Collaborative filtering to match people

• US 8,332,418 B1
• Filed: 07/14/2008
• Issued: 12/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eHarmony Incorporated (ParshipMeet Holding GmbH)
• Original Assignee: eHarmony Incorporated (ParshipMeet Holding GmbH)
• Inventors: Giordani, Patrick John, Moreno, Carlos A., Petricek, Vaclav
• Primary Examiner(s): Colan, Giovanna
• Application Number:
  US12/218,509
• Time in Patent Office: 1,611 Days
• Field of Search: 707/706, 707/722, 707/736, 707/758, 707/748, 709/205, 705/5, 705/319, 705/1.1, 705/37
• US Class Current: 707/758
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

People are matched by obtaining, for a set of people, response information associated with previous matches the set of people have been a part of. For a person being matched, response information associated with previous matches the person being matched has been a part of is obtained. A match candidate is selected from a set of match candidates based at least in part on (1) the response information associated with the person being matched and (2) the response information associated with the set of people. Information associated with the selected match candidate is sent to the person being matched and/or information associated with the person being matched is sent to the selected match candidate.

Claims

1. A method for matching people, comprising:

obtaining response information associated with previous matches for a set of people;

obtaining response information associated with previous matches for a person being matched, wherein;

obtaining the response information for the person being matched includes monitoring, at an intermediary, any communications exchanged between the person being matched and a previous match partner;

using a processor to select, based at least in part on (1) the response information associated with previous matches for the person being matched and (2) the response information associated with previous matches for the set of people, a similar person in the set of people who has response information similar to the person being matched;

using the processor to select a match candidate, from a set of match candidates who have been matched to the similar person, based at least in part on the response information associated with previous matches for the set of people, wherein;

(1) the selected match candidate has not previously been matched with the person being matched and (2) the response information for the similar person indicates that the similar person had a positive response to the selected match candidate; and

sending information associated with the selected match candidate to the person being matched.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the response information associated with the person being matched includes one or more of the following:

(1) response information provided by the person being matched in regards to previous match partners or (2) response information provided by previous match partners in regards to the person being matched.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein there is at least one person in both the set of people for which response information is obtained and in the set of match candidates.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein there is at least one person in the set of people for which response information is obtained who is not in the set of match candidates.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising pre-screening the set of match candidates prior to selecting.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein pre-screening is based at least in part on one or more of the following:

(1) one or more preferences specified by the person being matched or (2) psychographic data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining response information includes one or more of the following:

(1) obtaining negative response information, (2) accessing a repository, (3) tracking whether a first person in a given match contacts a second person in the given match, or (4) sending one or more questions to a first person in a given match after the first person and a second person in the given match have been in contact and receiving from the first person a response to the one or more questions.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the contact between the first person and the second person includes at least one of:

a telephone call, a written communication, or an in-person meeting.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the one or more questions include a plurality of pre-defined ratings for the second person.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting is performed in the event one or more of the following occurs:

(1) an amount of response information associated with the person being matched exceeds a threshold amount or (2) the person being matched has provided an amount of response information in regards to previous match partners which exceeds a threshold amount.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

selecting a second match candidate from the set of match candidates, wherein the second match candidate has an amount of response information associated with himself/herself which exceeds a threshold amount and the response information associated with the second match candidate is positive; and

sending information associated with the second match candidate to the person being matched.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein sending occurs after the person being matched has concluded communication with another match candidate.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

selecting a second match candidate from the set of match candidates, wherein the second match candidate has no response information associated with himself/herself; and

sending information associated with the second match candidate to the person being matched.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein using the processor to select includes determining a weight associated with the similar person which varies in accordance with a number of matching responses between the similar person and the person being matched.

13. A system for matching people, comprising:

a receiving interface configured to;

obtain response information associated with previous matches for a set of people; and

obtain response information associated with previous matches for a person being matched, wherein;

obtaining the response information for the person being matched includes monitoring, at an intermediary, any communications exchanged between the person being matched and a previous match partner;

a processor configured to;

select, based at least in part on (1) the response information associated with previous matches for the person being matched and (2) the response information associated with previous matches for the set of people, a similar person in the set of people who has response information similar to the person being matched; and

select a match candidate, from a set of match candidates who have been matched to the similar person, based at least in part on the response information associated with previous matches for the set of people, wherein;

(1) the selected match candidate has not previously been matched with the person being matched and (2) the response information for the similar person indicates that the similar person had a positive response to the selected match candidate; and

a transmitting interface configured to send information associated with the selected match candidate to the person being matched.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein:

the processor is further configured to select a second match candidate from the set of match candidates, wherein the second match candidate has an amount of response information associated with himself/herself which exceeds a threshold amount and the response information associated with the second match candidate is positive; and

the transmitting interface is further configured to send information associated with the second match candidate to the person being matched.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein:

the processor is further configured to select a second match candidate from the set of match candidates, wherein the second match candidate has no response information associated with himself/herself; and

the transmitting interface is further configured to send information associated with the second match candidate to the person being matched.

21. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to select by determining a weight associated with the similar person which varies in accordance with a number of matching responses between the similar person and the person being matched.

14. A computer program product for matching people, the computer program product being embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:

obtaining response information associated with previous matches for the set of people;

obtaining response information associated with previous matches for a person being matched, wherein;

obtaining the response information for the person being matched includes monitoring, at an intermediary, any communications exchanged between the person being matched and a previous match partner;

selecting, based at least in part on (1) the response information associated with previous matches for the person being matched and (2) the response information associated with previous matches for the set of people, a similar person in the set of people who has response information similar to the person being matched;

selecting a match candidate, from a set of match candidates who have been matched to the similar person, based at least in part on the response information associated with previous matches for a set of people, wherein;

(1) the selected match candidate has not previously been matched with the person being matched and 2 the response information for the similar person indicates that the similar person had a positive response to the selected match candidate; and

sending information associated with the selected match candidate to the person being matched.

16. The computer program product of claim 14, further comprising computer instructions for:

selecting a second match candidate from the set of match candidates, wherein the second match candidate has an amount of response information associated with himself/herself which exceeds a threshold amount and the response information associated with the second match candidate is positive; and

sending information associated with the second match candidate to the person being matched.

19. The computer program product of claim 14, further comprising computer instructions for:

selecting a second match candidate from the set of match candidates, wherein the second match candidate has no response information associated with himself/herself; and

sending information associated with the second match candidate to the person being matched.

22. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the computer instructions for selecting include computer instructions for determining a weight associated with the similar person which varies in accordance with a number of matching responses between the similar person and the person being matched.