SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CREATING AND USING PERSONALITY MODELS FOR USER INTERACTIONS IN A SOCIAL NETWORK

• US 20100030772A1
• Filed: 06/01/2009
• Published: 02/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Signal Match, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Signal Match, Inc.
• Inventors: Eschmann, Caitlin, Zilca, Ran, Hunyadi, Garrett Snider
• Application Number:
  US12/475,871
• Publication Number:
  US 20100030772A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: N/A
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/337 Profile generation, learning or modification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

A social computing system and method includes a model creator configured to create an initial model of a user'"'"'s musical preferences across a spectrum of attributes. The system and method further include a matching and comparison technique, which matches users based on the similarity of their respective musical preferences. The system and method further include an interactive display, allowing a user to view and interact with the nearby users who share the user'"'"'s musical preferences.

Claims

1. A method for classifying a user'"'"'s musical preferences, the method comprising:

analyzing a plurality of audio specimens, such that the audio specimens are scored according to a set of representative attributes;

determining a user'"'"'s degree of preference for the audio specimens;

determining a musical preference model (MPM) for the user based on the user'"'"'s degree of preference for the audio specimens and the representative attributes of those specimens; and

storing the MPM in a storage module.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the audio specimens include audio samples.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of determining the user'"'"'s degree of preference includes playing audio specimens to the user for rating using an audio playback device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the user'"'"'s rating includes a ranking of all of the audio specimens in order of preference.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the user'"'"'s rating includes scoring each audio specimen on an absolute scale of enjoyment.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of determining an MPM includes statistically combining the user'"'"'s ratings for the audio specimens.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the audio specimens include full audio tracks.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of determining the user'"'"'s degree of preference includes estimating the user'"'"'s preference for a given track based upon the frequency with which the user has played the track.

10. A computer readable medium that includes a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to perform the steps of claim 1.

9. The method of claim B, wherein the step of determining an MPM includes statistically combining the user'"'"'s estimated preferences for the audio specimens.

11. A method for social computing comprising:

determining a matching user'"'"'s current location;

generating a list of users within a given radius of the user'"'"'s location;

retrieving from a storage module a music preference model (MPM) for each user on the list;

comparing the MPMs of the users on the list to an MPM corresponding to the matching user; and

displaying on a display those users on the list whose MPMs are similar to the matching user'"'"'s MPH.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the matching user'"'"'s location is determined through the use of a global positioning satellite receiver.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of displaying only displays those users whose MPMs match the matching user'"'"'s MPH within a threshold.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of maintaining frequency information that shows how frequently particular users have been near the matching user.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of displaying includes displaying users'"'"' frequency information.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of displaying includes displaying information about any music which the users are currently playing.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of enabling communication between the matching user and the displayed users.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the communication includes any of text messaging, instant messaging, emailing, or voice messaging.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of displaying includes displaying an overhead visual representation of the locations of the users relative to the matching user.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of displaying includes displaying a perspective visual representation of the locations of the users relative to the matching user, as seen from the point of view of the matching user.

21. A computer readable medium that includes a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to perform the steps of claim 11.

22. A social computing system, comprising:

a server, including;

a module configured to generate a music preference model (MPM) based on a user'"'"'s musical preferences;

a storage module for storing MPMs and user profiles;

an MPM comparison module for generating a music match score based on a comparison of at least two MPMs associated with particular users, the users being in communication with the server and having user devices configured to send location information to the server; and

a display configured to provide a visual representation of locations of users having a threshold relationship with other MPMs relative to the location information,

23. The social computing system of claim 22, wherein the server further comprises an audio analysis module for scoring an audio sample according to a set of representative attributes.

24. The social computing system of claim 23, wherein the server is configured to send to the user devices a list of users such that the music match score between the users'"'"' MPMs and the MPM of the user device is within a threshold metric.

25. The social computing system of claim 22, wherein the server further comprises a communications module configured to relay messages between user devices.