Dynamic Real-Time Reports Based on Social Networks

• US 20110302144A1
• Filed: 06/03/2010
• Published: 12/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hamilton, Rick A. II, O'Connell, Brian M., Pickover, Clifford A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,661,009 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/705
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management

Abstract

A system for analyzing social networks includes a memory storing a social network data structure, a correlation engine, a trigger function module, and a reporting module. The social network data structure includes a plurality of attributes, a plurality of nodes, each of the nodes corresponding to an entity and having at least one of the attributes associated with the entity, and at least one connection connecting at least two of the nodes. The system also includes at least one processor, coupled to the memory. The at least one processor is operative to execute the correlation engine to examine at least one of the nodes as a subject node. The subject node is coupled to at least one other one of the nodes, comprising a data node, by at least the at least one connection. The examination by the correlation engine is carried out to determine at least one of the attributes comprising a related attribute of the subject node and the at least one other one of the nodes, comprising the data node. The at least one processor is also operative to execute the trigger function module to determine if the reporting module should be executed to provide the report. Further, responsive to determining that the reporting module should be executed, the at least one processor is operative to execute the reporting module to provide a report indicating a correlation assessment to the subject node, the correlation assessment being related to the at least one related attribute. A method, apparatus, and computer program product are also provided.

Claims

1. A system for analyzing social networks, said system comprising:

a memory storing;

a social network data structure having;

a plurality of attributes;

a plurality of nodes, each of said nodes corresponding to an entity and having at least one of said attributes associated with said entity, and

at least one connection connecting at least two of said nodes;

a correlation engine;

a reporting module; and

a trigger function module; and

at least one processor, coupled to said memory, said at least one processor being operative to;

execute said correlation engine to examine at least one of said nodes as a subject node, said subject node being coupled to at least one other one of said nodes, comprising a data node, by at least said at least one connection, said examination by said correlation engine being carried out to determine at least one of said attributes comprising a related attribute of said subject node and said at least one other one of said nodes, comprising said data node;

execute said trigger function module to determine if said reporting module should be executed to provide said report; and

responsive to determining that said reporting module should be executed, execute said reporting module to provide a report indicating a correlation assessment to said subject node, said correlation assessment being related to said at least one related attribute.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said attributes are indicative of at least one health condition, and wherein said report indicates at least one health issue for a user corresponding to said subject node.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one processor executes said trigger function module to receive information from said correlation engine to determine if said reporting module should be executed.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said trigger function module is configured to base said determination if said reporting module should be executed on a user-defined threshold

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said attributes are indicative of at least one health condition, wherein said report indicates at least one health issue for a user corresponding to said subject node, and wherein said user-defined threshold corresponds to a predetermined amount of risk for said of at least one health condition willing to be tolerated by said user.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one related attribute comprises an identical attribute.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one processor is further operative to require an opt-in assent before said attributes are stored in said memory.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said entity comprises at least one of:

a person, a business, a product, a service, an avatar in a virtual world, and a collection of persons.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said entity comprises a person and wherein at least one of said attributes comprises at least one of:

a health information, professional information, skill information, and preference information.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said data node is connected to said subject node through a path comprising at least two interconnected ones of said nodes.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said report comprises at least one of:

an e-mail sent to a user, a posting on social network web page, an instant message, a change of color on a graphical user interface, a facsimile message, a telephone call, and a sound.

12. A method for analyzing social networks, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a system, wherein the system comprises distinct software modules, each of the distinct software modules being embodied on a computer-readable storage medium, and wherein the distinct software modules comprise a data collection module, an analysis module, a trigger function module, and a reporting module;

executing said data collection module on at least one hardware processor to obtain a social network data structure having;

a plurality of attributes;

a plurality of nodes, each of said nodes corresponding to an entity and having at least one of said attributes associated with said entity, and

at least one connection connecting at least two of said nodes;

executing said analysis module on said at least one hardware processor to examine at least one of said nodes as a subject node, said subject node being coupled to at least one other one of said nodes, comprising a data node, by at least said at least one connection, said examination by said analysis being carried out to determine at least one of said attributes comprising a related attribute of said subject node and said at least one other one of said nodes, comprising said data node;

executing said trigger function module on said at least one hardware processor, said trigger function module receiving information from said analysis module to determine if said reporting module should be executed to provide said report; and

responsive to determining that said reporting module should be executed, executing said reporting module on said at least one hardware processor to provide a report indicating a correlation assessment to said subject node, said correlation assessment being related to said at least one related attribute.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said attributes are indicative of at least one health condition, and wherein said report indicates at least one health issue for a user corresponding to said subject node.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said trigger function module is configured to receive information from said correlation engine to determine if said reporting module should be executed.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said trigger function module is configured to base said determination if said reporting module should be executed on a user-defined threshold, further comprising obtaining data indicative of said threshold from said user.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said attributes are indicative of at least one health condition, wherein said report indicates at least one health issue for a user corresponding to said subject node, and wherein said user-defined threshold corresponds to a predetermined amount of risk for said of at least one health condition willing to be tolerated by said user.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein said at least one related attribute comprises an identical attribute.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein said entity comprises a person and wherein at least one of said attributes comprises at least one of:

a health information, professional information, skill information, and preference information.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein said data node is connected to said subject node through a path comprising at least two interconnected ones of said nodes.

20. An apparatus for analyzing social networks, said apparatus comprising:

means for providing a system, wherein the system comprises distinct software modules, each of the distinct software modules being embodied on a computer-readable storage medium, and wherein the distinct software modules comprise a data collection module, an analysis module, a trigger function module, and a reporting module;

means for executing said data collection module on at least one hardware processor to obtain a social network data structure having;

a plurality of attributes;

a plurality of nodes, each of said nodes corresponding to an entity and having at least one of said attributes associated with said entity, and

at least one connection connecting at least two of said nodes;

means for executing said analysis module on said at least one hardware processor to examine at least one of said nodes as a subject node, said subject node being coupled to at least one other one of said nodes, comprising a data node, by at least said at least one connection, said examination by said analysis being carried out to determine at least one of said attributes comprising a related attribute of said subject node and said at least one other one of said nodes, comprising said data node;

means for executing said trigger function module on said at least one hardware processor to determine if said reporting module should be executed to provide said report; and

means for, responsive to determining that said reporting module should be executed, executing said reporting module on said at least one hardware processor to provide a report indicating a correlation assessment to said subject node, said correlation assessment being related to said at least one related attribute.

21. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, said computer readable program code comprising distinct software modules, each of the distinct software modules being embodied on said computer readable storage medium, and wherein:

said distinct software modules comprise a data collection module, an analysis module, a trigger function module, and a reporting module;

said data collection module comprises computer readable program code configured to obtain a social network data structure having;

a plurality of attributes;

a plurality of nodes, each of said nodes corresponding to an entity and having at least one of said attributes associated with said entity, and

at least one connection connecting at least two of said nodes;

said analysis module comprises computer readable program code configured to examine at least one of said nodes as a subject node, said subject node being coupled to at least one other one of said nodes, comprising a data node, by at least said at least one connection, said examination by said analysis being carried out to determine at least one of said attributes comprising a related attribute of said subject node and said at least one other one of said nodes, comprising said data node;

said trigger function module comprises computer readable program code configured to determine if said reporting module should be executed to provide said report; and

said reporting module comprises computer readable program code configured to, responsive to said determining that said reporting module should be executed, provide a report indicating a correlation assessment to said subject node, said correlation assessment being related to said at least one related attribute.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein said attributes are indicative of at least one health condition, and wherein said report indicates at least one health issue for a user corresponding to said subject node.

23. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein said trigger function module is configured to receive information from said correlation engine to determine if said reporting module should be executed.

24. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein said trigger function module is configured to base said determination if said reporting module should be executed on a user-defined threshold, further comprising computer readable program code configured to obtain data indicative of said threshold from said user.

25. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein said attributes are indicative of at least one health condition, wherein said report indicates at least one health issue for a user corresponding to said subject node, and wherein said user-defined threshold corresponds to a predetermined amount of risk for said of at least one health condition willing to be tolerated by said user.