Profile Matching in Electronic Social Networks Using a Matching Measure for Fuzzy Numerical Attributes and Fields of Interests

Abstract

The problem of profile matching in electronic social networks asks to find those offering profiles of actors in the network fitting best to a given search profile. In this article this problem is mathematically formulated as an optimization problem. For this purpose the underlying search space and the objective function are defined precisely. In particular, data structures of search and offering profiles are proposed, as well as a function measuring the matching of the attributes of a search profile with the corresponding attributes of an offering profile. This objective function, given in Equation (29), is composed of the partial matching degrees for numerical attributes, discrete non-numerical attributes, and fields of interests, respectively. For the matching degree of numerical profile attributes a fuzzy value approach is presented, see Equation (22), whereas for the matching degree of fields of interest a new measure function is introduced in Equation (26). The resulting algorithm is illustrated by a concrete example. It not only is applicable to electronic social networks but also could be adapted for resource discovery in grid computation or in matchmaking energy demand and supply in electrical power systems and smart grids, especially to efficiently integrate renewable energy resources.