Method and apparatus for detection of reciprocal interests or feelings and subsequent notification

• US 5,950,200 A
• Filed: 01/24/1997
• Issued: 09/07/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Spark Networks USA LLC (Affinitas Phantom Share GmbH)
• Original Assignee: David J. Blumberg, Gil S. Sudai
• Inventors: Sudai, Gil S., Blumberg, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Choules, Jack M.
• Application Number:
  US08/788,522
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/3, 707/5, 707/6, 707/9
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42008 Systems for anonymous communication between parties, e.g. by use of disposal contact identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/12 for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access

Abstract

A method and apparatus for automating the process of confidentially determining whether people feel mutual attraction or have mutual interests and for automating the process of notifying the people involved of such a match in feelings or interests, while allowing anonymity if no mutual attraction or interests exist. A computer system receives inputs from various persons indicating the identities of persons for whom they feel attraction or with whom they share mutual interests. The system collects this information and periodically searches for matches, i.e., for mutual attractions or interests that have been entered into the system. No notification occurs unless the system determines that a match in attraction or interests exists. If a first person'"'"'s feelings or interests are not mirrored by a second person, the system will not notify either person and only the computer system will be aware of the first person'"'"'s feelings for the second person.

Claims

1. A method that notifies people that they feel reciprocal interest for each other, comprising the steps, performed by a processor of a data processing system having a memory, of:

receiving input from a first user indicating a user ID of a specific person in whom the first user has an interest, the first user already being aware of the existence of the person whose ID they entered;

receiving input from a second user indicating a user ID of a specific person in whom the second user has an interest, the second user already being aware of the existence of the person whose ID they entered;

determining whether the user ID of the person in whom the first user has an interest matches a user ID of the second user;

determining whether the user ID of the person in whom the second user has an interest matches a user ID of the first user; and

if and only if a match occurs in both of the determining steps, notifying the first user and the second user that a match has occurred.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining steps are performed at a predetermined interval.

3. The method of claim 1, where the determining steps are performed immediately after receiving user input.

4. The method of claim 1, where the determining steps and the notification step are performed at a predetermined "notification time."

5. The method of claim 1, wherein if the first user'"'"'s feelings are not mirrored by the second user, the system will not notify either user and only the computer system will be aware of the first user'"'"'s feelings for the second user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving input from a first user indicating a user ID of a person includes receiving input from the first user through the World Wide Web.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving input from a first user indicating a user ID of a person includes receiving input from the first user by way of e-mail.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving input from a first user indicating a user ID of a person includes receiving input from the first user by way of an interactive telephone system.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving input from a first user indicating a user ID of a person includes receiving input from the first user by way of software executing on an online service.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving input from a first user indicating a user ID of a person includes receiving input from the first user by way of software executing on another data processing system in a network.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

registering the first user; and

assigning a password to the first user.

12. The method of claim 1,

wherein the first and second users also enter a type of attraction and

wherein the determining steps determine that a match has occurred only when the first and second users also enter the same type of attraction.

13. The method of claim 1,

wherein the first and second users also enter a type of attraction, and

wherein the determining steps determine that a match has occurred no matter what types of attraction the first and second users enter.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second user IDs are one of the group including:

a user name, an e-mail address, a social security number, a drivers license number, a telephone number, a name, a name with a geographic location, and a public key.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second user IDs also include a geographic designation.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

receiving, from the first user and the second user a type of attraction, including one of "love," "like," and "desire."

17. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first user or the second user enters the ID of more than one person in whom they have an interest.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification step automatically sends an e-mail message to the first user and the second user notifying them that a match has occurred.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification step automatically places a telephone call to the first user and the second user notifying them that a match has occurred.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification step automatically displays notifications on a personal Web pages of the first and of the second users, notifying them that a match has occurred.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving input from the first user further includes the step of implementing a rule about how many persons can be chosen for each type of attraction.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving input from the first user further includes the step of implementing a rule concerning the frequency with which persons can be changed by the users.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is implemented for users of a specific geographic location.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is implemented for users who belong to a specific institution.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is implemented for users who are affiliated with a specific organization.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user is a birthparent and the second user is an adopted child.

27. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to the data processing system receiving the input of the first user, which indicates interest in the second user, but before receiving the input of the second user, sending a prompt to the second user that someone has indicated interest in the second user, without saying who it was that indicated interest, thereby prompting the second user to enter one or more IDs of people in whom the second user has an interest.

28. An apparatus that notifies people that they feel reciprocal interest for each other, comprising:

a first input portion, configured to receive input from a first user indicating a user ID of a specific person in whom the first user has an interest, the first user already being aware of the existence of the person whose ID they entered;

a second input portion, configured to receive input from a second user indicating a user ID of a specific person in whom the second user has an interest, the second user already being aware of the existence of the person whose ID they entered;

a first determining portion, coupled to the first and second input portions, configured to determine whether the user ID of the person in whom the first user has an interest matches a user ID of the second user;

a first determining portion, coupled to the first and second input portions, configured to determine whether the user ID of the person in whom the second user has an interest matches a user ID of the first user; and

a notifying portion, coupled to the first and second determining portions, configured to notify the first user and the second user if and only if the first and second determining portions have detected a match.

30. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising:

a portion configured to send, in response to the apparatus receiving the input of the first user, which indicates interest in the second user, but before receiving the input of the second user, to send a prompt to the second user that someone has indicated interest in the second user, without saying who it was that indicated interest, thereby prompting the second user to enter one or more IDs of people in whom the second user has an interest.

29. An apparatus that notifies people that they feel reciprocal interest for each other, comprising:

means for receiving input from a first user indicating a user ID of a specific person in whom the first user has an interest, the first user already being aware of the existence of the person whose ID they entered;

means for receiving input from a second user indicating a user ID of a specific person in whom the second user has an interest, the second user already being aware of the existence of the person whose ID they entered;

means for determining whether the user ID of the person in whom the first user has an interest matches a user ID of the second user and for determining whether the user ID of the person in whom the second user has an interest matches a user ID of the first user; and

means for, coupled to the determining means, if and only if a match occurs in both of the determining means, notifying the first user and the second user that a match has occurred.

31. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable code embodied therein for notifying people that they feel reciprocal interest for each other, including;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to effect receiving input from a first user indicating a user ID of a specific person in whom the first user has an interest, the first user already being aware of the existence of the person whose ID they entered;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to effect receiving input from a second user indicating a user ID of a specific person in whom the second user has an interest, the second user already being aware of the existence of the person whose ID they entered;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to effect determining whether the user ID of the person in whom the first user has an interest matches a user ID of the second user;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to effect determining whether the user ID of the person in whom the second user has an interest matches a user ID of the first user; and

computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to effect, if and only if a match occurs in both of the programming code devices, notifying the first user and the second user that a match has occurred.