Social Network Query and Response System to Locate Subject Matter Expertise

• US 20100250583A1
• Filed: 12/17/2009
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Klemm, Reinhard Peter
• Application Number:
  US12/640,312
• Publication Number:
  US 20100250583A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A method for identifying a person who possesses the expertise in a specific subject matter, wherein the method comprises receiving a query and criteria from a first user and, transmitting a request to a server. Upon receiving the request, the server selects a second user from the first user'"'"'s contacts based on the request. Similarly, the server selects a third user from the second user'"'"'s contacts, wherein the third user is not in the first user'"'"'s contacts. After the users are selected, the server transmits the request to the second user and the third user'"'"'s terminal. If the second user and the third user do not respond to the request, the server selects a fourth user from the third user'"'"'s contacts, wherein the fourth user is not in the first user and the second user'"'"'s contacts. This process is performed by the server until an “expert” responds to the request.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a data-processing system, a request from a first user U₁;

selecting, at the data-processing system;

i. a second user U₂ from a plurality of contacts of the first user U₁, wherein the request satisfies the second user U₂'"'"'s profile, and

ii. a third user U₃ from a plurality of contacts of the second user U₂, wherein the request satisfies the third user U₃'"'"'s profile, and wherein the third user U₃ is not in the plurality of contacts of the first user U₁;

transmitting the request from the data-processing system to the third user U₃;

receiving, at the data-processing system, a response to the request from the third user U₃; and

transmitting, at the data-processing system, the response to the first user U₁.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting the second user U₂ is based on the number of times the first user U₁ communicated with the second user U₂ before the data-processing system received the request from the first user U₁.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting the second user U₂ is based on the duration of time the first user U₁ communicated with the second user U₂ before the data-processing system received the request from the first user U₁.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting the second user U₂ is based on the date and time the first user U₁ communicated with the second user U₂ before the data-processing system received the request from the first user U₁.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting the second user U₂ is based on the number of times the data-processing system selected the second user U₂ to respond to other requests.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting the second user U₂ is based on the second user U₂ participating in a conference call with the same subject matter as the first user U₁'"'"'s request.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising setting a flag after the data-processing system selects the second user U₂, wherein the data-processing system transmits the third user U₃'"'"'s response to the second user U₂ based, at least in part, on the flag.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising incrementing a counter associated with an identifier of the third user U₃, wherein the counter is incremented based, at least in part, on receiving the response from the third user U₃.

9. A method comprising:

receiving, at a first terminal T₁, a query from a first user U₁;

transmitting a request from the first terminal T₁ to a second user U₂ at a second terminal T₂, wherein the second user U₂ is in the first user U₁'"'"'s contacts;

presenting the first user U₁'"'"'s request to the second user U₂ when, and only when, an application executed on the second terminal T₂ determines that the first user U₁'"'"'s request satisfies the second user U₂'"'"'s profile, wherein if the first user U₁'"'"'s request fails to satisfy the second user U₂'"'"'s profile, the application;

i. selects a third user U₃ from the second user U₂'"'"'s contacts,

ii. selects a fourth user U₄ from the second user U₂'"'"'s contacts, and

iii. presents the third user U₃ and the fourth user U₄ to the second user U₂ for selection;

receiving, at the second terminal T₂, a selection from the second user U₂; and

transmitting, at the second terminal T₂, the first user U₁'"'"'s request based on the second user U₂'"'"'s selection.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the third user U₃ and the fourth user U₄ are not in the first user U₁'"'"'s contacts.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein transmitting the first user U₁'"'"'s request from the first terminal T₁ to the second terminal T₂ is based on the number of times the first user U₁ communicated with the second user U₂.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein transmitting the first user U₁'"'"'s request to the second terminal T₂ is based on the duration of time the first user U₁ communicated with the second user U₂.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein transmitting the first user U₁'"'"'s request to the second terminal T₂ is based on the date and time the first user U₁ communicated with the second user U₂.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein transmitting the first user U₁'"'"'s request to the second terminal T₂ is based on the number of times the second user U₂ was selected to respond to other requests.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein transmitting the first user U₁'"'"'s request to the second terminal T₂ is based on the second user U₂ participating in a conference call that has the same subject matter as the first user U₁'"'"'s request.

17. The method of claim 9 further comprising incrementing a counter associated with an identifier of the second user U₂, wherein the counter is incremented based, at least in part, on the second user U₂ responding to the first user U₁'"'"'s request.