Method and apparatus for recommending a match to another

• US 7,085,806 B1
• Filed: 11/03/2000
• Issued: 08/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Spark Networks USA LLC (Affinitas Phantom Share GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Matchnet Plc
• Inventors: Shapira, Joe Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): Najjar, Saleh
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, THU HA T
• Application Number:
  US09/706,279
• Time in Patent Office: 2,097 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/214, 709/204, 709/206, 709/207, 709/219, 709/202, 705/1, 705/14, 705/5, 705/4, 705 37- 39, 707/1, 707/3, 707 4- 6, 707/9, 707/104.1, 707/10, 707/102.1
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access

Abstract

The present invention comprises a method and apparatus for locating and recommending a match to another. The invention provides people with a way to take an active role in matchmaking between a friend, family member or client of theirs and a prospect date from a database of prospect-users. For example, users may be provided with the ability to review a repository of users who have registered with a dating service (referred to as prospect-users) in order to search for a person who may be compatible with a friend or associate of the user performing the search (referred to as a searching-user). If the searching-user locates a prospect-user whom the searching-user thinks may be of interest to the searching-user'"'"'s friend or associate (referred to as a client-user), the searching-user may recommend that person to the prospect-user. Thus, the invention provides a way to transmit a recommendation message to the prospect-user via a communication conduit such as a computer network. After viewing an associated profile on the client-user, the prospect-user may respond to the recommendation message by sending a response message to the client-user. The client-user may then view a profile on the prospect-user and elect to reply to the prospect-user'"'"'s response message. If all of the parties involved indicate a willingness to meet, the system provides a way for the parties to contact one another.

Claims

1. A computer program product comprising:

a computer readable medium having computer readable program code for locating a match embodied therein, said computer readable program code configured to;

obtain a first profile associated with a client-user from a searching-user;

present a plurality of second profiles associated with a plurality of prospect-users to said searching-user wherein said searching-user reviews said plurality of second profiles on behalf of said client-user;

obtain a selection associated with at least one of said plurality of prospect-users from said searching-user, wherein said selection identifies a selected prospect-user;

transmit a recommendation message comprising information from said first profile to said selected prospect-user through an intermediary, wherein said intermediary removes identifying information associated with said searching-user from said recommendation message before forwarding said recommendation message to said selected prospect-user;

obtain a response message from said at least one said selected prospect-user, wherein the response message comprises at least one of said plurality of second profiles associated with said selected prospect-user; and

transmit said response message to said client-user via the intermediary, wherein said intermediary removes identifying information associated with said prospect-user.

2. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein said selection associated with said at least one of said plurality of prospect-users is stored in a favorites list.

3. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein said recommendation message comprises said first profile associated with said client-user.

4. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein said recommendation message comprises a link associated with said first profile.

5. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein said computer readable program code configured to transmit said recommendation message to said selected prospect-user routes said message through an intermediary.

6. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein said intermediary comprises a blind exchange.

7. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein said computer readable program code transmits said response message to said searching-user.

8. The computer program product of claim 1 further comprising computer readable program code configured to:

present said response message to said client-user.