Matching process system and method

• US 8,566,327 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2008
• Issued: 10/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Match Group, LLC (Match Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Match.com LLC (Match Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Carrico, Todd M., Hoskins, Kenneth B., Stone, James C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Choi, Yuk Ting
• Application Number:
  US12/339,301
• Publication Number:
  US 20090164464A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,768 Days
• Field of Search: 707/999.005, 707/736, 707/748, 705/319
• US Class Current: 707/748
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3331 Query processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/10 Services

Abstract

A method for profile matching includes receiving a plurality of user profiles, each user profile comprising traits of a respective user. The method includes receiving a preference indication for a first user profile of the plurality of user profiles. The method also includes determining a potential match user profile of the plurality of user profiles based on the preference indication for the first user profile. The method also includes presenting the potential match user profile to a second user.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for profile matching, comprising:

receiving a plurality of user profiles, each user profile comprising traits of a respective user;

receiving a request requesting matches, the request associated with a first user;

determining a first set of results in response to receiving the request, the first set of results comprising one or more of the plurality of user profiles;

receiving, from a second user, activity associated with a profile of a third user, the second user and the third user different than the first user;

determining a rating of the profile of the third user based on a number of times the profile of the third user was selected by users other than the first user;

identifying a profile of a fourth user from the plurality of user profiles in response to receiving the activity from the second user associated with the profile of the third user, the profile of the fourth user not in the first set of results;

determining a rating of the profile of the fourth user based on a number of times the profile of the fourth user was selected by users other than the first user;

comparing the rating of the profile of the third user with the rating of the profile of the fourth user;

determining a difference between a preference associated with the first user and a characteristic included in the profile of the fourth user;

reducing an impact of the difference between the preference associated with the first user and the characteristic included in the profile of the fourth user;

adding the profile of the fourth user to the first set of results in response to comparing the rating of the profile of the third user with the rating of the profile of the fourth user and in response to reducing the impact of the difference between the preference associated with the first user and the characteristic included in the profile of the fourth user; and

providing the profile of the fourth user to the first user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving, from the second user, activity associated with the profile of the third user comprises receiving from the second user a recommendation of the profile of the third user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the profile of the fourth user from the plurality of user profiles comprises identifying commonality between the profile of the fourth user and the profile of the third user.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining a readability score associated with the profile of the third user;

determining a readability score associated with the profile of the fourth user; and

wherein identifying commonality between the profile of the fourth user and the profile of the third user comprises comparing the readability score associated with the profile of the third user to the readability score associated with the profile of the fourth user.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein identifying commonality between the profile of the fourth user and the profile of the third user comprises comparing fate characteristics of the profile of the third user to fate characteristics of the profile of the fourth user.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, are configured to:

receive a plurality of user profiles, each user profile comprising traits of a respective user;

receive a request requesting matches from a first user, the first user associated with a first user profile;

determine a first set of results in response to receiving the request for matches, the first set of results comprising one or more of the plurality of user profiles;

receive, from a second user, activity associated with a profile of a third user, the second user and the third user different than the first user;

determine a rating of the profile of the third user based on a number of times the profile of the third user was selected by users other than the first user;

identify a profile of a fourth user from the plurality of user profiles in response to receiving the activity from the second user associated with the profile of the third user, the profile of the fourth user not in the first set of results;

determine a rating of the profile of the fourth user based on a number of times the profile of the fourth user was selected by users other than the first user;

compare the rating of the profile of the third user with the rating of the profile of the fourth user;

determine a difference between a preference associated with the first user and a characteristic included in the profile of the fourth user;

reduce an impact of the difference between the preference associated with the first user and the characteristic included in the profile of the fourth user;

add the profile of the fourth user to the first set of results in response to comparing the rating of the profile of the third user with the rating of the profile of the fourth user and in response to reducing the impact of the difference between the preference associated with the first user and the characteristic included in the profile of the fourth user; and

provide to the first user the profile of the fourth user to the first user.

7. The medium of claim 6, wherein the instructions configured to receive, from the second user, activity associated with the profile of the third user comprise instructions configured to receive, from the second user, a recommendation of the profile of the third user.

8. The medium of claim 6, wherein the instructions configured to identify the profile of the fourth user from the plurality of user profiles comprise instructions configured to identify commonality between the profile of the fourth user and the profile of the third user.

9. The medium of claim 8, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, are further configured to:

determine a readability score associated with the profile of the third user;

determine a readability score associated with the profile of the fourth user; and

wherein the instructions configured to identify commonality between the profile of the fourth user and the profile of the third user comprise instructions configured to compare the readability score associated with the profile of the third user to the readability score associated with the profile of the fourth user.

10. The medium of claim 8, wherein the instructions configured to identify commonality between the profile of the fourth user and the profile of the third user comprise instructions configured to compare fate characteristics of the profile of the third user to fate characteristics of the profile of the fourth user.

11. A system for profile matching, comprising:

an interface operable to;

receive a plurality of user profiles, each user profile comprising traits of a respective user;

receive a request requesting matches, the request associated with a first user;

receive, from a second user, activity associated with a profile of a third user, the second user different than the first user; and

a processor coupled to the interface and operable to;

determine a first set of results in response to receiving the request, the first set of results comprising one or more of the plurality of user profiles;

determine a rating of the profile of the third user based on a number of times the profile of the third user was selected by users other than the first user;

identify a profile of a fourth user from the plurality of user profiles in response to receiving the activity from the second user associated with the profile of the third user, the profile of the fourth user not in the first set of results;

determine a rating of the profile of the fourth user based on a number of times the profile of the fourth user was selected by users other than the first user;

compare the rating of the profile of the third user with the rating of the profile of the fourth user;

determine a difference between a preference associated with the first user and a characteristic included in the profile of the fourth user;

reduce an impact of the difference between the preference associated with the first user and the characteristic included in the profile of the fourth user;

add the profile of the fourth user to the first set of results in response to comparing the rating of the profile of the third user with the rating of the profile of the fourth user and in response to reducing the impact of the difference between the preference associated with the first user and the characteristic included in the profile of the fourth user; and

the interface further operable to provide the profile of the fourth user to the first user.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the interface is operable to receive, from the second user, activity associated with the profile of the third user by receiving from the second user a recommendation of the profile of the third user.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is operable to identify the profile of the fourth user from the plurality of user profiles by identifying commonality between the profile of the fourth user and the profile of the third user.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further operable to:

determine a readability score associated with the profile of the third user;

determine a readability score associated with the profile of the fourth user; and

wherein the processor is operable to identify commonality between the profile of the fourth user and the profile of the third user by comparing the readability score associated with the profile of the third user to the readability score associated with the profile of the fourth user.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is operable to identify commonality between the profile of the fourth user and the profile of the third user by comparing fate characteristics of the profile of the third user to fate characteristics of the profile of the fourth user.