Dynamic resource matching system

• US 8,688,148 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2005
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Steenstra, Jack, Gantman, Alexander, Taylor, Kirk S., Chen, Liren
• Primary Examiner(s): Agosta, Steve D
• Application Number:
  US11/258,728
• Publication Number:
  US 20070093258A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,080 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.2, 455/414.1, 455418-420, 4554561-457, 370/310.2, 370/328, 370/338
• US Class Current: 455/456.5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0257 User requested
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/30 Profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and system are provided for implementing resource and/or location-based matching services between a wireless terminal (e.g., mobile phone) user and one or more resources. A novel infrastructure supports resource and/or location based matching services over a wireless network. A back-end system includes a database, server, and match engine that are configured match a user with one or more resources based on the user'"'"'s characteristics, preferences, and/or location. Such resources include (1) other users, (2) targeted advertising, (3) businesses/networking opportunities, and/or (4) locate a nearby service or store. A flexible database architecture supports application-specific resources which facilitate the deployment of various matching services. Application developers are thus able to implement different resource-matching applications for wireless devices through a common back-end infrastructure. Additionally, the match engine may include a feedback mechanism that permits the match engine to learn a user'"'"'s preferences.

Claims

1. A resource matching apparatus comprising:

a communication interface to communicate with one or more wireless devices;

a storage device configured to store wireless device user preferences and a plurality of application-specific matching algorithms, wherein each of a plurality of applications is associated with one of the plurality of application-specific matching algorithms for a particular user, wherein each of the plurality of application-specific matching algorithms is associated with a weight for one or more of the user preferences, wherein the weight indicates a level of importance of the one or more user preferences in matching in accordance with the associated application-specific matching algorithm; and

a processing unit coupled to an input interface and the storage device, the processing unit to implement a matching engine configured to;

obtain user preferences and an application-specific matching algorithm for a wireless device user from the storage device,

weight the obtained user preferences based on the obtained application-specific matching algorithm,

match the wireless device user with one or more resources based on the weighted user preferences to obtain one or more matches,

send the one or more matches to the wireless device user via the communication interface,

receive a match selection from the wireless device user in response to the one or more matches,

compare the match selection to the one or more matches sent to the wireless device user, and

adjust weights of the obtained user preferences in the matching engine based on the wireless device user selection.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processing unit is further configured to:

obtain current location information for the one or more wireless device users; and

match the one or more resources to the wireless device user based on the current location of the wireless device user.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the one or more resource matches are related to businesses in a vicinity of the wireless device user'"'"'s current location.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processing unit is further configured to provide the wireless device user with a map or directions to the one or more resource matches.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processing unit is further configured to:

provide the wireless device user with current location information of a second wireless device user.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the storage device is configurable to store a plurality of databases to support one or more match-enabled applications.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the storage device is configured to implement one or more databases for storing advertisements.

8. A resource matching apparatus comprising:

a communication interface to communicate with one or more wireless devices;

a storage device configured to store wireless device user preferences and a plurality of application-specific matching algorithms, wherein each of a plurality of applications is associated with one of the plurality of application-specific matching algorithms for a particular user, wherein each of the plurality of application-specific matching algorithms is associated with a weight for one or more of the user preferences, wherein the weight indicates a level of importance of the one or more user preferences in matching in accordance with the associated application-specific matching algorithm; and

a processing unit coupled to an input interface and the storage device, the processing unit configured to;

receive an indication that a wireless device user is ready to receive a match;

receive an indication of a type of matching service the wireless device user desires;

receive one or more match criteria from the wireless device user;

notify a match engine of the one or more match criteria,

the processing unit further configured to implement a matching engine configured to;

obtain user preferences and an application-specific matching algorithm for the wireless device user from the storage device,

weight the obtained user preferences based on the obtained application-specific matching algorithm,

match the wireless device user with one or more resources based on the weighted user preferences to obtain one or more matches, and

send the one or more matches to the wireless device user via the communication interface.

9. A resource matching device comprising:

means for communicating with one or more wireless devices employed by one or more users;

means for storing wireless device user preferences and a plurality of application-specific matching algorithms, wherein each of a plurality of applications is associated with one of the plurality of application-specific matching algorithms for a particular user, wherein each of the plurality of application-specific matching algorithms is associated with a weight for one or more of the user preferences, wherein the weight indicates a level of importance of the one or more user preferences in matching in accordance with the associated application-specific matching algorithm; and

means for processing resource-based matches configured to;

obtain user preferences and an application-specific matching algorithm for a wireless device user from the means for storing,

weight the obtained user preferences based on the obtained application-specific matching algorithm,

match the wireless device user with one or more advertisements based on the user preferences; and

send the matched one or more advertisements to the wireless device user via the communication interface;

receive a match selection from the wireless device user in response to the one or more matched advertisements;

compare the match selection to the one or more matched advertisements sent to the wireless device user; and

adjust weights of the obtained user preferences in the obtained application-specific matching algorithm based on the wireless device user selection.

10. A resource matching method comprising:

determining one or more resource matches for a wireless device user based on user preferences and one of a plurality of application-specific matching algorithms, wherein each of a plurality of applications is associated with one of the plurality of application-specific matching algorithms for a particular user, wherein each of the plurality of application-specific matching algorithms is associated with a weight for one or more of the user preferences, wherein the weight indicates a level of importance of the one or more user preferences in matching in accordance with the associated application-specific matching algorithm;

receiving one or more match criteria from a wireless device associated with the wireless device user;

receiving an indication as to a type of matching service the wireless device user desires;

sending the one or more resource matches to the wireless device user;

receiving a match selection from the user in response to the one or more resource matches;

comparing the match selection to the one or more resource matches sent to the user; and

automatically adjusting weights of at least one user preference in the application-specific matching algorithm used by the determining step based on the user selection.

11. The resource matching method of claim 10 further comprising assigning a given weight to each user preference, wherein each assigned weight indicates a given level of importance of the associated user preference in matching.

12. The resource matching method of claim 10 further comprising:

obtaining current location information for the wireless device user; and

matching the one or more resources to the wireless device user based on the current location of the wireless device user.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein two or more of the plurality of applications are developed by different application developers, and the different application developers separately develop initial application-specific matching algorithms associated with their respective applications.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the automatically adjusting step is performed on one of the initial application-specific matching algorithms.

15. A processing unit comprising:

an input interface to receive user preferences and current location information for a wireless device user;

a processing circuit communicatively coupled to the input interface and configured to determine one or more matches for the wireless device user based on the user preferences, current location, and one of a plurality of application-specific matching algorithms, wherein each of a plurality of applications is associated with one of the plurality of application-specific matching algorithms for a particular user, wherein each of the plurality of application-specific matching algorithms is associated with a weight for one or more of the user preferences, wherein the weight indicates a level of importance of the one or more user preferences in matching in accordance with the associated application-specific matching algorithm; and

an output interface communicatively coupled to the processing circuit to transmit the one or more matches to the wireless device user,

wherein the processing circuit is further configured to receive a match selection from the wireless device user in response to the one or more matches, to compare the match selection to the one or more matches sent to the wireless device user and to adjust weights of at least one user preference in the application-specific matching algorithm used to determine the one or more matches based on the received match selection, and

wherein the processing circuit is further configured to receive information about a type of matching service the wireless device user desires, and receive one or more match criteria from the wireless device user.

16. The processing unit of claim 15 wherein the processing circuit is further configured to:

receive a match selection from the wireless device user in response to the one or more matches; and

adjust the user preferences based on the user selection.

17. The processing unit of claim 15 wherein the processing circuit is further configured to:

match the wireless device user with one or more advertisements associated with at least one business within a specified geographical distance from a current location of the wireless device user.

18. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium encoded with one or more computer executable instructions for resource matching, which when executed by a processor cause the processor to:

obtain one or more resource matching criteria for a wireless communication device user, wherein the criteria includes user match preferences and a current location information of the wireless communication device user;

receive an indication that the wireless communication device user is ready to receive a match;

receive an indication as to a type of matching service the wireless communication device user desires;

receive one or more match criteria from the wireless communication device user;

notify a matching engine of the one or more match criteria;

match one or more resources to the wireless communication device user based on the user match preferences and the current location information, wherein a configurable matching engine is employed to perform the match, the configurable matching engine utilizes one or more configurable rules to perform the match, at least one of the one or more configurable rules specifying one of a plurality of matching algorithms to employ to perform the match, each of the plurality of matching algorithms associated with at least one of a plurality of applications and each of the plurality of matching algorithms indicating different sets of weights for the user match preferences that are used to determine matches for a particular application from the plurality of applications;

send the one or more resource matches to the wireless communication device user;

receive a match selection from the wireless communication device user in response to the one or more resource matches;

compare the match selection to the one or more resource matches sent to the wireless communication device user; and

adjust weights for the user match preferences of the matching algorithm used to determine the one or more resource matches based on the wireless communication device user selection.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein each user match preferences is assigned a given weight, wherein each assigned weight indicates a given level of importance of the associated user match preference in matching.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18 wherein the one or more resource matches are one or more other registered users.

21. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18 wherein the one or more resource matches are targeted advertising.

22. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18 wherein the one or more resource matches are businesses in a vicinity of the wireless communication device user'"'"'s current location.

23. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18 further having one or more instructions which when executed by the processor cause the processor to:

provide the wireless communication device user with current location information of a second wireless communication device user.

24. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18 further having one or more instructions which when executed by the processor cause the processor to:

provide the wireless communication device user with a map or directions to the one or more resource matches.

25. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18 further having one or more instructions which when executed by the processor cause the processor to:

provide a configurable resource structure to support multiple types of resource matches.