HUMAN READABLE ICONIC DISPLAY
The invention is directed to providing a method for managing a human-readable icon associated with a user for displaying the human-readable icon on one or more target displays in response to a request for a service from the user. A user-operable device is used to transmit a request for the service and additionally to validate a unique human readable icon. The publicly-viewable human-readable icon can provide confirmation to the user for a request for service while providing a level of anonymity.
1 . A method of managing a human-readable icon from a user-operable device, the method comprising transmitting a request for a service to a service provider from said user-operable device, wherein said request for a service comprises a request to display said human-readable icon on a target display.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein said request comprises an identifier associated with said user.
3 . The method of claim 2 wherein said request comprises a request to retrieve said human-readable icon from an icon database using said identifier.
4 . The method of claim 1 wherein said request for service comprises a copy of said human-readable icon.
5 . The method of claim 4 wherein said request for service comprises a request to validate said human-readable icon at an icon database.
6 . The method of claim 1 wherein said target display is located proximate to the requested service.
7 . The method of claim 1 wherein said request further comprises a request to display said human-readable icon on said user-operable device.
8 . The method of claim 1 wherein said user-operable device comprises a portable device.
9 . The method of claim 8 wherein said user-operable device comprises a mobile telephone.
10 . The method of claim 7 further comprising a step of receiving said human-readable icon from said service provider.
11 . The method of claim 10 wherein said step of receiving said human-readable icon comprises receiving said human-readable icon via a Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS).
12 . The method of claim 10 wherein said receiving step further comprises a step of validating said icon at said user-operable device.
13 . The method of claim 12 wherein said validating step comprises photographing a representation of said icon at said target display and comparing said representation to the icon received at said user-operable device.
14 . A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform the method steps of claim 1 .