Voting by peers with limited resources

• US 8,038,061 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2007
• Issued: 10/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Goldman-Shenhar, Claudia V., Kraus, Sarit, Kaminka, Gal A., Kalech, Meir
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Thien M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MARSHALL, CHRISTLE I
• Application Number:
  US11/905,481
• Publication Number:
  US 20090084837A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,478 Days
• Field of Search: 705/12
• US Class Current: 235/386
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 13/00 Voting apparatus

Abstract

A method for voting by peers via mobile devices operating in a network on behalf of their owners, comprising iteratively sending by a plurality of peers votes for candidates to a peer and determining by the peer, according to the votes, at least one winner candidate.

Claims

1. A method for an iterative peer to peer voting by peers via mobile devices operating in a network on behalf of their owners, comprising:

a) requesting from a plurality of peers, via a plurality of peer-to-peer connections among a plurality of mobile devices, votes for a plurality of candidates provided by a first peer of said plurality of peers;

b) receiving votes for at least some of said plurality of candidates in a first mobile device of said plurality of mobile devices;

c) determining if more votes are needed; and

d) based on said determining either repeating steps a) to c) or determining at least one winner of said plurality of candidates, according to the votes.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein requesting is from the first peer.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first peer defines the candidates.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein requesting comprises requesting a part of the votes of the plurality of peers.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said determining at least one winner comprises determining based on partial votes.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein said determining at least one winner comprises determining according to estimation of missing votes.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the estimation comprise estimation of maximal and minimal votes based on preferences of candidates.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein determining comprises said determining at least one winner according to modified votes.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the votes are modified according to a privilege of at least one of said plurality of peers.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of peers comprise peers joining the network during the in voting and at least partially participating the voting.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of peers comprise peers that at least partially participate in the voting and leave the network during the voting.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein requesting votes comprises requesting a group of candidates with a common vote.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein requesting votes comprises requesting votes of candidates according to candidates already sent in a previous iteration.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein the number of iterations is limited.

15. A method according to claim 1, wherein said determining at least one winner is according to a compromise between a confidence of a winner and usage of the resources of the devices.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein resources comprise at least one of bandwidth, energy, memory or operation costs.

17. A method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of mobile devices comprise wireless devices.

18. A method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of mobile devices comprise cellular devices.

19. A method according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of mobile devices operate on behalf of an owner, at least partially, by computerized agents.

20. A method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of candidates comprise discrete objects.

21. A method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of candidates comprise ranges within an extent of a continuous entity.

22. A method according to claim 1, wherein the candidates comprise at least one of meeting times, meeting locations, or apparatus, articles, agendas, positions and persons.

23. A system comprising computerized mobile devices configured to perform the method of claim 1.

24. A method according to claim 1, wherein requests for the more votes relate to candidates included in a set of possible winners.

25. A method according to claim 24, further comprising estimating maximal and minimal votes for missing candidates, wherein the set of possible winners comprises candidates with maximal score that is larger or equal to the minimal scores of any of the other candidates.

26. A method for iteratively voting by peers via mobile devices operating in a network on behalf of their owners, comprising:

(a) providing a plurality of peers with a plurality of phones operating on behalf of the peers;

(b) requesting from at least one peer from a plurality of peer to peer connections among said plurality of phones to vote for a winner with a confidence equal or less than that of constraints satisfaction;

(c) receiving in one of said plurality of phones said vote;

(d) determining if further votes are needed; and

(e) based on said determining either repeating steps (b) to (d) or determining said winner according to the confidence votes.

27. A method according to claim 26, wherein the plurality of peers comprises peers at least partially participating in the voting, that join or leave the network during the voting.

28. A method according to claim 26, wherein the winner is a meeting time.

29. A method according to claim 26, wherein requesting comprises in each iteration requesting from another peer.