Apparatus, methods, or software for data mining user information by providing services over the internet for connecting people

Abstract

Anonymous voice communication between a first station and a second station is facilitated by providing an interface that allows input of a transaction specification from at least one of the first and second stations. A reference code associated with the transaction is generated, there being a defined relationship between the reference code and the address of the second station for voice communication. The reference code is supplied to the first station, and a voice communication request and the reference code are received from the first station. The reference code is used to recover said address and a channel for voice communication is opened between said first and second stations. Voice communication can thereby be established between the first and second stations without providing the address of the second station to the first station.An Internet-based service system for data mining user information is herein disclosed and enabled. The disclosed service system may facilitate users posting information, advertising products/services, connecting to other users, and making transactions over the Internet. Data obtained from each transaction submitted through the service are data mined. The collected data may include personal information, private data, interests, intellectual property, etc. To create transactions, the system may create a proposed transaction specifying a transaction between first and second parties based, at least in part, on data mining the first and second party's history of transactions. The service system may transmit a reference code to the first party related to the proposed transaction, and wait to receive a communication request from the first party employing the reference code. The reference code may include text, image(s), video(s), audio, or communication link(s), and the proposed transaction may be an advertisement or matching service.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of facilitating anonymous communication between a first station and a second station, the second station having an address for communication, and each station being enabled to transmit and receive packet data and being connected directly to a packet data network, the method comprising:
 providing a transaction specification from at least one of the first and second stations,   generating a reference code in response to the transaction specification, there being a defined relationship between the reference code and said address,   supplying the reference code to at least the first station,   receiving a communication request from the first station,   receiving the reference code from the first station,   using the reference code to recover said address, and   opening a channel for communication between said first and second stations,   whereby anonymous communication can be established between the first and second stations without providing said address to the first station.   
     
     
       2. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said address specifies a node on a circuit switched network. 
     
     
       3. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said address specifies a node on a packet switched network. 
     
     
       4. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said address specifies a node on a packet switched network, including Voice over IP. 
     
     
       5. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of providing the transaction specification includes inputting said transaction specification through a packet data network. 
     
     
       6. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein there is a first party at the first station and a second party at the second station, and the step of providing the transaction specification includes the first party posting an inquiry, the second party posting a response, and the first party accepting or rejection the response. 
     
     
       7. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of providing the transaction specification includes providing an interface that allows negotiation between parties at the first and second stations respectively regarding the transaction specification. 
     
     
       8. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of providing the transaction specification includes inputting said transaction specification through a packet data network, including one of wired or wireless Internet. 
     
     
       9. A method according to  claim 1 , comprising generating a connection instruction based on the transaction specification. 
     
     
       10. A method according to  claim 1 , comprising generating the reference code based on a connection instruction. 
     
     
       11. A method according to  claim 1 , including storing a database of user profiles including said address. 
     
     
       12. A method according to  claim 1 , including supplying the reference code to the first station over a packet data network. 
     
     
       13. A method according to  claim 1 , including supplying the reference code to the first station over a circuit switched network. 
     
     
       14. A method according to  claim 1 , comprising storing the reference code until after the transaction has been completed and then erasing the reference code. 
     
     
       15. A method according to  claim 1 , comprising supplying the reference code to both the first station and the second station. 
     
     
       16. A method according to  claim 1 , comprising connecting the first station and second station for voice communication over a circuit switched network. 
     
     
       17. A method according to  claim 1 , comprising connecting the first station and second station for voice communication over a packet data network. 
     
     
       18. A method according to  claim 1 , comprising connecting the first station and second station for voice communication through voice over IP. 
     
     
       19. A method according to  claim 1 , comprising verifying the communication request against at least one criterion specified in the transaction specification before opening the channel for communication. 
     
     
       20. A method according to  claim 1 , comprising rejecting the communication request if at least one criterion specified in the transaction specification is not satisfied. 
     
     
       21. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein there is a party at the second station and the method comprises verifying the identity of the party at the second station before opening the channel for communication. 
     
     
       22. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method comprises generating a communication record including data regarding the transaction, including at least one of start time, end time, reference code, duration of communication, fee information, and billing information. 
     
     
       23. A method according to  claim 22 , wherein first and second identities are associated with the first and second stations respectively and the communication record includes at least one of the first identity and the second identity. 
     
     
       24. A method according to  claim 1 , comprising issuing a to prompt to the first station to enter the reference code. 
     
     
       25. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein there is a first party at the first station and a second party at the second station, the first party is a purchaser of information and the second party is a seller of information, and the method comprises negotiating the transaction specification. 
     
     
       26. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein there is a first party at the first station and the method includes the first party initiating a request for communication. 
     
     
       27. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of supplying the transaction specification includes specifying a time or time interval for the communication request and the method includes determining whether the communication request is received from the first station at the specified time or time interval. 
     
     
       28. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of opening a communication channel includes attempting to establish a connection between the first and second stations, testing whether a connection is established, and, if not, scheduling a time for another attempt. 
     
     
       29. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the method comprises receiving from the second station specified times or time intervals at which a party is available at the second station for communication. 
     
     
       30. A method of establishing anonymous communication between a first station and a second station, the second station having an address for communication, and each station being enabled to transmit and receive packet data and being connected directly to a packet data network, the method comprising:
 supplying a transaction specification as packet data over the packet data network from at least one of the first and second stations to a controller,   generating a reference code in response to the transaction specification at the controller, there being a defined relationship between the reference code and said address,   supplying the reference code from the controller to at least the first station,   making a communication request from the first station to the controller,   supplying the reference code from the first station to the controller,   using the controller to recover said address from the reference code, and   opening a channel for communication between said first and second stations.   
     
     
       31. A method according to  claim 30 , wherein the method comprises making the communication request automatically by the first station contacting the controller unit. 
     
     
       32. A method according to  claim 30 , wherein there is a first party at the first station, and the method comprises making the communication request by the first party contacting the controller. 
     
     
       33. An apparatus for facilitating anonymous communication between a first party and a second party employing first and second stations respectively, each station being enabled to transmit and receive packet data and being connected directly to a packet data network, the second party having an address for communication, including
 a means for enabling negotiation of a transaction specification over the packet data network,   a means for generating a reference code, there being a defined relationship between the reference code and said address, and for supplying the reference code to at least the first party, a means for receiving a communication request from at least the first party and for receiving the reference code from at least the first party,   a means for using the reference code to recover said address, and   a means for opening a communication channel between said first party and said address without supplying said address to the first party.   
     
     
       34. An apparatus according to  33 , wherein the means for opening a communication channel includes a means to test whether a connection is established. 
     
     
       35. An apparatus according to  33 , further comprising means to verify the communication request against at least one criterion specified in the transaction specification before opening a communication channel between the first party and said address. 
     
     
       36. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the anonymous communication is voice communication being one of telephone, cellular and voice-over Internet protocol communication. 
     
     
       37. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the anonymous communication is data communication being one of email, chat, messaging and web publishing. 
     
     
       38. A method of data mining user information for connecting a first party with a second party over the Internet, the first party and the second party operating respectively a first station and a second station, each station being Internet enabled for transmitting and receiving data to and from a controller, the Internet being at least a packet data network, the controller operating, at least partly, as a service over the Internet to the first party and the second party, and wherein the controller has access to a data storage component storing address information or security information associated with the second party or the second station, the method comprising:
 (1) data mining, by the controller and at the first station, information on the first party operating the first station based, at least in part, on data collected from the first station by the controller from a history of transactions involving one or more transactions that are associated with the first party over the Internet;   (2) data mining, by the controller and at the second station, information on the second party at the second station based, at least in part, on data collected from the second station by the controller and from a history of transactions involving one or more transactions that are associated with the second party over the Internet;   (3) verifying, by the controller, identity of the first party at the first station;   (4) creating, by the controller, a proposed first party transaction specification, the proposed first party transaction specification specifying at least a proposed transaction between the first party and the second party, the creating of the proposed first party transaction specification employing, at least in part, the data mining information on the first and second parties collected by the controller in (1) and in (2);   (5) generating, by the controller, a reference code for supplying to the first party at the first station, the reference code being associated, at least partly, with the proposed first party transaction specification created by the controller in (4), and the reference code having a relationship, at least partly, to the second party;   (6) supplying, by the controller, the reference code generated in (5) to the first party at the first station over the Internet, the supplying of the reference code being based on the controller having verified the identity of the first party at the first station in (3); and   (7) receiving, by the controller, a connection request over the Internet from the first party, at the first station, for connecting to the second party, the connection request from the first party employing, at least in part, the reference code previously supplied by the controller in (6) to the first party at the first station; and   wherein a connection between the first party and the second party over the Internet is made without requiring the first party and the second party to provide a transaction specification to the controller specifying a transaction between the first party and the second party prior to the controller creating the proposed first party transaction specification in (4), and wherein the connection between the first party and the second party is made without providing, to the first party at the first station, the address information or the security information that is associated with the second party or the second station and wherein the proposed first party transaction specification, which is created by the controller in (4), is not created by the first party at the first station and is not created by the second party at the second station.   
     
     
       39. The method according to claim 38, in which the controller has access to the data storage component storing the address or security information associated with the second party or the second station, the method further comprising:
 verifying, by the controller, identity of the second party at the second station;   recovering, by the controller, the address or the security information from the data storage component in response to the connection request received from the first party over the Internet in (7); and   opening, by the controller and over the Internet, a communication channel between the first party at the first station and the second party at the second station, without providing, to the first party, the address or the security information that is associated with the second party or the second station; and   wherein the opening of the communication channel between the first party and the second party is subsequent to having verified, by the controller, the identity of the second party at the second station.   
     
     
       40. The method according to claim 39, in which the reference code includes one or more of an image, a graphic, or a video, individually or in any combination, for displaying on a visual screen display at the first station;
 wherein the communication channel for communication between the first party and the second party is made between the first station and the second station over the Internet, and the communication channel between the first party and the second party includes at least one of chat, messaging, video communication, voice communication, or an e-mail; and   wherein the creating of the proposed first party transaction specification in (4) is subsequent to the controller having obtained, at the second station and over the Internet, one or more transaction specifications associated with the second party; and   wherein the first station and the second station are each directly connected to the packet data network for connecting to the Internet.   
     
     
       41. The method according to claim 38, wherein the proposed first party transaction specification created by the controller in (4) is supplied, at least partly, to the first party at the first station, the proposed first party transaction specification is to facilitate, using the first station, the first party placing one or more transactions with the second party at the second station, and the proposed first party transaction specification including one or more of product information, service information, intellectual property information, content information, qualification information, interest information, or characteristic information, individually or in any combination, related to the second party. 
     
     
       42. The method according to claim 41, wherein the method further comprises obtaining, by the controller and over the Internet, one or more transaction specifications that are associated with the second party from the second station, the one or more transaction specifications that are associated with the second party include information that is related to the second party and that is posted by the second party on web pages, the posted information on the web pages being related to one or more of qualification information, characteristic information, product information, service information, intellectual property information, interest information, or content information, individually or in any combination, related to the second party, and
 wherein the connection request, received by the controller over the Internet, from the first party for connecting to the second party in (7) includes at least one of voice communication, an email, or an instant message.   
     
     
       43. The method according to claim 38, in which the creating of the proposed first party transaction specification further includes matching, by the controller, the data mining information related to the first party with the data mining information related to the second party. 
     
     
       44. The method according to claim 42, further comprising:
 obtaining, by the controller and over the Internet, one or more transaction specifications that are associated with the first party, the one or more transaction specifications specifying one or more of product information, service information, intellectual property information, content information, qualification information, or characteristic information, individually or in any combination, related to one or more transactions associated with the first party operating the first station over the Internet;   data mining information on the first party, by the controller and at the first station based, at least in part, on data collected by the controller from a history of transactions involving the one or more transactions that are associated with the first party over the Internet; and   charging, by the controller, a fee from at least one of the first party or the second party for providing services, by the controller, to the first party or the second party, the provided services are associated with facilitating communication or interaction between the first party and the second party over the Internet.   
     
     
       45. The method according to claim 44 in which, prior to creating, by the controller, the proposed first party transaction specification specifying at least the proposed transaction between the first party and the second party in (4), the method further comprises:
 obtaining, by the controller and from the first party at the first station or the second party at the second station, an initial transaction specification specifying at least one parameter associated with a proposed transaction between the first party and the second party; and   wherein the proposed first party transaction specification, created by the controller in (4), further matches, at least partly, the at least one parameter specified in the initial transaction specification obtained from the first party or the second party; and wherein the creating of the proposed first party transaction specification is further based, at least in part, on matching the data mining information related to the first party with the initial transaction specification.   
     
     
       46. An apparatus for connecting a first party with a second party over the Internet without requiring the second party to provide, to the first party, security information or address information that is associated with the second party, the first party and the second party operating respectively a first station and a second station, each station being an Internet-enabled device, the apparatus including:
 one or more data storage units;   one or more processors operating at a network node over the Internet, and software executable, at least in part, by the one or more processors of the apparatus to:
 verify, by the apparatus over the Internet, identity of the first party at the first station; 
 obtain, by the apparatus over the Internet and from the first station, one or more first party transaction specifications associated with the first party, the one or more first party transaction specifications specifying one or more of product information, service information, intellectual property information, content information, qualification information, characteristic information, or interest information, individually or in any combination, related to one or more transactions associated with the first party operating the first station over the Internet; 
 obtain, by the apparatus over the Internet and from the second station, one or more second party transaction specifications associated with the second party, the one or more second party transaction specifications specifying one or more of product information, service information, intellectual property information, content information, qualification information, characteristic information, or interest information, individually or in any combination, related to one or more transactions associated with the second party operating the second station over the Internet; 
 create, by the apparatus, a proposed first party transaction specification, the proposed first party transaction specification specifying at least a proposed transaction between the first party at the first station and the second party at the second station, the creating of the proposed first party transaction specification being based, at least in part, on matching the one or more first party transaction specifications with the one or more second party transaction specifications obtained by the controller; 
 generate, by the apparatus, a reference code for supplying to the first party at the first station, the reference code being associated with the proposed first party transaction specification, and the reference code having a relationship with the one or more second party transaction specifications obtained, by the apparatus, from the second station, and the generation of the reference code being based, at least in part, on the apparatus having obtained the one or more first party transaction specifications and the one or more second party transaction specifications; 
 supply, by the apparatus, the reference code to the first party at the first station over the Internet, the supplying of the reference code being subsequent to having verified, by the apparatus, the identity of the first party at the first station; 
 receive, by the apparatus, a connection request from the first party at the first station over the Internet for connecting to the second party, the connection request from the first party employing, at least in part, the reference code previously supplied to the first party at the first station over the Internet; and 
 open, by the apparatus and over the Internet, a communication channel between the first party at the first station and the second party at the second station subsequent to having received, by the apparatus, the connection request from the first station over the Internet; and 
 wherein the opening of the communication channel between the first party and the second party, by the apparatus, is made without requiring the second party at the second station to provide to the first party at the first station, the security information or the address information that is associated with the second party; and 
   wherein the one or more data storage units are accessible by the software, and the software is executable by the one or more processors for storing, at the one or more data storage units, at least part of user information that includes information related to the first party and the second party; and   wherein a connection between the first party and the second party over the Internet is made without requiring the first party at the first station to provide a transaction specification to the one or more processors specifying a proposed transaction between the first party and the second party prior to the apparatus supplying the reference code to the first party at the first station.   
     
     
       47. The apparatus according to claim 46 in which the reference code includes video or audio, and wherein the Internet includes a packet data network; and wherein each station is an Internet-enabled device that is further connected directly to the packet data network for sending and receiving packet data, and wherein at least the first station is a smart phone that includes a touch sensitive screen. 
     
     
       48. The apparatus according to claim 46, wherein the software is further executable, at least in part, by the one or more processors to:
 store, by the one or more processors and in a database that is accessible by the apparatus, one or more transaction histories associated with one or more users operating one or more user stations, the one or more users include at least the second party;   data mine, by the apparatus, the one or more transaction histories of the one or more users; and   create one or more proposed first party transaction specifications specifying at least a proposed transaction between the first party and the one or more users, the creating of the one or more proposed first party transaction specifications being based, at least in part, on the apparatus having data mined the one or more transaction histories associated with the one or more users operating the one or more user stations.   
     
     
       49. The apparatus according to claim 48, wherein the software is further executable, at least in part, by the one or more processors to send the proposed first party transaction specification, which was created by the apparatus, to the first party over the Internet at the first station, the proposed first party transaction specification further including at least one of contact information, an address, or security information related to the second party, individually or in any combination, and wherein each station is an Internet-enabled device that is further connected directly to a packet data network for sending and receiving packet data; and
 wherein the apparatus data mines, at the first station, the user information on the first party, based, at least in part, on data collected by the apparatus from a history of transactions involving the one or more transactions associated with the first party over the Internet, and   wherein the creating of the proposed first party transaction specification is based, at least in part, on matching the data mined information on the first party with the one or more second party transaction specifications associated with the second party.   
     
     
       50. The apparatus according to claim 47 wherein the software is further executable, at least in part, by the one or more processors of the apparatus to:
 verify, by the apparatus over the Internet, identity of the second party at the second station;   obtain, by the apparatus and from the second station, the one or more second party transaction specifications over the Internet associated with the second party operating the second station; and   charge, by the apparatus, at least one of the first party or the second party, a fee for facilitating transactions or interactions over the Internet; and   wherein the reference code supplied to the first party at the first station over the Internet is based, at least in part, on the one or more second party transaction specifications that is obtained by the apparatus;   wherein the proposed first party transaction specification that is created by the apparatus is not created by the first party at the first station and is not created by the second party at the second station, and   and wherein the communication channel opened by the apparatus between the first party and the second party includes at least one of chat, messaging, video communication, voice communication, or an e-mail.   
     
     
       51. The apparatus according to claim 50 in which supplying the reference code to the first party at the first station is facilitated by one or more of chat, messaging, video communication, voice communication, web publishing, visual display, or e-mail, individually or in any combination, over the Internet, and wherein each station is an Internet-enabled device that is further connected directly to a packet data network for sending and receiving packet data. 
     
     
       52. A non-transitory storage medium containing a software program executable by at least one processor, at a service system, for connecting a first party with a second party over a packet data network associated with the service system, the first party and the second party operating respectively a first station and a second station, each station being Internet-enabled for accessing the service system that is operating at least partly over the Internet, the software program, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the following at the service system:
 verify identity of the first party at the first station;   obtain, by the service system, from the first station and over the packet data network, one or more first party transaction specifications associated with the first party operating the first station, the one or more first party transaction specifications specifying one or more of product information, service information, intellectual property information, content information, qualification information, characteristic information, or interest information, individually or in any combination, related to one or more transactions associated with the first party;   obtain, by the service system, from the second station and over the packet data network, one or more second party transaction specifications associated with the second party, the one or more second party transaction specifications specifying one or more of product information, service information, intellectual property information, content information, qualification information, characteristic information, or interest information, individually or in any combination, related to one or more transactions associated with the second party;   receive, by the service system and from the first party at the first station, an indication of electing into or electing out of a suggestion process;   implement the suggestion process, by the service system, where the suggestion process includes matching, by the service system, the one or more first party transaction specifications with the one or more second party transaction specifications, and the implementing of the suggestion process is based on the service system having received, from the first party at the first station, the indication of electing into the suggestion process;   generate, by the service system, a reference code for supplying to the first party at the first station, the generating of the reference code is related, at least in part, on the suggestion process that includes the matching of the one or more first party transaction specifications and the one or more second party transaction specifications, and the generated reference code having a relationship to the second party, and wherein the generation of the reference code is based, at least in part, on having obtained, by the service system, the one or more first party transaction specifications and the one or more second party transaction specifications;   supply, by the service system, the reference code to the first party at the first station over the packet data network, the supplying of the reference code being based on the service system having verified the identity of the first party at the first station;   receive, by the service system and at the first station, a connection request over the packet data network from the first party for connecting to the second party, the connection request from the first party employing, at least in part, the reference code previously supplied to the first party at the first station by the service system; and   open, by the service system and over the packet data network, a channel for communication between the first party at the first station and the second party at the second station, the opening of the channel is based on the service system having received the connection request from the first party at the first station; and   wherein the channel for communication between the first party and the second party is opened, by the service system, without providing, to the first party at the first station contact information or security information that is associated with the second party; and   wherein a connection between the first party and the second party over the packet data network is made without requiring the first party and the second party to provide a transaction specification to the service system specifying a transaction between the first party and the second party prior to the service system generating the reference code, and wherein the reference code, which is generated by the service system, is not generated by the first party at the first station and is not generated by the second party at the second station.   
     
     
       53. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 52, wherein the reference code includes one or more letters, numbers, or symbols, individually or in any combination, and the reference code further includes one or more of an image, a graphic, or video, individually or in any combination, and wherein the reference code is supplied to the first party visually via a screen display at the first station. 
     
     
       54. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 53, further comprising a software program executable by the at least one processor to:
 verify, by the service system and over the packet data network, identity of the second party at the second station;   receive an initial transaction specification from the first party operating the first station or the second party operating the second station specifying at least one parameter associated with a proposed transaction; and   subsequent to receiving the initial transaction specification from the first party or the second party, the software program is further executable by the at least one processor to create, by the service system, the reference code, wherein the reference code matches, at least partly, with the at least one parameter specified in the initial transaction specification.   
     
     
       55. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 52, further comprising a software program executable by the at least one processor to:
 store, in a database, the contact information or the security information that is associated with the second party at the second station or the second station, where the contact information or the security information includes a physical address, a phone number, or an IP address associated with the second party at the second station;   recover the contact information or the security information in response to the connection request received from the first party at the first station over the packet data network; and   open the channel for communication between the first party and the second party without providing, to the first party, the contact information or the security information that is associated with the second party or the second station.   
     
     
       56. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 52, wherein the connection over the packet data network between the first party at the first station and the second party at the second station is facilitated by one or more of chat, messaging, image communication, video communication, voice communication, web publishing, visual screen display, or e-mail, individually or in any combination, and wherein at least one of the first station or the second station is a smart phone, and
 wherein the connection request, received by the service system, from the first party for connecting to the second party includes at least one of voice communication, an email or an instant message.   
     
     
       57. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 52, wherein, subsequent to obtaining the one or more first party transaction specifications and the one or more second party transaction specifications, the non-transitory storage medium further comprises a software program executable by the at least one processor to:
 data mine information on the first party, by the service system and at the first station, based, at least in part, on data collected from the first station by the service system from a history of transactions involving the one or more transactions associated with the first party over the packet data network;   data mine information on the second party, by the service system and at the second station, based, at least in part, on data collected from the second station by the service system from a history of transactions involving the one or more transactions associated with the second party over the packet data network; and   generate the reference code for supplying to the first party at the first station, the generating of the reference code further includes, at least in part, matching of the data mined information on the first party and the data mined information on the second party, and the generated reference code having a relationship to the second party operating the second station, and   wherein the generating of the reference code being subsequent to the service system having received, from the first party operating the first station, the indication of electing into the suggestion process.   
     
     
       58. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 57, further comprising a software program executable by the at least one processor to charge, by the service system, a fee from at least one of the first party or the second party for providing, by the service system, services associated with facilitating communication links, transactions, or interactions, individually or in any combination, over the packet data network, between the first party and the second party. 
     
     
       59. A controller for connecting at least a first party with a second party over the Internet based on data mining user information, the at least a first party and the at least a second party operating respectively at least a first station and a second station, each station being an Internet-enabled device, the controller including:
 one or more data storage units;   one or more processors operating at a network node over the Internet; and   software executable, at least in part, by the one or more processors of the controller to:
 verify, by the controller over the Internet, identity of one or more first parties operating one or more first stations, the one or more first stations being Internet-enabled devices; 
 data mine, by the controller over the Internet, information on the one or more first parties based, at least in part, on data collected by the controller from a history of transactions involving one or more transactions associated with the one or more first parties operating the one or more first stations over the Internet; 
 verify, by the controller over the Internet, identity of the second party operating the second station; 
 obtain, by the controller over the Internet, an initial transaction specification from the second party operating the second station specifying at least one parameter associated with a transaction between the second party and the one or more first parties; 
 match, by the controller over the Internet, the second party with at least one matched first party from among the one or more first parties operating the one or more first stations, the at least one matched first party operating at least a first party station that is an Internet-enabled device, the matching by the controller includes the controller using the at least one parameter included in the initial transaction specification and the data mining information collected by the controller on the one or more first parties from the history of transactions involving the one or more transactions associated with the one or more first parties; 
 create, by the controller over the Internet, a proposed transaction specification, the proposed transaction specification specifying at least a proposed transaction between the at least one matched first party and the second party, the creating of the proposed transaction specification being based on the controller having matched the second party with the at least one matched first party from among the one or more first parties; 
 provide, by the controller over the Internet, the proposed transaction specification to the second party; 
 receive, by the controller over the Internet, a second party transaction specification from the second party, the second party transaction specification received from the second party is based, at least in part, on the proposed transaction specification provided by the controller, and the second party transaction specification includes one or more of product information, service information, intellectual property information, content information, qualification information, characteristic information, or interest information, individually or in any combination, associated with the second party, and the second party transaction specification is associated with one or more transactions between the second party and the at least one matched first party; 
 generate, by the controller over the Internet, a reference code for supplying to the at least one matched first party at the at least one first party station, the reference code having a relationship with the second party transaction specification received from the second party operating the second station; 
 supply, by the controller over the Internet, the reference code to the at least one matched first party at the at least one first party station over the Internet, the supplying of the reference code being subsequent to having verified identity of the least one matched first party at the at least one first party station; and 
 receive, by the controller over the Internet, a connection request from the at least one matched first party at the at least one first party station over the Internet for connecting to the second party, the connection request from the at least one matched first party employing, at least in part, the reference code previously supplied to the at least one matched first party at the at least one first party station; and 
   wherein the one or more data storage units are accessible by the software and the software is executable by the one or more processors for storing at least part of user information that includes information related to the at least one matched first party at the at least one first party station and the second party; and   wherein a connection between the at least one matched first party and the second party over the Internet is made without requiring the at least one matched first party at the at least one first party station to provide a transaction specification that specifies a transaction between the at least one matched first party and the second party to the controller, prior to the controller supplying the reference code to the at least one matched first party at the at least one first party station.   
     
     
       60. The apparatus of claim 50, wherein the software is further executable, at least in part, by the one or more processors of the apparatus to:
 generate, by the apparatus, a first party reference code for supplying to the second party at the second station, the first party reference code being associated with the proposed first party transaction specification specifying at least the proposed transaction between the first party at the first station and the second party at the second station, and the first party reference code having a relationship with the one or more first party transaction specifications obtained, by the apparatus, from the first station;   supply, by the apparatus, the first party reference code to the second party at the second station over the Internet, and suggest, by the apparatus and to the second party, a proposed transaction between the first party at the first station and the second party at the second station, and the supplying of the first party reference code being subsequent to having verified, by the apparatus, the identity of the second party at the second station;   receive, by the apparatus, from the second party at the second station over the Internet, a connection request from the second party for connecting to the first party at the first station, the receiving of the connection request from the second party being subsequent to the apparatus having supplied the first party reference code to the second party at the second station, and the receiving of the connection request from the second party being subsequent to the apparatus having suggested the proposed transaction between the first party at the first station and the second party at the second station; and   open, by the apparatus and over the Internet, a communication channel between the first party at the first station and the second party at the second station subsequent to having received, by the apparatus, the connection request from the first station over the Internet and the connection request from the second party at the second station over the Internet; and   wherein a connection between the first party and the second party over the Internet is made without requiring the second party at the second station to provide a transaction specification to the one or more processors specifying a proposed transaction between the first party and the second party prior to the apparatus supplying the first party reference code to the second party at the second station.   
     
     
       61. The apparatus of claim 60, wherein the first party reference code is supplied by the apparatus to the second party at the second station subsequent to the apparatus having received the connection request from the first party at the first station over the Internet for connecting to the second party.