US 6,480,885 B1 · Dynamically matching users for group communications based on a threshold degree of matching of sender and recipient predetermined acceptance criteria

Abstract

A method for enabling users to exchange group electronic mail by establishing individual profiles and criteria, for determining personalized subsets within a group. Users establish subscriptions to an electronic mailing list by specifying user profile data and acceptance criteria data to screen other users. When a user subscribes, a web server establishes and stores an individualized recipient list including each matching subscriber and their degree of one-way or mutual match with the user. When the user then sends a message to the mailing list, an email server retrieves 100% her matches and then optionally filters her recipient list down to a message distribution list using each recipient's message criteria. The message is then distributed to matching users. Additionally, email archives and information contributions from users are stored in a database. A web server creates an individualized set of web pages for a user from the database, containing contributions only from users in his recipient list. In other embodiments, users apply one-way or mutual criteria matching and message profile criteria to other group forums, such as web-based discussion boards, chat, online clubs, USENET newsgroups, voicemail, instant messaging, web browsing side channel communities, and online gaming rendezvous.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A method of dynamically matching defined users of a group communication system, so that subgroups of the users having certain characteristics can intercommunicate comprising the steps of:

a) establishing acceptance criteria parameters and user profile data parameters defining said characteristics;
b) obtaining acceptance criteria data and user profile data corresponding to the acceptance criteria parameters and user profile data parameters for each user of a multiplicity of users;
c) calculating the degree of match between the user profile data of each user and the acceptance criteria data of all other users of said multiplicity of users, and using the results of those calculations that exceed a particular threshold level of match to identify a subgroup associated with each said user;
and
d) upon receipt by the system of a communication from a particular one of said users including message data and user identity data, making said message data available to all other members of the subgroup associated with said particular one of said users.

2 more elements

A method of dynamically matching defined users of a group communication system, so that subgroups of the users having certain characteristics can intercommunicate, comprising the steps of:

a) establishing acceptance criteria parameters and user profile data parameters defining said characteristics;
b) obtaining acceptance criteria data and user profile data corresponding to the acceptance criteria, parameters and user profile data parameters for each user of a multiplicity of users;
c) calculating the degree of match between the user profile data of each user and the acceptance criteria data of all other users of said multiplicity of users, and using the results of those calculations to identify a subgroup associated with each said user based on the degree of match having a particular relationship to a level of match threshold defined for all other users of said multiplicity of users;
and
d) upon receipt by the system of a communication from a particular one of said users including message data and user identity data, said system makes said message data available to all members of the subgroup associated with said particular one of said users.

2 more elements

A method of dynamically matching defined users of a group communication system, so that subgroups of the users having certain characteristics can intercommunicate, comprising the steps of:

a) establishing acceptance criteria parameters and user profile data parameters defining said characteristics
b) obtaining acceptance criteria data and user profile data corresponding to the acceptance criteria parameters and user profile data parameters for each user of a multiplicity of users;
c) receiving a communication from a particular one of said multiplicity of users including message data and user identity data;
d) calculating the degree of match between the user profile data of said particular one user and the acceptance criteria data of each other user of said multiplicity of users, and using the results of those calculations, which have a particular relationship to a specific level of match threshold, to identify a subgroup associated with said particular one user;
and
e) making said message data available to all members of said subgroup.

3 more elements

A method of dynamically matching defined users of a group communication system, so that subgroups of the users having certain characteristics can intercommunicate, comprising the steps of:

a) establishing acceptance criteria parameters and user profile data parameters defining said characteristics,
b) obtaining acceptance criteria data and user profile data corresponding to the acceptance criteria parameters and user profile data parameters for each user of a multiplicity of users;
c) receiving a communication from a particular one of said multiplicity of users including message data and user identity data;
d) calculating the degree of match between the user profile data of said particular one user and the acceptance criteria data of each other user of said multiplicity of users, and using the results of those calculations to identify a subgroup associated with said particular one user based on the degree of match having a particular relationship to a level of match threshold defined for each user of said multiplicity of users;
and
e) making said message data available to all members of said subgroup.

3 more elements

A method of dynamically matching defined and unknown users of a group communication system, so that subgroups of the users having certain characteristics can intercommunicate, comprising the steps of:

a) establishing acceptance criteria parameters and user profile data parameters defining said characteristics;
b) obtaining, acceptance criteria data corresponding to the acceptance criteria parameters for each user of a multiplicity of users;
c) receiving a communication from an unknown user including message data and user profile data;
d) calculating the degree of match between the user profile data of said unknown user and the acceptance criteria data of each user of said multiplicity of users, and using the results of those calculations;
which have a particular relationship to a specific level of matching threshold, to identify a subgroup associated with said unknown user;
and
e) making said message data available to all members of said subgroup.

4 more elements

A method of dynamically matching defined and unknown users of a group communication system, so that subgroups of the users having certain characteristics can intercommunicate comprising the steps of:

a) establishing acceptance criteria parameters and user profile data parameters defining said characteristics;
b) obtaining acceptance criteria data corresponding to the acceptance criteria parameters for each user of a multiplicity of users;
c) receiving a communication from an unknown user including message data and user profile data;
d) calculating the degree of match between the user profile data of said unknown user and the acceptance criteria data of each user of said multiplicity of users, and using the results of those calculations to identify a subgroup associated with said unknown user based on the degree of match having a particular relationship to a level of match threshold defined for each user of said multiplicity of users;
and
e) making said message data available to all members of said subgroup.

3 more elements

a) establishing acceptance criteria parameters and user profile data parameters defining said characteristics;
b) receiving a communication from an unknown user including message data and user profile data;
c) obtaining acceptance criteria data corresponding to the acceptance criteria parameters for each user of a multiplicity of users;
d) calculating the degree of match between the user profile data of said unknown user and the acceptance criteria data of each user of said multiplicity of users, and using the results of those calculations, which have a particular relationship to a specific level of match threshold, to identify a subgroup associated with said unknown user;
and
e) making said message data available to all members of said subgroup.

3 more elements

A method of dynamically matching defined users of a group communication system, so that subgroups of the users having certain characteristics can intercommunicate comprising the steps of:

a) establishing acceptance criteria parameters and user profile data parameters defining said characteristics;
b) obtaining user profile data corresponding to the user profile data parameters for each user of a multiplicity of profiled users;
c) receiving a communication from a particular one of said multiplicity of profiled users including message data and user identity;
d) obtaining acceptance criteria data corresponding to the acceptance criteria parameters for each of a multiplicity of other users who may or may not be profiled users;
e) calculating the degree of match between the user profile data of said particular one user and the acceptance criteria data of said multiplicity of other users, and using the results of those calculations, which have a particular relationship to a specific level of match threshold, to identify a subgroup associated with said particular one user;
and
f) making said message data available to all members of said subgroup.

4 more elements

A method of dynamically matching defined users of a group communication system, so that subgroups of the users having certain characteristics can intercommunicate, comprising the steps of:

a) establishing acceptance criteria parameters and user profile data parameters defining said characteristics,
b) obtaining user profile data corresponding to the user profile data parameters for each user of a multiplicity of profiled users;
c) receiving a communication from a particular one of said multiplicity of profiled users including message data and user identity data;
d) obtaining acceptance criteria data corresponding to the acceptance criteria parameters for each user of a multiplicity of other users who may or may not be profiled users;
e) calculating the degree of match between the user profile data of said particular one user and the acceptance criteria data of each user of said multiplicity of other users, and using the results of those calculations to identify a subgroup associated with said particular one user based on the degree of match having a particular relationship to a level of match threshold defined for each user of said multiplicity of other users;
and
f) making said message data available to all members of said subgroup.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Dynamically matching users for group communications based on a threshold degree of matching of sender and recipient predetermined acceptance criteria

Life of this patent

Dynamically matching users for group communications based on a threshold degree of matching of sender and recipient predetermined acceptance criteria

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims22