Reciprocal data file publishing and matching system

Abstract

A method of reciprocally publishing and matching data files is disclosed. The method includes facilitating the creation of Category A and Category B data files having a respective sets of characteristics defined utilizing a common language architecture, associating enhancement objects with each data file, identifying characteristics in each data file which must be met by other data files, weighting characteristics in each data file differently from other characteristics in the same data file, enabling the selection of participation levels for each data file in marketspaces, and matching Category A data files participating in particular marketspaces to Category B data files participating in the same marketspaces using the common language architecture, the enhancement objects, the weights and the required characteristics.

1 . A method of reciprocally publishing and matching data files, comprising the steps of: 
 storing a Category A data file having a first set of characteristics;    storing a Category B data file having a second set of characteristics;    weighting at least a first characteristic of the Category A data file differently from a second characteristic of the Category A data file;    weighting at least a third characteristic of the Category B data file differently from a fourth characteristic of the Category B data file; and    matching the Category A data file to the Category B data file at least partly on the basis of the differing weights of the first and second characteristics of the Category A data file and the third and fourth characteristics of the Category B data file.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the matching step includes examining the relationship between the first characteristic of the Category A data file and the third characteristic of the Category B data file.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the weight placed on the first characteristic corresponds to the importance placed on the relationship between the first and third characteristics by a Category A user.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the weight placed on the third characteristic corresponds to the importance placed on the relationship between the first and third characteristics by a Category B user.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the matching step further includes examining the relationship between the second characteristic of the Category A data file and the fourth characteristic of the Category B data file.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the matching step includes scoring the Category B data file against the Category A data file at least partly on the basis of the differing weights of the first and second characteristics of the Category A data file and the third and fourth characteristics of the Category B data file.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the Category B data file is a first Category B data file, the method further comprising the steps of storing a second Category B data file; and ordering the Category B data files according to how well the Category B data files match the Category A data file.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the Category A data file is a first Category A data file, the method further comprising the steps of: storing a second Category A data file; and ordering the Category A data files according to how well the Category A data files match the first Category B data file.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising the step of displaying the ordered Category A data files to a first Category B user, wherein the first Category B user corresponds to the first Category B data file.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising the step of separately ordering the Category A data files according to how well the Category A data files match the second Category B data file.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the step of displaying the ordered Category A data files to a second Category B user, wherein the second Category B user corresponds to the second Category B data file.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein one of the Category A data file and the Category B data file describes a job-seeker, and the other of the Category A data file and the Category B data file describes a job.  
     
     
         13 . A method of reciprocally publishing and matching data files, comprising the steps of: 
 storing a first data file having a first set of characteristics corresponding to a job-seeker;    storing a second data file having a second set of characteristics corresponding to a job;    identifying a first job-seeker data file characteristic which must be met by the second data file; and    applying relative weights to the importance of at least a second job-seeker data file characteristic and a third job-seeker data file characteristic, wherein the second job-seeker data file characteristic and the third job-seeker data file characteristic are weighted differently.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the step of facilitating the selection of the first job-seeker data file characteristic from among all of the first set of characteristics.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the step of facilitating the selection of the second and third job-seeker data file characteristic s, from among all of the first set of characteristics, to which the weights are to be applied.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further including the step of facilitating the selection of the magnitude of the weights to be applied to the second and third job-seeker data file characteristics.