System and method for using psychological significance pattern information for matching with target information

• US 20020029162A1
• Filed: 07/05/2001
• Published: 03/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Transporin, Inc
• Original Assignee: Altana Pharma AG (Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited)
• Inventors: Mascarenhas, Desmond
• Granted Patent: US 7,162,432 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/353 into predefined classes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0203 Market surveys; Market polls

Abstract

A computer-implemented system for creating a classification significance pattern for end users, and enabling end users to use their classification significance pattern to conduct custom searches for target information, such as information about products, services, and jobs, as well as enabling third parties, such as vendors and potential employers, to target their advertisements to groups of users meeting a certain classification. A classification significance pattern is created by having a user take a psychological test, for example, that includes a personality test, a design taste test, a recreation/travel test, a life satisfaction test, an interactive game module, or a career/job test, and having the system automatically score such test and classifying the user based on a defined abstract classification.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for matching a computer user with target information comprising the acts of;

a) creating a classification significance pattern for a user by using a psychological test wherein at least some of the user'"'"'s answers to test questions are used to derive the classification significance pattern for the user;

b) creating a classification index for the target information wherein the classification index can be matched to one or more elements of the classification significance pattern of the user; and

c) finding target data whose classification index matches one or more elements of the classification significance pattern of the user.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein the user does not make prior explicit disclosure of interest in the target information.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein the classification significance pattern contains data indicative of an archetype to which the user corresponds.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein the classification index of the target information contains data relating to an archetype to which the user may correspond.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein the target information is selected from one or more of the following categories:

job placement, opinion surveys, dating/matching services, travel, sports, entertainment, financial, biomedical, computers, software and networking.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein the psychological test used is a PTT.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1 comprising the additional act of receiving a request for target information from a user via the Internet or a data network wherein the request is made anonymously via a pseudonym.

8. A computer implemented method for matching a computer user with target information comprising the acts of;

a) creating a classification significance pattern for the user by using a psychological test wherein at least some of the user'"'"'s answers to test questions are used to derive the classification significance pattern for the user, and wherein the classification significance pattern contains data indicative of an archetype to which the user corresponds;

b) creating a classification index for the target information wherein the classification index can be matched to one or more elements of the classification significance pattern of the user; and

c) finding target data whose classification index matches one or more elements of the classification significance pattern of the user.

9. A computer implemented method for matching a computer user with target information comprising the acts of;

a) creating a classification significance pattern for the user by using a psychological test wherein at least some of the user'"'"'s answers to test questions are used to derive the classification significance pattern for the user, and wherein the classification significance pattern contains data indicative of an archetype to which the user corresponds;

b) creating a classification index for the target information wherein the classification index can be matched to one or more elements of the classification significance pattern of the user, and wherein the classification index of the target information contains data indicative of an archetype to which the user may correspond; and

c) finding target data whose classification index matches one or more elements of the classification significance pattern of the user.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 9 wherein the user does not make prior explicit disclosure of interest in the target information.

11. The computer implemented method of claim 9 wherein the target information is selected from one or more of the following categories:

job placement, opinion surveys, dating/matching services, travel, sports, entertainment, financial, biomedical, computers, software and networking.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 9 wherein the psychological test used is a PTT.

13. The computer implemented method of claim 9 comprising the additional act of receiving a request for target information from a user via the Internet or a data network wherein the request is made anonymously via a pseudonym.

15. The computer implemented method of claim 14 wherein the user does not make prior explicit disclosure of interest in the target information.

16. The computer implemented method of claim 14 wherein the psychological test used is a PTT.

17. The computer implemented method of claim 14 comprising the additional act of receiving a request for target information from a user via the Internet or a data network wherein the request is made anonymously via a pseudonym.

19. The computer implemented method of claim 18 wherein the user does not make prior explicit disclosure of interest in the target information.

20. The computer implemented method of claim 18 wherein the psychological test used is a PTT.

14. A computer implemented method for matching a computer user with target information comprising the acts of;

a) creating a classification significance pattern for the user by using a psychological test wherein at least some of the user'"'"'s answers to test questions are used to derive the classification significance pattern for the user, and wherein the classification significance pattern contains data indicative of an archetype to which the user corresponds;

b) creating a classification index for the target information wherein the classification index can be matched to one or more elements of the classification significance pattern of the user, and wherein the classification index of the target information contains data relating to an archetype to which the user may correspond;

c) finding target data whose classification index matches one or more elements of the classification significance pattern of the user; and

d) wherein the target information is selected from one or more of the following categories;

job placement, opinion surveys, dating/matching services, travel, sports, entertainment, financial, biomedical, computers, software and networking.

18. A computer implemented method for matching a computer user with target information comprising the acts of:

a) receiving a request for target information from a user via the Internet or a data network;

b) retrieving from a data base, a classification significance pattern for the user, wherein the classification significance pattern for the user was created by using at least some of the user'"'"'s answers to test questions from a psychological test, and wherein the classification significance pattern contains data indicative of an archetype to which the user corresponds;

c) using the classification significance pattern for the user to search a data base of target information; and

d) displaying for the user target information which matches one or more elements of the classification significance pattern for the user.

21. An apparatus for matching a computer user with target information comprising:

a) a computer server node in a network system, the computer server node having a first code mechanism configured to create a classification significance pattern for a user by using a psychological test wherein at least some of the user'"'"'s answers to test questions are used to derive the classification significance pattern for the user;

b) a data base system electronically coupled to the server node containing target information, the target information having at least one classification index for the target information wherein the classification index can be matched to one or more elements of the classification significance pattern of the user; and

c) a second code mechanism electronically coupled to the first code mechanism configured to find target data whose classification index matches one or more elements of the classification significance pattern of the user.

22. The apparatus for matching a computer user with target information of claim 21 wherein the classification significance pattern contains data indicative of an archetype to which the user corresponds.

23. The apparatus for matching a computer user with target information of claim 21 wherein the classification index of the target information contains data indicative of an archetype to which the user may correspond.

24. The apparatus for matching a computer user with target information of claim 21 wherein the target information is selected from one or more of the following categories:

job placement, opinion surveys, dating/matching services, travel, sports, entertainment, financial, biomedical, computers, software and networking.

25. The apparatus for matching a computer user with target information of claim 21 wherein the user can access the computer server node from a client computer device via the Internet.

26. The apparatus for matching a computer user with target information of claim 21 wherein the user can access the computer server node from a mobile computer communications device.

27. The apparatus for matching a computer user with target information of claim 21 wherein the user can access the computer server node anonymously via a pseudonym.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the user does not make a prior explicit disclosure of interest in the target information.

30. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the target information is selected from one or more of the following categories:

job placement, opinion surveys, dating/matching services, travel, sports, entertainment, financial, biomedical, computers, software and networking.

31. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the psychological test used is a PTT.

32. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the computer server node receives a request for target information from a user via the Internet or a data network

28. An apparatus for matching a computer user with target information comprising:

a) a computer server node in a network system, the computer server node having a first code mechanism configured to create a classification significance pattern for a user by using a psychological test wherein at least some of the user'"'"'s answers to test questions are used to derive the classification significance pattern for the user, and wherein the classification significance pattern contains data indicative of an archetype to which the user corresponds;

b) a data base system electronically coupled to the server node containing target information, the target information having at least one classification index for the target information wherein the classification index can be matched to one or more elements of the classification significance pattern of the user; and

c) a second code mechanism electronically coupled to the first code mechanism configured to find target data whose classification index matches one or more elements of the classification significance pattern of the user.

33. An apparatus for matching a computer user with target information comprising:

a) a client computer terminal for use in accessing at least one server system in a network, wherein the at least one server system can try to match a classification significance pattern for a user with a classification index associated with the target information, and wherein the classification significance pattern for the user was generated by using a psychological test wherein at least some of the user'"'"'s answers to test questions are used to derive the classification significance pattern for the user; and

b. a display device coupled electronically to the client computer terminal which can display for the user any matching target information which the at least one server system may have detected.

36. The computer program product of claim 35 wherein the user does not make a prior explicit disclosure of interest in the target information.

37. The computer program product of claim 35 wherein the target information is selected from one or more of the following categories:

job placement, opinion surveys, dating/matching services, travel, sports, entertainment, financial, biomedical, computers, software and networking.

38. The computer program product of claim 35 wherein the psychological test used is a PTT.

34. A computer program product embedded in a computer readable memory for matching a computer user with target information comprising:

a) a first code mechanism configured to create a classification significance pattern for a user by using a psychological test wherein at least some of the user'"'"'s answers to test questions are used to derive the classification significance pattern for the user, and wherein the classification significance pattern contains data indicative of an archetype to which the user corresponds;

b) a second code mechanism electronically coupled to the first code mechanism configured to create a classification index for the target information wherein the classification index can be matched to one or more elements of the classification significance pattern of the user; and

c) a third code mechanism electronically coupled to the first code mechanism configured to find target data whose classification index matches one or more elements of the classification significance pattern of the user.

35. A computer program product residing on a computer readable medium for matching a computer user with target information comprising:

a) a first code mechanism on a client computer terminal for use in accessing at least one server system in a network, wherein the at least one server system can try to match a classification significance pattern for a user with a classification index associated with the target information, and wherein the classification significance pattern for the user was generated by using a psychological test wherein at least some of the user'"'"'s answers to test questions are used to derive the classification significance pattern for the user; and

b. a second code mechanism in a display device coupled electronically to the client computer terminal which can display for the user any matching target information which the at least one server system may have detected.

39. An apparatus for matching a computer user with target information comprising:

a) a computer server node in a network system, the computer server node providing access to a computer user desiring target information;

b) a first data base electronically coupled to the server node containing a classification significance pattern for the computer user, wherein the classification significance pattern was created by using a psychological test wherein at least some of the computer user'"'"'s answers to test questions are used to derive the classification significance pattern for the computer user, and wherein the classification significance pattern contains data indicative of an archetype to which the computer user corresponds;

b) a second data base electronically coupled to the server node containing target information, the target information having at least one classification index for the target information wherein the classification index can be matched to one or more elements of the classification significance pattern of the user;

c) a first code mechanism in the server node electronically coupled to the first data base and to the second data base, the first code mechanism configured to find target data whose classification index matches one or more elements of the classification significance pattern of the user; and

d) a second code mechanism coupled electronically to the first code mechanism configured to display to the user any target information found to match one or more elements of the classification significance pattern of the user.

40. An apparatus for providing a user with target information comprising:

a) means for communicating electronically with the user;

b) means for relating a classification significance pattern to the user, wherein the classification significance pattern was created for the user by using a psychological test wherein at least some of the user'"'"'s answers to test questions were used to derive the classification significance pattern for the user, and wherein the classification significance pattern contains data indicative of an archetype to which the user corresponds;

c) means for searching a data base containing target information, the target information having at least one classification index which can be matched to one or more elements of the classification significance pattern of the user; and

d) means for displaying matching target information to the user.

41. A method for matching users with target information where said users do not make prior explicit disclosure of interest in said target information, comprising:

a) providing a psychological test for generating an abstract classification significance pattern from user responses where said psychological test measures a set of classifications;

b) administering said psychological test;

c) receiving user'"'"'s responses to said psychological test;

d) generating an abstract classification significance pattern based on said user'"'"'s responses; and

e) using said classification significance pattern to predict a user'"'"'s interest in target information.

42. A method as defined in claim 41 where said abstract classification significance pattern is not based on demographic attributes.

43. A method as defined in claim 41 where said target information is selected from one or more of the following categories:

job placement, opinion surveys, dating/matching services, travel, sports, entertainment, financial, biomedical, computers, software and networking.

44. A method as defined in claim 41 where said psychological test is a PTT.