Patent Application
20120013462
The Present Application is a Continuation-in-Part Application, and is related to the following related Patent Applications:
The Applicants hereby claim the benefit of priority under Title 35, Sections 119 and/or 120, for any subject matter which is commonly disclosed in the Present Patent Application, and in any of these related Patent Applications. The contents of all the related Patent Applications that are listed above and which have been published are hereby incorporated by reference into the Present Patent Application.
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The present invention pertains to methods and apparatus for using an electronic device to find a person or system who meets criteria specified by a user and/or to establish mutual compatibility between or among two or more people or systems. More particularly, one preferred embodiment of the invention uses a small radiating device using radio, optical, supersonic or other means that automatically and continuously or periodically emits a signal which interrogates other similar devices. When the user's device finds another person or system whose device returns a signal that matches the user's pre-specified criteria, the user is alerted by a visual and/or audible signal. Alternatively, the other user's or users' device(s) might passively receive the emitted signals and give its user an indication that a criteria-meeting device is within range. In alternative embodiments, the present invention furnishes relationship predictions directly to customers.
For almost all of their existence as a separate species, humans have lived in relatively isolated groups (“hunting-gathering camps”) of ten to forty people. See Tuck, Edward F. and Earle, Timothy “Why CEOs Succeed and Why They Fail,” published in Strategy and Business, Issue 5 (Fourth Quarter 1996). The group behaviors of humans, and their bodies and senses, have evolved to fit this manner of living.
All animals, including insects and bacteria, and many plants, have some means of communicating with others of their species. The most common means use the chemical senses: taste and smell. Some of the substances that activate these senses for information transfer are called pheromones. Pheromones are defined in the Merriam-Webster Office Dictionary as “a chemical substance that is produced by an animal and serves especially as a stimulus to other individuals of the same species for one or more behavioral responses.”
Some pheromones are sexual attractants. The few pheromones still retained by humans are specific odors that seem to be for that purpose. However, many animals use odors other than pheromones to provide far more detailed information. Researchers have found, for example, that some rodents select their mates on the basis of complementary Major Histocompatibility Complexes (MHC) defined in the Merriam-Webster Office Dictionary as “a group of genes in mammals that function especially in determining the Histocompatibility antigens found on cell surfaces.” The MHC contributes to the animal's personal smell and provides a unique identifier of the animal. The MHC, and therefore that personal odor, also carries information on the animal's immune system. Researchers have found that many mammals, such as mice, select their mate on the basis of complementary MHCs, thus maximizing the number of different immune responses. See Boyse E A, Beauchamp G K, Yamazaki K., et al. “Chemosensory Communication—A New Aspect of the Major Histocompatibility Complex and Other Genes in the Mouse,” Journal of Oncodevelopmental Biology and Medicine, Vol. 4 No. 1-2: pages 101-116, 1982. This makes for more disease-resistant, and, thus fitter, offspring. Animals with distinct MHCs are not closely related, and selection based on these criteria also avoids the hazards of consanguinity, which amplifies genetic defects. This is analogous to the human taboo against marrying one's close relatives.
The predominant pheromones among mammals are odors. These odors are produced in the skin or passed along in breath or urine. The sense of smell in free-ranging mammals is exquisitely sensitive and complex: it can identify a range of odors far greater than is required to avoid danger or seek prey. The major use of this sense is to detect and understand pheromones and to analyze the MHCs of others. To understand the profound importance of smell, one must know that the first organ to evolve after the spinal cord was an olfactory bulb at its end. The rest of a chordate's brain evolved from this base (vertebrates, including humans, are among the members of the phylum Chordata).
Unlike most mammals, humans and some apes have poor senses of smell, and also few pheromones. They have, however, kept their ability to detect and analyze MHC, even though their body odors still carry that information. This is best shown by the behavior of tracking dogs, who cannot distinguish between identical twins. This may be the result of the natural selection that took place in three million years of living in small camps, because they were no longer needed (human females do not have an estrus cycle like most other mammals. They are always receptive, and thus have no need to signal their receptiveness; degrees of consanguinity are public information in a small group. Camp dwellers historically found their mates in neighboring camps, which provided genetic separation; because they were usually in sight of one another, camp dwellers had no need for odors to advertise their gender, pregnancy, age, state of health and other visible features; humans in committed relationships usually adorn themselves with special marks, such as wedding rings, tattoos, hair length, and special clothing; other information on mood, such as fear, is easy to gain from the context of a person's actions).
In addition, pheromones may have been detrimental to the fitness of the camp (constant reminders of sex are distracting, and lead to jealousy and strife, which is deadly in a confined group; animals with strong odors are at more risk of predation.)
Between 10,000 and 100,000 years ago, depending on the society, most hunting-gathering societies combined into either pastoral or agricultural tribes. Tribes are much larger groups, and bring two new metrics: social rank and wealth. In human society, which by then relied entirely on visual cues, clothes, posture, jewelry, tattoos and scarification were used as markers for these metrics. There was still no need for “long-distance” chemical pheromones, because in a typical tribe of a few hundred people, everyone was seen by everyone else over a reasonable period of time.
In summary, identifying odors and behavior-modifying odors such as pheromones evolved and became of vital importance in creatures that were solitary or which lived in closely-related family groups. They became less important, and finally counterproductive, in species that tended to aggregate themselves into clumps of up to a few hundred individuals. In human societies the ability to detect and discriminate among those odors was essentially lost (and in some cultures the odors themselves are often intentionally suppressed, as with perfume and frequent bathing) and were replaced by their visual equivalents, some of which were eventually suppressed by clothing.
Modern urban society is radically different from life in a tribe or hunting-gathering camp, especially for singles. In 2005, over 30% of the households in the United States are inhabited by “single” people: unmarried people, married people living apart from their spouses, and single-parent households with small children. Specifically, in the year 2000, the United States had a population of 281 million, of which 224 million, or about 80%, lived in cities or metropolitan area of 100,000 or more people. These people lived in 105 million households, of which 33 million, or 31%, were nonfamily households (up from 26% in 1980), and 27 million, or 26%, were one-person households (up from 23% in 1980). See U.S. Census Bureau, Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2001, (121st edition) Washington, D.C. 2001.
Unlike his or her ancestors in a tribe or camp, the average person in the United States has a very poor chance of meeting a compatible stranger, either for friendship or matrimony, without exposure to embarrassment or danger. The traditional mechanisms for singles to meet are attendance at churches and bars; in the first case, it is considered bad form to “go shopping” from church to church, and in the second, there is very little protection against predators and chemically impaired judgment, and no mechanism to filter the compatible from the incompatible.
Note that while this analysis is, for simplicity's sake, cast in terms of singles seeking singles, it is recognized that in urban areas, families which would like to establish social contact with other families suffer an even greater disadvantage because of their lower mobility and more complex selection criteria. In addition, purely inanimate objects, such as cranes and containers in a shipyard, can benefit from a mechanism that establishes mutual compatibility on a peer-to-peer level, without intervention of clerks or computers.
Many individuals have difficulty finding a mate. According to www.eHarmony.com, 21 million Americans spent $313 million dollars in 2004 on Internet dating services. There are many other services similar to eHarmony.com, such as Match.com in the United States and Soulmates in the United Kingdom.
These are efficient, profitable and useful services. They not only find and filter acquaintance candidates, but also provide a sanctioned (though virtual) arena, like a church or small private party, in which strangers can meet without danger or embarrassment. They have the disadvantage of being cumbersome, time-consuming, and involving an elaborate contact ritual designed to avoid disappointment, embarrassment and danger; and the element of spontaneity, in which the best decisions are often made, is missing. See Gladwell, Malcolm, Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking, Little, Brown & Co., 2005.
There is also the disadvantage that online selection does not correspond well to the selection process that takes place in real-life acquaintance scenarios. Recent studies involving “Instant Dating” tests have shown that physical appearance is by far the most important consideration in the early stages of acquaintance. This is true for both genders (though more so for men). Therefore, an acquaintance process that does not quickly include face-to-face contact is somewhat artificial.
Since it does not appear that natural pheromones and odors are greatly effective in helping men and women find each other, it would be extremely helpful if some type of man-made device could help enable people to find friends or mates based on specific criteria, retaining some of the precision and safety of the online dating sites, while maintaining the efficiency and naturalness of the church and the bar. It would also help to avoid some of the abusive and demeaning behavior now invading the dating process. See Netburn, Deborah, “Danger: Pickup Artists Ahead,” Los Angeles Times, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2005, p. E1.
The development of such a device or system would constitute a major technological advance, and would satisfy long-felt needs and aspirations in the Internet dating industry.
The present invention provides a simple miniaturized electronic device that enables individuals to find a friend, a mate or someone with a specific interest or skill. In one embodiment of the invention, a man or a woman may program a MateFinder™ to help find an ideal match. In one particular embodiment, the MateFinder™ comprises a radio and a microprocessor with a non-volatile memory, such as a static RAM. Information that describes both the user and the ideal match can be written to the non-volatile memory. The radio automatically and periodically broadcasts a “seeking signal” over a short range. When the seeking signal is received by another MateFinder™, it is analyzed to determine the degree of correlation with the receiver's preferences. If the degree of correlation exceeds a preset minimum, the sender, the receiver, or both are alerted. In another embodiment, the present invention provides methods and apparatus for providing a relationship prediction based on the correlation of personal characteristics and the analysis of genetic characteristics.
An appreciation of the other aims and objectives of the present invention, and a more complete and comprehensive understanding of this invention, may be obtained by studying the following description of preferred and alternative embodiments, and by referring to the accompanying drawings.
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The present invention comprises methods and apparatus for finding someone or something with specific attributes using a radio device. In one embodiment of the invention, a MateFinder™ 10, which resembles a pager, may be used by a man or a woman to find a match.
The man's MateFinder™ 10a continuously emits an automatic and generally continuous radio seeking or interrogation signal 11. This signal 11 illuminates or interrogates other MateFinder radios that are within range. The man 17a has programmed his MateFinder 10a with a set of attributes that describes himself, and this information is conveyed by the signal 11 emitted by his MateFinder. This signal 11 may also convey a description of the woman that he is interested in finding. If the man's MateFinder signal finds a woman who fits his preselected set of criteria, his MateFinder issues a visual and/or audible alert. If the man's MateFinder signal contains a description that matches the woman's predetermined description of a suitable man, the woman's MateFinder alerts her to his presence. The location and/or identity of each person carrying the MateFinder is not initially available to the users. For example, in one possible use, exemplars of the device would be worn (possibly concealed) by a number of users attending a large private party or public function. Each user's MateFinder would emit its own interrogation signal, for example, first interrogation signal 11a, and second interrogation signal 11b. Users would be alerted to the presence of compatible types, along with an indication of the degree of correlation found and whether a selected matching signal's position is masked. The user would then have the option of unmasking his or her position to the emitter of a specific signal, possibly by changing the modulation scheme to one that allows its strength to be detected. Users could then approach each other by maximizing their indication of the other's signal strength. It should be possible to see the target person at a safe distance before making further contact. The present invention reduces the risk that is inherent in Internet or other forms of remote or electronic dating by allowing a user to evaluate a prosective match in person before initiating contact.
In alternative implementations of the invention, the MateFinder 10 may be built into a bracelet, a necklace, a tie-clip, a hat, a shoe or some other suitable fashion item, article of clothing or ornament.
The attributes 33 which may be selected by the user are virtually unlimited. In the case of a dating service, attributes 33 may be selected from an existing list of attributes 33. As an example, Table One presents attributes 33 which the website 19 displays may include:
In this “electronic dating” embodiment, the user generally selects two sets of attributes 33—a first set 33a to describe herself or himself, and a second set 33b to describe his or her ideal match. In another embodiment, the user may only select one set, either only attributes that describe herself 33a, or only attributes that describe a mate 33b. A set of attributes 33 may include any number of qualities, numbering from one to a large number. Both sets of attributes 33 are stored in a non-volatile memory that is housed within the MateFinder 10. In one embodiment of the invention, one MateFinder 10a with a first memory 32a (
As shown in
The radio/processor assembly 28 is also connected to a memory 32, which is used to store attributes that describe the user and his or her ideal mate. The memory 32 may comprise any suitable non-volatile device, including, but not limited to a flash memory or hard-drive. In an alternative embodiment, a “MASK” switch 34 may be included to allow the user to mask his or her location.
A suitable frequency for the radio emissions, such as one of the unlicensed
“ISM” or “RF device” bands set aside by the United States Federal Communications Commission, is selected to avoid creating unwanted interference. The MateFinder 10 may be configured to emit and/or receive a variety of signals or emanations of energy. In the United States, some embodiments of the invention may use the 900 Mz, 2.1 GHz, 5.8 GHz, 59-64 GHz or some other radio frequency band. In other countries, other suitable frequency bands may be selected for the operation of the present invention. Other embodiments of the invention may employ light energy, voice commands, audible tones or ultrasonic emissions; mechanical, physical or chemical manifestations; radioactivity, or any other suitable means for communication.
In a more advanced embodiment of the invention, some or all of the discrete components described in
After the user has logged in for the first time, a new screen prompts the user to attach his or her MateFinder to his or her computer with a USB cable. After the user's computer has reported back to the website that the MateFinder is connected, the website generates a new screen that prompts the user to program his or her MateFinder using menu selections and/or a set of input fields.
After the user completes the selections, this information is recorded on a website database, and the website 19 sends the data back to the user's computer in a form that may be recorded in the MateFinder's memory. The user then disconnects the MateFinder, and may be offered a variety of premium services, such as background checks, certification of attributes or compatibility analysis, before he or she logs off.
In another alternative embodiment of the invention, the MateFinder may be designed to work in combination with an existing WiFi or similar wireless network 37 that is operating in the place where the user happens to be located. The user would be able to employ the wireless LAN or wired network (via a cable to the MateFinder), and would then be able to take advantage of all the connections offered by the Internet.
The attributes 33 that describe Alice or Bob are called labeled “attributes,” sometimes abbreviated “A.” The attributes 33 that describe the entity that Alice or
Bob is seeking are called “preferences,” sometimes abbreviated P. When used in
Each of the embodiments shown in
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In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the MateFinder™ may be incorporated into or equipped with another electronic device, such as, but not limited to, a cellular telephone, pager, watch, personal digital assistant, Blackberry™, or laptop computer.
In addition to helping people find a mate, the present invention may be employed to find other persons with specific interests or capabilities. As an example, a student in a grammar school could program his FriendFinder™ to seek out other students who are interested in a similar hobby, such as baseball cards or stamp collecting.
In yet another situation, a person who attends a Home Improvement Convention could program his ContractorFinder™ to seek out a person who is skilled at installing home theater equipment or hardwood flooring.
In yet another alternative embodiment, the present invention may be used to find specific objects instead of other people. A shopper in a large retail store could use a ShoppingHelper™ to find the correct aisle or department that offers home appliances or childrens' toys. In general, the present invention encompasses any device or number of devices that use radio signals to locate a person, a place or an object that has been described in data that is stored in one of the devices.
In yet another alternative embodiment, the device can be used by two inanimate objects, such as a crane and a shipping container in a port, to facilitate the crane's operation.
The present invention comprises methods and apparatus for predicting good relationships or matches. Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary defines the word “relationship” as:
In this Specification, and in the Claims that follow, the term “relationship” is used to connote a connection, association, affiliation or formal union between two persons. In particular, the relationships described and claimed in this Patent Application pertain to relationships which are premised, engendered or motivated by:
In one particular embodiment of the invention, the prediction of good relationships is predicated on a female's “responsivity.”
In yet another embodiment,
In one embodiment of the invention, customers visit a website to supply information about themselves, and their ideal match. In this implementation of the invention, information is stored electronically in a computer database. In alternative embodiments, information about customers and their test results may be recorded in some other form of database, whether in electronic, paper or other means of media or storage.
In yet another embodiment of the invention, this database of information and/or records may be maintained by an introduction service, which may include a dating or matching service, or some other means for enabling, furnishing or assisting people find romantic or other matches. The introduction service may or may not utilize the Internet and/or electronic record keeping.
The cleaning medium 122 is generally a small portion of material that is used to apply the skin cleaner 120 to the skin. In one embodiment, the cleaning medium 122 may be a cotton ball, wad, paper, piece of fabric or some other suitable application device.
In one embodiment, the patch 124 resembles a conventional “Band-Aid® Brand” Adhesive Bandage, such as that manufactured and sold by Johnson & Johnson of New Brunswick, N.J. The patch 124 may be fabricated from plastic, cloth, paper or any other material that will maintain the plaster 125 in generally continuous contact with the skin. The plaster 125 is generally any material that will absorb and then hold an aroma which has been secreted by the skin. The plaster 125 may be composed of any substance that collects and stores an aroma. In this Specification and in the Claims that follow, the term “aroma” encompasses any scent, smell, odor or olfactory component that may or may not be actively or consciously detected, sensed or smelled by a person. In one embodiment of the invention, the plaster 125 is manufactured from any material that may be used as an odor-absorbing poultice.
The plaster 125 is designed so that it will collect enough aromas to provide a sample which may be reliably analyzed. The aromas captured by the plaster 125 must be able to survive for a duration of time that is required for the patch 124 to be mailed to a laboratory.
After the Test Kit 115 is opened, the woman 17b cleans a patch of skin on her arm in preparation for applying the sample patch 124, as shown in
The woman wears the patch 124 all day, as shown in
After wearing the patch 124 all day, the woman 17b removes the patch 124 later that evening, as shown in
She then writes her username, password, code or some other identifying information on the bag 128, as shown in
The patch 124 which stores the odor sample which has been sealed in the bag 128 is then placed in the mailing envelope, as shown in
Several devices and systems for analyzing a sample are currently available which may be used to implement the present invention. One device called an “Electronic Nose” has been described by The Lewis Group of The California Institute of Technology, and is based on readily fabricated, chemically sensitive conducting polymer films. According to information presented on their website:
A second device that may be used to implement the present invention is called the “Cyranose,” and is described by Rodney M. Goodman, in his article entitled “The Electronic Nose.” According to Goodman:
A third device that may be used to implement the present invention is described by Smiths Detection of Danbury, Conn., which produces and sells devices for identifying materials.
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In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the customer pays for the Test Kit 115 and the analysis when he or she obtains the results of the analysis.
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The correlation process may involve comparing responses to individual preferences or predilections, or may involve more complex matching methods, such as those described in related U.S. Patent Application U.S. Ser. No. 11/881,153, entitled Searching Methods, which was filed on 24 Jul. 2007.
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In an alternative embodiment of the invention, an automatic machine or device which accepts a DNA sample may be used to obtain an analysis without the intervention of a technician or clerk.
In one particular embodiment of the present invention, the customer 17 provides a saliva sample for analysis by a laboratory.
The present invention may be implemented by obtaining any sample from a customer which may be analyzed to determine genetic characteristics.
After a sample that has been obtained from a customer is received at a laboratory, the sample is processed to extract DNA. DNA is the chemical inside the nucleus of a cell that carries the genetic instructions for making living organisms. A cell is the basic unit of any living organism. It is a small, watery, compartment filled with chemicals and a complete copy of the organism's genome. Each cell contains a nucleus, which is the central cell structure that houses the chromosomes. Chromosomes are one of the threadlike “packages” of genes and other DNA in the nucleus of a cell. Chromosomes enclosed within the nucleus, which is, in turn, enclosed in the center of the cell.
Different species have different numbers of chromosomes. Humans have twenty-three pairs of chromosomes, forty-six in all: forty-four autosomes and two sex chromosomes. Each parent contributes one chromosome to each pair, so children get half of their chromosomes from their mothers and half from their fathers.
Part of the chromosome is called a gene. The gene is the functional and physical unit of heredity passed from parent to offspring. Genes are pieces of DNA, and most genes contain the information for making a specific protein.
A strand of DNA comprises a pair of helical ribbons attached by bases that resemble the rungs of a ladder. These bases are named adenine, thymine, guanine and cytosine. Sometime uracil is substituted for thymine. A section of one of the spiral sides of the DNA together with one of the bases comprises a nucleotide. Nucleotides are one of the structural components, or building blocks, of DNA and ribonucleic acid (RNA). A nucleotide consists of a base (one of four chemicals: adenine, thymine, guanine, and cytosine) plus a molecule of sugar and one of phosphoric acid.
Another set of chemicals that are important building blocks in humans are amino acids. Amino acids are the “building blocks” of proteins. There are twenty different kinds of amino acids in the human body. When two or more amino acids are bonded together, they form a peptide.
An allele is one of the forms of a gene at a particular location or “locus” on a chromosome. Alleles are specific sequences of base pairs that can be present at a given locus. For example, at the HLA-A locus in a particular individual, alleles in the A*01 and A*02 groups may be found. The “*” in the allele group name indicates that it was determined by DNA typing, as opposed to serological methods.
Different alleles produce variation in inherited characteristics such as hair color or blood type. In an individual, the dominant form of the allele is expressed, while the recessive form is not expressed. An exception to this rule is the case in which the genes at a particular locus are expressed codominantly, in which case they are both expressed.
In accordance with the present invention, small amounts of DNA are obtained from the sample submitted to a laboratory by a user who has submitted a saliva sample or skin scraping. In one embodiment of the invention, personnel at the laboratory cut the sample using a punch to make three separate disc-shaped pieces. These pieces are each placed in a different test tube. All the pieces are washed several times with chemicals that purify the sample on each piece. After washing, each piece is dried in its tube.
In an alternative embodiment, if a saliva sample is obtained from the customer, the saliva is poured directly into three separate test tubes, washed and then the DNA analysis is performed.
When DNA is analyzed, a laboratory technician looks at particular places or “loci,” (which are the positions in a chromosome in which specific genes are known to occur) to determine the particular allele (variation of the gene). Previous research has determined that every person has a characteristic sequence of genetic material (allele) that resides at each of his or her genetic loci.
The laboratory technician basically examines particular sets of alleles that are found at a particular group of loci on a particular chromosome. To match alleles in the MHC region of the genome, the technician “takes an inventory” of the genetic material in the MHC region on Chromosome 6. Parts of the MHC are broken down into smaller groups of genetic material, and are given names. In one embodiment, the parts of the MHC that need to be inventoried are named “HLA-A,” “HLA-B” and “HLA-DRβ1.” These parts of the MHC are on a particular region of a particular chromosome. All these relationships 178 are illustrated in
The term “allele groups” are also known as “2-digit alleles” and “2 alleles.” “High resolution alleles” are also known as “4-digit alleles” and “4 alleles.”
There are 21 HLA-A allele groups, 37 HLA-B allele groups, and 13 HLA-β1 allele groups. The various MHC Allele Groups 180, such as “A*01,” “A*02” and “A*03” are presented in
The sequence-specific oligonucleotide probe (SSOP) method is used. The basis of this method is HLA locus-specific amplification by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and the subsequent probing of the resulting product by SSOP. A battery of probes is required. The pattern of reaction to these probes distinguishes the HLA alleles.
For each sample, the laboratory uses PCR for HLA locus-specific amplification at HLA-A, HLA-B, and HLA-DRβ1. Each of the three PCR amplifications results in a product. Each of the three products is then tested with a battery of probes. The HLA-A amplified product is tested with 12 probes at exon 2 and 16 probes at exon 3. The HLA-B amplified product is tested with 18 probes at exon 2 and 18 probes at exon 3. The HLA-DRβ1 amplified product is tested with 25 probes at exon 2. These are sufficient numbers of probes so that the reaction patterns will distinguish the HLA allele groups (2-digit alleles), for example, A*02.
After all the genetic codes that are contained on a sample piece is identified, this information is entered into a database along with the personal information and match preferences of the customer who submitted the sample.
Previous scientific research has determined that a woman's attraction to a particular man and her sexual response to him is based on the correlation between the alleles in the woman's MHC, and in the man's MHC. Specifically, a woman and a man who have different MHC genetic codes are more sexually compatible than a man and a woman who have similar MHC genetic codes.
So, when the lab technician takes an inventory of all the different allele groups (2-digit alleles) in a user's DNA sample, the technician is creating an identification or map of the person who submitted the sample. By comparing this identification or map with that of a different person, a technician can predict which other people will be attractive and sexually responsive to the customer, all based on the genetic code of each individual. In addition to the HLA-A, HLA-B and HLA-DRβ1 loci specified above, genetic information from other loci on Chromosome 6 or any other chromosome may be used to enhance a match.
In alternative embodiment of the invention, genetic attributes are determined by analyzing serologically typed HLA antigens. While “allele groups” are determined by genetic testing, such as PCR-SSOP, HLA antigens are determined by serological, or blood reaction, testing. Serological typing provides approximately the same resolution as “2-digit alleles.” It cannot provide the higher resolution comparable to “4-digit alleles.”
More detailed information concerning this analysis may be found in Methods in Molecular Biology, Vol. 210: MHC Protocols, edited by S. H Powis and Robert W. Vaughan, Humana Press Inc., Totowa, N.J., 2003. (See Chapter 5, “PCR-Sequence-Specific Oligonucleotide Probe Typing for HLA-A, -B, and -DR, by Derik Middleton and F. Williams). Another useful publication is Histocompatibility Testing, edited by Jeffrey L. Bidwell and Cristina Navarrete, Imperial College Press, 2000. (See Chapter 6, “PCR-SSOP Typing” by D. Middleton.) These publications explain how to type the MHC loci of interest using a two-tier system. The first level of resolution determines the allele group (2-digit alleles), and the second level uses this knowledge to determine the allele subgroup (4-digit alleles). Alleles in the MHC region may also be identified by the antigens produced by the proteins manufactured in the cells, using the “blueprint” provided by the allele. These Human Leucocyte Antigens (HLAs) may be typed by the complement-dependent lymphocytotoxicity.
HLA typing can be performed by the complement dependent lymphocytotoxicity reaction (serology). Live peripheral blood mononuclear cells are required for this assay (CD8+T-cells and/or CD19+). B-cells are purified from whole blood, and incubated against a panel of antibodies with specificity against polymorphic epitopes expressed on HLA-A and -B proteins. In the presence of complement cells expressing HLA proteins which react with a particular antibody are lysed, allowing these damaged cells to uptake a stain which is detected by fluorescent microscopy. The pattern of negative and positive reactions is scored and interpreted to give an HLA serological type. HLAs may also be identified by their odor, and it is this method that humans and other mammals use for mate selection and personal identification, and by the electronic odor sensing process described above.
Additional information concerning HLA analysis may be found in Histocompatibility Testing, edited by Jeffrey L. Bidwell and Cristina Navarrete, Imperial College Press, 2000. (See Chapter 1, “HLA Typing by Alloantibodies and Monoclonal Antibodies” by G. M. Th. Schreuder; and Chapter 2, “Screening for HLA-Specific Antibodies” by C. Brown and C. Navarrete.) These publications explain how to type the MHC loci of interest using antibody reactions.
As genome sequencing has become less expensive, there has been a great deal of interest in pairing variations in certain genes with variations in behavior (“Molecular Psychiatry”). This science is still young: the following are recent discoveries. This invention can be used to refine its relationship-predicting service by including some or all of these genetic loci:
The brain neuropeptide arginine vasopressin (AVP) is a pituitary hormone which regulates blood pressure and kidney function in mammals. Studies of voles (one of the few non-human mammals that exhibit pair-bonding) found that AVP exerts a strong influence on their pair-bonding. This work has recently been extended to humans, and has revealed an association between one of the alleles of the AVPR1a gene (this gene codes for cellular receptors for AVP) and traits reflecting pair-bonding behavior in men, including partner bonding, perceived marital problems and marital status. The study also shows that it affects marital quality as perceived by their spouses. See Walum, Hasse et al., “Genetic variation in the vasopressin receptor 1a gene (AVPR1a) associates with pair-bonding behavior in humans,” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Vol. 105, No. 37, Sep. 16, 2008).
Oxytocin is a hormone “ . . . which seems to modulate a wide range of sexual and social behaviors from social recognition, pair bonding, mate guarding and parental care in rodents, to love, trust or fear in humans.” Certain alleles of the CD38 gene lead to impaired nurturing behaviors, social amnesia (failure to recognize others) and is suspected of causing “ . . . some forms of impaired human behavior in the spectrum of autism disorders.” See Jin, Duo et al., “CD38 is critical for social behavior by' regulating oxytocin secretion,” Nature, Vol. 446, pp. 41-45 (2007).
Variations in a dopamine receptor gene (DRD4, on Chromosome 11 in humans) contribute to individual differences in human sexual behavior: desire, arousal and sexual function, and in particular predicts overall sexual interest. Studies that have shown this effect in animals have now been extended to humans and show similar results. See Ben Zion, I Z, et al., “Polymorphisms in the dopamine D4 receptor gene (DRD4) contribute to individual differences in human sexual behavior: desire, arousal and sexual function,” Molecular Psychiatry Vol. 11, pp. 782-786 (2006), and Pearson, Helen, “Sexual desire traced to genetics,” Nature Online, doi:10.1038/news060529-6 (Published online 31 May 2006).
Recently-published work finds that variations in the ER (Chromosome 6) locus predict psychoticism, neuroticism, non-conformity and extraversion in women, including sexual behavior. See Westberg et al., Association between a dinucleotide repeat polymorphism of the estrogen receptor alpha gene (ERα) and personality traits in women, Molecular Psychiatry 8, Pages 118-122 (2003).
A more detailed description of matches using the information obtained by analyses of MHC, HLA and other genome loci such as those described above, as well as the Attributes listed in Table 1, may be found in a related Pending U.S. Patent Application, U.S. Ser. No. 11/514,285, entitled Matching System, which was filed on 30 Aug. 2006.
In one particular embodiment, the MateFinder™ comprises a radio and a microprocessor with a non-volatile memory, such as a static random-access memory (RAM). Information that describes both the user and the ideal match can be written to the non-volatile memory. The radio automatically and periodically broadcasts a “seeking signal” over a short range. When the seeking signal is received by another MateFinder™, it is analyzed to determine the degree of correlation with the receiver's preferences. If the degree of correlation exceeds a preset minimum, the sender, the receiver, or both are alerted.
Another embodiment combines the MateFinder with a network radio or device, such as a cellular or Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephone or some other suitable device to provide communications over a wireless network. This combination enables voice calls, text-messaging, instant messaging, e-mails and Internet browsing. The user may also arrange to transfer gifts of music, photographs, video clips and other matter purchased from a third party. The MateFinder may be connected to a network using Wi-Fi, Wi-MAX, UltraWide Band (UWB) radio or any other suitable wireless system. The MateFinder may also communicate over a wired network such as the conventional telephone network, the Internet or may use VoIP.
In another embodiment of the invention, the MateFinder is programmed with information concerning the genetic attributes of a number of individuals. Romantic matches are suggested by correlating the genetic attributes of different individuals. These genetic attributes are first determined by testing tissue or fluid samples.
A more detailed description of this aspect of the present invention may be found in a related Pending U.S. Patent Application, U.S. Ser. No. 11/514,285, entitled Matching System, which was filed on 30 Aug. 2006.
The present invention includes a method for selecting candidates for a relationship based on diversity in the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) region of their genomes. This method of the invention reduces the risk of couples' producing children with birth defects that may arise from parents who are too closely related, and who may carry the same deleterious recessive gene. When two individuals share similar genetic characteristics, their relationship may be described as “consanguineous.” According to Wikipedia, the terms consanguineous and consanguinity indicate a relationship in which two persons are “of the same blood or origin; specifically: descended from the same ancestor.”
It has been known since prehistoric times that closely-related members of a mated pair, be they plants, domesticated animals or humans, are at a much higher risk of having offspring with birth defects and other weaknesses, or to lose their progeny as embryos or fetuses. It has also been recognized since antiquity that outbred offspring tend to have better health and general fitness. This is the origin of the term, “hybrid vigor,” or heterosis.
This effect also drives a major facet of human ethical behavior. Few human transgressions are viewed with as much odium is incest; all known cultures have strong taboos prohibiting this activity. Inbreeding avoidance is also seen in many non-human species, including invertebrates.
The deleterious effects of inbreeding are well-explained in Wikipedia:
“Two leading hypotheses explain the genetic basis for fitness advantage in heterosis.
“The overdominance hypothesis implies that the combination of divergent alleles at a particular locus will result in a higher fitness in the heterozygote than in the homozygote. Take the example of parasite resistance controlled by gene A, with two alleles A and a. The heterozygous individual will then be able to express a broader array of parasite resistance alleles and thus resist a broader array of parasites. The homozygous individual, on the other hand, will only express one allele of gene A (either A or a) and therefore will not resist as many parasites as the heterozygote.
“The second hypothesis involves avoidance of deleterious recessive genes (also called the general dominance hypothesis), such that heterozygous individuals will express fewer deleterious recessive alleles than its homozygous counterpart.”
Since the MHC region of the genome has a very high degree of variation among individuals, similarity in the MHC region argues for close relationship, and thus for the defective offspring. Use of the present invention for pair matching strongly increases the chances that offspring will be healthy.
For over two centuries in Western cultures, people of childbearing age have been highly mobile and thus often have obscure ancestry. People can thus not always be sure they are not pairing themselves with closely-related partners. The present invention provides a safe, confidential and discreet way of managing this issue.
The present invention includes a method which selects for more diversity in a couple's children's immune systems, increasing the chance that its children will survive, thrive, and increase the couple's fertility.
The term “fertility” is usually defined as a measure: “fertility rate” is the number of children born per couple, person or population. In this Specification, and in the Claims that follow, the term “fertility” is used in a longer-term sense, describing the number of a couple's descendants over a few generations compared to that of the population as a whole.
It has been known since antiquity that couples who are closely related have relatively few children who survive until adulthood. The couples often fail to conceive, and their offspring suffer a higher-than-average number of birth defects. As we have shown elsewhere, fetal loss from defects in the embryo, premature delivery and complications of pregnancy are higher for closely-related couples.
The fertility (as defined above) of couples who are first or second cousins is poor. First and second cousins had very few grandchildren, while third and fourth cousins had the largest number. In more distant relationships, fertility declined, so that sixth cousins have about the same number of grandchildren as first cousins. Fertility tends to level off at seventh cousins and more distant relationships.
This loss of fertility is not inconsistent with the linear increase in attraction and responsivity noted above. It is important to note that humans and their hominid forebears lived for 3 million years—until about 50,000 years ago—in hunting-gathering camps that contained no more than 50 people; usually about 30. Many times, depending on the culture, men or women would move to a neighboring camp to take a mate. Thus the likelihood of outbreeding beyond fifth or sixth cousin was very low, and there was no evolutionary pressure to limit the degree of outbreeding. A linear increase in attraction and responsivity is completely consistent with those anthropological findings.
The present invention increases the likelihood of reproductive success. This benefit is accomplished by ensuring that the couple is not, without its knowledge, closely-enough related that their children run a high risk of defects arising from inbreeding, for example those arising from each partner's carrying a recessive deleterious gene.
The term “fitness” is defined as “the probability of reproductive success through one's own offspring.” People who select mates with alleles of genes in the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) that are different from theirs in accordance with the present invention will have more successful pregnancies, offspring with more robust immune systems, and in many cases a greater number of grandchildren. These beneficial consequences comprise the elements of reproductive success.
The present invention enhances the immune system diversity of offspring. One method of the invention selects for more diversity in the immune systems of children, increasing the chance that the children will survive and thrive, and since their children will pass their more-diverse genomes to their own children, thus enhancing their chances of survival and reproduction, the couple's fertility is increased.
Genes in the Major Histocompatibilty Complex (MHC), a region of the short arm of Chromosome 6 in humans, contain information on foreign substances from the environment such as bacteria or viruses causing infectious diseases (antigens) that have been experienced and overcome by individuals and their ancestors. Like most genes, MHC genes contain instructions for cells to manufacture proteins. When an MHC protein is made, mechanisms in the cell clip (ligate) short strands of protein (peptides) from the large protein molecule. These ligands or peptides contain information on the molecular structure of the foreign substances listed above. They migrate to the cell's surface, and inform the immune system of the structure of these legacy substances, and are thus also called antigens (antigen is a general name for a substance that elicits an immune response). The antigens generated by the MHC genes may be called either “histocompatibility antigens” or “human leucocyte antigens.” Cells bearing these antigens on their surfaces are called antigen-presenting cells. That term applies to any of various cells (as a macrophage or a B cell) that take up and process an antigen into a form that, when displayed at the cell surface in combination with a molecule ofthe Major Histocompatibility Complex, is recognized by and serves to activate a specific Helper T cell. Helper T cells are an important part of the human immune system.
Alleles in the MHC genes are codominantly expressed, meaning that if the mother and father carry different alleles (that is, variations) of the same gene, each allele is expressed. The offspring thus carry information on the antigens that have beset both of their ancestral lines. For this reason, if a child's parents' MHC alleles are more diverse (that is, if they share fewer alleles in the MHC region), the offspring have innate immunity to a larger number of diseases.
The present invention's matching method, which selects possible parenting partners on the basis of greater diversity in their MEC alleles, also selects for more diversity in the couple's children's immune systems. This increases the chance that their children will survive and thrive, thus increasing the couple's fertility.
The children not only receive information from infections overcome by their parents' ancestors, but also from those overcome by the parents themselves, since the body has a recently-discovered (and quite complex) mechanism to modify its own genome in response to infections. These modified genes are passed on to those of their offspring who are conceived after the parents have survived the infections.
A match predicted by the present invention leads to greater stability of a couple's marriage. Women who are paired with men who have dissimilar alleles in the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) of their genome are not only more strongly attracted to their mates and are more responsive to them, but are also more faithful to them. Men in such pairings are also more faithful to their partners. Men are more likely to be faithful to a partner who not only holds him in high regard, but who is more responsive to him during coitus. See Garver-Apgar, C. E., Gangestad, S. W., Thornhill, R., Miller, R. D., & Olp, J. J., “Major Histocompatibility Complex Alleles, Sexual Responsivity, and Unfaithfulness in Romantic Couples.” Psychological Science, Vol. 17 No. 10, Pages 830-835 (2006).
Pair-bonded women who were near ovulation reported greater extra-pair flirtation and greater mate guarding by their primary partner. As predicted, however, these effects were exhibited primarily by women who perceived their partners to be low on hypothesized good genes indicators (low in sexual attractiveness relative to investment attractiveness). See Haselton, “Conditional expression of women's desires and men's mate guarding across the ovulation cycle,” Hormones and Behavior, Vol. 49, Pages 509-518 (2006).
By analyzing the genomes of offspring of an inbred human population, Ober found strong evidence that there was a greater-than-chance probability that a child's parents had assortative (different) alleles in the MHC region. This implies that couples who had different MHC alleles were responsible for more offspring, whether they were married to each other or not, and further implies that those married couples who had different alleles tended to be more faithful. See Ober, C. Weitkamp, L. R., Cox, N., Dytch, H., Kostyu, D., Elias, S., “HLA and mate choice in humans.” American Journal of Human Genetics, Vol. 61, Pages 497-504 (1997).
Hormonal birth control (“The Pill”) reverses women's preference for complementary MHC alleles. The reason for this is that hormonal birth control (HBC) mimics pregnancy, and that pregnant women prefer to be with their own family, whose MHC alleles are similar to hers. When a woman who is not using hormonal birth control is not pregnant, her unconscious search for the best complement of genes for her children, i.e., a man whose MHC alleles are different from hers, may lead her to be unfaithful to her husband if his alleles are similar to hers.
A couple who meet and marry while the woman is using hormonal birth control is likely to have similar MHC alleles; and thus, it is also more likely that, if for any reason she stops her HBC regimen, she will be less attracted to her husband and more attracted to men with complementary MHC alleles, and thus more likely to stray. Put another way, she will be less attracted to her husband and more likely to stray. The present invention provides a powerful means of counteracting that effect, since it predicts the man's attractiveness to the woman after their marriage has been solemnized, thus leading to a more stable union.
The present invention provides the following benefits:
In addition to being attracted to men with complementary MHC alleles, heterosexual women who are not using hormonal birth control (HBC) are also sexually more responsive to those men. When women are in physical proximity to men, for example in a social or work setting, they distinguish the degree of difference in their and the man's MHC alleles by scent. Although women are not usually aware of this, numerous studies have proven this beyond reasonable doubt. Surprisingly, in spite of humans' relatively poor sense of smell, people are able to distinguish among MHC variations of the same species of mouse by smell alone. The taste and smell of bodily fluids exchanged during kissing also play an important role in mate assessment.
These odors and tastes play an important role in pair-bonding and the maintenance of relationships, as is dramatically illustrated by the pervasive habit of smelling one's partner's clothes in his absence.
For obvious reasons, none of these means of mate assessment is available to people who have never met; and some substitutes that seem quite reasonable, such as viewing still photographs of partnering candidates, actually result in poorer matches than could be achieved by chance.
Poor matches can result even when the prospective partners are in close contact. The use of hormonal contraceptives such as birth-control pills reverses usual female preferences for male scent, increasing the chances that a union would result in birth defects, pregnancy complications, such as miscarriages and spontaneous abortions, and marital infidelity.
These benefits are limited to heterosexual individuals. People of other sexual orientations have different odor preferences. The relationship prediction methods of the present invention can also be used to assist these prospective couples in finding compatible mates.
The present invention reduces the likelihood that a woman will suffer a miscarriage. One embodiment of the invention ensures that a couple is not, without its knowledge, closely-enough related that its children run a high risk of defects arising from inbreeding, for example those arising from each partner's carrying a recessive deleterious gene. Couples without “chemistry” are twice as likely to miscarry.
There is a considerable body of research pointing to the relationship of miscarriages (spontaneous abortions) and preterm births (premature babies) to parents who have similar alleles (that is, variations) of genes in the Major Histocompatibilty
Complex (MHC), a region of the short arm of Chromosome 6 in humans. The antigens generated by the MHC genes are called both histocompatibility antigens and human leucocyte antigens (HLA). In a survey of the field published in 1999, Ober found that “Increased fetal loss rates among couples matching for HLA-B or for the entire haplotype suggest that compatible fetuses are less likely to survive to term than incompatible fetuses.” See Ober, Carole, “Studies of HLA, fertility and mate choice in a human isolate,” Human Reproductive Update 1999 (Publication of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology), Vol. 5, No. 2 Pages 103-107 (1999). Elsewhere in the cited paper, she notes that Komlos and Schacter show “evidence demonstrating increased HLA sharing among couples with recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) compared with control couples . . . ” Other work by Ober provides an enormous volume of data supporting the relationship of fetal loss to similarity in MHC alleles. See Komlos, L., Zamir, R., Joshua, H., and Halbrecht, I., “Common HLA Antigens in Couples with Repeated Abortions,” Clinical Immunology and Immunopathology 7, Pages 330-335 (1977). See Schacter, B., Muir, A., Gyves, M. et al., “HLA-A, B compatibility in parents of offspring with neural-tube defects or couples experiencing involuntary fetal wastage,” The Lancet, Apr. 14, 1979, Pages 796-799.
Differing alleles in the HLA-G gene in the MHC region may decrease the chance of spontaneous abortions and preeclampsia, a complication of pregnancy which endangers both the mother and her fetus.
Preterm births levy an enormous cost on society. The Institute of Medicine (part of the National Academy of Sciences, estimates that, preterm births in the U.S. cost at least $26.2 billion in 2005, or an average of $51,600 per infant.
Women tend to select mates with differing alleles in the MHC region of their genome. The method of the present invention will substantially reduce fetal loss in couples.
The present invention reduces the chance that a woman will suffer preeclampsia in her pregnancy. There is a higher risk of preeclampsia in couples with similar alleles in the MHC region of their genome. There are two mechanisms for this effect:
Since marital fidelity and pair bonding are higher between partners who have differing alleles in the MHC region of their genome, the present invention's use of genetic matching to increase the chances of diversity in the MHC regions of the couple's genomes will reduce the chance of preeclampsia in the mother and its consequent risk to her and her unborn child.
Hormonal birth control, e.g, the Pill, reverses women's preference for men with complementary MHC alleles. The reason for this is that the hormones used in hormonal birth control (HBC) are similar to those present in a woman's body during pregnancy, and their effect therefore mimics pregnancy; and that a pregnant woman prefers to be with her own family, whose MHC alleles are similar to hers. When a woman who is not using hormonal birth control is not pregnant, her quest for a good father for her children—a man whose MHC alleles are different from hers—may lead her to be unfaithful to her husband if his alleles are similar to hers.
A couple who meet and marry while the woman is using hormonal birth control is likely to have similar MEC alleles; and thus, it is also more likely that, if for any reason she stops her HBC regimen, she will be less attracted to her husband and more attracted to men with complementary MHC alleles, and thus more likely to stray.
As discussed elsewhere in this Application, if she conceives with her husband and her husband has similar MHC alleles, this may also lead to difficulties in pregnancy, unwanted miscarriages, poor fertility and impaired immunity in the couple's children. The present invention provides a powerful means of counteracting that effect, since it predicts the man's attractiveness to the woman after their marriage has been solemnized, thus leading to a more stable union.
Women who are presented with an array of still photographs of men and are asked to select men with whom they would consider having a relationship tend to select men with similar, not different, MHC alleles. In cultures where arranged marriages are common and in situations in which a matchmaker or other gobetween is involved, and the woman, having selected a man from such a photographic array, is under great pressure to proceed with the relationship, the chances of the woman's not being attracted to the man, and thus having an unsatisfactory relationship and the other adverse effects discussed above, is high. See Roberts, S. Craig, et al., “MHC-assortative facial preferences in humans,” Biology Letters, Vol. 1, Pages 400-403 (2005).
In cultures with arranged marriages or in those where matchmakers are used, the bride-to-be is usually quite young and has had little contact with men outside her family. She is therefore not in a position to select among candidates based upon the natural means (scent) at her disposal.
It is therefore of considerable value to dating services, matchmakers, parents in societies in which arranged marriages are common, and to the prospective partners themselves, to be able to predict the woman's attraction to a particular man during the fertile part of a long-term relationship, when for obvious reasons HBC is not used.
One embodiment of the present invention may be used to predict a good relationship. This prediction may be determined, in whole or in part, upon a woman's responsivity to a prospective male match. In this Specification, and in the Claims that follow, the term “responsivity” is defined as:
Hormonal birth control (“The Pill”) reverses women's preference for men with complementary MHC alleles. The reason for this is that the hormones used in hormonal birth control (HBC) are similar to those present in a woman's body during pregnancy, and their effect therefore mimics pregnancy; and that a pregnant woman prefers to be with her own family, whose MHC alleles are similar to hers. When a woman who is not using hormonal birth control is not pregnant, her quest for a good father for her children—a man whose MHC alleles are different from hers—may lead her to be unfaithful to her husband if his alleles are similar to hers.
If a woman who uses the present invention to obtain a relationship prediction uses hormonal birth control, she may be provided with a report or instructions which may help her make a better-informed decision. So, for example, a relationship prediction for a woman using hormonal birth control may be generated based on the woman's preference for a man with complementary MHC alleles.
One embodiment of the present invention may be used to predict an enduring relationship between a man and a woman. In this embodiment, a woman is advised that a man may find her less attractive if she changes her hormonal birth control regimen. The man's diminished attraction to the woman results from a change caused when the woman starts or stops using hormonal birth control.
In another embodiment, a website is operated which enables customers to access information presented on the website. The customer may request advice concerning the maintenance of a good relationship. Advice is provided to the customer in response to a request conveyed to the website. In one embodiment of the invention, this advice may include a recommendation that a man may find a woman less attractive if she changes her hormonal birth control regimen. In an alternative embodiment, the customer's request and the advice furnished in response may be conveyed in person, at a doctor's office or clinic, over the telephone, or by some other suitable means.
In yet another embodiment, the website may be used to ask a female if she has recently started or stopped using hormonal birth control, and if she believes that her male mate finds her less attractive since this change in her use of hormonal birth control. These responses are then correlated, and relationship advice is furnished to others based on the correlated data. This relationship advice may be supplied free of charge as a public service.
In this Specification and in the Claims that follow, the terms “hormonal birth control” is intended to include all hormonal contraceptives that contain progestin or one of its analogues and/or estrogen or one of its analogues. They include birth-control pills, certain intra-uterine devices (e.g., Mirena), vaginal rings, Norplant implants, contraceptive injections and their ilk.
In one embodiment of the present invention, appropriate combinations of biological, synthetic or other agents such as peptides or other substances are added as active ingredients 206 to a base 208 to a mixture, together with and/or any other suitable solvents, stabilizers, agents, preservatives, dispersants, inhibitors or components. In one embodiment, the base is a solvent, such as alcohol or water. These biological agents are selected to match a genetic attribute possessed by a person.
In one implementation, the perfume or cologne 202 made in accordance with the invention contains substances which are complementary to the user's Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC profile), which will be attractive to the same user. In the same implementation, that person may ask a spouse or mate to wear this perfume or cologne 202, which pleases the person for whom the customized perfume or cologne was made. The present invention includes both perfume or cologne intended to be used by a person selecting the perfume or cologne for herself or himself, as well as an “inverse perfume or cologne,” which is selected by one person and used by another.
The biological agents may be selected to promote the responsivity of the person using the mixture, or may be selected to promote the responsivity of another person using the mixture. The biological agents in the mixture may be used to broadcast or indicate sexual compatibility, interest, awareness or attraction. As an alternative, the biological agents may be selected to promote confidence, self-esteem or the interest or attraction of another. The invention may be used to promote relationships between members of the opposite sex, or between members of the same sex.
The specific composition of the mixture may take many forms, including, but not limited to a perfume, a cologne, a salve, a paste, an aerosol spray, a powder, or a cosmetic. The cosmetic may include skin cream, lipstick, lip balm, gel, ointment, colorant, or some other preparation that be applied to the body. The mixture is generally intended to be applied to, dispensed on or worn on the skin or hair, but may be applied on or used in conjunction with an article of clothing, which may be impregnated with the active ingredients. In yet another embodiment, the perfume 44 may be encapsulated or contained in a pill or medication that is taken internally, and which is then secreted through the skin or which causes a biological reaction which produces or mimics an odor. The mixture may also be dispensed using a variety of devices, including, but not limited to air fresheners, aroma-dispensing devices, candles and incense.
This specialized perfume 202 contains a strong preparation of personal peptides, enabling the user to “broadcast” his or her “MHC” over a wide area, and increasing his or her chances of meeting a compatible partner.
The MHC is a cluster of genes that determines details of cellular surfaces and thus immune responses, and specifies certain peptides that appear in skin secretions and urine. These peptides are responsible for odors which uniquely identify individuals who are not identical twins. Detailed information concerning the MHC may be found in Leslie A. Knapp's publication entitled The ABCs of MHC, published in Evolutionary Anthropology 14:28-37 (2005) Wiley-InterScience. MyAroma™, MyPerfume™, MyEssence™ are Trade & Service Marks owned by the Assignee of the Present Patent Application.
The same prediction method described elsewhere in this Application is useful in the absence of a dating service, or in situations where a person prefers to make their own initial contacts with prospective mates or in cases in which a person wishes to assess a potential mate from a field of known candidates. In one embodiment, a person (hereafter the “User”) submits his or her tissue, fluid or other biological sample to a laboratory for typing, and the laboratory provides the User with an alphanumeric code (the “Code”) which describes his or her genetic information, i.e., genome in the MHC region and any other regions of interest. The User may then compare his or her Code with that of another User to estimate their mutual compatibility and thus the quality of a romantic relationship that might ensue. Each User would be provided with a written guide or computer program for comparing the data embedded in the Codes and estimating the quality of the contemplated relationship.
In another embodiment, the laboratory would keep records of the genomes or Codes of each User. On request, the laboratory would compare the User's genomes or Codes for compatibility and issue a report.
An example of such a report, in easily-understood graphical form, is shown in
Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to one or more preferred embodiments, persons possessing ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains will appreciate that various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the Claims that follow. The various alternatives for providing a Personal Radio Location System that have been disclosed above are intended to educate the reader about preferred embodiments of the invention, and are not intended to constrain the limits of the invention or the scope of Claims.
| Number | Date | Country | |
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| Parent | 11239603 | Sep 2005 | US |
| Child | 13066536 | US | |
| Parent | 11286143 | Nov 2005 | US |
| Child | 11239603 | US | |
| Parent | 11360025 | Feb 2006 | US |
| Child | 11286143 | US | |
| Parent | 11405001 | Apr 2006 | US |
| Child | 11360025 | US | |
| Parent | 11881153 | Jul 2007 | US |
| Child | 11405001 | US | |
| Parent | 12290877 | Nov 2008 | US |
| Child | 11881153 | US | |
| Parent | 12313263 | Nov 2008 | US |
| Child | 12290877 | US | |
| Parent | 12590433 | Nov 2009 | US |
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| Parent | 12590515 | Oct 2008 | US |
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| Parent | 12799210 | Apr 2010 | US |
| Child | 12590515 | US |
