CREATION AND USE OF CLOSELY-MATCHED GROUPS TO AID IN INITIATING AND SUSTAINING BEHAVIORAL CHANGE

• US 20150074109A1
• Filed: 09/12/2013
• Published: 03/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Erickson, Thomas, Farrell, Robert G., Kellogg, Wendy A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,514,495 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/737
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/285 Clustering or classification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

A method and system for sharing data between a plurality of users in an online group on a communications system includes receiving data from a plurality of users. The data includes personal characteristics about the users. The personal characteristics are analyzed to determine groups of personal characteristics. The users are clustered into closely matched groups based on the groups of personal characteristics. A plurality of activity information is generated about the users in each of the closely matched groups. The activity information may include a physical activity, a location, and a time of day. User may be allowed access to the activity information about other users in each of the closely matched groups, respectively.

Claims

1. A method for sharing data between a plurality of users in an online group on a communications system, comprising the steps of:

receiving data from a plurality of users communicating on a communications system, the data including personal characteristics about the users;

analyzing the personal characteristics to determine a plurality of groups of personal characteristics;

clustering the users into closely matched groups respective to the groups of personal characteristics;

generating a plurality of activity information about each of the users in the closely matched groups, respectively, the activity information including a physical activity; and

allowing access to the users in each of the closely matched groups to the activity information about other users in each of the closely matched groups, respectively, wherein at least one of the above steps is performed using a program executable by a processor of a computer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the activity information further includes:

a location, and a time of day.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the users access the activity information using a user interface.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of activity information includes a first type of information or a second type of information, or a combination of the first and second types of information, as selected by the user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the personal characteristics include user demographics, which includes:

interests, occupation, marital status, or age.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the personal characteristics include a plurality of goals of a user.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the goals include one or more patterns of human activity, which includes:

a repeated physical activity.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

computing a social affinity between the users based on a commonality of the personal characteristics.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the social affinity is further based on a user availability between the users having the commonality of the personal characteristics.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a projected success rate of a behavioral change for each of the closely matched groups and the users in the groups, respectively, based on an analysis of the activity information.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a suggested activity change to achieve a behavioral change for a closely match group and the users of the closely matched group based on an analysis of the activity information.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the data about the user is supplied by the user using an input device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the data about the user is from a sensor, the data including time and location stamps.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the users are registered for a software service implementing the steps of claim 1.

15. A computer program product for sharing data between a plurality of users in an online group on a communications system, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program code embodied therewith, the program code being readable/executable by a processor to perform a method, comprising the steps of:

receiving data from a plurality of users communicating on a communications system, the data including personal characteristics about the users;

analyzing the personal characteristics to determine a plurality of groups of personal characteristics;

clustering the users into closely matched groups respective to the groups of personal characteristics;

generating a plurality of activity information about each of the users in the closely matched groups, respectively, the activity information including a physical activity; and

allowing access to the users in each of the closely matched groups to the activity information about other users in each of the closely matched groups, respectively, wherein at least one of the above steps is performed using a program executable by a processor of a computer.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the activity information further includes:

a location, and a time of day.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the plurality of activity information includes a first type of information or a second type of information, or a combination of the first and second types of information, as selected by the user.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the personal characteristics include user demographics, which includes:

interests, occupation, marital status, or age.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the personal characteristics include a plurality of goals of a user.

20. A system for sharing data between a plurality of users in an online group on a communications system, comprising:

a computer system having a communication tool being configured to receive data from a plurality of users communicating on a communications system, the data including personal characteristics about the users;

an analysis module of a computer program of the computer system being configured to analyze the personal characteristics to determine a plurality of groups of personal characteristics, the computer system being configured to clusters the users into closely matched groups respective to the groups of personal characteristics;

an analysis tool of the computer program being configured to generate a plurality of activity information about each of the users in the closely matched groups, respectively, the activity information including a physical activity; and

the communications tool further being configured to allow access to the users in each of the closely matched groups to the activity information about other users in each of the closely matched groups, respectively, wherein at least one of the above steps is performed using a program executable by a processor of a computer.