Automatic electronic date/mate finder and method of electronically finding a date/mate

An automatic electronic date/mate finder includes a portable case; a screen on the portable case for viewing personal questions about a first person and/or a person that the first person would like to meet; a keypad on the portable case for inputting data corresponding to answers to the personal questions; a random access memory for storing the data input by the keypad; a transceiver in the portable case for transmitting the input data, and for receiving data corresponding to answers to the personal questions about a second person and/or a person that the second person would like to meet, that are transmitted by another automatic electronic date/mate finder; an audible alarm in the portable case; and a central processing unit in the portable case and connected to the alarm, the transceiver, the keypad and the screen, for coding the input data prior to transmission thereof, comparing the transmitted data with the received data, determining a percentage match of the transmitted data with the received data, and activating the alarm when the percentage match is greater than a predetermined percentage match.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates generally to an electronic matching device, 
and more particularly, is directed to an automatic electronic date/mate 
finder. 
The process of finding a date/mate is generally a trial and error process, 
involving much time and money. With the high incidence of divorce, it is 
clear that this process is greatly fallible. 
Various services have been provided for finding a date/mate with high 
compatibility. However, these services are very expensive, and require 
time-consuming review of portfolios and videos of prospective dates/mates. 
In addition, in view of the large number of such services, the pool from 
which the selections are made are relatively small in comparison with the 
overall general population. 
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an 
automatic electronic date/mate finder that overcomes the problems with the 
aforementioned prior art. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide an automatic 
electronic date/mate finder that can find a compatible date/mate at any 
time and any place. 
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an automatic 
electronic date/mate finder that can find a compatible date/mate without 
extensive review of portfolios and videos. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an automatic 
electronic date/mate finder that automatically signals when a compatible 
date/mate is found. 
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an 
automatic electronic date/mate finder that is inexpensive and easy to use. 
It is a yet further object of the present invention to provide an automatic 
electronic date/mate finder with a portable transceiver carried by a 
person. 
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, an automatic 
electronic date/mate finder includes a portable case; a screen on the 
portable case for viewing personal questions about a first person and/or a 
person that the first person would like to meet; a keypad on the portable 
case for inputting data corresponding to answers to the personal 
questions; a transceiver in the portable case for transmitting the input 
data, and for receiving data corresponding to answers to the personal 
questions about a second person and/or a person that the second person 
would like to meet, that are transmitted by another automatic electronic 
date/mate finder; an alarm in the portable case; and a central processing 
unit in the portable case and connected to the alarm, the transceiver, the 
keypad and the screen, for comparing the transmitted data with the 
received data, determining a percentage match of the transmitted data with 
the received data, and activating the alarm when the percentage match is 
greater than a predetermined percentage match. 
Preferably, the alarm includes an audible alarm, although a vibrating or 
visual alarm could likewise be used. 
The keypad includes at least an affirmative/negative button for providing 
an affirmative/negative response; an arrow button for moving through 
various the personal questions and/or possible answers to the personal 
questions; and a transmit button for controlling the transceiver to 
transmit the data corresponding to the answers to the personal questions 
about the first person and/or a person that the first person would like to 
meet. 
In addition, the automatic electronic date/mate finder includes a random 
access memory for storing the data input by the keypad for comparison with 
the received data, and a read only memory for storing a program used by 
the microprocessor for performing the functions of comparing, determining 
and activating. 
In addition, the input data is coded prior to transmission thereof. 
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a method of 
electronically finding a date/mate, includes the steps of viewing personal 
questions about a first person and/or a person that the first person would 
like to meet, on a screen of a first portable automatic date/mate finder; 
inputting data corresponding to answers to the personal questions into the 
first portable automatic date/mate finder; transmitting the input data; 
receiving data corresponding to answers to the personal questions about a 
second person and/or a person that the second person would like to meet, 
that are transmitted by a second portable automatic electronic date/mate 
finder; comparing the input data with the received data in the first 
automatic electronic date/mate finder; determining a percentage match of 
the input data with the received data; and activating an alarm when the 
percentage match is greater than a predetermined percentage match stored 
in the first automatic electronic date/mate finder. 
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present 
invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed 
description thereof which is to be read in connection with the 
accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring to the drawings in detail, an automatic electronic date/mate 
finder 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a 
case 12, which is preferably a small case similar in size to a 
conventional electronic pager or a small electronic diary. Automatic 
electronic date/mate finder 10 includes a central processing unit (CPU) or 
microprocessor 14 which is connected with a working memory in the form of 
a random access memory (RAM) 16, a read only memory (ROM) 17 for storing a 
software program used by CPU 14, a screen 18, such as a liquid crystal 
display (LCD) screen, a light emitting diode (LED) screen, a plasma screen 
or the like, and a keypad 20. Screen 18 is preferably only a two or three 
line screen. RAM 16 is preferably a non-volatile memory so that data input 
into RAM 16 is maintained, even when power is turned off. 
Keypad 20 can take any suitable form. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, 
keypad 20 includes a YES button 22 and a NO button 24 for responding in 
the affirmative or the negative to questions presented on screen 18. Left 
and right arrow buttons 25 and 26 are provided to move between various 
options provided on screen 18. In addition, keypad 20 includes a POWER 
button 28 for toggling between an ON and OFF condition of automatic 
electronic date/mate finder 10. 
Automatic electronic date/mate finder 10 also includes a transceiver 30 
connected with CPU 14 for transmitting data and for receiving data, 
transceiver 30 being connected with an antenna 32. Transceiver 30 can send 
a radio frequency (RF) signal in a circular area of, for example, defined 
by a radius of 500 feet. Preferably, the signal is a coded signal that is 
coded by CPU 14 so that only another similar automatic electronic 
date/mate finder 10 can decode the transmitted signal. In addition, 
automatic electronic date/mate finder 10 includes an alarm 34 for 
signaling when a compatible match has been found. Alarm 34 can take any 
suitable form, such as an audible alarm, a vibrating alarm, or even a 
visual alarm via screen 18. 
In this regard, keypad 20 includes a TRANSMIT button 36 for transmitting 
data input by the user into RAM 16, via transceiver 30, and an ALARM 
INTERRUPT button 38 for deactivating or interrupting alarm 34. 
Different variations of keypad 20 can be provided. For example, as shown in 
FIG. 2, keypad 20' has twenty-six additional keys 40 for the letters of 
the alphabet, so that a user can input specific answers to questions, 
rather than selecting from pre-programmed answers. 
In operation, a user answers a number of personal questions about himself 
or herself and/or about a person he or she would like to meet. For 
example, upon powering up automatic electronic date/mate finder 10 by 
pushing POWER button 28 (Step 100), CPU 14 first makes a determination as 
to whether all pre-programmed questions have previously been answered by 
the user and stored in RAM 16 (Step 102). If not, CPU 14 causes a first 
pre-programmed question to appear on screen 18 (Step 104). For example, a 
first question could be "Do you play sports?". The user would then answer 
by depressing either YES button 22 or NO button 24 (Step 106). The answer 
to this question will depend on the next question that is answered. For 
example, if the user answers NO, the next question might be "Do you like 
watching sports?". On the other hand, if the user answers YES, the next 
inquiry might be "Select the sports you like playing" (Step 108). In such 
case, the user would use the arrow buttons 25 or 26, in conjunction with 
the YES and NO buttons 22 and 24. For example, the choices that are 
presented on screen 18 might be "a. Tennis b. Golf c. Softball d. Baseball 
e. Soccer f. Football g. Ice Skating h. Roller Blading i. Skiing j. 
Basketball k. Other l. Finish." The user, in Step 110, could select golf 
by using the right arrow button 26, followed by YES button 22, and also 
select skiing by using the right arrow button 26, followed by YES button 
22. When finished, the selection "Finish" would be selected, and the 
answer would be stored in RAM 16. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the 
particular letter keys "b" and "i" would be depressed instead of right 
arrow button 26. In addition, if "Other" is selected, the user could key 
in a sport not listed, such as "Bowling." 
The questions that are asked would range to numerous topics, including 
personal data, such as sex, height, weight, age, etc., as well as 
education, interests, background, etc. regarding the user and also as to 
the person the user would like to meet. 
After each response in Step 110, CPU 14 asks whether the last question has 
been presented and answered (Step 112). If no, the process returns to Step 
108 to ask the next question. If yes, the process continues to Step 114 to 
ask the user if he or she wants to transmit the entered data (Step 114), 
that is, the entered answers to the aforementioned questions, which 
answers are stored in RAM 16. If yes, the user depresses TRANSMIT button 
36, and the data is periodically transmitted in coded form, for example, 
once every two minutes (Step 116). The coding of the RF signal can take 
any suitable form. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the coded signal 200 
can take the form of a PREFIX code 202 which designates the type of 
automatic electronic date/mate finder 10 being used, followed by another 
PREFIX code 204 to designate a specific automatic electronic date/mate 
finder 10, then followed by the DATA 206 corresponding to the answers to 
the questions, and then an END signal 208 to indicate that transmission is 
complete. 
Also, if upon turning power on in Step 100, CPU determines, in Step 102, 
that all questions have previously been answered, CPU 14 asks if the user 
wants to make any changes to the answers (Step 120). If no, the process 
also goes to Step 114 to determine if transmission is to occur. If yes, 
the process returns to Step 104 to go through the various questions again. 
Each question preferably has an option to skip the question so that the 
user can quickly pass through the questions that do not change. 
Alternatively, a separate SKIP button 42 can be provided for this purpose. 
After transmission has occurred in Step 116, CPU 14 determines if there has 
been any coded signal received by another similar unit or automatic 
electronic date/mate finder 10 (Step 122). Specifically, there are a 
plurality of other such automatic electronic date/mate finders 10 that may 
be transmitting, for example, in the given area, such as a park, a street, 
a concert, etc. Each automatic electronic date/mate finder 10 receives all 
of the coded signals 200 from other automatic electronic date/mate finders 
10. The first PREFIX code 202 is used to determine that the signal is from 
a similar automatic electronic date/mate finder 10 and is therefore 
proper, while the second PREFIX code 204 is used to separate the signals 
from the different automatic electronic date/mate finders 10. 
Also, If TRANSMIT button 36 is not depressed in a predetermined time, for 
example, two minutes, the process proceeds directly to step 122. In this 
manner, a user can detect if there is a match before transmitting. 
If there has not been any coded signal received by another similar unit in 
Step 122, the process returns to Step 122 to wait for any received signal 
from another automatic electronic date/mate finder 10. This process 
continues until a received signal is detected in Step 122. Then, CPU 14 
compares the answers to the questions received by transceiver 30 from the 
other automatic electronic date/mate finder 10 with the answers stored in 
RAM 16, and determines the percentage of matching answers (Step 124). If 
the match is less than a pre-programmed percentage (Step 126), for 
example, 50% or 70%, the process returns to Step 122 for reception again. 
In addition, it may be possible through the questions asked, to change the 
percentage match. For example, if the user finds that there is no matching 
when the percentage is 70%, the user will have the ability to change the 
percentage match to a lower percentage, such as 60% or 50%. 
If the percentage of matching answers is equal to or greater than the 
pre-programmed percentage (Step 126), CPU 14 activates alarm 34, for 
example, to emit an audible sound (Step 128). Since the other automatic 
electronic date/mate finder 10 is also transmitting and receiving, the 
alarm 34 of the other automatic electronic date/mate finder 10 will 
generally also be activated, unless the matching percentage is set to a 
different, higher level. The user then merely looks to find the user of 
the other automatic electronic date/mate finder 10 from which the other 
alarm sound is being emitted. The user can then approach that person, 
knowing beforehand that there is a high degree of compatibility. In 
addition, the specific percentage of compatible answers can be displayed 
on screen 18 (Step 130). Provision can also be made for the user to skip 
through the answers with a mark such as an asterisk or other mark provided 
next to the answer so that the user can see how they are compatible. 
The user can interrupt or disconnect the alarm 34 at any time (Step 132). 
For example, once the user finds the person with the other audible alarm, 
there is no need for alarm 34 to continue. Also, if the user has no 
interest in the other person, he or she can turn off alarm 34 immediately 
as a sign that there is no interest. The interruption of alarm 34 can be 
for a predetermined time, for example, two minutes, or can be a toggle 
switch that turns alarm 34 on and off. If there is an alarm interrupt, the 
process returns to Step 122. 
After alarm 34 is activated, and assuming ALARM INTERRUPT button 38 is not 
depressed, CPU 14 controls alarm 34 to turn off after a certain time 
period (Step 134), for example, after two minutes, to prevent draining of 
the batteries that power automatic electronic date/mate finder 10. 
Thus, with the present invention, automatic electronic date/mate finder 10 
can find a compatible date/mate at any time and any place, without 
extensive review of portfolios and videos, by a portable transceiver 
carried by a person. Automatic electronic date/mate finder 10 
automatically signals when a compatible date/mate is found, and is 
inexpensive and easy to use. 
Having described specific preferred embodiments of the invention with 
reference to the accompanying drawings, it will be appreciated that the 
present invention is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that 
various changes and modifications can be effected therein by one of 
ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of 
the invention as defined by the appended claims.