# US 10,320,734 B1 · Social matching

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- Number: US 10,320,734 B1
- Document ID: US10320734B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 13/363,194
- Filed: 2012-01-31
- Granted: 2019-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2011-10-25
- Assignees: Eharmony, Inc.
- Applicants: Arvind Mishra; Jonathan Eppers; Gregory Steiner; Joseph Essas
- Inventors: Arvind Mishra; Jonathan Eppers; Gregory Steiner; Joseph Essas
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10320734B1

## CPC

- G06Q 30/02: Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
- G06Q 10/48: using social graphs
- G06Q 50/00: Information and communication technology [ICT] specially adapted for implementation of business processes of specific business sectors, e.g. utilities or tourism (healthcare informatics G16H)
- H04L 51/212: using filtering or selective blocking
- H04L 51/214: using selective forwarding
- H04L 51/52: for supporting social networking services
- H04L 65/403: Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences (data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15)
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)

## Abstract

In some embodiments, social matching includes determining one or more friends of a subscriber, in which the one or more friends of the subscriber are associated with the subscriber based on a social graph; notifying (e.g., pinging) a selected set of the one or more friends of the subscriber for input regarding selected matches for the subscriber, in which matches for the subscriber are generated by a matching engine performed by a processor; and displaying the input received from the selected set of the one or more friends of the subscriber.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system, comprising:
a processor configured to:
determine one or more friends of a subscriber, wherein the one or more friends of the subscriber are associated with the subscriber based on a social graph, wherein the social graph is imported from a social network, and wherein the determining of the one or more friends includes to:
receive login credentials from the one or more friends to login into an online matching service, wherein the login credentials include temporary login credentials provided by the online matching service or login credentials of a registered user of the online matching service;
upon the one or more friends logging into the online matching service, determine access levels of the one or more friends of the subscriber to determine a shared set of access rights to a subscriber's online matching service information, comprising to:
determine whether a first friend of the one or more friends belongs to a first access level or a second access level;
in the event that the first friend belongs to the first access level, restrict access to the subscriber's online matching service information with the first friend to obtain a first set of access rights to the subscriber's online matching service information with the first friend; and
in the event that the first friend belongs to the second access level, restrict access to the subscriber's online matching service information with the first friend to obtain a second set of access rights to the subscriber's online matching service information with the first friend, the first set of access rights being different from the second set of access rights, wherein the first and second sets of access rights both include at least two of the following to:
view the subscriber's profile,
provide input to the subscriber's profile,
view the subscriber's potential matches, or
share photos, contact information, friends, connections, matches, input from other friends regarding matches, selected matches, past selected matches, correspondence with matches, or any combination thereof; and
select a set of the one or more friends on a social network from the determined one or more friends based on the shared set of access rights to provide input on the potential matches;
notify the selected set of the one or more friends of the subscriber for input regarding selected matches for the subscriber, wherein matches for the subscriber are generated by a matching engine performed by a processor, wherein the notifying of the selected set of the one or more friends comprises to:
provide, to the one or more friends, temporary login credentials for an online matching service in the event that the one or more friends are not a current subscriber to the online matching service;
determine whether the subscriber has a connection or common friend with a match of the selected matches based on the social graph;
in the event that the subscriber has a connection or common friend with the match of the selected matches, send a request to the connection or common friend to provide a testimonial on the match; and
receive input regarding the match from the connection or common friend;
display the input received from the selected set of the one or more friends of the subscriber; and
generate a new match based on the received input from the selected set; selected set, wherein the new match corresponds to an additional set of matches; and
a memory coupled to the processor and configured to provide the processor with instructions.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system recited in claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:
receive a friends selection input to identify the selected set of the one or more friends of the subscriber for input regarding selected matches for the subscriber;
receive a match selection input to identify the selected matches for the subscriber to share with the selected set of the one or more friends; and
ping the selected set of the one or more friends of the subscriber for input regarding selected matches for the subscriber friends to share the selected set of the one or more friends of the subscriber for input regarding selected matches for the subscriber.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system recited in claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:
receive a suggested match from a friend of the subscriber.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system recited in claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:
receive a suggested match from a friend of the subscriber, wherein the suggested match is based on the match that was previously suggested to the friend.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system recited in claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:
receive a suggested match from a friend of the subscriber, wherein the suggested match is based on the match that was previously sent to the friend as a ping request for input from another subscriber.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system recited in claim 1, further comprising:
selecting another set of friends based on the determined access levels to review the matches but not provide input.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system recited in claim 1, wherein the subscriber's profile includes photos, contact information, friends/connections, matches, input from other friends regarding matches, selected matches, past selected matches, correspondence with matches, or any combination thereof.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system recited in claim 1, wherein the online matching service relates to an online dating service or an Internet dating service.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The system recited in claim 1, wherein the first and second sets of access rights both include at least three of the following to:
view the subscriber's profile,
provide input to the subscriber's profile,
view the subscriber's potential matches, or
share photos, contact information, friends, connections, matches, input from other friends regarding matches, selected matches, past selected matches, correspondence with matches, or any combination thereof.

### Claim 10

A computer program product, the computer program product being embodied in a tangible non-transitory computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:
determining one or more friends of a subscriber, wherein the one or more friends of the subscriber are associated with the subscriber based on a social graph, wherein the social graph is imported from a social network, and wherein the determining of the one or more friends includes:
receiving login credentials from the one or more friends to login into an online matching service, wherein the login credentials include temporary login credentials provided by the online matching service or login credentials of a registered user of the online matching service;
upon the one or more friends logging into the online matching service, determining access levels of the one or more friends of the subscriber to determine a shared set of access rights to a subscriber's online matching service information, comprising:
determining whether a first friend of the one or more friends belongs to a first access level or a second access level;
in the event that the first friend belongs to the first access level, restricting access to the subscriber's online matching service information with the first friend to obtain a first set of access rights to the subscriber's online matching service information with the first friend; and
in the event that the first friend belongs to the second access level, restricting access to the subscriber's online matching service information with the first friend to obtain a second set of access rights to the subscriber's online matching service information with the first friend, the first set of access rights being different from the second set of access rights, wherein the first and second sets of access rights both include at least two of the following to:
view the subscriber's profile,
provide input to the subscriber's profile,
view the subscriber's potential matches, or
share photos, contact information, friends, connections, matches, input from other friends regarding matches, selected matches, past selected matches, correspondence with matches, or any combination thereof; and
selecting a set of the one or more friends on a social network from the determined one or more friends based on the shared set of access rights to provide input on the potential matches;
notifying the selected set of the one or more friends of the subscriber for input regarding selected matches for the subscriber, wherein matches for the subscriber are generated by a matching engine performed by a processor, wherein the notifying of the selected set of the one or more friends comprises:
providing, to the one or more friends, temporary login credentials for an online matching service in the event that the one or more friends are not a current subscriber to the online matching service;
determining whether the subscriber has a connection or common friend with a match of the selected matches based on the social graph;
in the event that the subscriber has a connection or common friend with the match of the selected matches, sending a request to the connection or common friend to provide a testimonial on the match; and
receiving input regarding the match from the connection or common friend;
displaying the input received from the selected set of the one or more friends of the subscriber; and
generating a new match based on the received input from the selected set, wherein the new match corresponds to an additional set of matches.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The computer program product recited in claim 10, further comprising computer instructions for:
receiving a friends selection input to identify the selected set of the one or more friends of the subscriber for input regarding selected matches for the subscriber;
receiving a match selection input to identify the selected matches for the subscriber to share with the selected set of the one or more friends; and
pinging the selected set of the one or more friends of the subscriber for input regarding selected matches for the subscriber friends to share the selected set of the one or more friends of the subscriber for input regarding selected matches for the subscriber.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The computer program product recited in claim 10, further comprising computer instructions for:
receive a suggested match from a friend of the subscriber.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The computer program product recited in claim 10, further comprising computer instructions for:
receive a suggested match from a friend of the subscriber, wherein the suggested match is based on the match that was previously suggested to the friend.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The computer program product recited in claim 10, further comprising computer instructions for:
receive a suggested match from a friend of the subscriber, wherein the suggested match is based on the match that was previously sent to the friend as a ping request for input from another subscriber.

### Claim 15

A computer implemented method, comprising:
determining one or more friends of a subscriber, wherein the one or more friends of the subscriber are associated with the subscriber based on a social graph, wherein the social graph is imported from a social network, and wherein the determining of the one or more friends includes:
receiving login credentials from the one or more friends to login into an online matching service, wherein the login credentials include temporary login credentials provided by the online matching service or login credentials of a registered user of the online matching service;
upon the one or more friends logging into the online matching service, determining access levels of the one or more friends of the subscriber to determine a shared set of access rights to a subscriber's online matching service information, comprising:
determining whether a first friend of the one or more friends belongs to a first access level or a second access level;
in the event that the first friend belongs to the first access level, restricting access to the subscriber's online matching service information with the first friend to obtain a first set of access rights to the subscriber's online matching service information with the first friend; and
in the event that the first friend belongs to the second access level, restricting access to the subscriber's online matching service information with the first friend to obtain a second set of access rights to the subscriber's online matching service information with the first friend, the first set of access rights being different from the second set of access rights, wherein the first and second sets of access rights both include at least two of the following to:
view the subscriber's profile,
provide input to the subscriber's profile,
view the subscriber's potential matches, or
share photos, contact information, friends, connections, matches, input from other friends regarding matches, selected matches, past selected matches, correspondence with matches, or any combination thereof; and
selecting a set of the one or more friends on a social network from the determined one or more friends based on the shared set of access rights to provide input on the potential matches;
notifying the selected set of the one or more friends of the subscriber for input regarding selected matches for the subscriber, wherein matches for the subscriber are generated by a matching engine performed by a processor, wherein the notifying of the selected set of the one or more friends comprises:
providing, to the one or more friends, temporary login credentials for an online matching service in the event that the one or more friends are not a current subscriber to the online matching service;
determining whether the subscriber has a connection or common friend with a match of the selected matches based on the social graph;
in the event that the subscriber has a connection or common friend with the match of the selected matches, sending a request to the connection or common friend to provide a testimonial on the match; and
receiving input regarding the match from the connection or common friend; and
displaying the input received from the selected set of the one or more friends of the subscriber; and
generating a new match based on the received input from the selected set, wherein the new match corresponds to an additional set of matches.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The computer implemented method recited in claim 15, further comprising:
receiving a friends selection input to identify the selected set of the one or more friends of the subscriber for input regarding selected matches for the subscriber;
receiving a match selection input to identify the selected matches for the subscriber to share with the selected set of the one or more friends; and
pinging the selected set of the one or more friends of the subscriber for input regarding selected matches for the subscriber friends to share the selected set of the one or more friends of the subscriber for input regarding selected matches for the subscriber.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The computer implemented method recited in claim 15, further comprising:
receive a suggested match from a friend of the subscriber.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The computer implemented method recited in claim 15, further comprising:
receive a suggested match from a friend of the subscriber, wherein the suggested match is based on the match that was previously suggested to the friend.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The computer implemented method recited in claim 15, further comprising:
receive a suggested match from a friend of the subscriber, wherein the suggested match is based on the match that was previously sent to the friend as a ping request for input from another subscriber.

### Claim 20

A system, comprising:
a processor configured to:
receive a shared match for a subscriber that is to be shared with a friend of the subscriber, wherein the friend and the subscriber are associated with each other based on a social graph generated by a social network executed on a processor, and wherein the social graph is imported from the social network;
receive login credentials from the friend to login into an online matching service, wherein the login credentials include temporary login credentials provided by the online matching service or login credentials of a registered user of the online matching service;
upon the friend logging into the online matching service, determine an access level of the friend of the subscriber to determine a shared set of access rights to a subscriber's online matching service information, comprising to:
determine whether the friend belongs to a first access level or a second access level;
in the event that the friend belongs to the first access level, restrict access to the subscriber's online matching service information with the first friend to obtain a first set of access rights to the subscriber's online matching service information with the friend; and
in the event that the friend belongs to the second access level, restrict access to the subscriber's online matching service information with the first friend to obtain a second set of access rights to the subscriber's online matching service information with the friend, the first set of access rights being different from the second set of access rights, wherein the first and second sets of access rights both include at least two of the following to:
view the subscriber's profile,
provide input to the subscriber's profile,
view the subscriber's potential matches, or
share photos, contact information, friends, connections, matches, input from other friends regarding matches, selected matches, past selected matches, correspondence with matches, or any combination thereof;
notify the friend of the shared match for the subscriber requesting input regarding the shared matches for the subscriber in the event that the determined access level of the friend exceeds a predetermined threshold, wherein shared match for the subscriber was generated by a matching engine of an online matching service, wherein the notifying of the friend comprises to:
provide, to the friend, temporary login credentials for an online matching service in the event that the friend is not a current subscriber to the online matching service;
determine whether the friend of the shared match is a connection or common friend of the subscriber based on the social graph;
in the event that the friend of the shared match is a connection or common friend with the subscriber, send a request to the connection or common friend of the subscriber to provide a testimonial on the shared match; and
receive input regarding the shared match from the connection or common friend of the subscriber;
display the input screen for receiving social matching feedback input from the friend for the shared match for the subscriber; and
generate a new match based on the received input from the friend, wherein the new match corresponds to an additional set of matches; and
a memory coupled to the processor and configured to provide the processor with instructions.