Embedding links in user-created content on online social networks

• US 10,268,664 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2015
• Issued: 04/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zheng, Shuyi, Westervelt, Brett Matthew, Kazi, Rousseau Newaz, Mentch, Alexander Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Thanh T
• Application Number:
  US14/835,289
• Publication Number:
  US 20170060823A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,337 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24575 using context
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/134 Hyperlinking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, from a link-search interface of a client device, a search query from a first user of an online social network. The link-search interface is associated with a composer interface in which the first user is composing a first post. The method further includes searching a web index of an online social network to identify one or more external objects matching a search query. The web index identifies a plurality of external objects hosted by third-party systems that have been posted to the online social network, and each search result comprises a reference to the respective external object and a link to the external object. The method further includes embedding, in the first post, a link to a first external object referenced by a first search result selected by the first user.

Claims

1. A method comprising, by one or more computing devices associated with an online social network:

receiving, from a link-search interface of a social-networking application being executed on a client device, a search query inputted into the link-search interface by a first user of the online social network, wherein the link-search interface is accessed from a composer interface of the social-networking application in which the first user is composing a first post comprising a first content object, wherein the link-search interface enables the first user to search for and embed one or more links to one or more external objects into posts being composed in the composer interface;

generating one or more search results corresponding to the search query by searching a web index of the online social network to identify one or more external objects matching the search query, respectively, wherein the web index identifies a plurality of external objects hosted by third-party systems that have been previously posted to the online social network, and wherein each search result comprises a reference to the respective external object and a link to the external object;

sending, to the client device in response to the search query, one or more of the search results for display in the link-search interface to the first user;

receiving, from the client device, an indication the first user has selected a first search result of the one or more search results displayed in the link-search interface; and

embedding, in line with the first content object in the first post being composed in the composer interface, a link to a first external object referenced by the first search result selected by the first user from the link-search interface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the external objects comprises one or more of text, a web page, a web link, a graphical image, a video object, an audio object, a multimedia object, an application, or any combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accessing a social graph comprising a plurality of nodes and a plurality of edges connecting the nodes, each of the edges between two of the nodes representing a single degree of separation between them, the nodes comprising;

a first node corresponding to the first user of the online social network; and

a plurality of second nodes that each correspond to a concept or a second user associated with the online social network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the composer interface comprises a selectable link-search element that is operable to generate the link-search interface, and wherein the link-search interface is displayed on the client device in response to receiving an indication that the first user has selected the link-search element.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the link-search interface comprises a query input interface configured to receive the search query.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the client device, a request for the link-search interface, wherein the link-search interface is displayed on the client device responsive to the request; and

sending, to the client device, one or more null-state search results for display in the link-search interface to the first user.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein each null-state search result comprises a reference and a link to an external object previously selected by the first user.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein each null-state search result comprises reference and a link to an external object recently viewed by the first user.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein there are a threshold number of null-state search results.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the link-search interface is pre-populated with a prior search query previously inputted by the first user, and wherein the null-state search results correspond to one or more external objects matching the prior search query.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the search query comprises a character string comprising one or more characters, and search results are generated responsive to the first user inputting an additional character into the character string.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising embedding, in the first post, preview content based on at least a portion of the first external object.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the preview content comprises one or more of:

preview text, a preview image, a preview video, or any combination thereof.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising posting, on the online social network, the first post, wherein the first user is associated as an author with the first post.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the web index indexes the plurality of external objects and one or more keywords associated with each external object, wherein each identified external object is indexed with one or more keywords substantially matching the search query.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein searching the web index to identify one or more external objects matching the search query comprises:

accessing the web index, the web index comprising a plurality of entries, each entry comprising a link to an external object and one or more keywords extracted from a post, reshare, comment, or message comprising a link to the external object; and

identifying one or more posts, reshares, comments, or messages linking to one or more linked external objects based on matching the search query with the one or more keywords extracted from the identified one or more posts, reshares, comments, or messages,

wherein the one or more identified external objects matching the search query are linked to by the one or more posts, reshares, comments, or messages.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

calculating, for each identified external object, an object-score based on one or more social signals associated with the identified external object,

wherein the respective external object referenced by each search result has an object-score greater than a threshold score.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the search results are ranked based at least in part on the object-score of each external object.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the web index comprises at least one counter that records a number of social signals associated with each external object within the online social network, and the object-score for each identified external object is calculated based on the counter associated with the identified external object.

20. The method of claim 19, each entry of the web index comprising:

a URL of an external object hosted by the third-party system;

one or more post identifiers each linking to each of one or more posts of the online social network that comprise the URL of the entry of the index;

the counter that records the number of social signals associated with the external object; and

metadata associated with the external object linked in the particular post, the metadata comprising information associated with the external object.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the social signals associated with each external object comprise one or more of:

an indication of a post linking to the external object, the post comprising one or more of;

an original post linking to the external object;

a comment on a post linking to the external object; and

a reshare of a post linking to the external object;

an accessing or viewing of the original post, the comment, or the reshare linking to the external object;

a like of the original post, the comment, or the reshare linking to the external object;

a click-thru of a link to the external object in the original post, the comment, or the reshare linking to the external object;

or

any combination thereof.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the search query comprises a content object type identifier, and the search results comprise one or more external objects having types that correspond to the object type identifier.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the search query comprises a service identifier that identifies an online service, and the search results comprise one or more external objects associated with the online service.

24. One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying software that is operable when executed to:

receive, from a link-search interface of a social-networking application being executed on a client device, a search query inputted into the link-search interface by a first user of an online social network, wherein the link-search interface is accessed from a composer interface of the social-networking application in which the first user is composing a first post comprising a first content object, wherein the link-search interface enables the first user to search for and embed one or more links to one or more external objects into posts being composed in the composer interface;

generate one or more search results corresponding to the search query by searching a web index of the online social network to identify one or more external objects matching the search query, respectively, wherein the web index identifies a plurality of external objects hosted by third-party systems that have been previously posted to the online social network, and wherein each search result comprises a reference to the respective external object and a link to the external object;

send, to the client device in response to the search query, one or more of the search results for display in the link-search interface to the first user;

receive, from the client device, an indication the first user has selected a first search result of the one or more search results displayed in the link-search interface; and

embed, in line with the first content object in the first post being composed in the composer interface, a link to a first external object referenced by the first search result selected by the first user from the link-search interface.

25. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a non-transitory memory coupled to the processors comprising instructions executable by the processors, the processors operable when executing the instructions to;

receive, from a link-search interface of a social-networking application being executed on a client device, a search query inputted into the link-search interface by a first user of an online social network, wherein the link-search interface is accessed from a composer interface of the social-networking application in which the first user is composing a first post comprising a first content object;

generate one or more search results corresponding to the search query by searching a web index of the online social network to identify one or more external objects matching the search query, respectively, wherein the web index identifies a plurality of external objects hosted by third-party systems that have been previously posted to the online social network, and wherein each search result comprises a reference to the respective external object and a link to the external object;

send, to the client device in response to the search query, one or more of the search results for display in the link-search interface to the first user;

receive, from the client device, an indication the first user has selected a first search result of the one or more search results displayed in the link-search interface; and

embed, in line with the first content object in the first post being composed in the composer interface, a link to a first external object referenced by the first search result selected by the first user from the link-search interface.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein each of the external objects comprises one or more of text, a web page, a web link, a graphical image, a video object, an audio object, a multimedia object, an application, or any combination thereof.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the processors are further operable when executing the instructions to:

access a social graph comprising a plurality of nodes and a plurality of edges connecting the nodes, each of the edges between two of the nodes representing a single degree of separation between them, the nodes comprising;

a first node corresponding to the first user of the online social network; and

a plurality of second nodes that each correspond to a concept or a second user associated with the online social network.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein the composer interface comprises a selectable link-search element that is operable to generate the link-search interface, and wherein the link-search interface is displayed on the client device in response to receiving an indication that the first user has selected the link-search element.

29. The system of claim 25, wherein the link-search interface comprises a query input interface configured to receive the search query.

30. The system of claim 25, wherein the processors are further operable when executing the instructions to:

receive, at the client device, a request for the link-search interface, wherein the link-search interface is displayed on the client device responsive to the request; and

send, to the client device, one or more null-state search results for display in the link-search interface to the first user.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein each null-state search result comprises a reference and a link to an external object previously selected by the first user.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein each null-state search result comprises reference and a link to an external object recently viewed by the first user.

33. The system of claim 30, wherein there are a threshold number of null-state search results.

34. The system of claim 30, wherein the link-search interface is pre-populated with a prior search query previously inputted by the first user, and wherein the null-state search results correspond to one or more external objects matching the prior search query.

35. The system of claim 25, wherein the search query comprises a character string comprising one or more characters, and search results are generated responsive to the first user inputting an additional character into the character string.

36. The system of claim 25, wherein the processors are further operable when executing the instructions to embed, in the first post, preview content based on at least a portion of the first external object.

37. The system of claim 25, wherein the preview content comprises one or more of:

preview text, a preview image, a preview video, or any combination thereof.

38. The system of claim 25, wherein the processors are further operable when executing the instructions to post, on the online social network, the first post, wherein the first user is associated as an author with the first post.

39. The system of claim 25, wherein the web index indexes the plurality of external objects and one or more keywords associated with each external object, wherein each identified external object is indexed with one or more keywords substantially matching the search query.

40. The system of claim 25, wherein the instructions to search the web index to identify one or more external objects matching the search query comprise instructions to:

access the web index, the web index comprising a plurality of entries, each entry comprising a link to an external object and one or more keywords extracted from a post, reshare, comment, or message comprising a link to the external object; and

identify one or more posts, reshares, comments, or messages linking to one or more linked external objects based on matching the search query with the one or more keywords extracted from the identified one or more posts, reshares, comments, or messages,

wherein the one or more identified external objects matching the search query are linked to by the one or more posts, reshares, comments, or messages.

41. The system of claim 25, wherein the processors are further operable when executing the instructions to:

calculate, for each identified external object, an object-score based on one or more social signals associated with the identified external object,

wherein the respective external object referenced by each search result has an object-score greater than a threshold score.

42. The system of claim 25, wherein the search results are ranked based at least in part on the object-score of each external object.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the web index comprises at least one counter that records a number of social signals associated with each external object within the online social network, and the object-score for each identified external object is calculated based on the counter associated with the identified external object.

44. The system of claim 43, each entry of the web index comprising:

a URL of an external object hosted by the third-party system;

one or more post identifiers each linking to each of one or more posts of the online social network that comprise the URL of the entry of the index;

the counter that records the number of social signals associated with the external object; and

metadata associated with the external object linked in the particular post, the metadata comprising information associated with the external object.

45. The system of claim 43, wherein the social signals associated with each external object comprise one or more of:

an indication of a post linking to the external object, the post comprising one or more of;

an original post linking to the external object;

a comment on a post linking to the external object; and

a reshare of a post linking to the external object;

an accessing or viewing of the original post, the comment, or the reshare linking to the external object;

a like of the original post, the comment, or the reshare linking to the external object;

a click-thru of a link to the external object in the original post, the comment, or the reshare linking to the external object;

or

any combination thereof.

46. The system of claim 25, wherein the search query comprises a content object type identifier, and the search results comprise one or more external objects having types that correspond to the object type identifier.

47. The system of claim 25, wherein the search query comprises a service identifier that identifies an online service, and the search results comprise one or more external objects associated with the online service.