Embodiments of the invention enable users with communication devices to access affiliate profiles and perform matches on profiles aggregated from multiple independent computer systems regardless of communications
device type or
operating system and regardless of affiliate match
server computer type,
operating system or language. Affiliate profiles may comprise user profiles, advertisement profiles or coupon profiles. In addition, embodiments of the invention allow users to broadcast their location with their permission and join groups based on location parameters and connect to or dial other users by
alias without knowledge of a
machine address or phone number. Embodiments of the invention utilize information from each user in the form of a profile containing
metadata. Examples of the type of
metadata that comprises a profile include various categories of information describing a user, group, advertisement or coupon. In addition, the profile may comprise the user's groups and the user's preferences including filters for calculating matches with other user, group, advertisement and coupon profiles. Profiles are typically stored on a
community engine
server, but may also reside in distributed components configured to interface with the
community engine
server. A
user profile may comprise a flag and other fields for example that signify that a user is interested in receiving advertisements for cars and for the type of car that the user is interested in. When a car dealership accepts delivery of a particular model that the user is interested in, the
community engine server finds that affiliate profiles comprising aggregated car dealership advertisements include the same car type that the user is interested in and forward the matching advertisement profile to the user. The user may be paid for the advertisement in cash or coupons for accepting the advertisement. A
user profile may also comprise a coupon flag and for example when a store that is an affiliate member provides coupon profiles to the community server engine a user may obtain desired coupons that match the user's profile settings if the user's profile is set to accept coupons. A user may match advertisements and coupons based on a location parameter and may transfer or trade advertisements and coupons with other users. The
communication device may be capable of displaying a bar code in it's graphical interface while at a store so as to eliminate the need to physically present coupons.