Location-based verification for predicting user trustworthiness

Abstract

A computer-implemented system and method is provided for predicting user trustworthiness through location-based verification with social networking, and for providing an on-line platform for communicating trustworthiness indicators between different users. The system displays to users, one or more indicators associated with risk levels of other users. The system comprises location identifiers which collect user time and location data to verify the trustworthiness of user transactions. Trustworthiness ratings are established in part by tracking, for particular transactions, time-varying geographic locations of one or more remote computing devices of one or more users associated with the particular transactions and comparing the time-location data for the particular transactions with one or more time-based attributes or location-based attributes of the transactions.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 receiving, by a server, from a plurality of remote computing devices associated with a plurality of users, location data and time data corresponding to a plurality of time-varying geographic locations of the plurality of users during a plurality of transactions between the plurality of users, wherein each of the transactions includes a subject having an agreed upon value and at least one of a time-based attribute or a location-based attribute;   storing, by the server, the location data, the time data, and the at least one time-based attribute or location-based attribute in a database;   determining, by the server, a trustworthiness factor for a particular user of the plurality of users associated with a particular transaction of the plurality of transactions, wherein the particular user has an initial trustworthiness rating, and wherein the trustworthiness factor is based on comparing, in accordance with a set of predetermined rules, at least one of: (a) the respective location data with the respective location-based attribute to determine a level of location compliance, or (b) the respective time data with the respective time-based attribute to determine a level of time compliance, wherein the location-based attribute includes at least one of a pick-up location, a drop-off location, an exchange location, or a service location, and wherein the time-based attribute includes at least one of a start time, a start date, an end time, an end date, or a time period;   calculating, by the server, for the particular user, an updated trustworthiness rating based on the initial trustworthiness rating and the trustworthiness factor; and   displaying, by the server, on one or more of the plurality of remote computing devices, at least a portion of information related to the updated trustworthiness rating associated with the particular user.   
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 21 , further comprising:
 generating, by the server, a public key and a private key for each of the plurality of users;   encrypting, by the server, a content associated with the particular user using a plurality of public keys of the plurality of users;   creating, by the server, a secure social feed containing the encrypted content, the encrypted content including data enabling the plurality of users to gain access to view the encrypted content by decrypting the encrypted content with a respective private key;   publishing, by the server, the encrypted content in a forum accessible by one or more of the plurality of users; and   displaying, by the server, at least a portion of information related to the updated trustworthiness rating associated with the particular user.   
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 21 , further comprising:
 receiving, from an additional user, one or more preset values or ranges for a desired trustworthiness rating, wherein at least the portion of information related to the updated trustworthiness rating associated with the particular user is displayed a remote computing device associated with the additional user, and wherein the portion of information includes one or more indicators displayed in one or more formats based on the trustworthiness rating of the particular user relative to the one or more preset values or the one or more preset ranges.   
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 21 , further comprising:
 determining, by the server, an estimated cash flow of the particular user based on:   (a) an average value of a plurality of completed transactions of the particular user; and   (b) an average length of time between subsequent transactions of the particular user during a total time period over which the plurality of completed transactions were completed;   updating, for the particular user, the updated trustworthiness rating based on the estimated cash flow; and   displaying, to an additional user, at least one of the updated trustworthiness rating of the particular user or the estimated cash flow of the particular user.   
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 21 , further comprising:
 deriving a location-based compliance metric for each of the plurality of transactions by analyzing the respective location data of the plurality of users;   deriving a time-based compliance metric for each of the plurality of transactions by analyzing the respective time data of the plurality of users;   providing the location-based compliance metric and the time-based compliance metric as input to a trustworthiness module and obtaining as output from the module the trustworthiness factor for the particular user, wherein the trustworthiness module is rule based,   wherein each of the plurality of remote computing devices associated with the plurality of users is in communication with a global positioning system (GPS) for transmitting the location data and the time data to the server, and wherein the comparing includes utilizing the respective location data and the respective time data for the particular transaction to confirm at least one of a start or a completion of the particular transaction.   
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 21 , further comprising:
 identifying, by the server, based on at least one of the location-based attribute or the time-based attribute, whether a particular remote computing device of the particular user is within a predetermined acceptable distance of the location-based attribute:   (a) between a designated start time and a designated end time of the particular transaction;   (b) for an entire time period between the designated start time and the designated end time; or   (c) at least a preset amount of time based on the time-based attribute of the transaction,   wherein the particular user provides a service associated with the particular transaction, and the trustworthiness factor is additionally determined based on the identifying in steps (a), (b), or (c).   
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the trustworthiness factor is further based on at least one of the agreed upon value of the respective subject of the particular transaction or a verification of full payment for the particular transaction. 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 21 , further comprising:
 identifying one or more direct network connections or indirect network connections between two users, wherein each direct network connection is associated with a completed verified transaction between the two users, and each indirect network connection is associated with two completed verified transactions between a user-in-common and each of the two users, respectively; and   notifying one of the two users of at least one identified direct network connection or indirect network connection with the other of the two users.   
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein each of the plurality of remote computing devices includes a user engagement panel configured for enabling each of the plurality of users to input information related to various aspects of a respective transaction, including at least one of buying, borrowing, lending, sharing, feedback, or ratings. 
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 21 , further comprising:
 displaying, on a display screen of an additional user, at least a portion of data related to one or more verifications of one or more transactions of the particular user and one or more indicators associated with a risk level of the particular user.   
     
     
         31 . A system for verifying transaction trustworthiness, comprising:
 a server communicatively coupled to a plurality of remote computing devices associated with a plurality of users via a network, wherein the server includes at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium with computer-readable instructions stored therein, a database, and a processor instructed to execute the computer-readable instructions to:   receive, from a plurality of remote computing devices associated with a plurality of users, location data and time data corresponding to a plurality of time-varying geographic locations of the plurality of users during a plurality of transactions between the plurality of users, wherein each of the transactions includes a subject having an agreed upon value and at least one of a time-based attribute or a location-based attribute;   store the location data, the time data, and the at least one time-based attribute or location-based attribute in the database;   determine a trustworthiness factor for a particular user of the plurality of users associated with a particular transaction of the plurality of transactions, wherein the particular user has an initial trustworthiness rating, and wherein the trustworthiness factor is based on comparing, in accordance with a set of predetermined rules, at least one of: (a) the respective location data with the respective location-based attribute to determine a level of location compliance, or (b) the respective time data with the respective time-based attribute to determine a level of time compliance, wherein the location-based attribute includes at least one of a pick-up location, a drop-off location, an exchange location, or a service location, and wherein the time-based attribute includes at least one of a start time, a start date, an end time, an end date, or a time period;   calculate, by the server, for the particular user, an updated trustworthiness rating based on the initial trustworthiness rating and the trustworthiness factor; and   display, by the server, on one or more of the plurality of remote computing devices, at least a portion of information related to the updated trustworthiness rating associated with the particular user.   
     
     
         32 . The system according to  claim 31 , wherein the processor is further instructed to:
 generate, by the server, a public key and a private key for each of the plurality of users;   encrypt, by the server, a content associated with the particular user using a plurality of public keys of the plurality of users;   create, by the server, a secure social feed containing the encrypted content, the encrypted content including data enabling the plurality of users to gain access to view the encrypted content by decrypting the encrypted content with a respective private key;   publish, by the server, the encrypted content in a forum accessible by one or more of the plurality of users; and   display, by the server, at least a portion of information related to the updated trustworthiness rating associated with the particular user.   
     
     
         33 . The system according to  claim 31 , wherein the processor is further instructed to:
 receive, from an additional user, one or more preset values or ranges for a desired trustworthiness rating; and   display, on a remote computing device associated with the additional user, at least the portion of information related to the updated trustworthiness rating associated with the particular user,   wherein the portion of information includes one or more indicators displayed in one or more formats based on the trustworthiness rating of the particular user relative to the one or more preset values or the one or more preset ranges.   
     
     
         34 . The system according to  claim 31 , wherein the processor is further instructed to:
 determine an estimated cash flow of the particular user based on:   (a) an average value of a plurality of completed transactions of the particular user; and   (b) an average length of time between subsequent transactions of the particular user during a total time period over which the plurality of completed transactions were completed;   update, for the particular user, the updated trustworthiness rating based on the estimated cash flow; and   display, to an additional user, at least one of the updated trustworthiness rating of the particular user or the estimated cash flow of the particular user.   
     
     
         35 . The system according to  claim 31 , wherein the processor is further instructed to:
 derive a location-based compliance metric for each of the plurality of transactions by analyzing the respective location data of the plurality of users;   derive a time-based compliance metric for each of the plurality of transactions by analyzing the respective time data of the plurality of users;   provide the location-based compliance metric and the time-based compliance metric as input to a trustworthiness module and obtain as output from the module the trustworthiness factor for the particular user, wherein the trustworthiness module is rule based,   wherein each of the plurality of remote computing devices associated with the plurality of users is in communication with a global positioning system (GPS) for transmitting the location data and the time data to the server, and wherein the comparing includes utilizing the respective location data and the respective time data for the particular transaction to confirm at least one of a start or a completion of the particular transaction.   
     
     
         36 . The system according to  claim 31 , wherein the processor is further instructed to:
 identify, based on at least one of the location-based attribute or the time-based attribute, whether a particular remote computing device of the particular user is within a predetermined acceptable distance of the location-based attribute:   (a) between a designated start time and a designated end time of the particular transaction;   (b) for an entire time period between the designated start time and the designated end time; or   (c) at least a preset amount of time based on the time-based attribute of the transaction, wherein the particular user provides a service associated with the particular transaction, and the trustworthiness factor is additionally determined based on the identifying in steps (a), (b), or (c).   
     
     
         37 . The system according to  claim 31 , wherein the trustworthiness factor is further based on at least one of the agreed upon value of the respective subject of the particular transaction or a verification of full payment for the particular transaction. 
     
     
         38 . The system according to  claim 31 , wherein the processor is further instructed to:
 identify one or more direct network connections or indirect network connections between two users, wherein each direct network connection is associated with a completed verified transaction between the two users, and each indirect network connection is associated with two completed verified transactions between a user-in-common and each of the two users, respectively; and   notify one of the two users of at least one identified direct network connection or indirect network connection with the other of the two users.   
     
     
         39 . The system according to  claim 31 , wherein each of the plurality of remote computing devices includes a user engagement panel configured for enabling each of the plurality of users to input information related to various aspects of a respective transaction, including at least one of buying, borrowing, lending, sharing, feedback, or ratings. 
     
     
         40 . The system according to  claim 31 , wherein the processor is further instructed to:
 display, on a display screen of an additional user, at least a portion of data related to one or more verifications of one or more transactions of the particular user and one or more indicators associated with a risk level of the particular user.