System And Method For Matching Using Location Information

• US 20130090130A1
• Filed: 10/11/2011
• Published: 04/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Match Group, LLC (Match Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Match.com LLC (Match Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dubey, Sharmistha, Schneider, Anna M., Burrell, Robinne, Henderson, Shane, Dorsett, Deryl
• Granted Patent: US 10,149,267 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 2001/085 Partner search devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method executed by at least one processor includes receiving first historical location information identifying a first location area at which a first user was present at a first time and receiving second location information identifying a second location area at which a second user was present at a second time. The method includes determining that the first historical location information and the second location information each correspond to a particular location area and determining that a characteristic related to the first user corresponds to a preference related to the second user. In response to these determinations, the method includes causing information related to the first user to be presented to the second user. The information related to the first user includes the first location area of the first user relative to the second location area of the second user.

Claims

1. A method executed by at least one processor comprising the steps of:

receiving first historical location information identifying a first location area at which a first user was present at a first time;

receiving second location information identifying a second location area at which a second user was present at a second time;

determining that the first historical location information and the second location information each correspond to a particular location area;

determining that a characteristic related to the first user corresponds to a preference related to the second user;

in response to determining that the first historical location information and the second location information each correspond to the particular location area and in response to determining that the characteristic related to the first user corresponds to the preference related to the second user, causing information related to the first user to be presented to the second user, the information related to the first user comprising the first location area of the first user relative to the second location area of the second user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the first historical location information and the second location information each correspond to the particular location area comprises determining that the first historical location information and the second location information each correspond to a particular location type.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein causing information related to the first user to be presented to the second user comprises causing information related to the first user to be presented to the second user in response to determining that the difference between the second time and the first time is less than a time threshold, the information related to the first user comprising the particular location type.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the first historical location information and the second location information each correspond to the same location area comprises comparing the first historical location information and the second location information to a database, the database correlating location information with points-of-interest.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving information indicating preferred location information of the second user;

receiving third location information related to a third user;

comparing the third location information to the preferred location information;

in response to comparing the third location information to the preferred location information, causing information related to the third user to be presented to the second user.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving sets of historical location information, each set of historical location information related to a respective user of a plurality of users;

determining a plurality of places based on the sets of historical location information;

determining a number of users associated with a first place of the plurality of places based on the sets of historical location information;

receiving third location information related to the second user;

comparing the plurality of places to the third location information; and

in response to comparing the plurality of places to the third location information, causing the first place and the number of users associated with the first place to be presented to the second user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second location information is passively sent from a device associated with the second user after the second user arrives at a location associated with the second location information.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first historical location information and the second location information are determined to each correspond to the particular location area in response to determining that a difference between the first historical location information and the second location information is less than a distance threshold.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein causing the notification to be presented to the second user comprises causing the notification to be presented to the second user in response to determining that the difference between the second time and the first time is greater than a time threshold.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification comprises information related to a difference between the second time and the first time.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification comprises information related to a distance calculated using the first historical location information and the second location information.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the first historical location information and the second location information each correspond to the same location area comprises determining that the first historical location information and the second location information each correspond to a particular business.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein causing the notification to be presented to the second user comprises causing the notification to be presented to the second user in response to determining that the difference between the second time and the first time is less than a time threshold.

14. A system comprising:

an interface configured to;

receive first historical location information identifying a first location area at which a first user was present at a first time; and

receive second location information identifying a second location area at which a second user was present at second time; and

at least one processor configured to;

determine that the first historical location information and the second location information each correspond to a particular location area;

determine that a characteristic related to the first user corresponds to a preference related to the second user; and

in response to determining that the first historical location information and the second location information each correspond to the particular location area and in response to determining that the characteristic related to the first user corresponds to the preference related to the second user, cause information related to the first user to be presented to the second user, the information related to the first user comprising the first location area of the first user relative to the second location area of the second user.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine that the first historical location information and the second location information each correspond to the particular location area by determining that the first historical location information and the second location information each correspond to a particular location type.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause information related to the first user to be presented to the second user in response to determining that the difference between the second time and the first time is less than a time threshold, the information related to the first user comprising the particular location type

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine that the first historical location information and the second location information each correspond to the same location area by comparing the first historical location information and the second location information to a database, the database correlating location information with points-of-interest.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the interface is further configured to;

receive information indicating preferred location information of the second user; and

receive third location information related to a third user; and

the at least one processor is further configured to;

compare the third location information to the preferred location information; and

in response to comparing the third location information to the preferred location information, cause information related to the third user to be presented to the second user.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the interface is further configured to;

receive sets of historical location information, each set of historical location information related to a respective user of a plurality of users; and

receive third location information related to the second user; and

the at least one processor is further configured to;

determine a plurality of places based on the sets of historical location information;

determine a number of users associated with a first place of the plurality of places based on the sets of historical location information;

compare the plurality of places to the third location information; and

in response to comparing the plurality of places to the third location information, cause the first place and the number of users associated with the first place to be presented to the second user.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the second location information is passively sent from a device associated with the second user after the second user arrives at a location associated with the second location information.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine that the first historical location information and the second location information correspond to the particular location area in response to determining that a difference between the first historical location information and the second location information is less than a distance threshold.

22. The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause the notification to be presented to the second user in response to determining that the difference between the second time and the first time is greater than a time threshold.

23. The system of claim 14, wherein the notification comprises information related to a difference between the second time and the first time.

24. The system of claim 14, wherein the notification comprises information related to a distance calculated using the first historical location information and the second location information.

25. The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine that the first historical location information and the second location information each correspond to the same location area by determining that the first historical location information and the second location information each correspond to a particular business.

26. The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause the notification to be presented to the second user in response to determining that the difference between the second time and the first time is less than a time threshold.

27. At least one computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, are configured to:

receive first historical location information identifying a first location area at which a first user was present at a first time;

receive second location information identifying a second location area at which a second user was present at a second time;

determine that the first historical location information and the second location information each correspond to a particular location area;

determine that a characteristic related to the first user corresponds to a preference related to the second user; and

in response to determining that the first historical location information and the second location information each correspond to the particular location area and in response to determining that the characteristic related to the first user corresponds to the preference related to the second user, cause information related to the first user to be presented to the second user, the information related to the first user comprising the first location area of the first user relative to the second location area of the second user.

28. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 27, wherein the instructions are configured to determine that the first historical location information and the second location information each correspond to the particular location area by determining that the first historical location information and the second location information each correspond to a particular location type.

29. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the instructions are configured to cause information related to the first user to be presented to the second user in response to determining that the difference between the second time and the first time is less than a time threshold, the information related to the first user comprising the particular location type.

30. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 27, wherein the instructions are configured to determine that the first historical location information and the second location information each correspond to the same location area by comparing the first historical location information and the second location information to a database, the database correlating location information with points-of-interest.

31. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 27, wherein the instructions are further configured to:

receive information indicating preferred location information of the second user;

receive third location information related to a third user;

compare the third location information to the preferred location information; and

in response to comparing the third location information to the preferred location information, cause information related to the third user to be presented to the second user.

32. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 27, wherein the instructions are further configured to:

receive sets of historical location information, each set of historical location information related to a respective user of a plurality of users;

receive third location information related to the second user;

determine a plurality of places based on the sets of historical location information;

determine a number of users associated with a first place of the plurality of places based on the sets of historical location information;

compare the plurality of places to the third location information; and

in response to comparing the plurality of places to the third location information, cause the first place and the number of users associated with the first place to be presented to the second user.

33. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 27, wherein the second location information is passively sent from a device associated with the second user after the second user arrives at a location associated with the second location information.

34. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 27, wherein the instructions are configured to determine that the first historical location information and the second location information correspond to the particular location area in response to determining that a difference between the first historical location information and the second location information is less than a distance threshold.

35. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 27, wherein the instructions are configured to cause the notification to be presented to the second user in response to determining that the difference between the second time and the first time is greater than a time threshold.

36. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 27, wherein the notification comprises information related to a difference between the second time and the first time.

37. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 27, wherein the notification comprises information related to a distance calculated using the first historical location information and the second location information.

38. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 27, wherein the instructions are configured to determine that the first historical location information and the second location information each correspond to the same location area by determining that the first historical location information and the second location information each correspond to a particular business.

39. The at least one computer-readable medium of claim 27, wherein the instructions are configured to cause the notification to be presented to the second user in response to determining that the difference between the second time and the first time is less than a time threshold.