Method and Apparatus for Social Trust Networks on Messaging Platforms

• US 20100250605A1
• Filed: 03/26/2009
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AirBNB Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Ragan, Richard W. JR., Yu, Yongshin, Pamu, Gautham
• Granted Patent: US 9,817,872 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/783
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2458 Special types of queries, e.g. statistical queries, fuzzy queries or distributed queries

Abstract

A social trust network is implemented in combination with a communication network capable of monitoring one or more parameters of communications. The social trust network includes a database containing trust data and possibly profiles of respective entities can be searched to return identities of entities such as subject matter experts with whom a user such as a decision-maker may wish to communicate; which communication may be facilitated by communication contact information corresponding to entities returned by the search. A plurality of trust metrics are computed from the trust data and search results are ordered based on a weighted sum of trust metrics, possibly including ratings of entities, where the relative weights may be manipulated at the will of the user. The monitored parameters of such communications are represented in data stored as trust data in a database which is thus adaptively developed through use of the social trust network.

Claims

1. A social trust network implemented in combination with a networked communication platform comprising

a processor including an application for conducting a search of a database to return identifications of entities and corresponding trust data and communication data,

a trust network platform including an aggregate trust engine for computing a trust metric from said trust data,

an arrangement operatively associated with said networked communications platform for selective communication with entities using said communication data,

monitoring means for determining a parameter of said selective communications, and

a user trust management subsystem for deriving additional trust data from said parameter of said selective communications and storing said additional trust data in said database.

2. The social trust network as recited in claim 1, wherein said trust management system combines said additional trust data with trust data in said database.

3. The social trust network as recited in claim 1, wherein said database includes profiles of said entities and said search includes searching said profiles.

4. The social trust network as recited in claim 1, wherein said aggregate trust engine computes a plurality of trust metrics from said trust data.

5. The social trust network as recited in claim 4,

wherein one of said plurality of trust metrics is a weighted sum of others of said trust metrics.

6. The social trust network as recited in claim 5, further including

means for supplying weights to said aggregate trust engine for computation of said weighted sum.

7. The social trust network as recited in claim 6, wherein said means for supplying weights includes

means for adjusting relative weight of said weights.

8. The social trust network as recited in claim 7, wherein said means for adjusting relative weight includes a displayed graphic feature.

9. The social trust network as recited in claim 1, wherein said search conducted by said processor additionally returns communication contact information for said entities.

10. The social trust network as recited in claim 1, further including

means for creating and managing results of a poll of a plurality of said entities returned by said search.

11. A method of identifying trusted entities, said method comprising steps of

searching a database containing at least profiles and trust data corresponding to respective entities,

computing a trust metric from said trust data,

reporting results of said search in accordance with said trust metric,

selectively conducting communications with entities included in results reported by said reporting step,

monitoring a parameter of said communications, and

storing data corresponding to said parameter as trust data in said database.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein said step of storing data include combining data corresponding to said parameter with trust data stored in said database.

13. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein said database includes profile data of respective entities.

14. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein said computing step computes a plurality of trust metrics.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein one of said plurality of trust metrics is a weighted sum of others of said trust metrics.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, including the further step of

supplying weights for computing said weighted sum.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein said step of supplying weights includes the further step of

adjusting relative weights of said weights for computing said weighted sum.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein said step of adjusting relative weights includes

manipulation of a displayed graphic feature.

19. The method as recite in claim 11 wherein said step of searching said database include the further step of

returning communication contact information for said entities.

20. The method as recited in claim 11 including the further step of creating and managing results of a poll of a plurality of entities included in said results reported by said reporting step.