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

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.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A system of operating an online matching service, comprising:
 a processor configured to:
 execute a satisfaction approximator to approximate a relationship satisfaction that a user of the online matching service has in the relationships that the user forms with others; and 
 execute a candidate identifier to identify a plurality of candidates for a relationship with the user based on the approximated relationship satisfaction, 
 wherein the satisfaction approximator approximates a coupling satisfaction that the user will have in a relationship with each of the plurality of candidates to generate a coupling satisfaction predictor, from empirical data, based on a plurality of factors corresponding to a like number of functions of one or more variables relevant to the relationship satisfaction; and 
   a memory coupled to the processor and configured to provide the processor with instructions.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the satisfaction approximator approximates the relationship satisfaction that a user of the online matching service has in the relationships that the user forms with others by generating an approximate individual satisfaction index for the user. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the satisfaction approximator approximates the relationship satisfaction that a user of the online matching service has in the relationships that the user forms with others by generating an individual satisfaction estimator. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the satisfaction approximator approximates the relationship satisfaction that a user of the online matching service has in the relationships that the user forms with others by generating an individual satisfaction estimator, and wherein the individual satisfaction estimator includes a relationship between an individual satisfaction index and one or more questions answered by the user. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the satisfaction approximator approximates the relationship satisfaction that a user of the online matching service has in the relationships that the user forms with others by generating an individual satisfaction estimator, and wherein the processor is further configured to:
 receive 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   compare answers provided by the user to an individual satisfaction estimator.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 execute a classifier to classify the user based on the approximated relationship satisfaction that the user has in the relationships that person forms with others; and   execute a selector to identify the candidates such that the candidates fall within a common class with the user.   
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the satisfaction approximator approximates the coupling satisfaction that the user will have in a relationship by generating an approximate couple satisfaction index for the user and a particular candidate. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the satisfaction approximator approximates the coupling satisfaction that the user will have in a relationship by generating a couple satisfaction estimator, and wherein the couple satisfaction estimator includes a relationship between an individual satisfaction index and one or more questions answered by the user. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 receive 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;   select 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   compare 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.   
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 execute a neural network to process information provided by the user and determine the plurality of candidates based on the approximated relationship satisfaction and the approximated coupling satisfaction for each of the plurality of candidates.   
     
     
         27 . A computer program product for operating an online matching service, the computer program product being embodied in a tangible computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:
 approximating a relationship satisfaction that a user of the online matching service has in relationships that the user forms with others;   identifying a plurality of candidates for a relationship with the user based on the approximated relationship satisfaction; and   approximating a coupling satisfaction that the user will have in a relationship with each of the plurality of candidates to generate a coupling satisfaction predictor, from empirical data, based on a plurality of factors corresponding to a like number of functions of one or more variables relevant to the relationship satisfaction.   
     
     
         28 . The computer program product recited in  claim 27 , wherein approximating the relationship satisfaction that a user of the online matching service has in the relationships that the user forms with others includes generating an approximate individual satisfaction index for the user. 
     
     
         29 . The computer program product recited in  claim 27 , wherein approximating the relationship satisfaction that a user of the online matching service has in the relationships that the user forms with others includes generating an individual satisfaction estimator, and wherein the individual satisfaction estimator includes a relationship between an individual satisfaction index and one or more questions answered by the user. 
     
     
         30 . The computer program product recited in  claim 27 , wherein approximating the relationship satisfaction that a user of the online matching service has in the relationships that the user forms with others includes generating an individual satisfaction estimator, further comprising computer instructions for:
 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.   
     
     
         31 . The computer program product recited in  claim 27 , further comprising computer instructions for:
 classifying the user based on the approximated relationship 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.   
     
     
         32 . The computer program product recited in  claim 27 , wherein approximating the coupling satisfaction that the user will have in a relationship includes generating an approximate couple satisfaction index for the user and a particular candidate. 
     
     
         33 . The computer program product recited in  claim 27 , wherein approximating the coupling satisfaction that the user will have in a relationship includes generating a couple satisfaction estimator. 
     
     
         34 . The computer program product recited in  claim 27 , wherein the couple satisfaction estimator includes a relationship between an individual satisfaction index and one or more questions answered by the user. 
     
     
         35 . The computer program product recited in  claim 27 , further comprising computer instructions for:
 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.   
     
     
         36 . The computer program product recited in  claim 27 , further comprising computer instructions for:
 processing information provided by the user using a neural network; and   receiving from the neural network the plurality of candidates based on the approximated relationship satisfaction and the approximated coupling satisfaction for each of the plurality of candidates.   
     
     
         37 . A system of operating an online matching service, comprising:
 a processor configured to:
 execute a satisfaction approximator to approximate a relationship satisfaction that a user of the online matching service has in the relationships that the user forms with others; 
 execute a candidate identifier to identify a plurality of candidates for a relationship with the user based on the approximated relationship satisfaction, wherein the satisfaction approximator approximates a coupling satisfaction that the user will have in a relationship with each of the plurality of candidates to generate a coupling satisfaction predictor, from empirical data, based on a plurality of factors corresponding to a like number of functions of one or more variables relevant to the relationship satisfaction; and 
 execute a communication platform, wherein the communication platform is configured to:
 receive a request by the user to communicate with a selected candidate at a requested communication level; 
 determine whether the selected candidate is interested in communicating with the user; and 
 facilitate communication between the user and the selected candidate at the requested communication level if it is determined that the selected candidate agreed to communicate with the user at the requested communication level; and 
 
   a memory coupled to the processor and configured to provide the processor with instructions.