Date matching methods

Claim 1

A method for use at a date matching event attended by a plurality of participants, the method comprising: (a) assigning an identification code to each participant, the identification code placed in plain sight, being readily observable by a plurality of the other participants; (b) facilitating interaction of participants; (c) supplying to each participant a date preference card for indicating, discreetly, at least one date preference, each date preference designating a participant with whom a date is desired, said card enables each respective participant to indicate a prioritized list of other participants with whom a date is desired by recording one or more assigned participant identification codes; the date preference card is computer scannable to support the automated input of the listed participant identification codes; (d) collecting said date preference card for indicating date preferences; (e) processing, using a general purpose computing system, each collected date preference card for indicating date preferences to determine mutual matches of participants; each mutual match indicating at least two participants who requested each other for a date preference; and (f) informing the participants of the mutual matches to enable them to plan their date.

Claim 2

A method for use at a date matching event attended by a plurality of participants, the method comprising: (a) assigning an identification code to each participant, the identification code placed in plain sight, being readily observable by a plurality of the other participants; (b) facilitating interaction of participants; (c) supplying to each participant a date preference card for indicating, discreetly, at least one date preference, each date preference designating a participant with whom a date is desired, said card enables each respective participant to indicate a prioritized list of other participants with whom a date is desired by recording one or more assigned participant identification codes; the date preference card is computer scannable to support the automated input of the listed participant identification codes; (d) collecting said date preference card for indicating date preferences; (e) processing, using a general purpose computing system, each collected date preference card for indicating date preferences to determine mutual matches of participants; each mutual match indicating at least two participants who requested each other for a date preference; and (f) informing the participants of the mutual matches to enable them to plan their date.

Claim 9

A method supporting the date matching of a plurality of participants attending a dating service event, the method comprising: (a) gathering the plurality of participants at the dating service event; (b) assigning a unique identification code to each participant, the identification code placed in plain sight, being readily observable by a plurality of the other participants; (c) positioning the participants to enable each respective participant to observe substantially all other participants, and providing a temporal interval for each person to speak about, and generally introduce themselves to the other participants; (c) facilitating interaction of participants; (d) determining the date preferences of each participant using a date preference card, each date preference of a respective participant designating at least one other participant with whom a date is desired, said card enables each respective participant to indicate a prioritized list of other participants with whom a date is desired; the date preference cards are computer readable to support the automated input of the indicated date preferences of the participants in a relatively short period time; (e) reading the date preference cards and processing the determined date preferences to provide a match summary indicating the date preferences and associated mutual matches of the participants, using a general purpose computing system having a results printer operatively coupled thereto; each mutual match indicating at least two participants who designated each other as date preferences; and (f) informing the participants of the mutual matches to enable them to plan their date.

Claim 10

A method supporting the date matching of a plurality of participants attending a dating service event, the method comprising: (a) gathering the plurality of participants at the dating service event; (b) assigning a unique identification code to each participant, the identification code placed in plain sight, being readily observable by a plurality of the other participants; (c) positioning the participants to enable each respective participant to observe substantially all other participants, and providing a temporal interval for each person to speak about, and generally introduce themselves to the other participants; (c) facilitating interaction of participants; (d) determining the date preferences of each participant using a date preference card, each date preference of a respective participant designating at least one other participant with whom a date is desired, said card enables each respective participant to indicate a prioritized list of other participants with whom a date is desired; the date preference cards are computer readable to support the automated input of the indicated date preferences of the participants in a relatively short period time; (e) reading the date preference cards and processing the determined date preferences to provide a match summary indicating the date preferences and associated mutual matches of the participants, using a general purpose computing system having a results printer operatively coupled thereto; each mutual match indicating at least two participants who designated each other as date preferences; and (f) informing the participants of the mutual matches to enable them to plan their date.