Observation-based user profiling and profile matching

• US 10,142,428 B1
• Filed: 04/13/2015
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Invent.ly LLC
• Original Assignee: Invent.ly LLC
• Inventors: Brown, Stephen J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Holmes, Michael B
• Application Number:
  US14/684,647
• Time in Patent Office: 1,324 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/23 Updating
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2379 Updates performed during online database operations; commit processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/02 Knowledge representation; Symbolic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

Observation-based user profiling and profile matching are provided. The network behavior of users of a computer-implemented social network are observed and used for user profiling. By observing network behavior instead of necessarily relying on user self-reported data, accurate and objective user profiles can be formed; user profiling is accomplished based on the observed network behaviors with or without the knowledge of the user being profiled. The observed network behaviors can include the customization of a visual graphic, a media preference, a communication preference, or a selection of words from a word list. The user profiles can be with respect to a domain and two or more users can be matched based on their profiles with respect to the same domain. User ratings and profile updating based on the ratings are also provided.

Claims

1. A device for recording user behavior, comprising:

one or more sensors configured to observe behaviors of a user; and

a communication module configured to communicate to/from an application server, wherein (i) said application server forms a user profile of said user based on said behaviors observed by said sensors, (ii) said user profile is used classify said user into a group with respect to at least one of a plurality of domains, (iii) said classification of said user is based on a plurality of scale factors applied to said observed behaviors, (iv) said scale factors are updated based on evaluating said classification of said user over time and (v) said application server is configured to match said user to one or more other users based on said group.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said application server is configured to (i) implement a social network having a plurality of users, (ii) receive said behaviors observed by said sensors of at least some of said plurality of users of said social network, (iii) develop said user profiles of at least some of said plurality of users within at least one of said plurality of domains using a profile function and (iv) compute matches of two or more of said plurality of users with respect to one of said domains, wherein (a) said profile function defines a level of relevance of said behaviors observed for said domain, (b) said profile function maps said behaviors observed to said user profiles for said domain, (c) each of said user profiles stores a descriptor representing one of said plurality of users for said domain, and (d) said matches are based on a relation of common descriptors of said user profiles for said domain.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein said device is a wearable device.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein said wearable device is at least one of a watch and a band.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein said behaviors observed comprise passively monitored activities.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein said behaviors observed comprise actively requested inputs from said user.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein said actively requested inputs are related to at least one of preferences and values.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein said behaviors are related to at least one of health, fitness, exercise, driving and media choices.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein (i) said group comprises one or more users and (ii) said application server is configured to recommend connections to said other users for participation in a shared activity.