Systems and methods for facilitating romantic connections

• US 20060036457A1
• Filed: 08/13/2004
• Published: 02/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Admit An Attraction, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Admit An Attraction, Inc.
• Inventors: McNamara, Lori
• Application Number:
  US10/918,528
• Publication Number:
  US 20060036457A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/319
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

Methods, systems and computer-readable medium are provided for facilitating a romantic connection between a first entity and another entity. The first entity can communicate using a client computer to deliver to a server over a network profile data describing at least one aspect of the first entity that would be of romantic interest to a potential date. Profile data is stored at the server. The first entity is provided with a first set of physical items, the first set including at least one physical item, each physical item in the first set intended for distribution to another entity and bearing an access code that is affiliated at the server computer with the profile data of the first entity. A second entity who receives a physical item in the first set to communicate with the server using a client computer is enabled to retrieve the profile data of the first entity in response to providing to the server the access code borne on the physical item.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating a romantic connection between a first entity and another entity, comprising:

maintaining on a network a server with which the first entity can communicate using a client computer to deliver to the server over the network profile data describing at least one aspect of the first entity that would be of romantic interest to a potential date;

storing the profile data at the server;

providing the first entity with a first set of physical items, the first set comprising at least one physical item, each physical item in the first set intended for distribution to another entity and bearing an access code that is affiliated at the server computer with the profile data of the first entity; and

enabling a second entity who receives a physical item in the first set to communicate with the server using a client computer to retrieve the profile data of the first entity in response to providing to the server the access code borne on the physical item.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

enabling the second entity to communicate with the first entity via the server by accepting a message from the second entity and delivering the message to the first entity via the network.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

restricting access to the profile data of the first entity to only those entities who have been given one of the physical items in the first set by the first entity, by enabling a client computer to retrieve the profile data of the first entity only in response to the client computer providing the server with an access code borne on one of the physical items in the first set.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein a client computer is enabled to retrieve the profile data of the first entity only in response to providing to the server the access code borne on a physical item in the first set and in further response to providing to the server a characteristic of the first entity, the characteristic having been provided to the server by the first entity.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

enabling the second entity to provide to the server from a client computer via the network profile data describing at least one aspect of the second entity that would be of interest to a potential romantic date;

storing the profile data of the second entity at the server;

providing the second entity with a second set of physical items, the second set comprising at least one physical item, each physical item in the second set intended for distribution to another entity and bearing an access code that is affiliated at the server with the profile data of the second entity; and

enabling a recipient of a physical item in the second set to communicate with the server computer using a client computer to retrieve the profile data of the second entity in response to providing to the server the access code borne on the physical item.

6. A server on a network, adapted to facilitate a romantic connection between a first entity and another entity, comprising:

means for receiving from a first entity using a client computer over the network profile data describing at least one aspect of the first entity that would be of romantic interest to a potential date;

means for storing the profile data at the server; and

means for enabling a second entity using a client computer to communicate with the server to retrieve the profile data of the first entity in response to providing to the server an access code borne on a physical item, the physical item having been given to the second entity by the first entity, the access code having been affiliated at the server computer with the profile data of the first entity.

7. The server according to claim 6, further comprising:

means for enabling the second entity to communicate with the first entity via the server by accepting a message from the second entity and delivering the message to the first entity via the network.

8. The server according to claim 6, further comprising:

means for restricting access to the profile data of the first entity to only those entities who have been given a physical item that bears an access code, by enabling a client computer to retrieve the profile data of the first entity only in response to the client computer providing the server with an access code borne on a physical item.

9. The server according to claim 8, wherein a client computer is enabled to retrieve the profile data of the first entity only in response to providing to the server the access code borne on a physical item and in further response to providing to the server a characteristic of the first entity, the characteristic having been provided to the server by the first entity.

10. The server according to claim 9, further comprising:

means for receiving from the second entity using a client computer over the network profile data describing at least one aspect of the second entity that would be of romantic interest to a potential date;

means for storing the profile data of the second entity at the server; and

means for enabling a third entity using a client computer to communicate with the server to retrieve the profile data of the second entity in response to providing to the server an access code borne on a physical item, the physical item having been given to the third entity by the second entity, the access code having been affiliated at the server computer with the profile data of the second entity.

11. Computer-readable medium containing code for facilitating a romantic connection between a first entity and another entity, comprising:

code for receiving from a first entity using a client computer over the network profile data describing at least one aspect of the first entity that would be of romantic interest to a potential date;

code for storing the profile data at a server; and

code for enabling a second entity using a client computer to communicate with the server to retrieve the profile data of the first entity in response to providing to the server an access code borne on a physical item, the physical item having been given to the second entity by the first entity, the access code having been affiliated at the server computer with the profile data of the first entity.

12. Computer-readable medium containing code according to claim 11, said code further including:

code for enabling the second entity to communicate with the first entity via the server by accepting a message from the second entity and delivering the message to the first entity via the network.

13. Computer-readable medium containing code according to claim 11, said code further including:

code for restricting access to the profile data of the first entity to only those entities who have been given a physical item that bears an access code, by enabling a client computer to retrieve the profile data of the first entity only in response to the client computer providing the server with an access code borne on a physical item.

14. Computer-readable medium containing code according to claim 13, said code further including:

code for retrieving the profile data of the first entity only in response to providing to the server the access code borne on a physical item and in further response to providing to the server a characteristic of the first entity, the characteristic having been provided to the server by the first entity.

15. Computer-readable medium containing code according to claim 14, said code further including:

code for receiving from the second entity using a client computer over the network profile data describing at least one aspect of the second entity that would be of romantic interest to a potential date;

code for storing the profile data of the second entity at the server; and

code for enabling a third entity using a client computer to communicate with the server to retrieve the profile data of the second entity in response to providing to the server an access code borne on a physical item, the physical item having been given to the third entity by the second entity, the access code having been affiliated at the server computer with the profile data of the second entity.

16. A method for facilitating a romantic connection between a first entity and a second entity, comprising:

maintaining a server on a network;

providing the first entity with a first set of physical items, the first set comprising at least one physical item, each physical item in the first set intended for distribution to another entity and bearing an access code;

in response to receiving from a second entity who has been given a physical item in the first set the access code borne on the physical item, enabling the second entity to provide to the server a message for the first entity;

at the server, associating the message for the first entity with the access code; and

in response to receiving the access code from the first entity, providing the first entity with the message for the first entity.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising:

in response to receiving the access code from the first entity, enabling the first entity to provide to the server a message for the second entity; and

in response to receiving the access code form the second entity, providing the second entity with the message for the second entity.

18. A server on a network for facilitating a romantic connection between a first entity and a second entity, comprising:

means for enabling the second entity to provide to the server a message for the first entity, in response to receiving from the second entity an access code borne on a physical item that was given to the second entity by the first entity;

means for associating the message for the first entity with the access code; and

means for providing the first entity with the message for the first entity, in response to receiving the access code from the first entity.

19. The server according to claim 18, further comprising:

means for enabling the first entity to provide to the server a message for the second entity, in response to receiving the access code from the first entity; and

means for providing the second entity with the message for the second entity, in response to receiving the access code from the second entity.

20. A physical item intended for distribution to a recipient by a first entity for the purpose of expressing a romantic interest, the physical item bearing an access code, the access code being usable by the recipient to retrieve from a server on a network profile data provided to the server by the first entity, the profile data describing at least one aspect of the first entity that would be of interest to a potential romantic date.

21. Computer-readable medium containing code for facilitating a romantic connection between a first entity and a second entity, comprising:

code for enabling the second entity to provide to a server a message for the first entity, in response to receiving from the second entity an access code borne on a physical item that was given to the second entity by the first entity;

code for associating the message for the first entity with the access code; and

code for providing the first entity with the message for the first entity, in response to receiving the access code from the first entity.

22. Computer-readable medium containing code according to claim 21, said code further including:

code for enabling the first entity to provide to the server a message for the second entity, in response to receiving the access code from the first entity; and

code for providing the second entity with the message for the second entity, in response to receiving the access code from the second entity.