SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DYNAMICALLY GENERATING AND MANAGING AN ONLINE CONTEXT-DRIVEN INTERACTIVE SOCIAL NETWORK

• US 20070112719A1
• Filed: 11/03/2006
• Published: 05/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: OneRiot, Inc. (WalMart Inc.)
• Original Assignee: OneRiot, Inc. (WalMart Inc.)
• Inventors: Reich, Robert, Newcomb, Peter
• Application Number:
  US11/556,655
• Publication Number:
  US 20070112719A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 706/48
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A system and method for calculating recommendations for a user is described. One embodiment includes a method for identifying users that are performing actions related to actions performed by a primary user, the method comprising: identifying an action performed by the primary user; identifying secondary users who performed the action; identifying actions performed by the secondary users; selecting a relevant action included in the identified actions performed the secondary users; identifying at least one secondary user that recently performed the selected relevant action; identify the action currently being performed by the identified secondary user; and providing a recommendation to user, the recommendation including an indication of the identified secondary user and the identified action.

Claims

1. A method for identifying secondary users that are performing actions related to actions performed by a primary user, the method comprising:

identifying at least one primary-user action, wherein the at least one primary-user action has been performed by the primary user;

identifying a plurality of secondary-user actions, wherein the plurality of secondary-user actions are actions performed by at least one of the secondary users in conjunction with the at least one of the primary-user actions;

identifying a plurality of secondary users that have performed at least one of the identified plurality of secondary-user actions; and

providing a recommendation to the primary user, the recommendation including an identification of at least one of the plurality of secondary users.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining at least one action performed by the at least one of the plurality of secondary users;

wherein the recommendation further includes an indication of the determined at least one action.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

collecting actions performed by the secondary users; and

calculating correlations between the collected actions;

wherein identifying the plurality of secondary-user actions comprises identifying the plurality of secondary-user actions based on the calculated correlations.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the collected actions comprise an earlier action and a later action and wherein calculating correlations between the collected actions comprises:

determining the importance of the earlier action;

determining the importance of the later action; and

calculating the correlation between the earlier action and the later action based on the determined importance of the earlier action and the determined importance of the later action.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

collecting explicit actions performed by the secondary user;

collecting implicit actions performed by the secondary user; and

calculating correlations between the explicit actions and the implicit actions;

wherein identifying the plurality of secondary-user actions comprises identifying the plurality of secondary-user actions based on the calculated correlations.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the collected explicit action comprises an earlier explicit action and wherein the collected implicit action comprises a later implicit action and wherein calculating correlations comprises:

determining the importance of the earlier explicit action;

determining the importance of the later implicit action; and

calculating the correlation between the earlier explicit action and the later implicit action based on the determined importance of the earlier explicit action and the determined importance of the later implicit action.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the recency with which each of the plurality of secondary users performed the identified plurality of secondary-user actions; and

selecting the at least one of the plurality of secondary users for the recommendation based on the determined recency.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the frequency with which each of the plurality of secondary users performed the identified plurality of secondary-user actions; and

selecting the at least one of the plurality of secondary users for the recommendation based on the determined frequency.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one primary-user action comprises at least one of an explicit action and an implicit action corresponding to the explicit action.

10. A system for identifying secondary users that are performing actions related to actions performed by a primary user, the system comprising:

a computer system;

a storage device in communication with the computer system; and

a plurality of instructions stored on the storage device, the plurality of instructions configured to cause the computer system to;

identify at least one primary-user action, wherein the at least one primary-user action has been performed by the primary user;

identify a plurality of secondary-user actions, wherein the plurality of secondary-user actions are actions performed by at least one of the secondary users in conjunction with the at least one of the primary-user actions;

identify a plurality of secondary users that have performed at least one of the identified plurality of secondary-user actions; and

provide a recommendation to the primary user, the recommendation including an identification of at least one of the plurality of secondary users.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions are further configured to:

determine at least one action performed by the at least one of the plurality of secondary users;

wherein the recommendation further includes an indication of the determined action.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions are further configured to:

collect explicit actions performed by the secondary user;

collect implicit actions performed by the secondary user;

calculate correlations between the explicit actions and the implicit actions; and

wherein identifying the plurality of secondary-user actions comprises identifying the plurality of secondary-user actions based on the calculated correlations.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the instructions are further configured to:

collect actions performed by the plurality of secondary users;

calculate correlations between the collected actions; and

wherein identifying the plurality of secondary-user actions comprises identifying the plurality of secondary-user actions based on the calculated correlations.

14. A method for identifying users that are performing actions related to actions performed by a primary user, the method comprising:

identifying a first action performed by the primary user;

identifying secondary users who performed the first action;

identifying actions performed by the secondary users;

selecting a second action from the identified actions performed by the secondary users;

identifying at least one of the secondary users who recently performed the selected second action; and

providing a recommendation to the user, the recommendation including an indication of the identified one of the secondary users.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first action comprises at least one of an explicit action and an implicit action corresponding to the explicit action.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein selecting the second action comprises:

selecting the second action based upon the performance frequency of the identified actions performed by the secondary users.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein selecting the second action comprises:

selecting the relevant action based upon the recency of the identified actions performed the secondary users.