share textual information, video information, digital pictures, and audio information.

1 . A method of sharing information among multiple individuals, the method comprising:
 creating a database listing the individuals, including a first individual and a second individual;   assigning a first personal proxy to the first individual and a second personal proxy to the second individual, the first personal proxy having first personal storage space for first shared information owned by the first individual and the second personal proxy having second personal storage space for second shared information owned by the second individual, wherein the first shared information includes first textual information and first pictures and the second shared information includes second textual information and second pictures;   responsive to input from the first individual, setting up a first buddy group owned by the first individual and listing a first subset of the individuals, the first subset including the second individual, and sharing the first shared information with the second individual; and   responsive to input from the second individual, setting up a second buddy group owned by the second individual and listing a second subset of the individuals, the second subset including the first individual, and sharing the second shared information with the first individual.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising associating the first and second individuals with respective first and second primary electronic addresses, and forwarding messages directed to the second personal proxy to the second primary electronic address. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising receiving forwarding options from the first and second individuals, wherein the forwarding messages is responsive to the forwarding option from the second individual. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising directing the messages to the second individual at the second personal proxy. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, responsive to a request from the first individual, sending a listing of the second buddy group to the first individual, wherein the listing of the second buddy group includes the first individual but is not owned by the first individual. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 listing the first and second buddy groups in respective first and second buddy lists, wherein the first buddy list is owned by the first individual and the second buddy list is owned by the second individual; and   sending to the first individual a list of buddy lists not owned by the first individual.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising sending to the first individual one of the buddy lists not owned by the first individual. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the one of the buddy lists not owned by the first individual is owned by a third individual, the method further comprising sending to the first individual an identity of the third individual along with the one of the buddy lists not owned by the first individual. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first shared information includes a picture of the first individual. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising receiving a request from a wireless device of the second individual and sending the picture to the wireless device responsive to the request. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the wireless device comprises a telephone. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the wireless device comprises a personal digital assistant (PDA). 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first individual shared information specifies a location of the first individual. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising updating the first shared information to include video information. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising storing meeting information defining a meeting at a physical meeting location and a list of attendees of the meeting, the list of attendees including the first and second individuals. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising registering a first wireless device for the first individual and a second wireless device for the second individual, wherein the first and second wireless devices each comprise at least one of a telephone or a PDA. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising communicating with the first and second wireless devices using a wireless communication station at the location. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising sending the pictures of the first shared information to the second wireless device and sending the pictures of the second shared information to the first wireless device. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising sending a map of the physical meeting location to at least one of a telephone or a PDA of at least one of the first and second individuals. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving a link from the first individual to selected information stored on a computer and presenting the link to the second individual. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein presenting the link comprises sending the link to at least one of a telephone or a PDA of the second individual. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, responsive to second input from the first individual, setting up an additional buddy group owned by the first individual and listing a third subset of the individuals. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the additional buddy group is based on an interest common to the individuals in the additional buddy group. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the additional buddy group is sponsored by a company. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising directing a message from the first individual to the first subset of the individuals. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising specifying a location of the first individual with the message. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the location is a meeting location, the method further comprising specifying ones of the individuals at the meeting location. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second individuals have respective first and second individual names, the method further comprising generating first and second individual identifiers for the first and second personal proxies, each of the first and second individual identifiers having a one part indicative of the respective individual name and another part common to the identifiers. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising posting a message to first and second personal proxies. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising maintaining a message board, wherein posting the message comprises depicting the message on the message board. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein posting the message includes examining first and second forwarding options associated with the first and second individuals and sending the message to at least one of first and second primary electronic addresses associated with the respective first and second individuals based on the forwarding options. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, responsive to second input from the first individual, setting up an additional buddy group owned by the first individual and listing a respective third subset of the individuals. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the additional buddy group includes a company group. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising receiving an invitation, notification, or announcement from the first individual directed to the first buddy group, and directing the invitation, notification, or announcement to the individuals in the first buddy group. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising registering wireless devices for the individuals in the first buddy group, each wireless device comprising at least one of a telephone and a PDA, wherein directing the invitation, notification, or announcement to the individuals in the first buddy group comprises sending a message to the wireless devices. 
     
     
         36 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instruction for sharing information among multiple individuals, the instructions for:
 creating a database listing the individuals, including a first individual and a second individual;   assigning a first personal proxy to the first individual and a second personal proxy to the second individual, the first personal proxy having first personal storage space for first shared information owned by the first individual and the second personal proxy having second personal storage space for second shared information owned by the second individual, wherein the first shared information includes first textual information and first pictures and the second shared information includes second textual information and second pictures;   responsive to input from the first individual, setting up a first buddy group owned by the first individual and listing a first subset of the individuals, the first subset including the second individual, and sharing the first shared information with the second individual;   responsive to input from the second individual, setting up a second buddy group owned by the second individual and listing a second subset of the individuals, the second subset including the first individual, and sharing the second shared information with the first individual;   associating the first and second individuals with respective first and second primary electronic addresses, and forwarding messages directed to the second personal proxy to the second primary electronic address; and   receiving forwarding options from the first and second individuals, wherein the forwarding messages is responsive to the forwarding option from the second individual.   
     
     
         37 . The medium of  claim 36 , wherein the first shared information includes a picture of the first individual. 
     
     
         38 . The medium of  claim 37 , further comprising instructions for receiving a request from a wireless device of the second individual and sending the picture to the wireless device responsive to the request, wherein the wireless device comprises at least one of a telephone and a personal digital assistant. 
     
     
         39 . The medium of  claim 38 , further comprising instructions for receiving a wireless message from the wireless device of the second individual and forwarding the wireless message to the second individual.