Computer implemented methods and systems of determining matches between searchers and providers

• US 8,566,142 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2009
• Issued: 10/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matthew John Symons
• Original Assignee: Quotify Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: McCarney, Paul, Jessup, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): DIXON, THOMAS A
• Application Number:
  US13/057,119
• Publication Number:
  US 20110145039A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,530 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7.29
• US Class Current: 705/7.29
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0203 Market surveys; Market polls
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0256 User search
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/18 Comparators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/14 with services dependent on location where the service is an information service H04M2242/15; services independent of location H04M3/42229
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42289 with carrierprovider selection by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals

Abstract

The inventive subject matter is generally directed to matching a party with another party based on profiling of the parties, and optionally an industry category, for parameters that are relevant to making a match. In certain embodiments, the inventive subject matter facilitates matches between searchers and service providers based on assignment of searchers and service providers to predefined Buyer Types or Service Provider Types based on questionnaires, surveys, and other input and feedback mechanisms. In a further aspect, the inventive subject matter is directed to a system for valuing and monetizing a set of leads to offer to a party. In some embodiments, the inventive subject matter is directed to mobile applications for matching searchers with providers based on awareness of the locations of the parties.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of determining matches between searchers and providers, comprising:

providing a buyer profile comprising a buyer type for a searcher on a computer;

providing a plurality of service provider profiles on the computer;

matching using the computer, one or more service providers based on the buyer type; and

outputting the matching service providers from the computer,

wherein each respective service provider profile comprises a number of days since the corresponding service provider was last matched to a searcher and matching service providers is further based on a number of days since the corresponding provider was last matched to a searcher.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the provided buyer type is based on the searcher'"'"'s responses to a set of questions adapted to characterize the searcher as one of a plurality of a predetermined buyer types on the computer.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the matching service providers is further based on feedback following interactions between searchers and service providers.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the service provider profile comprises a service provider type.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the matching is based on matching the buyer type to the service provider type.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein the feedback is filtered to feedback submitted by feedback parties with the same buyer type as the searcher.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

using a mobile application to determine a service provider'"'"'s availability and/or capacity to take additional work within a given time period; and

matching is based on the service provider'"'"'s availability and/or capacity to take additional work within a given time period.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more service providers comprises one or more mobile providers, wherein the outputting comprises notifying the one or more mobile providers of searcher leads in a predetermined proximity of a current position or a planned position of each of the one or more mobile providers.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more service providers comprises one or more mobile providers, wherein the outputting comprises notifying one or more searchers of the one or more mobile providers in a predetermined proximity based on a current position or a planned position of each of the respective one or more mobile providers.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the notifications further comprise one or more terms for receiving the lead and further comprising receiving an acceptance of the terms and outputting to the provider contact information for the searcher.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the terms comprise a fee.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the fee monotonically increases for each respective service provider that agrees to pay the fee.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the buyer profile further comprises a vertical and matching comprises:

applying a plurality of matching rules enabled for the vertical, wherein the matching rules include or exclude providers based on the buyer profile;

ranking providers based on a plurality of ranking rules enabled for the vertical wherein the ranking rules supply a weighted fitness value.

6. A computer-implemented method of determining matches between searchers and providers, comprising:

providing a buyer profile comprising a buyer type for a searcher on a computer;

providing a plurality of service provider profiles on the computer;

matching using the computer, one or more service providers based on the buyer type; and

outputting the matching service providers from the computer,

wherein each respective service provider profile comprises a plurality of weighted attribute values, and

wherein the matching comprises mapping each buyer type to a plurality of weighted attribute values and one or more weighted attributes have a numerical value within a specified range for the searcher and each respective service provider.

14. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

asking the searcher additional questions;

refining the weighted attributes to differ from the weighted attributes obtained from mapping the buyer type based on the additional questions.

16. The method of claim 6 wherein the provided buyer type is based on the searcher'"'"'s responses to a set of questions adapted to characterize the searcher as one of a plurality of a predetermined buyer types on the computer.

17. The method of claim 6 wherein the matching service providers is further based on feedback following interactions between searchers and service providers.

18. The method of claim 6 wherein the service provider profile comprises a service provider type.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the matching is based on matching the buyer type to the service provider type.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the feedback is filtered to feedback submitted by feedback parties with the same buyer type as the searcher.

21. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

using a mobile application to determine a service provider'"'"'s availability and/or capacity to take additional work within a given time period; and

matching is based on the service provider'"'"'s availability and/or capacity to take additional work within a given time period.

22. The method of claim 6 wherein the outputting comprises notifying one or more of the service providers of searcher leads in a predetermined proximity of a current position or a planned position of the one or more of the service providers, respectively.

23. The method of claim 6 wherein the outputting comprises notifying one or more searchers of one or more of the service providers in a predetermined proximity based on a current position or a planned position of the one or more of the service providers, respectively.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein the notifications further comprise one or more terms for receiving the lead and further comprising receiving an acceptance of the terms and outputting to the provider contact information for the searcher.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the terms comprise a fee.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the fee monotonically increases for each respective service provider that agrees to pay the fee.

27. The method of claim 6 wherein the buyer profile further comprises a vertical and matching comprises:

applying a plurality of matching rules enabled for the vertical, wherein the matching rules include or exclude providers based on the buyer profile;

ranking providers based on a plurality of ranking rules enabled for the vertical wherein the ranking rules supply a weighted fitness value.