Method for improving user success rates in personals sites

• US 20060106780A1
• Filed: 10/24/2005
• Published: 05/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ofer Dagan
• Original Assignee: Ofer Dagan
• Inventors: Dagan, Ofer
• Application Number:
  US11/257,212
• Publication Number:
  US 20060106780A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

Numerous online dating and personals websites exist on the internet. These websites allow users to post online profiles describing what they seek in a “match,” provide methods by which users may interact with each other, and may implement an “active matching process” in which the websites attempt to select potential matches for the searching user. These websites generally lack the spontaneity of live networking or matchmaker events and also lack the atmosphere provided by live conversation. For this reason, users of these websites may find that potential matches are not as desirable as initially perceived because of the “chemistry” between two people who interact in a live setting. The invention described and claimed herein is a method, using an information technology system, to increase the likelihood of obtaining a successful match for users of online dating sites. The invention provides a live-action videoconferencing atmosphere in which the software component of the invention selects potential matches based upon certain criteria specified by each user and upon the attributes listed on the users'"'"' online profiles. The software component of the invention creates an “affinity group” comprising users who both have the criteria sought by other users of the affinity group and who seek persons with attributes found in the other users of the affinity group. The software component of the invention then “pairs off” the users of the affinity group for one-on-one videoconferencing sessions where the “paring-off” is determined by an algorithm which evaluates the attributes/criteria of the users and attempts to create potential matches among the users of the affinity group. The invention allows each user of the affinity group to so interact with a number of other users of the affinity group and then allows the users to rank the users they have just met according to a scale indicative of their level of interest in a future meeting with the ranked user. The invention then may take certain steps to allow two users interested in each other to meet online at some future point. Finally, the invention may be modified for other online communities for purposes such as business networking, career networking, or social interaction.

Claims

1. A method of increasing the likelihood of a first group of users of an online community meeting sought-after members of a second group of users of said online community in which the members of said second group of users possesses characteristics desired by members of said first group of users, and where members of said first group of users possess characteristics desired by members of the said second group of users, comprising the steps of:

designating an initial affinity group of users of said. online community in which said initial affinity group of users is to consist of a first set of users and a second set of users, wherein said first set of users is to consist of users from said first group of users and wherein said second set of users is to consist of users from said second group of users;

selecting members of said initial affinity group of users from said first group of users and said second group of users based upon a comparison of the characteristics of said first group of users to the characteristics of said second group of users, where after such comparison, the members of said initial affinity group are selected so that said first set of users consists of users with characteristics sought by users of said second set of users and said second set of users consists of users with characteristics sought by users of said first set of users;

delivering a notice to said initial affinity group of users inviting said initial affinity group of users to a conferencing session, said conferencing session to be divided into a plurality of sub-sessions, and receiving responses from the users of said initial affinity group indicating their desire to participate in said conferencing session;

building a final affinity group consisting of the users of said initial affinity group who have indicated an interest in participating in said conferencing session, said final affinity group consisting of the users of said first set of users and said second set of users who have indicated an interest in participating in said conferencing session;

placing each user of said first set of users into an interactive setting, using said conferencing computer hardware and software, with a user of said second set of users for the duration of one of said conferencing sub-sessions, in which the placement is determined according to a pairing methodology;

allowing the users, upon the conclusion of their said conferencing sub-session, to submit a rating of the user with whom they had interacted with in their said conferencing sub-session according to a ranking scale;

placing each user of said first set of users in a subsequent interactive setting, using said conferencing computer hardware and software, with another user of said second set of users for the duration of one of said conferencing sub-sessions, in which the placement is determined according to a pairing methodology, thereupon allowing each user, upon the conclusion of their subsequent sub-session, to rate the user with whom they had interacted with in said subsequent conferencing sub-session according to a ranking scale, and continuing this step until said conferencing session has ended;

calculating a final rank of the users with whom each user was paired during said conferencing session, said final rank calculated from said ratings submitted by each user according to said ranking scale;

presenting the final rankings of the users with whom each user was paired during said conferencing session to the user who had submitted said ratings, including the optional sub-step of presenting the user'"'"'s rating, as calculated by the users with whom the user was paired during said conferencing session, to the user;

optionally allowing two users who had been paired during said conferencing session to initiate a new conferencing session if said two users who had been paired during said conferencing session submitted high ratings;

allowing users to submit an indication of interest in meeting a plurality of the users with whom each user was paired during said conferencing session;

optionally allowing users to schedule future meetings with any one of the plurality of the users with whom each user was paired during said conferencing session; and

optionally notifying users not pleased with the users with whom they had been paired of future conferencing sessions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said online community is selected from the group:

an online community formed for the purpose of online dating, an online community formed for the purpose of business networking, an online community formed for the purpose of matching job seekers with potential employers, an online community formed for the purpose of social networking, and an online community formed for the purpose of social interaction.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said pairing methodology is selected from the group:

randomly selecting users to whom the user is to be paired, and selecting users to whom the user is to be paired according to an evaluation of the characteristics of the user and the users to whom the user is to be paired.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said characteristics of the users are selected from the group:

physical characteristics, age, location of residence, interests, lifestyle attributes, ethnic and religious backgrounds, and career attributes.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said conferencing computer hardware and software is selected from the group:

videoconferencing hardware and software, audio conferencing hardware and software, and voice over internet protocol hardware and software.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said ranking scale is selected from the group:

a “

Yes/No/Maybe”

ranking scale, a ranking scale of the integers 0 to 10, and a ranking scale based upon a plurality of sub-scales ranking the evaluated user according to a set of criteria which may include the characteristics of the ranked user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said final rank of each user is calculated using the additional criteria of rankings submitted by other users who had evaluated the ranked user during past conferencing sessions and wherein said rankings submitted by other users is presented to the user.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said indication of interest may be an indication that the user wishes to exchange email addresses, names or other information.

9. A system of information technology components, comprising computer hardware, software, and networking equipment, in which said information technology components interact with or host an online community comprised of a first group of users and a second group of users, where the members of said second group of users possesses characteristics desired by members of said first group of users, and where members of said first group of users possess characteristics desired by members of the said second group of users, in which:

said information technology components designate an initial affinity group of users of an online community in which said initial affinity group of users is to consist of a first set of users and a second set of users, wherein said first set of users is to consist of users from said first group of users and wherein said second set of users is to consist of users from said second group of users;

said information technology components select members of said initial affinity group of users from said first group of users and said second group of users based upon a comparison of the characteristics of said first group of users to the characteristics of said second group of users, where after such comparison, the members of said initial affinity group are selected so that said first set of users consists of users with characteristics sought by users of said second set of users and said second set of users consists of users with characteristics sought by users of said first set of users;

said information technology components deliver a notice to said initial affinity group of users inviting said initial affinity group of users to a conferencing session, said conferencing session to be divided into a plurality of sub-sessions, and receiving responses from the users of said initial affinity group indicating their desire to participate in said conferencing session;

said information technology components build a final affinity group consisting of the users of said initial affinity group who have indicated an interest in participating in said conferencing session, said final affinity group consisting of the users of said first set of users and said second set of users who have indicated an interest in participating in said conferencing session;

said information technology components place each user of said first set of users into an interactive setting, using said conferencing computer hardware and software, with a user of said second set of users for the duration of one of said conferencing sub-sessions, in which the placement is determined according to a pairing methodology;

said information technology components allow the users, upon the conclusion of their said conferencing sub-session, to submit a rating of the user with whom they had interacted with in their said conferencing sub-session according to a ranking scale;

said information technology components place each user of said first set of users in a subsequent interactive setting, using said conferencing computer hardware and software, with another user of said second set of users for the duration of one of said conferencing sub-sessions, in which the placement is determined according to a pairing methodology, thereupon allowing each user, upon the conclusion of their subsequent sub-session, to rate the user with whom they had interacted with in said subsequent conferencing sub-session according to a ranking scale, and continuing this step until said conferencing session has ended;

said information technology components calculate a final rank of the users with whom each user was paired during said conferencing session, said final rank calculated from said ratings submitted by each user according to said ranking scale;

said information technology components present the final rankings of the users with whom each user was paired during said conferencing session to the user who had submitted said ratings, including the optional sub-step of presenting the user'"'"'s rating, as calculated by the users with whom the user was paired during said conferencing session, to the user;

said information technology components optionally allow two users who had been paired during said conferencing session to initiate a new conferencing session if said two users who had been paired during said conferencing session submitted high ratings;

said information technology components allow users to submit an indication of interest in meeting a plurality of the users with whom each user was paired during said conferencing session;

said information technology components optionally allow users to schedule future meetings with any one of the plurality of the users with whom each user was paired during said conferencing session; and

said information technology components optionally notify users not pleased with the users with whom they had been paired of future conferencing sessions.

10. A method of increasing the likelihood of a first group of users of an online community meeting sought-after members of a second group of users of said online community in which the members of said second group of users possesses characteristics desired by members of said first group of users, and where members of said first group of users possess characteristics desired by members of the said second group of users, comprising the steps of:

allowing users to indicate their interest in participating in a conference session by electronic means;

designating a final affinity group consisting of the users who have indicated their desire to participate in said conferencing session, said final affinity group to consist of a first set of users and a second set of users, wherein said first set of users is to consist of users from said first group of users and wherein said second set of users is to consist of users from said second group of users;

placing each user of said first set of users into an interactive setting, using said conferencing computer hardware and software, with a user of said second set of users for the duration of one of said conferencing sub-sessions, in which the placement is determined according to a pairing methodology;

allowing the users, upon the conclusion of their said conferencing sub-session, to submit a rating of the user with whom they had interacted with in their said conferencing sub-session according to a ranking scale;

placing each user of said first set of users in a subsequent interactive setting, using said conferencing computer hardware and software, with another user of said second set of users for. the duration of one of said conferencing sub-sessions, in which the placement is determined according to a pairing methodology, thereupon allowing each user, upon the conclusion of their subsequent sub-session, to rate the user with whom they had interacted with in said subsequent conferencing sub-session according to a ranking scale, and continuing this step until said conferencing session has ended;

calculating a final rank of the users with whom each user was paired during said conferencing session, said final rank calculated from said ratings submitted by each user according to said ranking scale;

presenting the final rankings of the users with whom each user was paired during said conferencing session to the user who had submitted said ratings, including the optional sub-step of presenting the user'"'"'s rating, as calculated by the users with whom the user was paired during said conferencing session, to the user;

optionally allowing two users who had been paired during said conferencing session to initiate a new conferencing session if said two users who had been paired during said conferencing session submitted high ratings;

allowing users to submit an indication of interest in meeting a plurality of the users with whom each user was paired during said conferencing session;

optionally allowing users to schedule future meetings with any one of the plurality of the users with whom each user was paired during said conferencing session; and

optionally notifying users not pleased with the users with whom they had been paired of future conferencing sessions.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said online community is selected from the group:

an online community formed for the purpose of online dating, an online community formed for the purpose of business networking, an online community formed for the purpose of matching job seekers with potential employers, an online community formed for the purpose of social networking, and an online community formed for the purpose of social interaction.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said pairing methodology is selected from the group:

randomly selecting users to whom the user is to be paired, and selecting users to whom the user is to be paired according to an evaluation of the characteristics of the user and the users to whom the user is to be paired.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein said characteristics of the users are selected from the group:

physical characteristics, age, location of residence, interests, lifestyle attributes, ethnic and religious backgrounds, and career attributes.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein said conferencing computer hardware and software is selected from the group:

videoconferencing hardware and software, audio conferencing hardware and software, and voice over internet protocol hardware and software.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein said ranking scale is selected from the group:

a “

Yes/No/Maybe”

ranking scale, a ranking scale of the integers 0 to 10, and a ranking scale based upon a plurality of sub-scales ranking the evaluated user according to a set of criteria which may include the characteristics of the ranked user.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein said final rank of each user is calculated using the additional criteria of rankings submitted by other users who had evaluated the ranked user during past conferencing sessions and wherein said rankings submitted by other users is presented to the user.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein said indication of interest may be an indication that the user wishes to exchange email addresses, names or other information.

18. A system of information technology components, comprising computer hardware, software, and networking equipment, in which said information technology components interact with or host an online community comprised of a first group of users and a second group of users, where the members of said second group of users possesses characteristics desired by members of said first group of users, and where members of said first group of users possess characteristics desired by members of the said second group of users, in which:

said information technology components allow users to indicate their interest in participating in a conference session by electronic means;

said information technology components designate a final affinity group consisting of the users who have indicated their desire to participate in said conferencing session, said final affinity group to consist of a first set of users and a second set of users, wherein said first set of users is to consist of users from said first group of users and wherein said second set of users is to consist of users from said second group of users;

said information technology components place each user of said first set of users into an interactive setting, using said conferencing computer hardware and software, with a user of said second set of users for the duration of one of said conferencing sub-sessions, in which the placement is determined according to a pairing methodology;

said information technology components allow the users, upon the conclusion of their said conferencing sub-session, to submit a rating of the user with whom they had interacted with in their said conferencing sub-session according to a ranking scale;

said information technology components place each user of said first set of users in a subsequent interactive setting, using said conferencing computer hardware and software, with another user of said second set of users for the duration of one of said conferencing sub-sessions, in which the placement is determined according to a pairing methodology, thereupon allowing each user, upon the conclusion of their subsequent sub-session, to rate the user with whom they had interacted with in said subsequent conferencing sub-session according to a ranking scale, and continuing this step until said conferencing session has ended;

said information technology components calculate a final rank of the users with whom each user was paired during said conferencing session, said final rank calculated from said ratings submitted by each user according to said ranking scale;

said information technology components present the final rankings of the users with whom each user was paired during said conferencing session to the user who had submitted said ratings, including the optional sub-step of presenting the user'"'"'s rating, as calculated by the users with whom the user was paired during said conferencing session, to the user;

said information technology components optionally allow two users who had been paired during said conferencing session to initiate a new conferencing session if said two users who had been paired during said conferencing session submitted high ratings;

said information technology components allow users to submit an indication of interest in meeting a plurality of the users with whom each user was paired during said conferencing session;

said information technology components optionally allow users to schedule future meetings with any one of the plurality of the users with whom each user was paired during said conferencing session; and

said information technology components optionally notify users not pleased with the users with whom they had been paired of future conferencing sessions.