SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR GENERATING SOCIAL INDEX SCORES FOR KEY TERM ANALYSIS AND COMPARISONS

• US 20100076966A1
• Filed: 09/21/2009
• Published: 03/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Vitrue, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: STRUTTON, Michael J., ANDERSON, James V., LEE, Jon M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,213,961 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/728
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/137 Hash-based content-based indexing of textual data G06F16/31
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/148 File search processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/22 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2228 Indexing structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/438 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/48 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/74 Browsing; Visualisation therefor end-user interfaces for requesting or interacting with video content, e.g. video on demand interfaces or electronic program guides, H04N21/472
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90328 using search space presentation or visualization, e.g. category or range presentation and selection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to a method, in a computer network, for generating social index scores associated with key terms within web-based social network sites. Generally, the method comprises the steps of receiving an input of the key terms from a user, generating search queries from the key terms, providing the generated search queries to the web-based social network sites, capturing search results received from the web-based social network sites in response to the provided search queries, generating, from the captured search results, the social index scores using a processing algorithm, storing the generated social index scores in at least one database, and, providing at least one representation of the generated social index scores to the user in one or more of numerical, visual, and printed form.

Claims

1. In a computer network, a method for generating social index scores associated with key terms within web-based social network sites, comprising the steps of:

receiving an input of the key terms from a user;

generating search queries from the key terms;

providing the generated search queries to the web-based social network sites;

capturing search results received from the web-based social network sites in response to the provided search queries;

generating, from the captured search results, the social index scores using a processing algorithm;

storing the generated social index scores in at least one database; and

providing at least one representation of the generated social index scores to the user in one or more of numerical, visual, and printed form.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of providing the generated search queries, capturing the search results, generating the social index scores, and storing the generated social index scores are performed at regular intervals over time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing algorithm generates the social index scores from at least one of data associated with the frequency of exposure of the key terms to the user and to third-party users within the web-based social network sites and data associated with the frequency of search queries containing the key terms received by the web-based social network sites.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one representation of the social index scores comprises at least one of graphs and charts visually displayed to the user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the key terms comprise two or more different sets of terms directed to two or more corresponding different subject matters.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one representation comprises a visual representation of the social index scores generated at each of the regular intervals over time.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the frequency of exposure is comprised at least partially of the number of communications associated with the key words between the user and a plurality of the third-party users of the web-based social network sites, and is further comprised at least partially of the number of searchable web-pages within each of the web-based social network sites.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the processing algorithm generates the social index scores from at least one of data associated with the frequency of exposure of each of the two different sets of terms to the user and to third-party users within the web-based social networks and data associated with the frequency of search queries containing the key terms received by the web-based social network sites.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the social index scores consist of one social index score for each of the two or more different sets of terms.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the frequency of exposure is comprised at least partially of the number of communications associated with the key words between the user and a plurality of the third-party users of the web-based social network sites, and is further comprised at least partially of the number of searchable web-pages within each of the web-based social network sites.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one representation of the social index scores comprises a visual comparison of the two or more social index scores.

12. In a computer network, a system for generating social index scores associated with key terms within web-based social network sites, comprising:

a means for receiving an input of the key terms from a user;

a means for generating search queries from the key terms;

a means for providing the generated search queries to the web-based social network sites;

a means for capturing search results received from the web-based social network sites in response to the provided search queries;

a means for generating, from the captured search results, the social index scores using a processing algorithm;

a means for storing the generated social index scores that is operatively coupled to the means for generating the social index scores; and

a means for providing at least one representation of the generated social index scores to the user in one or more of numerical, visual, and printed form, that is operatively coupled to at least one of the means for generating the social index scores and the means for storing the generated social index scores.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the means for receiving the input of the key terms is a user computer or mobile electronic device that is operatively coupled with the computer network through a network connection.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the means for storing the generated social index scores comprises at least one database for storing previously generated social media index scores.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the web-based social network sites comprise one or more of social media sites, video sharing sites, microblogging sites, and blog post sites.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the means for receiving the input of the key terms comprises an interface means comprising interactive user controls for inputting the key terms in response to an action by the at least one user.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the means for providing at least one representation of the generated social index scores comprises a computer screen for displaying at least one of the numerical and visual representations of the index scores to the user.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one database consists of a database for storing social media index scores generated at regular intervals over time and a database for storing cumulative data comprising a plurality of social media index scores, each generated at a different one of the regular intervals over time.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the interactive user controls are graphical user interface controls displayed to the user on a computer screen.

20. In a computer network, a method of using a system for generating social index scores associated with key terms within web-based social network sites, the system comprising a means for receiving an input of the key terms from a user, a means for generating search queries from the key terms, a means for providing the generated search queries to the web-based social network sites, a means for capturing search results received from the web-based social network sites in response to the provided search queries, a means for generating, from the captured search results, the social index scores using a processing algorithm, a means for storing the generated social index scores that is operatively coupled to the means for generating the social index scores, and a means for providing at least one representation of the generated social index scores to the user in one or more of numerical, visual, and printed form, that is operatively coupled to at least one of the means for generating the social index scores and the means for storing the generated social index scores, the method comprising the steps of:

accessing the means for receiving input of the key terms through the computer network;

inputting the key terms using the means for receiving input of the key terms; and

viewing the at least one representation of the generated social index scores.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising the steps of:

editing the key terms using the means for receiving input of the key terms, in response to viewing the at least one representation of the generated social index scores;

inputting the edited key terms using the means for receiving input of the key terms; and

viewing at least one representation of social index scores generated from the edited key terms, in one or more of numerical, visual, and printed form.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the key terms comprise at least one of trademarks and product brands.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of inputting the key terms comprises inputting two or more different sets of terms directed to two or more corresponding different subject matters.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the generated social index scores comprise a social index score for each one of the two or more different sets of terms, and wherein the at least one representation of the generated social index scores comprises a visual representation of each one of the social index scores for the two or more different sets of terms.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the at least one visual representation of the social index scores comprises a visual comparison of the social index scores for the two or more different sets of terms.

26. Software stored on a computer-readable medium for causing a computing system in a computer network to perform functions for generating social index scores associated with key terms within web-based social network sites, the functions comprising:

receiving an input of the key terms from a user;

generating search queries from the key terms;

providing the generated search queries to the web-based social network sites;

capturing search results received from the corresponding at least one of the selected databases and web-based social network sites in response to the provided search queries;

generating, from the captured search results, the social index scores using a processing algorithm;

storing the generated social index scores in at least one database; and

providing at least one representation of the generated social index scores to the user in one or more of numerical, visual, and printed form.

27. The software of claim 26, wherein the functions of providing the generated search queries, capturing the search results, generating the social index scores, and storing the generated social index scores are performed at regular intervals over time.

28. The software of claim 26, wherein the at least one representation of the social index scores comprises at least one of graphs and charts visually displayed to the user.

29. The software of claim 26, wherein the key terms comprise two or more different sets of terms directed to two or more corresponding different subject matters.

30. The software of claim 27, wherein the processing algorithm generates the social index scores from at least one of data associated with the frequency of exposure of the key terms to the user and to third-party users within the web-based social network sites and data associated with the frequency of search queries containing the key terms received by the web-based social network sites.

31. The software of claim 27, wherein the at least one representation comprises a visual representation of the social index scores generated at each of the regular intervals over time.

32. The software of claim 30, wherein the frequency of exposure is comprised at least partially of a number of communications associated with the key words between the user and a plurality of the third-party users of the web-based social network sites, and is further comprised at least partially of the number of searchable web-pages within each of the web-based social network sites.

33. The software of claim 29, wherein the processing algorithm generates the social index scores from at least one of data associated with the frequency of exposure of each of the two different sets of terms to the user and to third-party users within the web-based social networks and data associated with the frequency of search queries containing the key terms received by the web-based social network sites.

34. The software of claim 29, wherein the social index scores consist of one social index score for each of the two or more different sets of terms.

35. The software of claim 33, wherein the frequency of exposure is comprised at least partially of a number of communications associated with the key words between the user and a plurality of the third-party users of the web-based social network sites, and is further comprised at least partially of the number of searchable web-pages within each of the web-based social network sites.

36. The software of claim 34, wherein the at least one representation of the social index scores comprises a comparison of each of the index scores for each of the corresponding two or more different sets of terms.