Systems and method for exchanging information bi-directionally

1. A communications system for bi-directionally exchanging information relating to the marketing of products and services, said communications system comprising:

a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag, in the possession of a selected subscriber of a group of subscribers to products/services information relating to the marketing of products and services that are of potential interest to the subscribers, including:

(a) means for storing coded identity information uniquely associated with the selected subscriber,

(b) means for transmitting:

(1) to an RFID reader a presence signal that includes the coded identity information that is uniquely associated with the selected subscriber and indicates his/her presence in a physical area within the signal receiving range of the RFID reader, and

(2) to the RFID reader an interest signal that indicates at least one of:

(i) no interest in product/service information specifically selected by the RFID reader for the selected subscriber, and

(ii) interest in product/service information specifically selected by the RFID reader for the selected subscriber, and

(c) means for receiving an inquiry signal from the RFID reader relating to potential interest in the selected product/services information; and, an RFID reader including:

(a) means for storing in a database associated with the RFID reader:

(1) product/service information relating to the marketing of products and services that are of potential interest to the group of subscribers, and

(2) coded information relating to:

(i) the identities of subscribers to the stored products/services information, and

(ii) personal profiles of individual subscribers to the stored products/services information that indicate which products and services are of potential interest to individual subscribers,

(b) means for receiving:

(1) the presence signal from the RFID tag, and

(2) the interest signal from the RFID tag,

(c) means for confirming the status of the selected subscriber as being a subscriber to the product/service information by comparing the coded identity information uniquely associated with the selected subscriber in the presence signal with the stored coded information relating to the identity of the selected subscriber,

(d) means for selecting from the stored product/service information the product/service information of potential interest to the selected subscriber based on the stored profile information of the selected subscriber,

(e) means for analyzing the interest signal to determine at least one of:

(1) ending communications between the RFID reader and the RFID tag when the interest signal indicates no interest in the selected product/service information, and

(2) continuing communications between the RFID reader and the RFID tag when the interest signal indicates interest in the selected product/service information, and

(f) means for transmitting an inquiry signal relating to the selected product/service information.

2. A communications system according to claim 1 wherein the content of the interest signal is represented by the signal strength of the interest signal and the RFID reader includes means for sensing the signal strength of the interest signal.

3. A communications system for bi-directionally exchanging information relating to the marketing of products and services, said communications system comprising:

a wireless communications device in the possession of a selected subscriber of a group of subscribers to products/services information relating to the marketing of products and services that are of potential interest to the subscribers, said wireless communications device including a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag that includes:

(a) means for storing coded identity information uniquely associated with the selected subscriber,

(b) means for transmitting:

(1) to an RFID reader a presence signal that includes the coded identity information that is uniquely associated with the selected subscriber and indicates his/her presence in a physical area within the signal receiving range of the RFID reader, and

(2) to the RFID reader an interest signal that indicates at least one of:

(i) no interest in product/service information specifically selected by the RFID reader for the selected subscriber, and

(ii) interest in product/service information specifically selected by the RFID reader for the selected subscriber, and

(c) means for receiving an inquiry signal from the RFID reader relating to potential interest in the selected product/services information; and,

an RFID reader including:

(a) means for storing in a database associated with the RFID reader:

(1) product/service information relating to the marketing of products and services that are of potential interest to the group of subscribers, and

(2) coded information relating to:

(i) the identities of subscribers to the stored products/services information, and

(ii) personal profiles of individual subscribers to the stored products/services information that indicate which products and services are of potential interest to individual subscribers,

(b) means for receiving:

(1) the presence signal from the RFID tag, and

(2) the interest signal from the RFID tag,

(c) means for confirming the status of the selected subscriber as being a subscriber to the product/service information by comparing the coded identity information uniquely associated with the selected subscriber in the presence signal with the stored coded information relating to the identity of the selected subscriber,

(d) means for selecting from the stored product/service information the product/service information of potential interest to the selected subscriber based on the stored profile information of the selected subscriber,

(e) means for analyzing the interest signal to determine at least one of:

(1) ending communications between the RFID reader and the RFID tag when the interest signal indicates no interest in the selected product/service information, and

(2) continuing communications between the RFID reader and the RFID tag when the interest signal indicates interest in the selected product/service information, and

(f) means for transmitting an inquiry signal relating to the selected product/service information.

4. A communications system according to claim 3 wherein the content of the interest signal is represented by the signal strength of the interest signal and the RFID reader includes means for sensing the signal strength of the interest signal.

5. A communications system for bi-directionally exchanging information relating to the marketing of products and services, said communications system comprising:

a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag having:

(a) means for transmitting to an RFID reader:

(1) a presence signal that indicates:

(i) the presence of a person in possession of the RFID tag in a physical area within the signal receiving range of an RFID reader,

(ii) information relating to products and services of potential interest to the person in possession of the RFID tag, and

(iii) coded identity information that is uniquely associated with the person in possession of the RFID tag, and

(2) an interest signal that indicates at least one of:

(i) no interest in product/service information specifically selected by the RFID reader for the person in possession of the RFID tag, and

(ii) interest in product/service information specifically selected by the RFID reader for the person in possession of the RFID tag,

(b) means for receiving an inquiry signal from the RFID reader relating to potential interest, on the part of the person in possession of the RFID tag, in selected products and services; and

an RFID reader including:

(a) means for storing in a database associated with the RFID reader product/service information relating to the marketing of products and services that are of potential interest to the person in possession of the RFID tag,

(b) means for receiving:

(1) the presence signal from the RFID tag, and

(2) the interest signal from the RFID tag,

(c) means for comparing the product/service information stored in the database associated with the RFID reader with the indication of products and services of potential interest to the person in possession of the RFID tag,

(d) means for selecting, from the product/service information stored in the database associated with the RFID reader, the product/service information of potential interest to the person in possession of the RFID tag based on the comparison the product/service information stored in the database associated with the RFID reader with the indication of the products and services of potential interest to the person in possession of the RFID tag,

(e) means for displaying for viewing by the person in possession of the RFID tag the selected product/service information,

(f) means for transmitting an inquiry signal from the RFID reader relating to the selected product/service information, and

(g) means for analyzing the interest signal and determining at least one of:

(1) ending communications between the RFID reader and the RFID tag when the interest signal indicates no interest in the selected product/service information, and

(2) continuing communications between the RFID reader and the RFID tag when the interest signal indicates interest in the selected product/service information.

6. A communications system according to claim 5 further including means for storing the coded identity information uniquely associated with the selected subscriber in a database associated with the RFID reader.