Apparatus and method for matching individuals during an ephemeral time period based upon voting and matching criteria

• US 11,012,387 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2018
• Issued: 05/18/2021
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bumble Ip Holdco LLC (Bumble Holdings, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Ami Holdings Limited (Bumble Holdings, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kneeland, John, Copping, Benedict
• Primary Examiner(s): Abu Roumi, Mahran Y
• Application Number:
  US16/175,323
• Publication Number:
  US 20200137007A1
• Time in Patent Office: 931 Days
• Field of Search: 709206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services

Abstract

A computer implemented method includes supplying to a client device prompts for a first individual to provide a vote for a preference of the first individual. The preference relates to an activity during an ephemeral time period. The vote is collected. Matches between the first individual and a pool of individuals are generated based upon common votes and matching criteria. The matches are supplied to the client device. A match acceptance for a second individual is collected from the client device. Network communication is enabled between the first individual and the second individual.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method, comprising:

supplying to a client device data for display on a graphical user interface, the data including prompts for a first individual to provide a vote for a preference that relates to an activity during an ephemeral time period;

receiving the vote from the client device;

generating matches between the first individual and one or more individuals from a pool of individuals based upon common votes and matching criteria associated with the first individual, the common votes representing a corresponding preference indicated by the vote from the first individual and votes of the one or more individuals from the pool of individuals, and the matching criteria specifying one or more characteristics of one or more individuals from the pool of individuals,

wherein generating the matches includes applying respective weights to the common votes and the matching criteria, including;

during the ephemeral time period, applying a weight to the common votes that is greater than a weight applied to the matching criteria; and

after the ephemeral time period, applying a weight to the matching criteria that is greater than a weight applied to the common votes;

supplying to the client device data for display on the graphical user interface, the data including the matches and prompts for the first individual to accept or decline the matches;

receiving a match acceptance from the client device for a second individual;

in response to receiving the match acceptance, enabling network communication by a messaging system between the first individual and the second individual for the ephemeral time period; and

automatically disabling the network communication by the messaging system after the ephemeral time period expires.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the vote is collected from a gesture applied to the client device.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 2, wherein the gesture is collected from a screen tap in a graphical user interface supplied to the client device.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising modifying the weight applied to the common votes and the weight applied to the matching criteria after the ephemeral time period expires.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the client device is a mobile device.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the messaging system is configured to display an image associated with the first individual or the second individual.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising sending a push notification to the client device with the prompts for a first individual to provide the vote for a preference that relates to the activity during the ephemeral time period.

8. A system, comprising:

one or more processors; and

a computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations including;

supplying to a client device data for display on a graphical user interface, the data including prompts for a first individual to provide a vote for a preference that relates to an activity during an ephemeral time period;

receiving the vote from the client device;

generating matches between the first individual and one or more individuals from a pool of individuals based upon common votes and matching criteria associated with the first individual, the common votes representing a corresponding preference indicated by the vote from the first individual and votes of the one or more individuals from the pool of individuals, and the matching criteria specifying one or more characteristics of one or more individuals from the pool of individuals,

wherein generating the matches includes applying respective weights to the common votes and the matching criteria, including;

during the ephemeral time period, applying a weight to the common votes that is greater than a weight applied to the matching criteria; and

after the ephemeral time period, applying a weight to the matching criteria that is greater than a weight applied to the common votes;

supplying to the client device data for display on the graphical user interface, the data including the matches and prompts for the first individual to accept or decline the matches;

receiving a match acceptance from the client device for a second individual;

in response to receiving the match acceptance, enabling network communication by a messaging system between the first individual and the second individual for the ephemeral time period; and

automatically disabling the network communication by the messaging system after the ephemeral time period expires.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the vote is collected from a gesture applied to the client device.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the gesture is collected from a screen tap in a graphical user interface supplied to the client device.

11. The system of claim 8, further comprising modifying the weight applied to the common votes and the weight applied to the matching criteria after the ephemeral time period expires.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the client device is a mobile device.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the messaging system is configured to display an image associated with the first individual or the second individual.

14. The system of claim 8, further comprising sending a push notification to the client device with the prompts for a first individual to provide the vote for a preference that relates to the activity during the ephemeral time period.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

supplying to a client device data for display on a graphical user interface, the data including prompts for a first individual to provide a vote for a preference that relates to an activity during an ephemeral time period;

receiving the vote from the client device;

generating matches between the first individual and one or more individuals from a pool of individuals based upon common votes and matching criteria associated with the first individual, the common votes representing a corresponding preference indicated by the vote from the first individual and votes of the one or more individuals from the pool of individuals, and the matching criteria specifying one or more characteristics of one or more individuals from the pool of individuals,

wherein generating the matches includes applying respective weights to the common votes and the matching criteria, including;

during the ephemeral time period, applying a weight to the common votes that is greater than a weight applied to the matching criteria; and

after the ephemeral time period, applying a weight to the matching criteria that is greater than a weight applied to the common votes;

supplying to the client device data for display on the graphical user interface, the data including the matches and prompts for the first individual to accept or decline the matches;

receiving a match acceptance from the client device for a second individual;

in response to receiving the match acceptance, enabling network communication by a messaging system between the first individual and the second individual for the ephemeral time period; and

automatically disabling the network communication by the messaging system after the ephemeral time period expires.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the vote is collected from a gesture applied to the client device.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the gesture is collected from a screen tap in a graphical user interface supplied to the client device.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 storing instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising modifying the weight applied to the common votes and the weight applied to the matching criteria after the ephemeral time period expires.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the messaging system is configured to display an image associated with the first individual or the second individual.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 storing instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising sending a push notification to the client device with the prompts for a first individual to provide the vote for a preference that relates to the activity during the ephemeral time period.