Facilitating Interaction Among Users of a Social Network

• US 20120005224A1
• Filed: 07/01/2010
• Published: 01/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Backstrom, Lars Seren, Mishra, Chaitanya, Ahrens, Spencer Greg, Marlow, Cameron Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 9,177,346 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/285 Clustering or classification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a first user action relating to a first topic from a first user, identifying the first topic based on the first user action, identifying one or more second posts that relate to the first topic, and transmitting to the first user one or more of the second posts or information associated with the second posts in a structured document for display to the first user, the structured document further comprising one or more interactive elements that enable the first user to interact with the one or more second posts or to respective second users that declared the second posts.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by one or more computing systems, a first user action relating to a first topic from a first user;

identifying, by the one or more computing systems, the first topic based on the first user action;

identifying, by the one or more computing systems, one or more second posts that relate to the first topic, each of the second posts having been received from other second users; and

transmitting, by the one or more computing systems, to the first user, one or more of the second posts or information associated with the second posts in a structured document for display to the first user, the structured document further comprising one or more interactive elements that enable the first user to interact with the one or more second posts or to respective second users that declared the second posts.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user action is the submission of a first post.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first post is a status update declared by the first user in a profile page of the first user, a wall post declared in a profile page of the first user, a wall post declared in a profile page of a second user, a declared comment on a status update declared by a second user, a declared comment on a wall post declared by a second user, or an indication or declaration of a like of a post or other content or page.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein identifying the first topic from the first post comprises matching one or more words in the first post with one or more words in a database of topics.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the database of topics is updated dynamically based on user posts as the posts are declared and received by the one or more computing systems.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein identifying the first topic from the first post comprises matching an image, video, or audio clip in the first post with one or more images, videos, or audio clips in a database of images, videos, and audio clips that are, in turn, previously matched with one or more topics in the database of topics.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user action is the submission of text in a search box.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user action is a selection of a hyperlink or other action that results in a request for a web page.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying one or more second posts that relate to the first topic comprises matching one or more words related to the first topic with one or more words in each of a plurality of user posts in a database of user posts.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying one or more second posts that relate to the first topic comprises identifying one or more second posts that relate to the first topic and that have a popularity above a threshold.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying one or more second posts that relate to the first topic comprises determining whether or not the first topic is a trending topic.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying one or more second posts that relate to the first topic comprises identifying one or more second posts that relate to the first topic and which were posted by respective second users that each have a defined social relationship to the first user.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying one or more second posts that relate to the first topic comprises identifying one or more second posts that relate to the first topic and which were posted by respective second users that each have a demonstrated shared interest in one or more second topics.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying one or more second posts that relate to the first topic comprises identifying one or more second posts that relate to the first topic and which were posted by respective second users each of which is geographically located within a predetermined proximity to the first user.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying one or more second posts that relate to the first topic comprises identifying one or more second posts that relate to the first topic and which were posted by respective second users within a threshold period of time relative to the receipt of the first user action.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising notifying the first user when a second user declares a post related to the first user action.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the one or more interactive elements each provide a mechanism for the first user to comment on, make a declaration about, or otherwise interact with each of the second posts or to the respective second users that declared the second posts.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting to the first user, one or more of the second posts in a structured document for display to the first user comprises transmitting one or more of the second posts in the structured document for display in a new feed section of a profile or home page of the first user.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a profile page devoted to the first topic.

20. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

logic encoded in one or more computer-readable tangible storage media that, when executed by the one or more processors, is operable to;

receive a first user action relating to a first topic from a first user;

identify the first topic based on the first user action;

identify one or more second posts that relate to the first topic, each of the second posts having been received from other second users; and

transmit to the first user, one or more of the second posts or information associated with the second posts in a structured document for display to the first user, the structured document further comprising one or more interactive elements that enable the first user to interact with the one or more second posts or to respective second users that declared the second posts.