TRILLER EXHIBIT 1020-001
`
`United States Patent (19)
`Collins
`
`54) COMPUTERIZED ON-LINE DATING
`SERVICE FOR SEARCHING AND
`MATCHING PEOPLE
`
`75 Inventor: Gregg Collins, Los Angeles, Calif.
`73 Assignee: Movo Media, Inc., Los Angeles, Calif.
`
`21 Appl. No.: 08/885,199
`1-1.
`22 Filed:
`Jun. 30, 1997
`(51) Int. Cl." ...................................................... G06F 17/30
`52 U.S. Cl. ................................................. 707/102; 707/3
`58 Field of Search ............................. 455/2, 42; 707/1,
`707/2 3 4 5 100. 102: 364/282.1974:
`/2, 3, 4, 5,
`s
`; 364/ 379201
`
`56)
`
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`Re. 30,579 4/1981 Goldman et al..
`Re. 30,580 4/1981 Goldman et al..
`4,307,266 12/1981 Messina.
`4,348,744 9/1982 White ................................. 395/200.83
`4,427,848
`1/1984 Tsakanikas.
`4649,563. 3/1987 Riskin
`4,650,927 3/1987 James.
`4.677659 6/1987 Dargan.
`4,737,980 4/1988 Curtin et al..
`4,817,129 3/1989 Riskin.
`4,845,739 7/1989 Katz.
`4.866,759 9/1989 Riskin.
`4,918,721
`4/1990 Hashimoto.
`4,930,150 5/1990 Katz.
`4,932,046 6/1990 Katz et al..
`4,939,773 7/1990 Katz.
`4975,945 12/1990 Carbulido.
`4987.590 1/1991 Katz.
`5,014,298 5/1991 Katz.
`5,016,270 5/1991 Katz.
`5,031,206
`7/1991 Riskin.
`5,048,075 9/1991 Katz.
`5,091,933 2/1992 Katz.
`5,109,404 4/1992 Katz et al..
`5,218,631 6/1993 Katz.
`5,224153 6/1993 Katz.
`5.255.300 10/1993 Katz.
`5,259,023 11/1993 Katz.
`5,297,197 3/1994 Katz.
`
`USOO5963951A
`Patent Number:
`11
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`5,963,951
`Oct. 5, 1999
`
`5,337,347 8/1994 Halstead-Nussloch et al..
`5,339.358 8/1994 Danish et al. .
`5,347,306 9/1994 Nitta ........................................ 345/332
`5,351,285 9/1994 Katz.
`5,359,645 10/1994 Katz.
`5,365,575 11/1994 Katz.
`5,392,338 2/1995 Danish et al..
`5,442,688 8/1995 Katz.
`5,495,284 2/1996 Katz.
`5,548,634 8/1996 Gahang et al..
`5,553,120 9/1996 Katz.
`5,561,707 10/1996 Katz.
`5,764,736 6/1998 Shachar et al. ...................... 379/93.09
`5,775,695 7/1998 Byers ...........
`... 273/161
`5,796,395 8/1998 De Hond .
`... 345/331
`5,802,156 9/1998 Felger ...
`... 379/112
`5,894,556 4/1999 Grimm et al. ............................ 463/42
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`Match.Com, Version 3.0, Electric Classified, PR Newswire
`San Francisco, Oct. 30, 1995.
`Primary Examiner Paul R. Lintz
`ASSistant Examiner Ella Colbert
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Stephen C. Glazier
`57
`ABSTRACT
`In an on-line dating Service, a database of Subscriber infor
`mation is searched to find at least one. subscriber matching
`user Search criteria. The Subscriber information includes
`preferences of Subscribers to the service. Personal prefer
`ences for a user are obtained as Search criteria. The personal
`preferences and the Subscriber information include at least:
`a gender preference; a geographic location preference; an
`age preference, appearance preferences, religious belief
`preferences, educational level preferences, and a goal
`preference, and the goal preference is one of "romance',
`“friendship” or “a walk on the wild side', the geographic
`location preference is at least one of a postal code, a country,
`a city, a Suburb, a block, or a Street The Subscriber infor
`mation 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 database is repeatedly Searched for
`records matching the personal preferences of the user by at
`least a percentage match parameter value. The percentage
`match parameter is reduced by a value of Say 10%, until at
`least a required number of matching records are found.
`
`49 Claims, 7 Drawing Sheets
`
`C
`MAN SERVER
`DATABASE
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`123
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`104
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`108
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`PROPRIETARY
`NETWORK
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`t
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`... 106 LOCAL SERVER
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`OCAL SERVER
`DATABASE
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`121
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`USER'S
`COMPUTER
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`-- DISPLAY
`
`110
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`114
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`LOCAL SERVER
`DAABASE
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`

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`TRILLER EXHIBIT 1020-002
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`U.S. Patent
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`Oct. 5, 1999
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`Sheet 1 of 7
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`TRILLER EXHIBIT 1020-003
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`TRILLER EXHIBIT 1020-005
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`TRILLER EXHIBIT 1020-006
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`U.S. Patent
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`Oct. 5, 1999
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`TRILLER EXHIBIT 1020-007
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`U.S. Patent
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`Oct. 5, 1999
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`TRILLER EXHIBIT 1020-008
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`U.S. Patent
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`Oct. 5, 1999
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`Sheet 7 of 7
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`TRILLER EXHIBIT 1020-009
`
`1
`COMPUTERIZED ON-LINE DATING
`SERVICE FOR SEARCHING AND
`MATCHING PEOPLE
`
`RELATED APPLICATIONS
`This invention is related to co-pending U.S. patent appli
`cation Ser. No. 08/885,198, titled “Computer-Implemented
`Method, System and Interface Thereto for Matching People”
`to Gregg Collins, filed concurrently here with and assigned
`to the same assignee as this application, the contents of
`which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`RESERVATION OF COPYRIGHT
`The disclosure of this patent document contains material
`which is Subject to copyright protection. The copyright
`owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by
`anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it
`appears in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office patent files
`or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights what
`SOCWC.
`
`15
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`This invention relates to an a computer-implemented
`dating Service, and more particularly, to a method, System
`and apparatus for real-time, on-line computer Searching and
`matching of database entries based on location and user
`Selectable Search criteria.
`
`25
`
`BACKGROUND
`Matchmaking is an age-old art, made increasingly neces
`Sary nowadays by the demographic and cultural changes
`which make it difficult for like-minded people to meet. The
`Social and family Structures which help people meet each
`other are no longer available or acceptable to a large portion
`of Society. Accordingly, it is desirable to have Some Sort of
`System which helps people meet each other.
`There are Systems which take Some advantage of tele
`phone technology to aid in this process. In these Systems, a
`person wishing to meet another person must make a tele
`phone call to a number and is then able to hear messages
`from others who are looking to meet people. In most of these
`prior Systems, the user is able to Select a category of people
`based only on gender preference. That is, a man looking to
`meet women makes one Selection and listens to the appro
`priate messages, whereas a woman wanting to meet men
`would make a different Selection to hear messages from men
`wanting to meet women. Of course Selections can also be
`made for men wanting to meet other men, women wanting
`to meet woman and all Sorts of other combinations.
`However, in these prior art Systems, once a perSon has
`made their gender preference Selection, that person will have
`to listen to all appropriate messages. Most prior Systems do
`provide the user with a way to Skip or replay messages.
`In most prior Systems, each message comes from a
`particular perSon and has an identification, e.g., a box
`number, associated with it. Thus, in order for a user to
`contact the person who left a particular message, Some
`Systems provide users a way to reply to messages using the
`provided identification. For example, a System might Say
`“This person is at box number 69, to leave a message for this
`person, press 69.” Other systems do not indicate the box
`number to the user, and message replies are Sent by pressing
`a particular key. For example, Such a System might Say “To
`leave a message for this perSon, press 1.”
`
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`In general, prior art Systems are little more than Voice
`mail Systems with Some additional control features added.
`Proprietors of this type of system make money by either
`charging for Subscription or by requiring parties to call the
`system using toll calls, e.g., from “900' numbers.
`There are now Some Systems which allow users to get
`some information about them from the World Wide Web (the
`Web). Typically these systems use the Web for advertising,
`and they do little more than direct users to a telephone
`System. While Such a use makes financial Sense, it does not
`make good use of the power of the Web.
`AS noted above, in prior art Systems, once a person has
`made their gender preference Selection, that person will have
`to listen to all appropriate messages, with the only control
`being the ability to Skip messages. Thus, when a user of one
`of these systems (Web-based or telephone-based) wants to
`find a match they have to listen to (or in Some way peruse)
`all messages.
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`It is desirable to provide an on-line dating Service that
`provides user-controlled perusal of Search results. It is
`further desirable to provide an on-line dating Service that
`always provides users with the ability to perform Searches
`based on user-specified criteria, including location criteria. It
`is still further desirable to provide an on-line dating Service
`that provides users with at least Some Search results, regard
`less of what Search criteria they specify.
`For example, in Some situations, Such as in the case of an
`on-line dating Service Such as described in co-pending U.S.
`patent application Ser. No. 08/885,198, titled “Computer
`Implemented Method, System and Interface Thereto for
`Matching People', referenced and incorporated above, it is
`desirable to yield at least Some kind of Search results,
`whatever Search criteria are specified for the Search.
`In order to produce a Search result, regardless of the
`Search criteria Specified, this invention performs a Series of
`Searches through a Search database, applying Successively
`leSS restrictive Search criteria until at least one positive result
`(match) is obtained. In this manner, a desired number of
`matching entries is almost always guaranteed, with the more
`desirable entries being reported first. Conventional database
`Searching is not performed in Such a manner.
`Accordingly, in one aspect, this invention provides an
`apparatus, System and method for performing a database
`Search of an on-line people-matching database that generates
`at least Some matching entries, regardless of the Search
`criteria Specified.
`This invention operates preferably in an on-line dating
`Service. A database of Subscriber information is Searched to
`find at least one Subscriber matching user Search criteria.
`The Subscriber information includes preferences of Sub
`Scribers to the Service. Users access the database by either a
`telephone or a computer. Personal preferences for a user are
`obtained as Search criteria. Both the personal preferences
`and the Subscriber information include at least: a gender
`preference, a geographic location preference; an age pref
`erence, appearance preferences, religious belief preferences,
`educational level preferences, and a goal preference, and
`wherein the goal preference is one of "romance”; “friend
`Ship” or “a walk on the wild side', wherein the geographic
`location preference is at least one of a postal code, a country,
`a city, a Suburb, a block, or a Street. The Subscriber infor
`mation 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. A percentage match parameter value is Set
`
`

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`TRILLER EXHIBIT 1020-0010
`
`3
`to an initial value of say 70%; and then the database is
`repeatedly Searched for records matching the personal pref
`erences of the user by at least the percentage match param
`eter value. The percentage match parameter is reduced by a
`value of Say 10%, until at least a required number of
`matching records are found. The required number of match
`ing parameters is never less than one. The matching records
`are reported to the user along with the percentage match for
`each reported record and a degree of match of each of the
`Search criteria. The matching entries are re-ordered accord
`ing to: (a) a date of last payment of a use fee by each
`Subscriber and/or (b) a date of last updating of a personal
`profile by each subscriber.
`In most preferred embodiments, all of the user's Search
`criteria can be Successively relaxed except for the user's
`gender preference.
`In one preferred embodiment the search of the database is
`made with the geographic location held fixed and other
`Search criteria, except for gender preference, being Succes
`Sively relaxed. In another preferred embodiment the Search
`of the database is made with the geographic location being
`Successively widened before the other Search criteria, except
`for gender preference, are relaxed.
`This invention is a computer program, a method of
`25
`performing the Search, an apparatus for performing the
`Search and a computer-readable media embodying the com
`puter program to control a computer to effect the Search.
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`The above and other objects, features, and advantages of
`the present invention are further described in the detailed
`description which follows, with reference to the drawings by
`way of non-limiting exemplary embodiments of the present
`invention, wherein like reference numerals represent Similar
`parts of the present invention throughout the Several views
`and wherein:
`FIG. 1 shows an overview of the system of this invention;
`FIG. 2 provides a more detailed view of a local server of
`the system of FIG. 1;
`FIG. 3 shows a typical database record of the system of
`FIG. 1;
`FIG. 4 illustrates Searching a database according to the
`present invention; and
`FIGS. 5-7 depict typical output displays of the search
`according to this invention.
`DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY
`PREFERRED EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
`The system 100 of this invention is now described with
`reference to FIG. 1, wherein a Web server 102 is connected
`to a network Such as the Internet 104. At various locations,
`preferably geographically remote from that of the Web
`server 102, a number of local servers 106 connect to the Web
`server 102 via a proprietary network 108. A more detailed
`description of the operation of the system 100 is given in
`co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. to be assigned,
`titled “Computer-Implemented Method, System and Inter
`face Thereto for Matching People”, referenced and incor
`porated above.
`In a preferred embodiment, the Web server 102 runs the
`Windows NT (trademark) operating system on a Pentium
`based computer with an eight gigabyte hard disk and one
`hundred megabytes of random access memory (RAM).
`The proprietary network 108 is a standard frame-relay
`network such as is operated by AT&T or MCI.
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`A user can access the system 100 either via the Internet
`104 using a computer 110 (or some other form of accessing
`the Internet) or via a telephone 112, preferably a touch-tone
`phone, which accesses one of the local servers 106. A
`land-line, mobile, wireless, Satellite telephone or the like
`may be used as user's telephone 112.
`There are no special requirements for the user's computer
`110, other than that it have Some means of accessing the
`Internet 104.
`A more detailed view of a typical local server 106 is
`shown in FIG. 2, wherein a local server 106 preferably
`includes a CPU 116, internal memory 118 and external
`Storage 120. External Storage 120 is preferably Some Storage
`device Such as a hard disk drive or the like with a capacity,
`preferably of between 500 megabytes to 2 gigabytes. Each
`of the local servers 106 is also preferably a Windows
`NT-based computer system with that two megabytes of
`RAM as the internal memory 118. The local servers 106 are
`preferably at least as powerful as an Intel 386. That is, the
`CPU 116 is preferably at least an Intel 386.
`A local server 106 preferably also includes a voice
`response unit (VRU) 122 for generating a voice response to
`a user's telephone 112. The VRU 122 directs an input from
`the server 106 to a user on a telephone 112. The user,
`communicating with the local server 106 through a tele
`phone 112, enters input by depressing buttons on a telephone
`keypad. A DTMF receiver card 124 in the local server 106
`receives DTMF tones from the telephone 112.
`Each local server 106 includes a database 121, preferably
`Microsoft ACCESS (trademark), stored on external storage
`120.
`The Web server 102 also maintains a database 123 which
`is preferably a combination of all of the databases 121 of all
`of the local servers 106. That is, the database 123 at the Web
`server 102 preferably contains all the records of each of the
`databases 121 of each of the local servers 106. The Web
`server's database 123 must also track which of the local
`ServerS 106 any data comes from, thereby allowing Search
`ing at the Web server 102 based on the location of the local
`Server 106.
`Based on Search requirements entered by a user (either via
`the telephone 112 or via a network such as the Internet 104)
`the local server 106 (or the Web server 102) performs one or
`more database Searches, reporting matching entries to the
`user after each search. The server (local 106 or Web 102)
`may then Successively change the Search parameters and
`repeat the Search with the new parameters until a desired
`number of matching entries is generated.
`Each local server database 121 and the Web server
`database 123 contains information about Subscribers to the
`system 100. In particular, each database contains subscriber
`information which can be located based on various Search
`criteria Such as, for example, geographic location, gender
`and gender preference, hair color, age, height, weight, body
`type and other appearance factors, race, religion, Subscrib
`er's goal, and the like. The Subscriber's goal can be specified
`in terms of pre-determined options Such as "romance',
`“friendship”, a “walk on the wild side” and the like. Gen
`erally the database entries for each subscriber are established
`when the Subscriber first subscribes to the system 100.
`However, in Some embodiments a Subscriber can change
`Some of the attributes and criteria at any time. For example,
`a Subscriber who tires of “friendship' may change her goal
`to "romance.” Each database entry (for each subscriber) also
`contains an indication of when that entry was last updated
`and, optionally, when that Subscriber made any payments to
`
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`TRILLER EXHIBIT 1020-0011
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`the System. A typical database record format is shown in
`FIG. 3, which shows the fields logically divided into Sub
`scriber information fields and subscriber preference fields as
`well as update time information and fee payment informa
`tion. The structure shown in FIG. 3 is merely for the sake of
`description, and the actual database is organized based on
`the underlying database query program and the hardware
`and Software running on the System.
`The searching process for a server database (121 or 123)
`is described below with reference to FIG. 4.
`AS shown in FIG. 4, a user wishing to Search a database
`must first provide search criteria (at P10). These criteria can
`include any combination of the Subscriber information and
`preferences in the database. That is, a user can Search for a
`subscriber based not only on that subscribers information,
`but also on that subscriber's preferences. Preferably the
`Search criteria include a geographic location preference. In
`preferred embodiments of the system 100, the geographic
`location preference is given in terms of a postal Zip code,
`although any other form of geographic location Specifier can
`be used. For example, the location Specifier may include one
`or more of Zip code, county, city, State, precinct, block, Street
`and country.
`A user who is already a System Subscriber can use her
`already entered Subscriber information and preferences
`which are already Stored in the database. A new user must at
`least enter Search preferences and preferably at least Some
`user information.
`When the system 100 is being accessed by telephone 112,
`the user enters the location Specifier as, for example, a Zip
`code and the DTMF receiver card 124 receives the location
`specifier from the user. The system 100 also collects per
`Sonal information from the user. In the case of telephone
`access to the System, this information is obtained, for
`example, by asking the user to preSS Various keys on the
`telephone keypad to indicate answers to questions asked
`through the VRU 122. In the case of access via the network
`104, the user's information is entered using any known
`manner using a typical browser application.
`The personal information obtained can include, but is not
`limited to, the users age, Sex, the user's gender preference
`(including “couples”), the user's first name, race, hair color,
`build of body, and location including city and Zip code. The
`System will also obtain from the user a goal which can be
`one of “romance,” “friendship,” “a walk on the wild side,”
`and the like. The system 100 provides the user with a system
`phone number for a personal Voice mailbox, Voice mailbox
`number.
`When the personal information is obtained over the
`telephone, the Server 106 requests the personal information
`50
`from the user by asking the user questions through the VRU
`122. The questions include, for example, “Press 1 if you are
`a man”, “Press 2 if you are a woman”, “Press 1 if you are
`Seeking a man”, “PreSS 2 if you are Seeking a woman',
`"Spell your first name using the buttons on your telephone
`keypad corresponding to the appropriate letters, preSS 7 for
`Q and 9 for Z”, and the like. When the personal information
`is obtained via a user computer 110 over a network 104 Such
`as the Internet, the user is presented with display Screen
`forms. Such as those shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 and data is
`entered via the user's browser running on computer 110.
`AS noted above, it is preferable to find matches for people
`that are geographically Suitable. It is also generally prefer
`able to match people according to their gender preferences.
`Accordingly, in preferred embodiments, regardless of what
`other parameters are Set, the gender preference and geo
`graphic location preference Specifier must be set
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`Once the Search criteria have been obtained from the user,
`a location Search parameter is set to be equal to the location
`Specifier.
`Next a percentage match parameter is set (at P12) to a
`value of, for example, Seventy percent. This parameter is
`used to determine an acceptable degree of matching in the
`database. In Some preferred embodiments users can indicate
`which, if any, of their Search criteria can be varied and in
`what order. The percentage match parameter for each data
`base Search result is determined as a weighted function of
`the result. Generally the user cannot control this function or
`the weight parameter, although in Some embodiments the
`user can give Some Search criteria higher weights than
`others. For example, Someone might indicate that the System
`should vary race or religion, but never vary weight or height
`unless absolutely necessary.
`Then the database (121 or 123) is searched (at P14) for
`entries matching the Specified Search criteria with a percent
`age match being at least equal to the Specified percentage
`match parameter. The matching and near matching entries
`must have compatible personal information entries corre
`sponding to the preferred gender and the preferred gender
`Sought in the user's personal preference information. The
`following table illustrates the compatible gender preference
`entries.
`
`Compatible
`Personal Information in Database Information
`
`Personal Preference
`
`Gender
`
`Gender Sought
`
`Gender
`
`Gender Sought
`
`male
`male
`male
`female
`female
`female
`couple
`couple
`couple
`
`female
`male
`couple
`male
`female
`couple
`couple
`male
`female
`
`female
`male
`couple
`male
`female
`couple
`couple
`male
`female
`
`male
`male
`male
`female
`female
`female
`couple
`couple
`couple
`
`Matching entries are generated as a result of Searching the
`database (at P16).
`If the Search of the database finds no matching entries (at
`P17), then the percentage match parameter value is
`decreased (at P24) and the search is repeated (at P14) with
`the lower percentage match value.
`The generated matches are optionally reordered (at P18)
`according to a date of last payment of a use fee, Such as a
`fee paid in order to listen to messages in a user's voice mail
`box, and/or according to a date of last updating a user's
`personal profile, Such as audio information containing infor
`mation about the user recorded in a user's voice. Entries
`having more recent dates of payment of a fee and more
`recent dates of last updating are reported before other entries
`as a reward to those users who have recently paid the use fee
`or who have recently updated their personal profile. In this
`way the most recent users of the System will tend to get the
`most matches in the System.
`The reordered matching entries, if any exist, are then
`presented to the user. In the case of a user accessing the
`System by telephone 122, the results are announced to the
`user via the VRU 122, otherwise they are presented to the
`user on the display monitor 114 of his computer 110. An
`example of such a display output is shown in FIG. 7.
`Next the system 100 determines whether the desired
`number of entries has been reported (at P20). This number
`is initially Set by the System to be Some value Such as ten.
`
`

`

`TRILLER EXHIBIT 1020-0012
`
`5,963,951
`
`8
`102. Database search results are reported to the user com
`puter 110 after each search. The browser Software in the
`computer 110 displays the results to the user on the display
`114, for example as shown in FIG. 7.
`Preferably matching search fields are listed on the display
`114 with an asterisk next to the matching field. A matching
`percentage is also reported to the user computer 110 to be
`displayed to the user.
`
`7
`Preferably the user can change this number. It is never set to
`less than one. If it is determined that the desired number of
`entries has been reported then the Search is done (at P22),
`and processing Stops, otherwise the System 100 decreases
`the value of the percentage match parameter (at P24) and
`another Search is performed (at P14). The percentage match
`parameter is initially Set to Some value Such as Seventy and
`then decreased in Subsequent Searches by ten each time until
`it reaches Zero.
`AS noted above, generally the user cannot control this
`percentage parameter, although in Some embodiments the
`user can give Some Search criteria higher weights than
`others. In preferred embodiments the location Specifier is
`given the highest weight (after the gender preference) and is
`changed the least, So that matches in the user's geographic
`area will be found first.
`Note that the notion of controlling a Search by a percent
`age match is effectively the same as relaxing Some or all of
`the Search criteria until a match is found.
`In most preferred embodiments, all of the user's Search
`criteria can be Successively relaxed except for the user's
`gender preference which must always be respected.
`In some preferred embodiment the search of the database
`is made with the geographic location held fixed and other
`Search criteria, except for gender preference, being Succes
`Sively relaxed. In those embodiments, the geographic loca
`tion may eventually have to be changed, i.e., widened, if no
`Search results are found in the required location, but it is only
`changed as a last resort.
`In other preferred embodiments the search of the database
`is made with the geographic location being Successively
`widened before or simultaneously with the other Search
`criteria, except for gender preference, are relaxed.
`In Some preferred embodiments users can be given the
`option of which Search criteria are to be relaxed and which
`are to be kept fixed.
`In other preferred embodiments, a user may request
`matches regardless of location, in which case the location
`Specifier is given a variable weight which is adjusted along
`with those of other criteria (at P24). If the geographic
`location is adjusted, it is preferably done So in five or ten
`mile increments.
`In Some embodiments, the System reports the match
`percentage for each Search result, indicating the percentage
`of corresponding personal information in a database entry
`which matches the user's personal preference information.
`In a telephone-based user this information is announced to
`the user via the VRU 122.
`The matching percentage can be announced to the user for
`the overall match or on a per criterion basis.
`When this System is accessed by a user from her computer
`110 (FIG. 1), the server 102 sends requests for information
`through the computer network 104 to the user's computer
`110. The user enters information on her computer 110 which
`then Sends the appropriate information through the network
`104 to the server 102. Preferably the network 104 is the
`Internet and the user's computer 110 runs some kind of
`Internet browser Software, Such as Netscape (Trademark) or
`the Microsoft Internet Explorer (Trademark). The server 102
`communicates with the browser Software on the user's
`computer 110 and causes various forms to be displayed on
`the display 114 of the computer 110. The user fills in the
`forms as appropriate with the required information, Such as,
`e.g., location specifier and personal information, and the
`information is sent through the network 104 to the server
`
`EXAMPLE
`An example of the weighting factors for a particular
`embodiment of the Search algorithm is now presented. In
`this example the user's gender preference is never varied or
`relaxed and the user's geographic location is given the
`highest weight of all search criteria. The following table
`Summarizes the weight factors for various criteria. Note that
`the criteria may be weighted differently, depending on
`gender preferences.
`
`Criterion
`
`postal code (zip code)
`age
`aCe
`hair color
`eye color
`height
`goal
`build
`
`Weight
`
`50
`35
`40
`1O
`1O
`25
`3O
`25
`
`In the embodiment of this example, the Search takes place
`as follows:
`First the system locates, from the database (121 or 123),
`all valid Subscribers whose gender preference matches the
`required gender preference and who are located “nearby the
`given postal (Zip) code. Preferably a zip code is considered
`nearby if its centroid is within a System-configurable dis
`tance from the input Zip code. For example, for Los Angeles,
`Since Zip codes areas are Small and dense, nearby is Set to
`fifty miles, whereas for Kansas where the Zip code areas are
`large and Sparse, nearby is Set to one hundred and fifty miles.
`Then, for each subscriber found in the first part (above),
`the System also retrieves the user's System information Such
`as user name, phone number and a So-called band value for
`the Zip code the user is in. For a given Zip code the System
`currently defines four bands. Only the input (initial) Zip code
`falls into band Zero (0). All zip codes with centroids less than
`X miles of the input zip code's centroid fall into band 1. All
`Zip codes with centroids greater than or equal to X miles of
`the input zip code's centroid, but less than Y miles from the
`centroid fall into band 2. Similarly, band 3 is defined for Zip
`codes with centroids between Y and Z. miles from the
`centroid of the input Zip code. Finally, band 4 is all Zip codes
`with centroids outside of Z. miles from the input zip code. In
`other words, the bands define concentric circles around the
`centroid of the input zip code. The values of X, Y and Z,
`defining the radii of the concentric circles are defined at the
`