Event-centric matching system utilizing privacy-preserving data exchange

Abstract

Provided herein are platforms and methods for exchanging escrowed data between multiple users while preserving privacy and systems, methods, and applications for event-centric matching that enables secure communications between users, and event location sharing. Further, the systems, methods, and applications herein enable users to easily find relevant and local events.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented system comprising: at least one processor, a memory, and instructions executable by the at least one processor to provide an event-centric matching application comprising:
 a) a software module allowing a user to configure a hosted event, the hosted event comprising: a type selected from the group consisting of individual and group, a location, and one or more attendee characteristics;   b) a software module applying a matching algorithm to identify eligible attendees for the configured hosted event based on at least the location and the one or more attendee characteristics and distribute the hosted event to the eligible attendees;   c) a software module allowing the user to configure a requested event, the requested event comprising: a type selected from the group consisting of individual and group, a location and one or more host characteristics;   d) a software module applying a matching algorithm to identify eligible hosts for the configured requested event based on at least the location and the one or more host characteristics and distribute the requested event to the eligible hosts; and   e) a software module generating an event feed for the user comprising configured hosted events and configured requested events.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the software module generating the event feed allows the user to view hosted events configured by other users and apply to be an attendee. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein if a hosted event comprises a group type, the software module generating the event feed allows the user to apply to be an attendee, identify other attendees, and configure the application to be all-or-none. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the software module generating the event feed notifies the user when another user has applied to be an attendee for a hosted event they have configured. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the software module generating the event feed allows the user to view the hosted events they have configured and accept or reject applicant attendees. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the software module generating the event feed allows the user to view requested events configured by other users and apply to be a host. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the software module generating the event feed notifies the user when another user has applied to be a host for a requested event they have configured. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the software module generating the event feed allows the user to view the requested events they have configured and accept or reject applicant hosts. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the application further comprises a software module providing an anonymous communication system, wherein the anonymous communication system provides a first mode of communication between one or more hosts and one or more attendees accepted for an event. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the first mode of communication is text chat. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the anonymous communication system provides a second mode of communication between one or more hosts and one or more attendees accepted for an event after the first mode of communication is utilized. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the second mode of communication is video chat. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the anonymous communication system provides text and/or video communications without revealing the name, phone number, or email address of users. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the hosted event further comprises one or more of: an activity type, a date, and a time. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the software module allowing the user to configure the hosted event automatically identifies and retrieves one or more images relevant to the location and/or the activity type, and wherein no image curation is required by the user. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the software module allowing the user to configure the hosted event automatically identifies and retrieves one or more URIs relevant to the location and/or the activity type, and wherein no URI curation is required by the user. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein if the hosted event comprises a group type, the hosted event further comprises a number of attendees. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the requested event further comprises one or more of: an activity type, one or more images, a date, and a time. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the software module allowing the user to configure the requested event automatically identifies and retrieves images relevant to the location and/or the activity type, and wherein no image curation is required by the user. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the software module allowing the user to configure the requested event automatically identifies and retrieves one or more URIs relevant to the location and/or the activity type, and wherein no URI curation is required by the user. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein if the requested event comprises a group type, the hosted event further comprises a number of attendees. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the software module applying a matching algorithm to identify eligible attendees and the software module applying a matching algorithm to identify eligible hosts acquires the location from a GPS feature of a mobile device. 
     
     
         23 . A method for event-centric matching comprising:
 a) providing a touchscreen interface allowing a user to configure a hosted event, the hosted event comprising: a type selected from the group consisting of individual and group, a location, and one or more attendee characteristics;   b) applying a matching algorithm to identify eligible attendees for the configured hosted event based on at least the location and the one or more attendee characteristics and distribute the hosted event to the eligible attendees;   c) providing a touchscreen interface allowing the user to configure a requested event, the requested event comprising: a type selected from the group consisting of individual and group, a location and one or more host characteristics;   d) applying a matching algorithm to identify eligible hosts for the configured requested event based on at least the location and the one or more host characteristics and distribute the requested event to the eligible hosts; and   e) generating an event feed for the user comprising configured hosted events and configured requested events.