Method and system for identifying people who are likely to have a successful relationship

• US 6,735,568 B1
• Filed: 08/10/2000
• Issued: 05/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: eHarmony Incorporated (ParshipMeet Holding GmbH)
• Original Assignee: eHarmony.com Incorporated (Parish Group GmbH)
• Inventors: Carter, Steven R., Buckwalter, J. Galen, Warren, Neil Clark, Parsons, Thomas D., Forgatch, Gregory T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weiss, John G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): OUELLETTE, JONATHAN P
• Application Number:
  US09/636,010
• Time in Patent Office: 1,370 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1
• US Class Current: 705/319
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0281 Customer communication at a business location, e.g. providing product or service information, consulting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/141 Setup of application sessions admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

The functions and operations of a matching service are disclosed. This includes approximating the satisfaction that a user of the matching service has in the relationships that the user forms with others and identifying candidates for a relationship with the user based on the approximated satisfaction. This also includes approximating the satisfaction that the user will have in a relationship with a particular candidate. The matching service also identifies two parties for a relationship. The matching service makes available a plurality of communication levels at which the parties can communicate. Each communication level allows the parties to exchange information in a different format. The parties are permitted to exchange information at one of the communication levels.

Claims

1. A method to be performed by a computer for operating a matching service, comprising:

generating, from empirical data, a number of factors corresponding to a like number of functions of one or more variables relevant to relationship satisfaction;

approximating the satisfaction that a user of the matching service has in the relationships that the user forms with others;

identifying, with the computer, candidates for a relationship with the user by determining an association between the approximated satisfaction and one or more of the factors; and

approximating the satisfaction that the user will have in a relationship with a particular candidate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein approximating the satisfaction that a user of the matching service has in the relationships that the user forms with others includes generating an approximate individual satisfaction index for the user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein approximating the satisfaction that a user of the matching service has in the relationships that the user forms with others includes generating an individual satisfaction estimator.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the individual satisfaction estimator includes a relationship between an individual satisfaction index and one or more questions answered by the user.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving a survey from the user, the user having provided answers to a plurality of inquiries in the survey, at least a portion of the answers being associated with a number; and

comparing answers provided by the user to an individual satisfaction estimator.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

classifying the user based on the approximated satisfaction that the user has in the relationships that person forms with others; and

identifying the candidates such that the candidates fall within the same class as the user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein approximating the satisfaction that the user will have in a relationship includes generating an approximate couple satisfaction index for the user and the particular candidate.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein approximating the satisfaction that the user will have in a relationship includes generating a couple satisfaction estimator.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the couple satisfaction estimator includes a relationship between an individual satisfaction index and one or more questions answered by the user.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a survey from the user, the user having provided answers to a plurality of inquiries in the survey, at least a portion of the answers being associated with a number;

selecting a candidate to be matched with the user, the candidate having provided answers to a second survey, at least a portion of the answers provided by the candidate being associated with a number; and

comparing at least a portion of the answers provided by the user and at least a portion of the answers provided by the selected candidate to a couple satisfaction estimator.

11. A method to be performed by a computer for operating a matching service, comprising:

receiving a plurality of surveys completed by different individuals, each survey including a plurality of inquiries into matters which are relevant to each individual forming relationships with other people, at least a portion of the inquiries having answers that are associated with a number;

performing a factor analysis on the answers to the inquiries to identify a plurality of factors, each factor corresponding to a function of one or more variables representing the inquiries;

generating a satisfaction index that approximates the satisfaction that a first candidate has in the relationships that the first candidate forms with others; and

matching the first candidate to a second candidate based upon the satisfaction index and based upon differences between the value of at least one factor for the first candidate and the value of at least one factor for the second candidate.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the factor analysis is a principal component analysis.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

selecting the factors that most highly predict satisfaction in a relationship.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein selecting the factors includes performing a linear regression on the factors and the satisfaction index.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein selecting the factors includes performing a correlation analysis on the factors and the satisfaction index.

16. An automated system for operating a matching service, comprising:

means for generating, from empirical data, a number of factors corresponding to a like number of functions of one or more variables relevant to relationship satisfaction;

means for approximating the satisfaction that a user of the matching service has in the relationships that the user forms with others;

computer means for identifying candidates for a relationship with the user by determining an association between the approximated satisfaction and one or more of the factors; and

means for approximating the satisfaction that the user will have In a relationship with a particular candidate.