Goal-oriented user matching among social networking environments

• US 9,298,826 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2012
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Coldicott, Peter A., Lane, Eoin, McCormick, Brendan J., Selvage, Mei Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Hosain
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAN, TUANKHANH D
• Application Number:
  US13/344,042
• Publication Number:
  US 20130179438A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,545 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/22 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2455 Query execution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9038 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide an approach for goal-based user matching among social networking environments. In a typical embodiment, a querying user is asked to respond to a series of questions related to goals, criteria, and criteria priorities (and, optionally, a desired “degree” of separation among other users). The querying user will submit his/her responses, which are then parsed and prioritized accordingly. Based on the responses, social networking sites are then searched to identify a set (e.g., at least one) of candidate users that are potential collaboration partners with the querying user. This set of candidate users may be arranged in a list and sorted according to a best match to the querying user'"'"'s responses. The list can then be provided to the querying user. In addition, invites can be sent to the set of candidate users to invite such users to connect/collaborate with the querying user.

Claims

1. A method for matching users among social networking environments, the method comprising:

a processor receiving one or more goals from a querying user and storing the one or more goals in an electronic storage medium;

the processor providing one or more selection criteria to the querying user, the selection criteria relating to attributes of a desired set of candidate users to collaborate with the querying user;

the processor receiving a response to at least one of the one or more selection criteria and storing the response in the electronic storage medium;

the processor receiving, from the querying user, a desired degree of social network separation between the querying user and the desired set of candidate users to collaborate with the querying user in achieving the one or more goals;

the processor weighting one or more selection criteria relative to one another;

the processor prioritizing the one or more selection criteria based on a corresponding weight derived from the weighting;

the processor searching a set of social networks based on the set of goals, the prioritized selection criteria, and the desired degree of social network separation, for a set of candidate users;

the processor ranking the set of candidate users based on a likelihood of each candidate user in the set of candidate users matching the set of goals and the response; and

the processor sending a collaboration invitation to at least one candidate user in the set of candidate users matching the set of goals and the response;

wherein the social networking environment comprises a set of nodes each corresponding to one user of a set of users, and each of the set of nodes being connected to other nodes of the set of nodes by at least one network to form the social networking environment; and

wherein the desired degree of social network separation comprises a numerical indicator of a maximum number of connected nodes between a node corresponding to the querying user and a set of nodes corresponding to the set of candidate users.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the selection criteria comprises experience, expertise, and company of employment.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the processor sending a list identifying the set of candidate users to the querying user.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the processor including on the list a reason as to why each candidate user was selected.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the processor connecting the querying user and the least one candidate user in response to the sending of the set of collaboration invites.

6. A system for matching users among social networking environments, the system comprising:

a bus;

a computer-readable storage device coupled to the bus;

a processor coupled to the bus;

program instructions, stored on the computer-readable storage device for execution by the processor, to receive one or more goals from a querying user and store the one or more goals in an electronic storage medium;

program instructions, stored on the computer-readable storage device for execution by the processor, to provide one or more selection criteria to the querying user, the selection criteria relating to attributes of a desired set of candidate users to collaborate with the querying user to collaborate with the querying user;

program instructions, stored on the computer-readable storage device for execution by the processor, to receive a response to at least one of the one or more selection criteria and store the response in the electronic storage medium;

program instructions, stored on the computer-readable storage device, for execution by the processor, to receive, from the querying user, a desired degree of social network separation between the querying user and the desired set of candidate users to collaborate with the querying user in achieving the one or more goals;

program instructions, stored on the computer-readable storage device for execution by the processor, to weight one or more selection criteria relative to one another;

program instructions, stored on the computer-readable storage device for execution by the processor, to prioritize the one or more selection criteria based on a corresponding weight derived from the weighting;

program instructions, stored on the computer-readable storage device for execution by the processor, to search a set of social networks based on the set of goals, the prioritized selection criteria, and the desired degree of social network separation, for a set of candidate users to collaborate with the querying user in achieving the one or more goals;

program instructions, stored on the computer-readable storage device for execution by the processor, to rank the set of candidate users based on a likelihood of each candidate user in the set of candidate users matching the set of goals and the response; and

program instructions, stored on the computer-readable storage device for execution by the processor, to send a collaboration invitation to at least one candidate user in the set of candidate users matching the set of goals and the response;

wherein the social networking environment comprises a set of nodes each corresponding to one user of a set of users, and each of the set of nodes being connected to other nodes of the set of nodes by at least one network to form the social networking environment; and

wherein the desired degree of social network separation comprises a numerical indicator of a maximum number of connected nodes between a node corresponding to the querying user and a set of nodes corresponding to the set of candidate users.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the selection criteria comprises experience, expertise, and company of employment.

8. The system of claim 6, further comprising program instructions, stored on the computer-readable storage device for execution by the processor, to send a list identifying the set of candidate users to the querying user.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising program instructions, stored on the computer-readable storage device for execution by the processor, to include on the list a reason as to why each candidate user was selected.

10. The system of claim 6, further comprising program instructions, stored on the computer-readable storage device for execution by the processor, to connect the querying user and the least one candidate user in response to the sending of the set of collaboration invites.

11. A computer program product for matching users among social networking environments, the computer program product comprising:

a memory storage device;

program instructions, stored on the memory storage device, to-receive one or more goals from a querying user and store the one or more goals in an electronic storage medium;

program instructions, stored on the memory storage device, to provide one or more selection criteria to the querying user, the selection criteria relating to attributes of a desired set of candidate users to collaborate with the querying user;

program instructions, stored on the memory storage device, to-receive a response to at least one of the one or more selection criteria and store the response in the electronic storage medium;

program instructions, stored on the memory storage device, to receive, from the querying user, a desired degree of social network separation between the querying user and the desired set of candidate users to collaborate with the querying user in achieving the one or more goals;

program instructions, stored on the memory storage device, to weight one or more selection criteria relative to one another;

program instructions, stored on the memory storage device, to-prioritize the one or more selection criteria based on a corresponding weight derived from the weighting;

program instructions, stored on the memory storage device, to search a set of social networks based on the set of goals, the prioritized selection criteria, and the desired degree of social network separation, for a set of candidate users to collaborate with the querying user in achieving the one or more goals;

program instructions, stored on the memory storage device, to rank the set of candidate users based on a likelihood of each candidate user in the set of candidate users matching the set of goals and the response; and

program instructions, stored on the memory storage device, to send a collaboration invitation to at least one candidate user in the set of candidate users matching the set of goals and the response;

wherein the social networking environment comprises a set of nodes each corresponding to one user of a set of users, and each of the set of nodes being connected to other nodes of the set of nodes by at least one network to form the social networking environment; and

wherein the desired degree of social network separation comprises a numerical indicator of a maximum number of connected nodes between a node corresponding to the querying user and a set of nodes corresponding to the set of candidate users.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the selection criteria comprises experience, expertise, and company of employment.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising program instructions, stored on the memory storage device, to send a list identifying the set of candidate users to the querying user.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, further comprising program instructions, stored on the computer-readable storage device, which when executed by the computing device cause the computing device, to include on the list a reason as to why each candidate user was selected.

15. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising program instructions, stored on the memory storage device, to connect the querying user and the least one candidate user in response to the sending of the set of collaboration invites.

16. A method for deploying a system for matching users among social networking environments, the method comprising:

a computer system providing a computer infrastructure being operable to;

receive one or more goals from a querying user and store the one or more goals in an electronic storage medium;

provide one or more selection criteria to the querying user, the selection criteria relating to attributes of a desired set of candidate users to collaborate with the querying user;

receive a response to at least one of the one or more selection criteria and store the response in the electronic storage medium;

receive, from the querying user, a desired degree of social network separation between the querying user and the desired set of candidate users to collaborate with the querying user in achieving the one or more goals;

weight one or more selection criteria relative to one another;

prioritize the one or more selection criteria based on a corresponding weight derived from the weighting;

search a set of social networks based on the set of goals, the prioritized selection criteria, and the desired degree of social network separation, for a set of candidate users to collaborate with the querying user in achieving the one or more goals;

rank the set of candidate users based on a likelihood of each candidate user in the set of candidate users matching the set of goals and the response; and

send a collaboration invitation to at least one candidate user in the set of candidate users matching the set of goals and the response;

wherein the social networking environment comprises a set of nodes each corresponding to one user of a set of users, and each of the set of nodes being connected to other nodes of the set of nodes by at least one network to form the social networking environment; and

wherein the desired degree of social network separation comprises a numerical indicator of a maximum number of connected nodes between a node corresponding to the querying user and a set of nodes corresponding to the set of candidate users.