Identifying a Discussion Topic Based on User Interest Information

• US 20100228777A1
• Filed: 02/20/2009
• Published: 09/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Rounthwaite, Robert L., White, Ryen W., Imig, Scott K., Richardson, Matthew R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,195,739 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/772
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/285 Clustering or classification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/335 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles filtering in web context G06F16/9535, G06F16/9536
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/355 Class or cluster creation or modification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1818 Conference organisation arrangements, e.g. handling schedules, setting up parameters needed by nodes to attend a conference, booking network resources, notifying involved parties
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services

Abstract

Functionality is described for identifying a discussion topic based on user interest information. The user interest information may originate from one or more sources, such as the user'"'"'s search-related behavior. The functionality then provides an opportunity for the user to engage in a communication exchange associated with the identified discussion topic.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating a communication exchange using an electronic discussion facilitating system, comprising:

receiving interest information associated with a user, the interest information relating to at least one interest of the user;

associating the user with at least one topic based on the interest information, said at least one topic being selected with reference to a collection of topics; and

providing an opportunity for the user to participate in at least one communication exchange relating to said at least one topic.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the interest information is based on at least one query provided by the user to a search engine.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the interest information is also based on at least one characteristic of the user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said associating is based on an assessment of relatedness between the user interest information and the topics in the collection of topics.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the collection of topics is associated with a plurality of communication exchanges, and wherein said associating is based on an assessment of a number of participants in one or more of the plurality of communication exchange.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the collection of topics is associated with a plurality of communication exchanges, and wherein said associating is based on an assessment of at least one characteristic of participants associated with one or more of the plurality of communication exchanges.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said at least one characteristic pertains to an expertise level of the participants.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interest information is based on behavior exhibited by the user, and wherein said associating is based on an assessment of an intent of the user in engaging in the behavior.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said associating involves associating the user with two or more topics corresponding to two or more respective communication exchanges.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the collection of topics is organized into at least one structure based on at least one relationship among topics.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the collection of topics includes at least two sub-collections of topics associated with different respective themes.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one communication exchange includes a chat-type communication exchange.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least communication exchange includes a message board-type communication exchange.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

coupling the user to said at least one communication exchange;

receiving an instruction from the user to share at least one search-related item with at least one participant of said at least one communication exchange; and

forwarding said at least one search-related item to said at least one participant.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said at least one search-related item includes an identified query.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said at least one search-related item includes information regarding a customized ranking of search results.

17. A system for facilitating communication exchange, comprising:

a discussion facilitating system configured to associate a user with at least one topic based on at least one query provided by the user to a search engine; and

a communication system configured to provide a plurality of communication exchanges associated with topics, including at least one communication exchange associated with said at least one topic identified by the discussion facilitating system,

the discussion facilitating system comprising a communication management module for selecting said at least one topic based one or more of;

an assessment of relatedness between said at least one query provided by the user and said at least one topic;

an assessment of a number of participants in one or more of the plurality communication exchanges;

or

an assessment of at least one characteristic of participants associated with one or more of the plurality of communication exchanges.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the discussion facilitating system also comprises a topic creation module for creating a collection of topics based on an assessment of relatedness among queries provided by a population of users.

19. A computer readable medium for storing computer readable instructions, the computer readable instructions providing a topic creation module when executed by one or more processing devices, the computer readable instructions comprising:

logic configured to receive topic-related items; and

logic configured to group the topic-related items into a plurality of topics based on at least one assessed relationship among the topic-related items,

the plurality of topics being associated with a plurality of respective communication exchanges in which users may participate.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the topic-related items correspond to queries made by a population of users, and wherein said logic configured to group is configured to organize the queries into the topics based on said at least one assessed relationship among the queries.