Patent US6249282B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6249282B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for matching registered profiles
Assignee: Tele Publishing Inc
•
Filing: 2000-01-10
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Granted: 2001-06-19
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Expires: 2020-01-10
Abstract
Abstract A system of matching a first user with at least one other user of the system by comparing criteria data of the first user with characteristic data of the at least one other user and criteria data of the at least one other user with characteristic data of the first user. The characteristic and criteria data can be obtained via the Internet, and more specifically through a series of web site screens that prompt the user for characteristic and preference data. The system performs the comparison of the respective characteristic and criteria data to provide a list of matches to the first user. The first user is furnished with information that allows the first user to contact the other users for which a match has been found.
Inventors
- 👤 Andrew B Sutcliffe
- 👤 Kevin A. Dunn
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 07:10
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06Q; G06Q30/00; G06Q30/02; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99931; Y10S707/99933; Y10S707/99936; Y10S707/99941; Y10S707/99943
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 46
Claim 1
Independent Claim
263 words
In a system for matching user information comprising a networked computer system, a plurality of publishers, and a plurality of users, a method of matching a first user of a system with at least one other user of the system, comprising the steps of: soliciting characteristic and criteria data from a plurality of users by a plurality of publishers; storing the characteristic and criteria data of the users of the system on the networked computer system, the characteristic data including an identity of the publisher that solicited a particular user's data and establishing an affiliation between the user and the publisher who solicited the user's data; providing publishers with a means for blocking matches between users affiliated with the publisher and users affiliated with selected other publishers; comparing the criteria data of a first user with the characteristic data of at least one other user of the system; comparing the criteria data of the at least one other user with the characteristic data of the first user; providing information associated with the at least one other user to the first user for the case where at least some of the characteristic data of the at least one other user matches the criteria data of the first user, and at least some of the characteristic data of the first user matches the criteria data of the at least one other user, wherein the publisher affiliation of the at least one user can form a basis to prevent the information associated with the at least one other user from being provided to the first user.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
263 words
In a system for matching user information comprising a networked computer system, a plurality of publishers, and a plurality of users, a method of matching a first user of a system with at least one other user of the system, comprising the steps of: soliciting characteristic and criteria data from a plurality of users by a plurality of publishers; storing the characteristic and criteria data of the users of the system on the networked computer system, the characteristic data including an identity of the publisher that solicited a particular user's data and establishing an affiliation between the user and the publisher who solicited the user's data; providing publishers with a means for blocking matches between users affiliated with the publisher and users affiliated with selected other publishers; comparing the criteria data of a first user with the characteristic data of at least one other user of the system; comparing the criteria data of the at least one other user with the characteristic data of the first user; providing information associated with the at least one other user to the first user for the case where at least some of the characteristic data of the at least one other user matches the criteria data of the first user, and at least some of the characteristic data of the first user matches the criteria data of the at least one other user, wherein the publisher affiliation of the at least one user can form a basis to prevent the information associated with the at least one other user from being provided to the first user.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method according to claim 1 , wherein the characteristic data of the first user includes age data.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method according to claim 1 , wherein the criteria data of the first user includes a desired range of ages with respect to the at least one other user.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the characteristic data elements of the first user is selected from the group consisting of age, gender, ethnicity, religion, parental status, smoking status, drinking status, body type, education level, height, and geographic location.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the criteria data of the first user is selected from the group consisting of age range, gender, ethnicity, religion, parental status, smoking status, drinking status, body type, education level, height, and geographic location.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of soliciting the characteristic and criteria data includes communicating over the Internet.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the publishers is a newspaper publisher.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one other user includes a plurality of other users and the information associated with the plurality of other users is provided in an order according to a parameter.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
61 words
The method according to claim 8 , wherein the parameter is selected from the group consisting of e-mail capability, voice-greeting status, on-line personal ad status, system identification number, geographical closeness, closeness in age, astrological closeness, response level to personal ad, client, number of users in personal journal, likelihood of responding to an e-mail, most recent system interaction, number of system stamps.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method according to claim 8 , wherein the parameter according to which the at least one other users are ordered is the publisher identifier.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
229 words
A system for matching a first user with at least one other of a plurality of users of the system wherein a plurality of the users have an affiliation with one of a plurality of publishers, comprising: an interface for obtaining characteristic and criteria data for users of the system, the characteristic data including a publisher identifier representing a user's publisher affiliation; a memory for storing the characteristic and criteria data of users of the system including the first user and the at least one other user; a comparator for comparing the criteria data of the first user with characteristic data of the at least one other user and comparing the criteria data of the at least one other user with the characteristic data of the first user; a communication device for providing information associated with the at least one other user to the first user for the case where at least some of the criteria data of the first user matches the characteristic data of the at least one other user and at least some of the criteria data of the at least one other user substantially matches the characteristic data of the first user; and a publisher criteria device for accepting publisher criteria data to form a basis for preventing the information associated with the at least one other user from being provided to the first user.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
229 words
A system for matching a first user with at least one other of a plurality of users of the system wherein a plurality of the users have an affiliation with one of a plurality of publishers, comprising: an interface for obtaining characteristic and criteria data for users of the system, the characteristic data including a publisher identifier representing a user's publisher affiliation; a memory for storing the characteristic and criteria data of users of the system including the first user and the at least one other user; a comparator for comparing the criteria data of the first user with characteristic data of the at least one other user and comparing the criteria data of the at least one other user with the characteristic data of the first user; a communication device for providing information associated with the at least one other user to the first user for the case where at least some of the criteria data of the first user matches the characteristic data of the at least one other user and at least some of the criteria data of the at least one other user substantially matches the characteristic data of the first user; and a publisher criteria device for accepting publisher criteria data to form a basis for preventing the information associated with the at least one other user from being provided to the first user.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system according to claim 11 , further including an ordering device for providing the information associated with the at least one other user in an order based on a parameter.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
61 words
The system according to claim 12 , wherein the parameter is selected from the group consisting of e-mail capability, voice-greeting status, on-line personal ad status, system identification number, geographical closeness, closeness in age, astrological closeness, response level to personal ad, client, number of users in personal journal, likelihood of responding to an e-mail, most recent system interaction, number of system stamps.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system according to claim 11 , wherein the interface includes a connection over the Internet.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system according to claim 11 , wherein the memory includes a database storing the characteristic or criteria data in the form of a data string.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system according to claim 11 , wherein the comparator forms a data string based on the characteristic and criteria data of the first user and the at least one other user for searching a user database.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method according to claim 11 , wherein the publisher criteria device includes means for preventing matches by allowing publishers to select characteristic or criteria data categories that do not match characteristic or criteria data categories selected by other publishers.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
264 words
In a system for matching a first user with at least one other of a plurality of users of the system wherein a plurality of the users have an affiliation with one of a plurality of publishers, a computer program product, comprising: a computer usable medium having computer readable code to obtain characteristic and criteria data from users of the system, the characteristic data including a publisher identifier representing a user's publisher affiliation; a computer usable medium having computer readable code to store the characteristic and criteria data of the users of the system; a computer usable medium having computer readable code to compare the criteria data of a first user with the characteristic data of at least one other user of the system; a computer usable medium having computer readable code to compare the criteria data of the at least one other user with the characteristic data of the first user; a computer usable medium having computer readable code to provide information associated with the at least one other user to the first user for the case where at least some of the characteristic data of the at least one other user matches the criteria data of the first user, and at least some of the characteristic data of the first user matches the criteria data of the at least one other user; and a computer usable medium having computer readable code to accept publisher criteria data, the publisher criteria data forming a basis for preventing the information associated with the at least one other user from being provided to the first user.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
264 words
In a system for matching a first user with at least one other of a plurality of users of the system wherein a plurality of the users have an affiliation with one of a plurality of publishers, a computer program product, comprising: a computer usable medium having computer readable code to obtain characteristic and criteria data from users of the system, the characteristic data including a publisher identifier representing a user's publisher affiliation; a computer usable medium having computer readable code to store the characteristic and criteria data of the users of the system; a computer usable medium having computer readable code to compare the criteria data of a first user with the characteristic data of at least one other user of the system; a computer usable medium having computer readable code to compare the criteria data of the at least one other user with the characteristic data of the first user; a computer usable medium having computer readable code to provide information associated with the at least one other user to the first user for the case where at least some of the characteristic data of the at least one other user matches the criteria data of the first user, and at least some of the characteristic data of the first user matches the criteria data of the at least one other user; and a computer usable medium having computer readable code to accept publisher criteria data, the publisher criteria data forming a basis for preventing the information associated with the at least one other user from being provided to the first user.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
35 words
The computer program product according to claim 18 , further comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable code to order the information associated with the at least one other user according to a parameter.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
27 words
The computer program product according to claim 18 , wherein the computer usable medium has computer readable code that obtains characteristic and criteria data over the Internet.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
284 words
In a system for matching user information comprising a networked computer system, a plurality of publishers, and a plurality of users, a method of matching a first user of a system with at least one other user of the system, comprising the steps of: soliciting characteristic data from a plurality of users by a plurality of publishers; storing the characteristic data of the users of the system on the networked computer system, the characteristic data including an identity of the publisher that solicited a particular user's data and establishing an affiliation between the user and the publisher who solicited the user's data; accepting criteria data from a first user having a publisher affiliation; storing the criteria data from the first user and an identity of the publisher affiliated with the first user on the networked computer system; comparing the criteria data and affiliated publisher identity of the first user with the characteristic data and affiliate d publisher identity of at least one other user of the system; providing publishers with a means for blocking matches between users affiliated with the publisher and users affiliated with selected other publishers; providing information associated with the at least one other user to the first user for the case where at least some of the characteristic data of the at least one other user matches the criteria data of the first user, and at least some of the characteristic data of the first user matches the criteria data of the at least one other user, wherein the publisher affiliation of the at least one user can form a basis to prevent the information associated with the at least one other user from being provided to the first user.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
284 words
In a system for matching user information comprising a networked computer system, a plurality of publishers, and a plurality of users, a method of matching a first user of a system with at least one other user of the system, comprising the steps of: soliciting characteristic data from a plurality of users by a plurality of publishers; storing the characteristic data of the users of the system on the networked computer system, the characteristic data including an identity of the publisher that solicited a particular user's data and establishing an affiliation between the user and the publisher who solicited the user's data; accepting criteria data from a first user having a publisher affiliation; storing the criteria data from the first user and an identity of the publisher affiliated with the first user on the networked computer system; comparing the criteria data and affiliated publisher identity of the first user with the characteristic data and affiliate d publisher identity of at least one other user of the system; providing publishers with a means for blocking matches between users affiliated with the publisher and users affiliated with selected other publishers; providing information associated with the at least one other user to the first user for the case where at least some of the characteristic data of the at least one other user matches the criteria data of the first user, and at least some of the characteristic data of the first user matches the criteria data of the at least one other user, wherein the publisher affiliation of the at least one user can form a basis to prevent the information associated with the at least one other user from being provided to the first user.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method according to claim 21 , wherein the step of soliciting the characteristic data includes communicating over the Internet.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method according to claim 21 , wherein the step of obtaining the criteria data includes communicating over the Internet.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method according to claim 21 , wherein at least one of the publishers is a newspaper publisher.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method according to claim 24 , wherein at least one of the publishers is a Web-site.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method according to claim 21 , wherein at least one of the publishers is a Web-site.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method according to claim 21 , wherein the at least one other user includes a plurality of other users and the information associated with the plurality of other users is provided in an order according to a parameter.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method according to claim 27 , wherein the parameter is selected from the group consisting of e-mail capability, voice-greeting status, on-line ad status, system identification number, geographical closeness, closeness in age, astrological closeness, response level to personal ad, publisher identity, and likelihood of responding to an e-mail, most recent system interaction.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method according to claim 27 , wherein the parameter according to which the at least one other users are ordered is the publisher identity.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
229 words
A system for providing information to a searching user from at least one of a plurality of advertising users of the system wherein a plurality of the advertising users have an affiliation with one of a plurality of publishers, comprising: a first interface for obtaining characteristic data and information for advertising users of the system, the characteristic data including a publisher identifier representing an advertising user's publisher affiliation; a second interface for obtaining criteria data from a searching user of the system, the searching user being affiliated with a publisher; a memory for storing the characteristic data, information and publisher identity of advertising users of the system and criteria data and publisher identity for the searching user; a comparator for comparing the criteria data of the first user with characteristic data of a plurality of advertising users; a communication device for providing information associated at least one advertising user to the searching user for the case where at least some of the criteria data of the searching user substantially matches the characteristic data of the at least one advertising user; and a publisher criteria device for accepting publisher criteria data to form a basis for preventing the information associated with the at least one advertising user from being provided to the searching user based on the publisher identity of the searching user and the at least one advertising user.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
229 words
A system for providing information to a searching user from at least one of a plurality of advertising users of the system wherein a plurality of the advertising users have an affiliation with one of a plurality of publishers, comprising: a first interface for obtaining characteristic data and information for advertising users of the system, the characteristic data including a publisher identifier representing an advertising user's publisher affiliation; a second interface for obtaining criteria data from a searching user of the system, the searching user being affiliated with a publisher; a memory for storing the characteristic data, information and publisher identity of advertising users of the system and criteria data and publisher identity for the searching user; a comparator for comparing the criteria data of the first user with characteristic data of a plurality of advertising users; a communication device for providing information associated at least one advertising user to the searching user for the case where at least some of the criteria data of the searching user substantially matches the characteristic data of the at least one advertising user; and a publisher criteria device for accepting publisher criteria data to form a basis for preventing the information associated with the at least one advertising user from being provided to the searching user based on the publisher identity of the searching user and the at least one advertising user.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system according to claim 30 , further including ordering means for providing the information associated with the at least advertising user in an order based on a parameter.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
58 words
The system according to claim 31 , wherein the parameter is selected from the group consisting of e-mail capability, voice-greeting status, on-line ad status, system identification number, geographical closeness, closeness in age, astrological closeness, response level to ad, client, number of users in personal journal, likelihood of responding to an e-mail, most recent system interaction, and publisher identity.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system according to claim 31 , wherein the parameter according to which the at least one advertising user is ordered is the publisher identity.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system according to claim 30 , wherein the first interface means includes a connection over the Internet.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system according to claim 30 , wherein the second interface means includes a connection over the Internet.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system according to claim 30 , wherein the memory includes a database allowing storage of the characteristic data in the form of a data string.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system according to claim 30 , wherein the comparitor forms a data string based on the criteria data of a searching user for searching a user database.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system according to claim 30 , wherein at least one of the publishers is a newspaper publisher.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method according to claim 38 , wherein at least one of the publishers is a Web-site.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method according to claim 30 , wherein at least one of the publishers is a Web-site.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method according to claim 30 , wherein the publisher criteria device includes means for preventing matches by allowing publishers to select characteristic or criteria data categories that do not match characteristic or criteria data categories selected by other publishers.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-06-18 | 2004-12-18 | 2005-06-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-06-18 | 2008-12-18 | 2009-06-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-06-18 | 2012-12-18 | 2013-06-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |