System and method for providing calendar and speed dating features for matching users in a network environment

• US 9,413,845 B2
• Filed: 04/24/2013
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Match Group, LLC (Match Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Match.com LLC (Match Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bustamente, Michael G.
• Primary Examiner(s): MIRZA, ADNAN M
• Application Number:
  US13/869,912
• Publication Number:
  US 20130232213A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,203 Days
• Field of Search: 709/205, 709/206
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1095 Meeting or appointment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/37 E-mail addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/385 Uniform resource identifier for session initiation protocol [SIP URI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2596 Translation of addresses of the same type other than IP, e.g. translation from MAC to MAC addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/301 Name conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0421 Anonymous communication, i.e. the party's identifiers are hidden from the other party or parties, e.g. using an anonymizer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications

Abstract

A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes receiving a request at a communication broker for a communication session to involve a first endpoint and a second endpoint, where the communication broker includes a processor and a memory element. The method may also include evaluating first calendar information for a first end user associated with the first endpoint and second calendar information for a second end user associated with the second endpoint. The method may also include reconciling the first calendar information with the second calendar information to provide a time slot for the communication session. Additionally, the method may include mapping first end user data to a first identity associated with the first end user, where the second endpoint is shown the first identity, and where the first end user data associated with the first endpoint is hidden from being shown to the second endpoint.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a request at a communication broker for an electronic dating session to involve a first endpoint and a second endpoint, wherein the communication broker includes a processor and a memory element, and wherein the first endpoint is associated with a first end user and the second endpoint is associated with a second end user, both the first end user and the second end user are members of an online community associated with a matching service, and the first end user is associated with first end user data that personally identifies the first end user;

evaluating first calendar information for the first end user and second calendar information for the second end user;

reconciling the first calendar information with the second calendar information to provide a time slot for the electronic dating session; and

maintaining anonymity of the first end user data by mapping the first end user data to a first identity associated with the first end user, wherein the second endpoint is shown the first identity, and wherein the first end user data associated with the first endpoint is hidden from being shown to the second endpoint.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first end user data to be hidden includes a selected one of a group of elements, the group consisting of:

a) an e-mail address associated with the first end user;

b) a phone number associated with the first end user;

c) an Internet protocol (IP) address associated with the first end user;

d) an endpoint identifier associated with the first endpoint; and

e) a location associated with the first end user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second end user is associated with second end user data that personally identifies the second end user, and further comprising:

maintaining anonymity of the second end user data by mapping the second end user data to a second identity associated with the second end user, wherein the first endpoint is shown the second identity, and wherein the second end user data associated with the second endpoint is hidden from being shown to the first endpoint.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

rendering a single aggregated calendar to the first endpoint, wherein the aggregated calendar displays calendar availability data associated with the first end user and the second end user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication broker is to establish a first network connection associated with the first endpoint and a second network connection associated with second endpoint at the time slot.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic dating session is a selected one of a group of electronic dating session types, the group consisting of:

a) a video session;

b) a voice call;

c) a Skype call;

d) a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) call;

e) a short messaging service (SMS) session;

f) an email; and

g) a texting session.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accessing a first profile associated with the first end user, wherein the first profile includes the first calendar information.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first endpoint is a selected one of a group of endpoints, the group consisting of:

a) a personal computer;

b) a laptop computer;

c) a smartphone;

d) a personal digital assistant;

e) an Internet Protocol (IP) telephone; and

f) a tablet computer.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein certain content input by the first end user onto a first calendar associated with the first end user is prohibited from being shown to other users belonging to an online community to which the first end user is a part.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the request is associated with a previous speed-dating event associated with the online community that subscribes to the matching service, and wherein the matching service is a fee-based matching service.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the time slot is designated for a particular time interval that is correlated to a bandwidth characteristic for the electronic dating session.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein a session initiation protocol (SIP) is used in order to retrieve presence data associated with the first end user.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein business rules are used in order to determine whether the electronic dating session should be permitted between the first end user and the second end user, and wherein at least one of the business rules involves verifying whether the first end user and the second end user have paid a certain fee associated with the matching service.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein at least one of the business rules verifies whether a block has been placed on either of the first end user or the second end user, and wherein the block is associated with prohibiting certain communications.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prompting the second endpoint to respond to the request in order to initiate the electronic dating session.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication broker provides at least one piece of software to the first endpoint to facilitate the electronic dating session.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the first calendar information is provided in a first profile associated with the first end user, and wherein at least a portion of the profile is available to be viewed by a plurality of end users in the online community associated with the matching service, and wherein the matching service is a fee-based matching service.

18. A communication broker, comprising:

a processor and a memory element, wherein the communication broker is configured to;

receive a request for an electronic dating session to involve a first endpoint and a second endpoint, wherein the first endpoint is associated with a first end user and the second endpoint is associated with a second end user, both the first end user and the second end user are members of an online community associated with a matching service, and the first end user is associated with first end user data that personally identifies the first end user;

evaluate first calendar information for the first end user and second calendar information for the second end user;

reconcile the first calendar information with the second calendar information to provide a time slot for the electronic dating session; and

maintain anonymity of the first end user data by mapping the first end user data to a first identity associated with the first end user, wherein the second endpoint is shown the first identity, and wherein the first end user data associated with the first endpoint is hidden from being shown to the second endpoint.

19. Logic encoded in one or more non-transitory tangible media that includes code for execution and when executed by a processor is operable to perform operations comprising:

receiving a request at an communication broker for an electronic dating session to involve a first endpoint and a second endpoint, wherein the communication broker includes a processor and a memory element, and wherein the first endpoint is associated with a first end user and the second endpoint is associated with a second end user, both the first end user and the second end user are members of an online community associated with a matching service, and the first end user is associated with first end user data that personally identifies the first end user;

evaluating first calendar information for the first end user and second calendar information for the second end user;

reconciling the first calendar information with the second calendar information to provide a time slot for the electronic dating session, wherein the reconciling occurs in advance of the time slot and the time slot is a future time slot at which the first end user and the second end user are mutually available; and

maintaining anonymity of the first end user data by mapping the first end user data to a first identity associated with the first end user, wherein the second endpoint is shown the first identity, and wherein the first end user data associated with the first endpoint is hidden from being shown to the second endpoint.