GOAL-ORIENTED USER MATCHING AMONG SOCIAL NETWORKING ENVIRONMENTS

• US 20130179438A1
• Filed: 01/05/2012
• Published: 07/11/2013
• 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, Selvage, Mei Y., McCormick, Brendan J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,298,826 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/723
• 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 social networking environments, the method comprising:

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

the processor providing one or more selection criteria to the querying user;

the processor receiving a response to at least one of the one or more selection criteria and storing the response in the electronic storage medium;

the processor prioritizing the one or more selection criteria based on the response;

the processor searching a set of social networks based on the set of goals and the prioritized selection criteria for a set of candidate users to collaborate with the querying user in achieving the one or more goals; and

the processor 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 response.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the processor receiving a desired degree of social network separation of the set of candidate users from the querying user.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the processor identifying the set of social networks based on the desired degree.

4. The method of claim 1, the prioritizing comprising weighting one or more selection criteria relative to one another.

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

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a collaboration invitation to at least one candidate user in the set of candidate users.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the processor connecting the querying user and the least one candidate user in response to the sending of the set of collaboration invites.

8. 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 store 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 provide one or more selection criteria to the querying user;

program instructions, stored on the computer-readable storage device for execution by the processor, to receive a response to at least one of the one or more selection criteria and store the response in the electronic storage medium;

program instructions, stored on the computer-readable storage device for execution by the processor, to prioritize the one or more selection criteria based on the response;

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 and the prioritized selection criteria for a set of candidate users to collaborate with the querying user in achieving the one or more goals; 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 response.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising program instructions, stored on the computer-readable storage device for execution by the processor, to receive a desired degree of social network separation of the set of candidate users from the querying user.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising program instructions, stored on the computer-readable storage device for execution by the processor, to identify the set of social networks based on the desired degree.

11. The system of claim 8, further comprising program instructions, stored on the computer-readable storage device for execution by the processor, to weight the one or more selection criteria relative to one another.

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

13. The system of claim 8, further comprising 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.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising 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 set of collaboration invites.

15. 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 store the one or more goals in an electronic storage medium;

program instructions, stored on the computer-readable storage device, to provide one or more selection criteria to the querying user;

program instructions, stored on the computer-readable storage device, to receive a response to at least one of the one or more selection criteria and store the response in the electronic storage medium;

program instructions, stored on the computer-readable storage device, to prioritize the one or more selection criteria based on the response;

program instructions, stored on the computer-readable storage device, to search a set of social networks based on the set of goals and the prioritized selection criteria for a set of candidate users to collaborate with the querying user in achieving the one or more goals; 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 response.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising program instructions, stored on the computer-readable storage device, to receive a desired degree of social network separation of the set of candidate users from the querying user.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising program instructions, stored on the computer-readable storage device, to identify the set of social networks based on the desired degree.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising program instructions, stored on the computer-readable storage device, to weight the one or more selection criteria relative to one another.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising program instructions, stored on the computer-readable storage device, to send a list identifying the set of candidate users to the querying user.

20. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising 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.

21. The computer program product of claim 20, further comprising 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 set of collaboration invites.

22. A method for deploying a system for matching users among social networking environments, the method comprising:

a computer system providing a computer infrastructure being operable to;

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

provide one or more selection criteria to the querying user;

receive a response to at least one of the one or more selection criteria and store the response in the electronic storage medium;

prioritize the one or more selection criteria based on the response;

search a set of social networks based on the set of goals and the prioritized selection criteria for a set of candidate users to collaborate with the querying user in achieving the one or more goals; and

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 response.