Goal-oriented user matching among social networking environments

• US 10,268,653 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2017
• Issued: 04/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Coldicott, Peter A., Lane, Eoin, McCormick, Brendan J., Selvage, Mei Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Tuan-Khanh
• Application Number:
  US15/434,124
• Publication Number:
  US 20170161394A1
• Time in Patent Office: 796 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/22 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2455 Query execution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9038 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide an approach for goal-based user matching among social networking environments. In a typical embodiment, a querying user is asked to respond to a series of questions related to goals, criteria, and criteria priorities (and, optionally, a desired “degree” of separation among other users). The querying user will submit his/her responses, which are then parsed and prioritized accordingly. Based on the responses, social networking sites are then searched to identify a set (e.g., at least one) of candidate users that are potential collaboration partners with the querying user. This set of candidate users may be arranged in a list and sorted according to a best match to the querying user'"'"'s responses. The list can then be provided to the querying user. In addition, invites can be sent to the set of candidate users to invite such users to connect/collaborate with the querying user.

Claims

1. A method for matching users among a computerized network, the method comprising:

receiving one or more goals from a querying user and storing the one or more goals in an electronic storage medium;

receiving one or more selection criteria from the querying user, the selection criteria relating to attributes of a desired set of candidate users to collaborate with the querying user;

receiving, from the querying user, a desired degree of social network separation between the querying user and the desired set of candidate users to collaborate with the querying user in achieving the one or more goals;

storing the one or more selection criteria in the electronic storage medium;

receiving, from the querying user, a prioritization of the plurality of selection criteria with respect to one another, wherein the prioritization is a percentage assigned to each of the plurality of selection criteria, and wherein the assigned percentages add to a total of 100%;

searching a set of social networks based on the set of goals, the desired degree of social network separation, and the selection criteria, for a set of candidate users; and

ranking the set of candidate users based on a likelihood of each candidate user in the set of candidate users matching the set of goals and the set of criteria;

sending a collaboration invitation to at least one candidate user in the set of candidate users; and

connecting the querying user and the least one candidate user in response to the sending of the collaboration invitation;

wherein the desired degree of social network separation comprises a numerical indicator of a maximum number of connected nodes between a node corresponding to the querying user and a set of nodes corresponding to the set of candidate users.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying a set of candidate users based on the searching.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a list identifying the ranked set of candidate users to the querying user.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the list further includes a reason as to why each candidate user on the list was identified.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a solution service provider provides a computer infrastructure operable to perform the method.

6. A system for matching users among social networking environments, the system comprising:

a bus;

a computer-readable storage device coupled to the bus;

a processor coupled to the bus;

program instructions, stored on the computer-readable storage device for execution by the processor, to receive one or more goals from a querying user and storing the one or more goals in an electronic storage medium;

program instructions, stored on the computer-readable storage device for execution by the processor, to receive one or more selection criteria from the querying user, the selection criteria relating to attributes of a desired set of candidate users to collaborate with the querying user;

program instructions, stored on the computer-readable storage device, for receiving, from the querying user, a prioritization of the plurality of selection criteria with respect to one another, wherein the prioritization is a percentage assigned to each of the plurality of selection criteria, and wherein the assigned percentages add to a total of 100%;

program instructions, stored on the computer-readable storage device for execution by the processor, to receive, from the querying user, a desired degree of social network separation between the querying user and the desired set of candidate users to collaborate with the querying user in achieving the one or more goals;

program instructions, stored on the computer-readable storage device for execution by the processor, to store the one or more selection criteria in the electronic storage medium;

program instructions, stored on the computer-readable storage device for execution by the processor, to search a set of social networks based on the set of goals, the desired degree of social network separation, and the selection criteria, for a set of candidate users; and

program instructions, stored on the computer-readable storage device for execution by the processor, to rank the set of candidate users based on a likelihood of each candidate user in the set of candidate users matching the set of goals and the set of criteria;

program instructions, stored on the computer-readable storage device for execution by the processor, to send a collaboration invitation to at least one candidate user in the set of candidate users; and

program instructions, stored on the computer-readable storage device for execution by the processor, to connect the querying user and the least one candidate user in response to the sending of the collaboration invitation;

wherein the desired degree of social network separation comprises a numerical indicator of a maximum number of connected nodes between a node corresponding to the querying user and a set of nodes corresponding to the set of candidate users.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising program instructions, stored on the computer-readable storage device for execution by the processor, to identify a set of candidate users based on the searching.

8. The system of claim 6, further comprising program instructions, stored on the computer-readable storage device for execution by the processor, to send a list identifying the ranked set of candidate users to the querying user.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the list further includes a reason as to why each candidate user on the list was identified.

10. A computer program product for matching users among social networking environments, the computer program product comprising:

a computer-readable storage device;

program instructions, stored on the computer-readable storage device, to receive one or more goals from a querying user and storing the one or more goals in an electronic storage medium;

program instructions, stored on the computer-readable storage device, to receive one or more selection criteria from the querying user, the selection criteria relating to attributes of a desired set of candidate users to collaborate with the querying user;

program instructions, stored on the computer-readable storage device, to receive, from the querying user, a prioritization of the plurality of selection criteria with respect to one another, wherein the prioritization is a percentage assigned to each of the plurality of selection criteria, and wherein the assigned percentages add to a total of 100%;

program instructions, stored on the computer-readable storage device, to receive, from the querying user, a desired degree of social network separation between the querying user and the desired set of candidate users to collaborate with the querying user in achieving the one or more goals;

program instructions, stored on the computer-readable storage device, to store the one or more selection criteria in the electronic storage medium;

program instructions, stored on the computer-readable storage device, to search a set of social networks based on the set of goals, the desired degree of social network separation, and the selection criteria, for a set of candidate users; and

program instructions, stored on the computer-readable storage device, to rank the set of candidate users based on a likelihood of each candidate user in the set of candidate users matching the set of goals and the set of criteria;

program instructions, stored on the computer-readable storage device, to send a collaboration invitation to at least one candidate user in the set of candidate users; and

program instructions, stored on the computer-readable storage device, to connect the querying user and the least one candidate user in response to the sending of the collaboration invitation;

wherein the desired degree of social network separation comprises a numerical indicator of a maximum number of connected nodes between a node corresponding to the querying user and a set of nodes corresponding to the set of candidate users.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, further comprising program instructions, stored on the computer-readable storage device, to identify a set of candidate users based on the searching.

12. The computer program product of claim 10, further comprising program instructions, stored on the computer-readable storage device, to send a list identifying the ranked set of candidate users to the querying user.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the list further includes a reason as to why each candidate user on the list was identified.