SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CREATING AND USING PERSONALITY MODELS FOR USER INTERACTIONS IN A SOCIAL NETWORK
A social computing system and method includes a model creator configured to create an initial model of a user's musical preferences across a spectrum of attributes. The system and method further include a matching and comparison technique, which matches users based on the similarity of their respective musical preferences. The system and method further include an interactive display, allowing a user to view and interact with the nearby users who share the user's musical preferences.
1 . A method for classifying a user's musical preferences, the method comprising:
analyzing a plurality of audio specimens, such that the audio specimens are scored according to a set of representative attributes;
determining a user's degree of preference for the audio specimens;
determining a musical preference model (MPM) for the user based on the user's degree of preference for the audio specimens and the representative attributes of those specimens; and
storing the MPM in a storage module.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the audio specimens include audio samples.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the step of determining the user's degree of preference includes playing audio specimens to the user for rating using an audio playback device.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the user's rating includes a ranking of all of the audio specimens in order of preference.
5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the user's rating includes scoring each audio specimen on an absolute scale of enjoyment.
6 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the step of determining an MPM includes statistically combining the user's ratings for the audio specimens.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the audio specimens include full audio tracks.
8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the step of determining the user's degree of preference includes estimating the user's preference for a given track based upon the frequency with which the user has played the track.
9 . The method of claim B, wherein the step of determining an MPM includes statistically combining the user's estimated preferences for the audio specimens.
10 . A computer readable medium that includes a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to perform the steps of claim 1 .
11 . A method for social computing comprising:
determining a matching user's current location;
generating a list of users within a given radius of the user's location;
retrieving from a storage module a music preference model (MPM) for each user on the list;
comparing the MPMs of the users on the list to an MPM corresponding to the matching user; and
displaying on a display those users on the list whose MPMs are similar to the matching user's MPH.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the matching user's location is determined through the use of a global positioning satellite receiver.
13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the step of displaying only displays those users whose MPMs match the matching user's MPH within a threshold.
14 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising the step of maintaining frequency information that shows how frequently particular users have been near the matching user.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the step of displaying includes displaying users' frequency information.
16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the step of displaying includes displaying information about any music which the users are currently playing.
17 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising the step of enabling communication between the matching user and the displayed users.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the communication includes any of text messaging, instant messaging, emailing, or voice messaging.
19 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the step of displaying includes displaying an overhead visual representation of the locations of the users relative to the matching user.
20 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the step of displaying includes displaying a perspective visual representation of the locations of the users relative to the matching user, as seen from the point of view of the matching user.
21 . A computer readable medium that includes a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to perform the steps of claim 11 .
22 . A social computing system, comprising:
a server, including:
a module configured to generate a music preference model (MPM) based on a user's musical preferences;
a storage module for storing MPMs and user profiles;
an MPM comparison module for generating a music match score based on a comparison of at least two MPMs associated with particular users, the users being in communication with the server and having user devices configured to send location information to the server; and
a display configured to provide a visual representation of locations of users having a threshold relationship with other MPMs relative to the location information,
23 . The social computing system of claim 22 , wherein the server further comprises an audio analysis module for scoring an audio sample according to a set of representative attributes.
24 . The social computing system of claim 23 , wherein the server is configured to send to the user devices a list of users such that the music match score between the users' MPMs and the MPM of the user device is within a threshold metric.
25 . The social computing system of claim 22 , wherein the server further comprises a communications module configured to relay messages between user devices.