System and method for providing enhanced questions for matching in a network environment

• US 7,676,466 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2005
• Issued: 03/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Match Group, LLC (Match Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Match.com LLC (Match Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kirby, Todd W., Terrill, Chris S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleurantin; Jean B
• Application Number:
  US11/237,491
• Publication Number:
  US 20070073687A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,624 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 10, 707100-1041, 707200-206, 709/217, 709/219, 715/752, 715/753, 715/757, 715/758
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3331 Query processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access

Abstract

An apparatus for providing a feature in a network environment is provided that includes a central web site operable to interface with one or more end users and to manage information related to one or more of the end users. The central web site includes a set of questions for one or more of the end users to complete, whereby the central web site is operable to display a comparison of answers for the questions that are submitted by a first end user and a second end user.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing a feature in a network environment, comprising:

a central web site that includes a processor and software, the central web site operable to interface with one or more end users and to manage information related to one or more of the end users, wherein the central web site includes a set of questions for one or more of the end users to complete, whereby the central web site is operable to display a comparison of answers for the questions that are submitted by a first end user and a second end user, wherein the answers are displayed for the first end user in a graphical illustration that reflects the first end user'"'"'s answers in comparison with the second end user'"'"'s answers, the graphical illustration depicting a sliding scale configuration in which the answers for the first end user and the second end user are compared with each other.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first end user selects questions to be submitted to the second end user.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the questions are in a short answer format such that the first end user is required to input original answer information.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the questions are in a multiple choice question format, a true/false format, or a yes/no format.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the answers are compiled and leveraged by the central web site in order to offer future potential candidates for one or more of the end users.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the central web site is associated with a job seeking service, a person finder service, an athletic service, a real estate service, an academic service, a real estate finding service, or an escort service.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the central web site is configured to facilitate an on-line dating operation such that one or more of the end users are capable of interacting in order to find candidates that match their interests.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information is provided in a profile, which includes relevant characteristics of corresponding end users.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first end user creates questions to be sent to the second end user.

10. A method for providing a feature in a network environment using a central web site, comprising:

interfacing with one or more end users in an electronic processing environment in which software is employed;

managing information related to one or more of the end users; and

providing a set of questions for one or more of the end users to complete, whereby the central web site is operable to display a comparison of answers for the questions that are submitted by a first end user and a second end user, wherein the answers are displayed for the first end user in a graphical illustration that reflects the first end user'"'"'s answers in comparison with the second end user'"'"'s answers, the graphical illustration depicting a sliding scale configuration in which the answers for the first end user and the second end user are compared with each other.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first end user selects questions to be submitted to the second end user.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the questions are in a short answer format such that the first end user is required to input original answer information.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the questions are in a multiple choice question format, a true/false format, or a yes/no format.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

compiling the answers in order to offer future potential candidates for one or more of the end users.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the central web site is associated with a job seeking service, a person finder service, an athletic service, a real estate service, an academic service, a real estate finding service, or an escort service.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the first end user selects questions from a plurality of questions that are offered by the central web site.

17. A system for providing a feature in a network environment, comprising:

means for interfacing with one or more end users in an electronic processing environment in which software is employed;

means for managing information related to one or more of the end users; and

means for providing a set of questions for one or more of the end users to complete, whereby a comparison of answers is displayed for the questions that are submitted by a first end user and a second end user, wherein the answers are displayed for the first end user in a graphical illustration that reflects the first end user'"'"'s answers in comparison with the second end user'"'"'s answers, the graphical illustration depicting a sliding scale configuration in which the answers for the first end user and the second end user are compared with each other.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the first end user selects questions to be submitted to the second end user.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the questions are in a short answer format such that the first end user is required to input original answer information.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the questions are in a multiple choice question format, a true/false format, or a yes/no format.

21. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

means for compiling the answers in order to offer future potential candidates for one or more of the end users.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the questions are associated with a job seeking service, a person finder service, an athletic service, a real estate service, an academic service, a real estate finding service, or an escort service.

23. Software for providing a feature in a network environment, the software being embodied in a computer readable medium and comprising computer code such that when executed by a processor is operable to:

interface with one or more end users;

manage information related to one or more of the end users; and

provide a set of questions for one or more of the end users to complete, whereby a comparison of answers is displayed for the questions that are submitted by a first end user and a second end user, wherein the answers are displayed for the first end user in a graphical illustration that reflects the first end user'"'"'s answers in comparison with the second end user'"'"'s answers, the graphical illustration depicting a sliding scale configuration in which the answers for the first end user and the second end user are compared with each other.

24. The medium of claim 23, wherein the first end user selects questions to be submitted to the second end user.

25. The medium of claim 23, wherein the questions are in a short answer format such that the first end user is required to input original answer information.

26. The medium of claim 23, wherein the questions are in a multiple choice question format, a true/false format, or a yes/no format.

27. The medium of claim 23, wherein the code is further operable to:

compile the answers in order to offer future potential candidates for one or more of the end users.

28. The medium of claim 23, wherein the questions are associated with a job seeking service, a person finder service, an athletic service, a real estate service, an academic service, a real estate finding service, or an escort service.