Abstract: In one embodiment, a method executed by at least one processor includes receiving first historical location information identifying a first location area at which a first user was present at a first time and receiving second location information identifying a second location area at which a second user was present at a second time. The method includes determining that the first historical location information and the second location information each correspond to a particular location area and determining that a characteristic related to the first user corresponds to a preference related to the second user. In response to these determinations, the method includes causing information related to the first user to be presented to the second user. The information related to the first user includes the first location area of the first user relative to the second location area of the second user.

Abstract: A method for profile matching includes receiving a plurality of user profiles, each user profile comprising traits of a respective user. The method includes receiving a preference indication for a first user profile of the plurality of user profiles. The method also includes determining a potential match user profile of the plurality of user profiles based on the preference indication for the first user profile. The method also includes presenting the potential match user profile to a second user.

Abstract: Finding a match for an end user on an online social platform is not a trivial task. To improve match making, various methods and systems are disclosed which are configured to compute heuristics for various end users, which help to predict the likelihood that two end users would ultimately engage in some form of communication with each other. The heuristics are used in an algorithm (i.e., a statistical/predictive model) for providing a set of matches to an end user. These heuristics may be computed based on varying forms of communication which indicate different levels of engagement between end users, and/or based on some other indication of how an end user may react to another end user.

Abstract: A device, system and method to enable searching of personal profiles in the context of on-line dating that includes the ability to determine the personal profiles that have images that most closely resemble a target image.

Abstract: Methods and systems for coaching an end user are disclosed. Information related to a user profile and/or user activity of an end user is collected in a memory. An analysis engine analyzes information against a metric. A metric may represent or include one or more characteristics of a (typical) successful end user. Said metric may be statistically determined in various ways. A rules engine generates a coaching message for output to the end user if the information does not meet the metric, wherein the one or more coaching messages provokes (or suggests) the end user to change the user profile and/or the user activity of the end user to meet the metric.

Abstract: A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes receiving a request from a first user to browse a pool of date requests, where each of the date requests is associated with a potential match in a computer-implemented matching system and includes at least one of a calendar date and a location. The method further includes presenting to the first user information regarding the potential match associated with one of the date requests, and sending a date invitation to the potential match associated with the particular one of the date requests.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatus for automatically determining the relevance of matches between entities. A set of one or more indicators of relevance for each of a plurality of matches may be detected, where each of the plurality of matches exists between a first entity and a different one of a plurality of entities. Each set of one or more indicators of relevance indicates a degree of two-way interest for a corresponding one of the plurality of matches, the degree of two-way interest indicating both a degree of interest of the first entity in the corresponding one of the plurality of entities and a degree of interest of the corresponding one of the plurality of entities in the first entity. A probability of relevance of each of the plurality of matches may be determined based at least in part upon a corresponding set of one or more indicators of relevance. Each of the plurality of matches may be ranked based at least in part on the corresponding probability of relevance.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method executed by at least one processor includes receiving text from submitted by a user. The method also includes determining a text score for the received text by comparing a first set of phrases included in the received text to a second set of phrases. The second set of phrases includes phrases from stored text. The stored text includes stored text known to be genuine and stored text known to be fraudulent. The method also includes determining that the received text is fraudulent based on the text score.

Abstract: A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes receiving a request at a communication broker for a communication session to involve a first endpoint and a second endpoint, where the communication broker includes a processor and a memory element. The method may also include evaluating first calendar information for a first end user associated with the first endpoint and second calendar information for a second end user associated with the second endpoint. The method may also include reconciling the first calendar information with the second calendar information to provide a time slot for the communication session. Additionally, the method may include mapping first end user data to a first identity associated with the first end user, where the second endpoint is shown the first identity, and where the first end user data associated with the first endpoint is hidden from being shown to the second endpoint.

Abstract: A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes, for each user in a subset of users subscribed to a computer-implemented matching service, determining a score for the user, the score indicating a propensity of the user to resubscribe the computer-implemented matching service; determining whether to present a save offer to the user based on the scored determined for the user; and if a determination is made to present a save offer to the user, selecting from a plurality of save offers a save offer for which the user is eligible. The method may further include determining a decile to which the user belongs based on the score determined for the user relative to scores determined for remainder of the subset of users, in which the determining whether to present a save offer to the user is based on the decile to which the user is assigned.

Abstract: A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes processing a first text created by a user into a first bag of words, the first bag of words comprising a list of words that appear in the text, each of the words having associated therewith a number representing a number of times the associated word appears in the text; and computing a similarity between the first bag of words and at least one second bag of words. The method further comprises comparing the computed similarity with a threshold; and_determining that the user is a spammer if the computed similarity bears a first relationship with the threshold.

Abstract: A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes detecting actions taken by users in a computer-implemented matching system and, for each of the detected actions, storing data indicative of the detected action. The method further includes filtering the stored data in accordance with at least one filter selected by an administrator of the computer-implemented matching system and creating a user action log from the filtered stored data. The user action log includes all of the stored data that matches the selected at least one filter. The at least one filter may include log start time, log end time, type of action, user ID, target user ID, and/or site type. The detected action may include viewing another user's profile, changing the user's own profile, sending a message to another user via the computer-implemented matching system, and/or performing a matching search using the computer-implemented matching system.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for facilitating a synchronous display of a time-based media object (e.g., a video or audio file) with a remote device is provided. In one example, the apparatus comprises control logic for controlling the display of a media object in response to a user entered command with a first device, and communication logic for causing communication of the user entered command (e.g., play, pause, skip, etc.) and a metric (e.g., time or frame reference) associated with the media object to a second device for synchronizing the display of the media object with the first and second devices. The first and second devices may communicate via peer-to-peer communications, for example, in a collaborative or social application such as an IM application. Further, the apparatus may include various devices such as a personal computer, mobile phone device and/or mobile personal entertainment device, DVR, or the like.

Abstract: Finding a match for an end user on an online social platform is not a trivial task. To improve match making, various methods and systems are disclosed which are configured to compute heuristics for various end users, which help to predict the likelihood that two end users would ultimately engage in some form of communication with each other. The heuristics are used in an algorithm (i.e., a statistical/predictive model) for providing a set of matches to an end user. These heuristics may be computed based on varying forms of communication which indicate different levels of engagement between end users, and/or based on some other indication of how an end user may react to another end user.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for facilitating a synchronous display of a time-based media object (e.g., a video or audio file) with a remote device is provided. In one example, the apparatus comprises control logic for controlling the display of a media object in response to a user entered command with a first device, and communication logic for causing communication of the user entered command (e.g., play, pause, skip, etc.) and a metric (e.g., time or frame reference) associated with the media object to a second device for synchronizing the display of the media object with the first and second devices. The first and second devices may communicate via peer-to-peer communications, for example, in a collaborative or social application such as an IM application. Further, the apparatus may include various devices such as a personal computer, mobile phone device and/or mobile personal entertainment device, DVR, or the like.

Abstract: Finding a match for an end user on an online social platform is not a trivial task. To improve match making, various methods and systems are disclosed which are configured to compute heuristics for various end users, which help to predict the likelihood that two end users would ultimately engage in some form of communication with each other. The heuristics are used in an algorithm (i.e., a statistical/predictive model) for providing a set of matches to an end user. These heuristics may be computed based on varying forms of communication which indicate different levels of engagement between end users, and/or based on some other indication of how an end user may react to another end user.

Abstract: Methods and systems for user communication in an online community and/or website are provided. User profile data may be accessed to from a memory. An analysis system compares the user profile data for the user with a time-dependent goal to determine a result. The time-dependent goal may be determined based on an analysis of a set of (successful) users. A user interface system generates a representation of the result for prompting the user to initiate a communication to a different user based on the time-dependent goal. The representation may comprise a metered representation indicating an amount of progress, by the user, toward the time-dependent goal.

Abstract: A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes receiving a request at a communication broker for a communication session to involve a first endpoint and a second endpoint, where the communication broker includes a processor and a memory element. The method may also include evaluating first calendar information for a first end user associated with the first endpoint and second calendar information for a second end user associated with the second endpoint. The method may also include reconciling the first calendar information with the second calendar information to provide a time slot for the communication session. Additionally, the method may include mapping first end user data to a first identity associated with the first end user, where the second endpoint is shown the first identity, and where the first end user data associated with the first endpoint is hidden from being shown to the second endpoint.

Abstract: A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes establishing a pool of potential matches for a user in a computer-implemented matching system, in which each of the potential matches meet at least one criteria of the user; determining a messaging score for each of the potential matches of the pool, the messaging score indicating a messaging aptitude of the potential match; and ranking the potential matches, where each of the potential matches is ranked based on a similarity of the messaging score of the potential match to a messaging score of the user. In one embodiment, the method may further include presenting to the user results of the ranking.

Abstract: A method for facilitating an anonymous communications session in a communications environment is provided that includes receiving, from a first endpoint, a request for a communication session involving a second endpoint. The method also includes identifying end user data associated with a first endpoint. The data associated with the first endpoint is mapped to an identity of the first endpoint. The second endpoint is shown the identity of the first endpoint and not the end user data associated with the first endpoint.