METHOD FOR IDENTIFYING RELEVANT INDIVIDUALS BY CROSS-SEARCHING SOCIAL DATA STREAMS

• US 20140330842A1
• Filed: 04/30/2014
• Published: 11/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HelpAround, Inc. (RxWare)
• Original Assignee: HelpAround, Inc. (RxWare)
• Inventors: KNOBEL, Yishai, AFLALO, Shlomi
• Granted Patent: US 9,830,394 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/748
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries

Abstract

In providing a help service, a server: receives a help request from a help seeker; matches the help request to potential helpers using a scoring model; sends a list of potential helpers to the help seeker; receives selections of potential helpers; sends the help request to each selected potential helper; receives from potential helper indication of willingness to respond to the help request; and sends to the help seeker information on the potential helpers. The server may further: search an external platform for posts seeking help; import the post to the help service; and send a response from potential helpers to post on the platform. The server may further: analyze keywords in the help request; determine it a candidate for sponsored answers; routes the help request to specialists; receives answers from specialists; and sends the answers to the help seeker. The server may further provide a safety net strength score.

Claims

1. A method for providing a help service, comprising:

(a) receiving, by a server, a help request from a help seeker client device;

(b) based on information in the help request, matching, by the server, the help request to one or more potential helpers using a scoring model;

(c) sending, by the server, the help request to each potential helper client device;

(d) receiving, by the server from one or more potential helper client devices, an indication of willingness to respond to the help request; and

(e) sending, by the server to the help seeker client device, information for connecting to the one or more potential helper client devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sending (c) comprises:

(c1) sending a list of potential helpers to the help seeker client device;

(c2) receiving, by the server from the help seeker client device, a selection of one or more of the potential helpers on the list;

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the matching (b) comprises:

(b1) for each given potential helper, calculating a composite score according to the scoring model, wherein the scoring model comprises a weighted availability score representing the given potential helper'"'"'s ability to help, a weighted helpfulness score representing the given potential helper'"'"'s potential level of helpfulness, a frequency score representing a frequency at which the given potential helper has responded to help requests, and a cost score representing estimated costs associated with obtaining help from the given potential helper; and

(b2) creating the list of potential helpers according to the composite score of each given potential helper.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the availability score is weighted by one or more of the following:

distance between the help seeker client device'"'"'s current location and a given potential helper client device'"'"'s current location;

a time of day;

a given potential helper'"'"'s preferred geographical distance;

degrees of separation between the given potential helper and the help seeker;

responses to previous help requests to the help seeker client device by the given potential helper; and

ranking of the given potential helper by other users of the help service.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the helpfulness score is weighted by one or more of the following:

a given potential helper profile;

types of requests the given potential helper previously responded to; and

satisfaction levels of past help seekers.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving (a) comprises:

(a1) searching, by the server, a platform external to the help service for posts seeking help;

(a2) upon finding a post seeking help, importing, by the server, the post to the help service; and

(a3) creating, by the server, a second help request within the help service and associate the second help request with the imported post;

wherein the receiving (d) further comprises;

(d1) receiving, by the server from one or more potential helper client devices, a response to the second help request;

wherein the sending (e) comprises;

(e1) sending, by the server, the response to the second help request to the post on the platform.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the matching (b) comprises:

(b1) analyzing, by the server, text of the help request;

(b2) determining, by the server, that the help request is a candidate for a sponsored answer;

(b3) determining, by the server, a request type for the help request; and

(b4) matching, by the server, the request type with one or more specialists;

wherein the method further comprises;

(f) routing, by the server, the help request to one or more specialist client devices;

(g) receiving, by the server, one or more answers to the help request from the one or more specialist client devices; and

(h) sending, by the server, the one or more answers to the help seeker client device.

8. A method for providing a safety net strength, comprising:

(a) obtaining, by a server, a current location of a client device;

(b) identifying, by the server, one or more healthcare related resources within a predetermine distance of the current location;

(c) calculating, by the server, an availability score, a helpfulness score, and a cost score of reach resource using a scoring model;

(d) combining at least the availability score, the helpfulness score, and the cost score to determine a safety net strength score; and

(e) displaying the safety net strength score on the client device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the scoring model comprises a weighted availability score representing the given potential helper'"'"'s ability to help, a weighted helpfulness score representing the given potential helper'"'"'s potential level of helpfulness, a frequency score representing a frequency at which the given potential helper has responded to help requests, and a cost score.

10. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer readable program code embodied therein, wherein when executed by a processor causes the processor to:

(a) receive a help request from a help seeker client device;

(b) based on information in the help request, match the help request to one or more potential helpers using a scoring model;

(c) send the help request to each potential helper client device;

(d) receive server from one or more potential helper client devices, an indication of willingness to respond to the help request; and

(e) send to the help seeker client device information for responding to the one or more potential helper client devices.

11. The medium of claim 10, wherein the send (c) comprises:

(c1) send a list of potential helpers to the help seeker client device;

(c2) receive from the help seeker client device a selection of one or more of the potential helpers on the list;

12. The medium of claim 10, wherein the match (b) comprises:

(b1) for each given potential helper, calculate a composite score according to the scoring model, wherein the scoring model comprises a weighted availability score representing the given potential helper'"'"'s ability to help, a weighted helpfulness score representing the given potential helper'"'"'s potential level of helpfulness, a frequency score representing a frequency at which the given potential helper has responded to help requests, and a cost score representing estimated costs associated with obtaining help from the given potential helper; and

(b2) create the list of potential helpers according to the composite score of each given potential helper.

13. The medium of claim 12, wherein the availability score is weighted by one or more of the following:

distance between the help seeker client device'"'"'s current location and a given potential helper client device'"'"'s current location;

a time of day;

a given potential helper'"'"'s preferred geographical distance;

degrees of separation between the given potential helper and the help seeker;

responses to previous help requests to the help seeker client device by the given potential helper; and

ranking of the given potential helper by other users of the help service.

14. The medium of claim 12, wherein the helpfulness score is weighted by one or more of the following:

a given potential helper profile;

types of requests the given potential helper previously responded to; and

satisfaction levels of past help seekers.

15. The medium of claim 10, wherein the receive (a) comprises:

(a1) search a platform external to the help service for posts seeking help;

(a2) upon finding a post seeking help, import the post to the help service; and

(a3) create a second help request within the help service and associate the second help request with the imported post;

wherein the receive (d) further comprises;

(d1) receive from one or more potential helper client devices, a response to the second help request;

wherein the send (e) comprises;

(e1) send the response to the second help request to the post on the platform.

16. The medium of claim 10, wherein the match (b) comprises:

(b1) analyze text of the help request;

(b2) determine that the help request is a candidate for a sponsored answer;

(b3) determine a request type for the help request; and

(b4) match the request type with one or more specialists;

further comprising;

(f) route the help request to one or more specialist client devices;

(g) receive one or more answers to the help request from the one or more specialist client devices; and

(h) send the one or more answers to the help seeker client device.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer readable program code embodied therein, wherein when executed by a processor causes the processor to:

(a) obtain a current location of a client device;

(b) identify one or more healthcare related resources within a predetermine distance of the current location;

(c) calculate an availability score, a helpfulness score, and a cost score of reach resource using a scoring model;

(d) combine at least the availability score, the helpfulness score, and the cost score to determine a safety net strength score; and

(e) display the safety net strength score on the client device.

18. The medium of claim 17, wherein the scoring model comprises a weighted availability score representing the given potential helper'"'"'s ability to help, a weighted helpfulness score representing the given potential helper'"'"'s potential level of helpfulness, a frequency score representing a frequency at which the given potential helper has responded to help requests, and a cost score.

19. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a computer readable medium comprising computer readable program code embodied therein, wherein when executed by a processor causes the processor to;

(a) receive a help request from a help seeker client device;

(b) based on information in the help request, match the help request to one or more potential helpers using a scoring model;

(c) send the help request to each potential helper client device;

(d) receive server from one or more potential helper client devices, an indication of willingness to respond to the help request; and

(e) send to the help seeker client device information for responding to the one or more potential helper client devices.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the send (c) comprises:

(c1) send a list of potential helpers to the help seeker client device;

(c2) receive from the help seeker client device a selection of one or more of the potential helpers on the list;

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the receive (a) comprises:

(a1) search a platform external to the help service for posts seeking help;

(a2) upon finding a post seeking help, import the post to the help service; and

(a3) create a second help request within the help service and associate the second help request with the imported post;

wherein the receive (d) further comprises;

(d1) receive from one or more potential helper client devices, a response to the second help request;

wherein the send (e) comprises;

(e1) send the response to the second help request to the post on the platform.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the match (b) comprises:

(b1) analyze text of the help request;

(b2) determine that the help request is a candidate for a sponsored answer;

(b3) determine a request type for the help request; and

(b4) match the request type with one or more specialists;

further comprising;

(f) route the help request to one or more specialist client devices;

(g) receive one or more answers to the help request from the one or more specialist client devices; and

(h) send the one or more answers to the help seeker client device.

23. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a computer readable medium comprising computer readable program code embodied therein, wherein when executed by a processor causes the processor to;

(a) obtain a current location of a client device;

(b) identify one or more healthcare related resources within a predetermine distance of the current location;

(c) calculate an availability score, a helpfulness score, and a cost score of reach resource using a scoring model;

(d) combine at least the availability score, the helpfulness score, and the cost score to determine a safety net strength score; and

(e) display the safety net strength score on the client device.