Abstract:
An Internet dating system and method that systematically documents and stores evaluations by participants of their dating experiences. Each evaluation is then sent, by, for example, email and or SMS, to the other participant in the date. Advantageously, the system processes each evaluation to determine a date rating and prompts the participants to take further action based on that rating.

Description:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY  
       [0001]     A review of existing Internet dating sites reveals a need for a site that provides an easy to use, automated date feedback mechanism by which each date participant can evaluate the other participant. Such evaluations would be useful not only to the participants themselves, but to other people who might be interested in dating one of the participants.  
         [0002]     The present invention addresses this need by providing such an automated date feedback mechanism. Briefly, a date participant evaluates the other participant by completing an automated, on-line questionnaire. The Internet dating system in accordance with the present invention processes the questionnaire and determines a date rating and sends the rating to the other participant to the date by, for example, email or short message service (SMS). The evaluations and ratings may also be stored in a database for later review by the participants and/or other interested people. Advantageously, the system may also prompt the participants to take further action based on that rating. For example, if a participant rates a date positively, the system may prompt the participant to send a gift, such as flowers or candy, to the other participant, send a message to the other participant, or provide suggestions to that participant for another date. A participant receiving a positive rating may be likewise prompted by the system.  
         [0003]     In another aspect of the present invention, the system enables a participant to authorize other members of the Internet website system to view his or her date evaluation. In that way, other members may consider that evaluation in deciding whether to arrange a date with the reviewed participant.  
         [0004]     In yet another aspect of the present invention, the system may be linked to an established Internet dating website to provide that website with the features described herein.  
         [0005]     In still a further aspect of the present invention, the system may be accessed, and evaluations provided and received, via a mobile device, such as a mobile phone. In that way, participants can conveniently provide and receive evaluations of the date while the date is still fresh in their minds. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]     Additional objects and features of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description and appended claims when taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:  
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is an illustration of a system in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0008]      FIG. 2  is an illustration of an alternative embodiment of a system in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0009]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating a process in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0010]      FIGS. 4-18  illustrate web pages that may be displayed on a user&#39;s computer during the course of the process illustrated in  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0011]      FIG. 19  is a block diagram illustrating a process in accordance with the present invention in which a mobile device, such as a cell phone, is used to access the Internet dating system;  
         [0012]      FIGS. 20-30  illustrate pages that may be displayed on a user&#39;s mobile device during the course of the process illustrated in  FIG. 19 ; and  
         [0013]      FIGS. 31-36  illustrate pages that may be displayed on a user&#39;s mobile device during the course of sending a pre-written message provided by a system in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
       [0014]     In the drawings, like reference numerals refer to like items.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0015]      FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary system in accordance with the present invention, in which one or more user computers  100 , such as personal computers, laptop computers, etc., or mobile devices  105 , such as mobile phones, personal digital assistants, etc., are capable of communicating with Internet dating system  120 , via a network  115 , such as the Internet. In the case of mobile devices  105 , communication with Internet dating system  120  may also utilize a mobile network  110  that is capable of communicating information over network  115 . Internet dating system  120  includes servers and other computers and processors, as well as storage devices, and all other hardware and software necessary for hosting an Internet website, as is known in the art. The Internet dating system  120  further includes a database system for storing information about users of the system, including account information and the evaluations and ratings described below.  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  illustrates an alternative exemplary system in accordance with the present invention. In this embodiment, one or more user computers  100 , such as personal computers, laptop computers, etc., or mobile devices  105 , such as mobile phones, personal digital assistants, etc., are capable of communicating with one or more Internet dating sites  225 , via a network  115 , such as the Internet, and, in the case of mobile devices  105 , mobile network  110 . The one or more Internet data sites  225  are, in turn, linked to dating evaluation system  230 . Again, Internet dating sites  225  and dating evaluation system  230  include servers and other computers and processors, as well as storage devices, and all other hardware and software necessary for hosting an Internet website and/or communicating with a hosted website, as is known in the art. Dating evaluation system  230  further includes a database system for storing information about users of the system, including account information and the evaluations and ratings described below. In this embodiment, dating evaluation system  230  can act as a central repository for evaluation information that may be shared by some or all of the Internet dating sites  225 . In this way, a user that is a member of more than one Internet dating site  225  can have his or her dating information aggregated.  
         [0017]     In operation, the features and information provided by dating evaluation system  230  may be incorporated into the web pages served by the one or more Internet dating sites  225 , for example, in a separate frame in the web pages served by those sites. Alternatively, the features and information provided by dating evaluation system  230  may be provided in a separate browser window. In either case, a link and/or button may be provided by Internet dating sites  225  that enable the user to access the features provided by dating evaluation system  230 .  
         [0018]     In both the  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2  embodiments, the database stores a history of all date reviews received by each user. The system in turn performs analysis of that information. For example, the database may track the number of dates a user went on, the number of positive and negative responses that were received, and the number of times a user received the same response to the same question. Advantageously, the system may then use that information to provide suggestions to a user for improving his or her dating habits. For example, if a number of reviewers have indicated that the user does not look like the picture that he or she posted on the dating site, the system may send a message to the user, suggesting that he or she change the picture. Similarly, for example, if a number of reviewers have indicated that the user&#39;s personality does not match his or her profile, the system may advise the user to change the profile. The system may also use the analyzed information to refer the user to dating materials that specifically address the user&#39;s dating deficiencies. The analyzed information may optionally be presented to the user in tabular or graphical form.  
         [0019]      FIG. 3  illustrates an exemplary process, in accordance with the present invention, for providing and utilizing an automated evaluation and rating system in an Internet dating site. The process can be performed by a stand-alone Internet dating system, as shown in  FIG. 1 , or a combined system comprising one or more Internet dating sites and a dating evaluation system, as shown in  FIG. 2 . In step  300 , a user connects to the system by, for example, entering the URL for the system&#39;s web site, or the URL for one of the one or more Internet dating sites shown in  FIG. 2 , into an Internet browser or selecting a hyperlink, button, or bookmark for the site. In step  305 , the site then may optionally provide an introductory screen, such as the one shown in  FIG. 4 , which is in turn displayed on the screen of the user&#39;s computer. In step  310 , the site then provides a log-on page, such as the one shown in  FIG. 5 . In step  315 , the log-on page may optionally include a link to a site tour and/or other information about the site that would be useful to a new user. An exemplary site tour for the site is shown in  FIGS. 6-10 . An example of additional information that may be provided to new users is shown in  FIG. 11 . In step  317 , a new user may sign-up to become a member of the site, in which case the site will provide a sign-up form for the user to complete. An example of a sign-up form is shown in  FIG. 12 .  
         [0020]     In step  320 , the user logs on to the Internet dating site, and, in step  325 , the user&#39;s personal page is displayed. Exemplary personal pages are shown in  FIGS. 13 and 17 .  FIG. 18  illustrates the display of the user&#39;s mailbox, which can be reached through the user&#39;s personal page by selecting the My Mailbox button. In step  330 , if the user indicates that he or she would like to review a date, the site will provide an interactive date questionnaire for the user to complete. The user can make that indication by, for example, clicking on the Review a Date button shown in  FIG. 13 . An exemplary date questionnaire is shown in  FIGS. 14A-14C .  
         [0021]     After the user completes the questionnaire, the site, in step  335 , processes the questionnaire and assigns a positive or negative rating to the date.  
         [0022]     In step  340 , the site emails the date rating to the other participant. The email may contain prompts or links that enable further actions for the other participant to take based on the rating. For example, as shown in  FIG. 15 , if the rating is positive, the email may contain prompts or links for sending the reviewer (i.e., the user who filled out the questionnaire) a gift, such as flowers, sending the reviewer a friendly message, or for gathering suggestions for a next date. As shown in  FIG. 16 , if the rating is negative, the email may contain a prompt or link for the other participant to “fix your drama,” which will direct the other participant to information that may improve his or her dating skills.  
         [0023]     In step  345 , the other participant receives and reviews the email containing the date rating. The other participant may then select one of the suggestions for further actions by, for example, clicking on or otherwise selecting one of the prompts or links in the email. By making a selection, the participant may, for example, be directed to a webpage at which flowers may be purchased, provided with a screen for sending a friendly message to the reviewer, provided with suggestions for a next date, or, if the review was negative, provided with helpful dating hints or directed to a dating website to continue the search for a compatible date.  
         [0024]      FIG. 19  illustrates an exemplary process, in accordance with the present invention, in which a mobile device, such as a cell phone, is used to access the Internet dating system. In step  1900 , a user connects to the Internet via a mobile device. In step  1905 , the user scrolls down an selects Chat &amp; Date, as illustrated in  FIG. 20 , which in turn causes links to one or more dating sites to be displayed. In step  1910 , the user selects a dating site that provides a date rating service in accordance with the present invention, as illustrated in  FIG. 21 . In step  1915 , the site provides optional preliminary information, as illustrated in  FIG. 22 . In step  1920 , the user is provided a log-on page. If the user is not yet a member, he or she will, in step  1925 , be prompted to sign up and then continue. In step  1930 , the user logs on to the Internet dating site, as illustrated in  FIG. 23 .  
         [0025]     In step  1935 , the user&#39;s personal page is then displayed and the user may select to complete a date rating. If user selects to complete a date rating, then, in step  1940 , the site provides an interactive date questionnaire, a page of which is illustrated in  FIG. 24 , which the user in turn completes. In step  1945 , the site process the questionnaire and assigns a positive or negative rating to it. The site then, in step  1950 , prompts the user to take the next step in the dating process. If the rating is positive, the site may prompt the user to, for example, send a gift, such as flowers, or an SMS Message to the other participant in the date, as illustrated in  FIG. 25 . If the rating is negative, the site may prompt the user to, for example, go to an Internet dating site to continue his or her search for a compatible date, as illustrated in  FIG. 26 .  
         [0026]     In step  1955 , the site sends the date rating by, for example, Short Message Service (SMS) and/or email, to the other participant to the date, as illustrated in  FIG. 27 . In step  1960 , the other participant is alerted on his or her mobile device that a rating has been received, as illustrated in  FIG. 28 . In step  1965 , the other participant logs on to the site, as described previously.  
         [0027]     In step  1970 , the other participant is prompted to respond to the rating, including an option to rate the user back. If the received rating is positive, the site may prompt the user to send a gift, such as flowers or chocolates, send a message back to the user, provide suggestions for a next date, such as a link to information about current movies, etc., as illustrated in  FIG. 29 . If the received rating is negative, the site may prompt the user to, for example, go to an Internet dating site to continue his or her search for a compatible date, as illustrated in  FIG. 30 .  
         [0028]     A system in accordance may also provide appropriate pre-written messages to be sent from one date participant to another. As illustrated in  FIG. 31 , a mail icon can be selected, which in turn displays mail and message related options, as illustrated in  FIG. 32 . If the date rating MMS menu option is selected (i.e., RatesyourDate MMS in  FIG. 32 ), a number of pre-written messages is displayed, as illustrated in  FIG. 33 , for selection by the user. The user may also select an animation that will accompany the message, as illustrated in  FIG. 34 . The user can then either enter the phone number of the other participant or select it from the user&#39;s address book, as illustrated in  FIG. 35 . Lastly the user can add a priority to the message, as illustrated in  FIG. 36 .  
         [0029]     The illustrative descriptions of the application of the principles of the present invention are to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the disclosed invention. These descriptions are susceptible to numerous modifications and alternative arrangements by those skilled in the art. Such modifications and alternative arrangements are not intended to be outside the scope of the present invention. The appended claims are intended to cover such modifications and arrangements. Thus, the present invention should not be limited to the described illustrative embodiments but, instead, is to be accorded the broadest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.