Computerized on-line dating service for searching and matching people

Claim 2

In an on-line dating service, a method of searching a database of subscriber information in order to find at least one subscriber matching user search criteria, the subscriber information including preferences of subscribers to the service, wherein the users access the database by at least one of a telephone and a computer, wherein the subscriber information includes a date of last payment of a use fee by each subscriber and a date of last updating of a personal profile by each subscriber, the method comprising, by computer: (A) repeatedly (a) searching the database for records matching search criteria of a user, and (b) relaxing at least some of the search criteria, until at least a required number of matching records are found, wherein the required number of matching records is never less than one; (B) reporting the matching records to the user, including (a) re porting a degree of match for each reported record; and (b) indicating, for each reported record, a degree of match of each of the search criteria, (C) reordering the matching entries according to at least one of: (a) a date of last payment of a use fee by each subscriber and (b) a date of last updating of a personal profile by each subscriber, wherein when the entries are reordered according to the date of last payment, the matching entries having a more recent date of the last payment are reported before others of the matching entries; and when the entries are reordered according to the date of last updating, the matching entries having a more recent data of last updating are reported before others of the matching entries, and wherein the search criteria include at least one of: a gender preference; a geographic location preference; an age preference; appearance preferences; religious belief preferences; educational level preferences; and a goal preference; and wherein the goal preference is one of "romance"; "friendship" or "a walk on the wild side"; and wherein the geographic location preference is at least one of: a postal code, a country, a city, a suburb, a block, or a street; and wherein the gender preference search criterion is never relaxed, and wherein the geographic location preference search criterion is only relaxed after other search criteria have been relaxed.

Claim 3

In an on-line dating service, a method of searching a database of subscriber information in order to find at least one subscriber matching user search criteria, the subscriber information including preferences of subscribers to the service, the method comprising, by computer: repeatedly (a) searching the database for records matching search criteria of a user, and (b) relaxing at least some of the search criteria, until at least a required number of matching records are found.

Claim 4

In an on-line dating service, a method of searching a database of subscriber information in order to find at least one subscriber matching user search criteria, the subscriber information including preferences of subscribers to the service, the method comprising, by computer: repeatedly (a) searching the database for records matching search criteria of a user, and (b) relaxing at least some of the search criteria, until at least a required number of matching records are found.

Claim 5

A method as in claim 2 further comprising: reporting the matching records to the user.

Claim 6

A method as in claim 3 wherein the reporting of the matching records includes reporting a degree of match for each reported record.

Claim 7

A method as in claim 3 wherein the reporting of the matching records includes indicating, for each reported record, a degree of match of each of the search criteria.

Claim 8

A method as in claim 3 wherein the subscriber information includes a date of last payment of a use fee by each subscriber and a date of last updating of a personal profile by each subscriber, the method further comprising: reordering the matching entries according to at least one of: (a) a date of last payment of a use fee by each subscriber and (b) a date of last updating of a personal profile by each subscriber.

Claim 9

A method as in claim 6 wherein, when the entries are reordered according to the date of last payment, the matching entries having a more recent date of the last payment are reported before others of the matching entries; and when the entries are reordered according to the date of last updating, the matching entries having a more recent data of last updating are reported before others of the matching entries.

Claim 10

A method as in claim 2 wherein the users access the database by at least one of a telephone and a computer.

Claim 11

A method as in claim 2 wherein the required number of matching records is never less than one.

Claim 12

A method as in claim 2 wherein both the search criteria include at least one of: a gender preference; a geographic location preference; an age preference; appearance preferences; religious belief preferences; educational level preferences; and a goal preference.

Claim 13

A method as in claim 10 wherein the goal preference is one of "romance"; "friendship" or "a walk on the wild side."

Claim 14

A method as in claim 11 wherein the geographic location preference is at least one of: a postal code, a country, a city, a suburb, a block, or a street.

Claim 15

A method as in claim 2 wherein only some of the search criteria are relaxed.

Claim 16

A method as in claim 13 wherein the gender preference search criterion is never relaxed.

Claim 17

A method as in claim 13 wherein the geographic location preference search criterion is only relaxed after other search criteria have been relaxed.

Claim 18

A method as in claim 13 wherein the geographic location preference criterion is relaxed before any other criteria are relaxed.

Claim 19

In an on-line dating service, an apparatus of searching a database of subscriber information in order to find at least one subscriber matching user search criteria, the subscriber information including preferences of subscribers to the service, wherein the users access the database by at least one of a telephone and a computer, wherein the subscriber information includes a date of last payment of a use fee by each subscriber and a date of last updating of a personal profile by each subscriber, the apparatus comprising: (A) means for repeatedly (a) searching the database for records matching search criteria of a user, and (b) relaxing at least some of the search criteria, until at least a required number of matching records are found, wherein the required number of matching records is never less than one; (B) means for reporting the matching records to the user, including (a) means for reporting a degree of match for each reported record; and (b) means for indicating, for each reported record, a degree of match of each of the search criteria, (C) means for reordering the matching entries according to at least one of: (a) a date of last payment of a use fee by each subscriber and (b) a date of last updating of a personal profile by each subscriber, wherein when the entries are reordered according to the date of last payment, the matching entries having a more recent date of the last payment are reported before others of the matching entries; and when the entries are reordered according to the date of last updating, the matching entries having a more recent data of last updating are reported before others of the matching entries, and wherein the search criteria include at least one of: a gender preference; a geographic location preference; an age preference; appearance preferences; religious belief preferences; educational level preferences; and a goal preference; and wherein the goal preference is one of "romance"; "friendship" or "a walk on the wild side"; and wherein the geographic location preference is at least one of: a postal code, a country, a city, a suburb, a block, or a street; and wherein the gender preference search criterion is never relaxed, and wherein the geographic location preference search criterion is only relaxed after other search criteria have been relaxed.

Claim 20

In an on-line dating service, an apparatus of searching a database of subscriber information in order to find at least one subscriber matching user search criteria, the subscriber information including preferences of subscribers to the service, wherein the users access the database by at least one of a telephone and a computer, wherein the subscriber information includes a date of last payment of a use fee by each subscriber and a date of last updating of a personal profile by each subscriber, the apparatus comprising: (A) means for repeatedly (a) searching the database for records matching search criteria of a user, and (b) relaxing at least some of the search criteria, until at least a required number of matching records are found, wherein the required number of matching records is never less than one; (B) means for reporting the matching records to the user, including (a) means for reporting a degree of match for each reported record; and (b) means for indicating, for each reported record, a degree of match of each of the search criteria, (C) means for reordering the matching entries according to at least one of: (a) a date of last payment of a use fee by each subscriber and (b) a date of last updating of a personal profile by each subscriber, wherein when the entries are reordered according to the date of last payment, the matching entries having a more recent date of the last payment are reported before others of the matching entries; and when the entries are reordered according to the date of last updating, the matching entries having a more recent data of last updating are reported before others of the matching entries, and wherein the search criteria include at least one of: a gender preference; a geographic location preference; an age preference; appearance preferences; religious belief preferences; educational level preferences; and a goal preference; and wherein the goal preference is one of "romance"; "friendship" or "a walk on the wild side"; and wherein the geographic location preference is at least one of: a postal code, a country, a city, a suburb, a block, or a street; and wherein the gender preference search criterion is never relaxed, and wherein the geographic location preference search criterion is only relaxed after other search criteria have been relaxed.

Claim 21

In an on-line dating service, an apparatus of searching a database of subscriber information in order to find at least one subscriber matching user search criteria, the subscriber information including preferences of subscribers to the service, the apparatus comprising: means for repeatedly (a) searching the database for records matching search criteria of a user, and (b) relaxing at least some of the search criteria, until at least a required number of matching records are found.

Claim 22

In an on-line dating service, an apparatus of searching a database of subscriber information in order to find at least one subscriber matching user search criteria, the subscriber information including preferences of subscribers to the service, the apparatus comprising: means for repeatedly (a) searching the database for records matching search criteria of a user, and (b) relaxing at least some of the search criteria, until at least a required number of matching records are found.

Claim 23

An apparatus as in claim 18 further comprising: means for reporting the matching records to the user.

Claim 24

An apparatus as in claim 19 wherein the reporting means includes means for reporting a degree of match for each reported record.

Claim 25

An apparatus as in claim 19 wherein the reporting means includes means for indicating, for each reported record, a degree of match of each of the search criteria.

Claim 26

An apparatus as in claim 19 wherein the subscriber information includes a date of last payment of a use fee by each subscriber and a date of last updating of a personal profile by each subscriber, the apparatus further comprising: means for reordering the matching entries according to at least one of: (a) a date of last payment of a use fee by each subscriber and (b) a date of last updating of a personal profile by each subscriber.

Claim 27

An apparatus as in claim 22 wherein, when the entries are reordered according to the date of last payment, the matching entries having a more recent date of the last payment are reported before others of the matching entries; and when the entries are reordered according to the date of last updating, the matching entries having a more recent data of last updating are reported before others of the matching entries.

Claim 28

An apparatus as in claim 18 wherein the users access the database by at least one of a telephone and a computer.

Claim 29

An apparatus as in claim 18 wherein the required number of matching records is never less than one.

Claim 30

An apparatus as in claim 18 wherein the search criteria include at least one of: a gender preference; a geographic location preference; an age preference; appearance preferences; religious belief preferences; educational level preferences; and a goal preference.

Claim 31

An apparatus as in claim 26 wherein the goal preference is one of "romance"; "friendship" or "a walk on the wild side."

Claim 32

An apparatus as in claim 26 wherein the geographic location preference is at least one of: a postal code, a country, a city, a suburb, a block, or a street.

Claim 33

An apparatus as in claim 18 wherein only some of the search criteria are relaxed.

Claim 34

An apparatus as in claim 29 wherein the gender preference search criterion is never relaxed.

Claim 35

An apparatus as in claim 29 wherein the geographic location preference search criterion is only relaxed after other search criteria have been relaxed.

Claim 36

An apparatus as in claim 29 wherein the geographic location preference criterion is relaxed before any other criteria are relaxed.

Claim 37

Computer-readable media tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a computer to perform, in an on-line dating service, a method of searching a database of subscriber information in order to find at least one subscriber matching user search criteria, the subscriber information including preferences of subscribers to the service, wherein the users access the database by at least one of a telephone and a computer, wherein the subscriber information includes a date of last payment of a use fee by each subscriber and a date of last updating of a personal profile by each subscriber, the method comprising, by computer: (A) repeatedly (a) searching the database for records matching search criteria of a user, and (b) relaxing at least some of the search criteria, until at least a required number of matching records are found, wherein the required number of matching records is never less than one; (B) reporting the matching records to the user, including (a) reporting a degree of match for each reported record; and (b) indicating, for each reported record, a degree of match of each of the search criteria, (C) reordering the matching entries according to at least one of: (a) a date of last payment of a use fee by each subscriber and (b) a date of last updating of a personal profile by each subscriber, wherein when the entries are reordered according to the date of last payment, the matching entries having a more recent date of the last payment are reported before others of the matching entries; and when the entries are reordered according to the date of last updating, the matching entries having a more recent data of last updating are reported before others of the matching entries, and wherein the search criteria include at least one of: a gender preference; a geographic location preference; an age preference; appearance preferences; religious belief preferences; educational level preferences; and a goal preference; and wherein the goal preference is one of "romance"; "friendship" or "a walk on the wild side"; and wherein the geographic location preference is at least one of: a postal code, a country, a city, a suburb, a block, or a street; and wherein the gender preference search criterion is never relaxed, and wherein the geographic location preference search criterion is only relaxed after other search criteria have been relaxed.

Claim 38

Computer-readable media tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a computer to perform, in an on-line dating service, a method of searching a database of subscriber information in order to find at least one subscriber matching user search criteria, the subscriber information including preferences of subscribers to the service, wherein the users access the database by at least one of a telephone and a computer, wherein the subscriber information includes a date of last payment of a use fee by each subscriber and a date of last updating of a personal profile by each subscriber, the method comprising, by computer: (A) repeatedly (a) searching the database for records matching search criteria of a user, and (b) relaxing at least some of the search criteria, until at least a required number of matching records are found, wherein the required number of matching records is never less than one; (B) reporting the matching records to the user, including (a) reporting a degree of match for each reported record; and (b) indicating, for each reported record, a degree of match of each of the search criteria, (C) reordering the matching entries according to at least one of: (a) a date of last payment of a use fee by each subscriber and (b) a date of last updating of a personal profile by each subscriber, wherein when the entries are reordered according to the date of last payment, the matching entries having a more recent date of the last payment are reported before others of the matching entries; and when the entries are reordered according to the date of last updating, the matching entries having a more recent data of last updating are reported before others of the matching entries, and wherein the search criteria include at least one of: a gender preference; a geographic location preference; an age preference; appearance preferences; religious belief preferences; educational level preferences; and a goal preference; and wherein the goal preference is one of "romance"; "friendship" or "a walk on the wild side"; and wherein the geographic location preference is at least one of: a postal code, a country, a city, a suburb, a block, or a street; and wherein the gender preference search criterion is never relaxed, and wherein the geographic location preference search criterion is only relaxed after other search criteria have been relaxed.

Claim 39

Computer-readable media tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a computer to perform, in an on-line dating service, a method for searching a database of subscriber information in order to find at least one subscriber matching user search criteria, the subscriber information including preferences of subscribers to the service, the method comprising, by computer: repeatedly (a) searching the database for records matching search criteria of a user, and (b) relaxing at least some of the search criteria, until at least a required number of matching records are found.

Claim 40

Computer-readable media tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a computer to perform, in an on-line dating service, a method for searching a database of subscriber information in order to find at least one subscriber matching user search criteria, the subscriber information including preferences of subscribers to the service, the method comprising, by computer: repeatedly (a) searching the database for records matching search criteria of a user, and (b) relaxing at least some of the search criteria, until at least a required number of matching records are found.

Claim 41

Computer-readable media as in claim 34 wherein the method further comprises: reporting the matching records to the user.

Claim 42

Computer-readable media as in claim 35 wherein the reporting includes reporting a degree of match for each reported record.

Claim 43

Computer-readable media as in claim 35 wherein the reporting includes indicating, for each reported record, a degree of match of each of the search criteria.

Claim 44

Computer-readable media as in claim 34 wherein the users access the database by at least one of a telephone and a computer.

Claim 45

Computer-readable media as in claim 35 wherein the geographic location preference search criterion is only relaxed after other search criteria have been relaxed.

Claim 46

Computer-readable media as in claim 35 wherein the geographic location preference criterion is relaxed before any other criteria are relaxed.

Claim 47

Computer-readable media as in claim 34 wherein the required number of matching records is never less than one.

Claim 48

Computer-readable media as in claim 34 wherein the search criteria include at least one of: a gender preference; a geographic location preference; an age preference; appearance preferences; religious belief preferences; educational level preferences; and a goal preference.

Claim 49

Computer-readable media as in claim 42 wherein the goal preference is one of "romance"; "friendship" or "a walk on the wild side."

Claim 50

Computer-readable media as in claim 34 wherein only some of the search criteria are relaxed.

Claim 51

Computer-readable media as in claim 42 wherein the geographic location preference is at least one of: a postal code, a country, a city, a suburb, a block, or a street.

Claim 52

Computer-readable media as in claim 35 wherein the gender preference search criterion is never relaxed.

Claim 53

Computer-readable media as in claim 34 wherein the subscriber information includes a date of last payment of a use fee by each subscriber and a date of last updating of a personal profile by each subscriber, the method further comprising: reordering the matching entries according to at least one of: (a) a date of last payment of a use fee by each subscriber and (b) a date of last updating of a personal profile by each subscriber.

Claim 54

Computer-readable media as in claim 47 wherein, when the entries are reordered according to the date of last payment, the matching entries having a more recent date of the last payment are reported before others of the matching entries; and when the entries are reordered according to the date of last updating, the matching entries having a more recent data of last updating are reported before others of the matching entries.

Claim 55

Computer-readable media as in any one of claims 33 to 42 wherein said media comprise at least one of a RAM, a ROM, a disk, an ASIC and a PROM.