SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR EMPLOYING SOCIAL NETWORKS FOR INFORMATION DISCOVERY

• US 20090112827A1
• Filed: 12/29/2008
• Published: 04/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Achlioptas, Dimitris
• Granted Patent: US 8,489,570 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9536 Search customisation based on social or collaborative filtering
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided that enable searches of social networks by acting as a “compass” that assists users in navigating the social network. Individual user participation is not required in response to queries from other users. The systems and methods offer navigational assistance or information as opposed to a traditional search which returns requested information, thus currently acceptable social mechanisms for arbitrating trust can be exploited. As a result, users do not make their personal information publicly searchable, while at the same time, they are protected from potential misrepresentations of facts.

Claims

1. A search system comprising:

a storage component that stores attributes in a plurality of profiles associated with a plurality of individuals, wherein the attributes for at least one profile comprise corroboration information identifying one or more additional individuals that will verify for the individual associated with the at least one profile the accuracy of one or more of the attributes within the at least one profile; and

a search engine that receives a user query, the search engine performing a social network-based search of the storage component to determine a referral path from a source node of the query to a destination node satisfying the query.

2. The system of claim 1, the profiles being represented as a directed graph comprising nodes and arcs, the arcs indicating relationships between the nodes.

3. The system of claim 1, attributes for at least one profile being at least partially directly input by an individual represented by the at least one profile.

4. The system of claim 1, attributes for at least one profile being at least partially obtained via data scavenging.

5. The system of claim 1, the referral path including at least one intermediate node between the source node and the destination node, a first of the at least one intermediate node of the referral path being viewable by a user that submitted the user query and remaining nodes of the referral path after the first of the at least one intermediate node being hidden from the user.

6. The system of claim 5, at least one node of the at least one intermediate node within the referral path controlling downstream exposure of a remaining portion of the path from the at least one node of the at least one intermediate node to the destination node.

7. The system of claim 1, the profiles respectively comprising buddy list that comprise lists of users having direct personal relationships with respective individuals associated with the profiles.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein at least one buddy list comprises a first set of users that have given access permission to be contacted for information by a respective user and a second set of users that have been given access permission to contact the respective user for information.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein at least one user from the buddy list are respectively assigned a familiarity value, wherein the familiarity value indicates a degree of familiarity between the individual associated with the profile comprising the buddy list and the at least one user from the buddy list.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the familiarity value between a first profile and a second profile are a minimum of a first familiarity value between the first profile and the second profile assigned by an individual associated with the first profile and a second familiarity value between the first profile and the second profile assigned by an individual associated with the second profile.

11. A query method utilizing a social network, the method comprising:

storing attributes in a plurality of profiles associated with a plurality of individuals, wherein the attributes for at least one profile comprise corroboration information identifying one or more additional individuals that will verify for the individual associated with the at least one profile the accuracy of one or more of the attributes within the at least one profile; and

receiving a user query;

performing a social network-based search of the stored profiles to determine a referral path from a source node of the query to a destination node satisfying the query.

12. The method of claim 11, the profiles being represented as a directed graph comprising nodes and arcs, the arcs indicating relationships between the nodes.

13. The method of claim 11, the referral path including at least one intermediate node between the source node and the destination node, a first of the at least one intermediate node of the referral path being viewable by a user that submitted the user query and remaining nodes of the referral path after the first of the at least one intermediate node being hidden from the user.

14. The method of claim 13, at least one node of the at least one intermediate node within the referral path controlling downstream exposure of a remaining portion of the path from the at least one node of the at least one intermediate node to the destination node.

15. The method of claim 11, the profiles respectively comprising buddy list that comprise lists of users having direct personal relationships with respective individuals associated with the profiles.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein at least one buddy list comprises a first set of users that have given access permission to be contacted for information by a respective user and a second set of users that have been given access permission to contact the respective user for information.

17. The method of claim 15, assigning a familiarity value to at least one user from the buddy list, wherein the familiarity value indicates a degree of familiarity between the individual associated with the profile comprising the buddy list and the at least one user from the buddy list.

18. The method of claim 17, determining a familiarity value between a first profile and a second profile by selecting a minimum of a first familiarity value between the first profile and the second profile assigned by an individual associated with the first profile and a second familiarity value between the first profile and the second profile assigned by an individual associated with the second profile.

19. A query system comprising:

means for storing attributes in a plurality of profiles associated with a plurality of individuals, wherein the attributes for at least one profile comprise corroboration information identifying one or more additional individuals that will verify for the individual associated with the at least one profile the accuracy of one or more of the attributes within the at least one profile; and

means for receiving a user query;

means for performing a social network-based search of the stored profiles to determine a referral path from a source node of the query to a destination node satisfying the query.

20. The system of claim 19, the profiles being represented as a directed graph comprising nodes and arcs, the arcs indicating relationships between the nodes.