Utilizing attributes of users to cluster users at a waypoint

• US 10,102,296 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2015
• Issued: 10/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Buck, Alexander J., Cabral, Alyson T., Weinmeister, Karl J., White Eagle, Brian L., Xenidis, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Ortiz Ditren, Belix M
• Application Number:
  US14/669,184
• Publication Number:
  US 20160283578A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,300 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries

Abstract

A method, system and computer program product for assisting a user to meet with other users with complementary attributes. Attributes (e.g., likes, dislikes) of a user, such as a user of a mobile device, are received to populate a profile of the user. The user attributes of profiles of actively participating users that are located in a geographic area are analyzed with respect to the attributes of the user to identify other users with complementary profiles. Those users with complementary profiles as the user are clustered to form a “cluster” at a designated waypoint. Directions are then provided to the user to reach the designated waypoint to meet the other users of the same cluster. In this manner, the user is able to meet other users in the physical world with complementary interests and experiences at a designated waypoint.

Claims

1. A method for assisting a user to meet with other users with complementary attributes, the method comprising:

receiving attributes of a user to populate a profile of said user;

analyzing user attributes of profiles of actively participating users that are located in a geographic area with respect to said attributes of said user to determine other users with profiles complementary with said user'"'"'s profile;

clustering, by said processor, said user and said other users with profiles complementary with said user'"'"'s profile to form a cluster at a designated waypoint;

assigning said user and said other users to said cluster;

providing directions to said user to reach said designated waypoint to meet with said other users of said cluster;

generating questions for said user to ask said other users assigned to said cluster based on attributes of profiles of said other users and said user assigned to said cluster; and

displaying said generated questions to said user.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

determining a current location of said other users and said user assigned to said cluster; and

displaying a density of users assigned to said cluster in said geographic area.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 further comprising:

displaying an updated density of users assigned to said cluster in said geographic area after a period of time elapses.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

monitoring a duration of time said user participates in meeting with said other users of said cluster at said designated waypoint;

determining a success of assigning said user to said cluster based on said duration of time said user participates in meeting with said other users of said cluster at said designated waypoint; and

assigning a weight to an algorithm for assigning said user to said cluster based on said success of assigning said user to said cluster.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said directions are provided to said user visually, auditorily or tactilely.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein multiple clusters form a group with multiple waypoints, wherein each of said multiple clusters is associated with a unique waypoint.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein said multiple clusters converge into a single cluster thereby having said multiple waypoints converge to a single waypoint.

8. A computer program product for assisting a user to meet with other users with complementary attributes, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program code embodied therewith, the program code comprising the programming instructions for:

receiving attributes of a user to populate a profile of said user;

analyzing user attributes of profiles of actively participating users that are located in a geographic area with respect to said attributes of said user to determine other users with profiles complementary with said user'"'"'s profile;

clustering said user and said other users with profiles complementary with said user'"'"'s profile to form a cluster at a designated waypoint;

assigning said user and said other users to said cluster;

providing directions to said user to reach said designated waypoint to meet with said other users of said cluster;

generating questions for said user to ask said other users assigned to said cluster based on attributes of profiles of said other users and said user assigned to said cluster; and

displaying said generated questions to said user.

9. The computer program product as recited in claim 8, wherein the program code further comprises the programming instructions for:

determining a current location of said other users and said user assigned to said cluster; and

displaying a density of users assigned to said cluster in said geographic area.

10. The computer program product as recited in claim 8, wherein the program code further comprises the programming instructions for:

monitoring a duration of time said user participates in meeting with said other users of said cluster at said designated waypoint;

determining a success of assigning said user to said cluster based on said duration of time said user participates in meeting with said other users of said cluster at said designated waypoint; and

assigning a weight to an algorithm for assigning said user to said cluster based on said success of assigning said user to said cluster.

11. The computer program product as recited in claim 8, wherein said directions are provided to said user visually, auditorily or tactilely.

12. The computer program product as recited in claim 8, wherein multiple clusters form a group with multiple waypoints, wherein each of said multiple clusters is associated with a unique waypoint, wherein said multiple clusters converge into a single cluster thereby having said multiple waypoints converge to a single waypoint.

13. A system, comprising:

a memory unit for storing a computer program for assisting a user to meet with other users with complementary attributes; and

a processor coupled to the memory unit, wherein the processor is configured to execute the program instructions of the computer program comprising;

receiving attributes of a user to populate a profile of said user;

analyzing user attributes of profiles of actively participating users that are located in a geographic area with respect to said attributes of said user to determine other users with profiles complementary with said user'"'"'s profile;

clustering said user and said other users with profiles complementary with said user'"'"'s profile to form a cluster at a designated waypoint;

assigning said user and said other users to said cluster;

providing directions to said user to reach said designated waypoint to meet with said other users of said cluster;

generating questions for said user to ask said other users assigned to said cluster based on attributes of profiles of said other users and said user assigned to said cluster; and

displaying said generated questions to said user.

14. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein the program instructions of the computer program further comprises:

determining a current location of said other users and said user assigned to said cluster; and

displaying a density of users assigned to said cluster in said geographic area.

15. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein the program instructions of the computer program further comprises:

monitoring a duration of time said user participates in meeting with said other users of said cluster at said designated waypoint;

determining a success of assigning said user to said cluster based on said duration of time said user participates in meeting with said other users of said cluster at said designated waypoint; and

assigning a weight to an algorithm for assigning said user to said cluster based on said success of assigning said user to said cluster.

16. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein said directions are provided to said user visually, auditorily or tactilely.

17. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein multiple clusters form a group with multiple waypoints, wherein each of said multiple clusters is associated with a unique waypoint, wherein said multiple clusters converge into a single cluster thereby having said multiple waypoints converge to a single waypoint.