Social Search System & Method

• US 20140081943A1
• Filed: 11/22/2013
• Published: 03/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: John N. Gross
• Original Assignee: John N. Gross
• Inventors: Gross, John Nicholas
• Granted Patent: US 9,507,878 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/706
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• 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 16/90324 using system suggestions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0256 User search
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

A search system generates customized search results for social network members. The results are responsive to queries and are personalized based on members'"'"' explicit and implicit interests derived from user actions, content selections, etc.

Claims

1. A method of presenting personalized search results to a user at a social networking site with a computing system comprising:

(a) presenting first content to a first member of a social network within a graphical interface, which first content is automatically determined by the computing system for said first member based in part on;

i) first interest information identified explicitly by said first member; and

ii) second interest information determined implicitly from actions take by said first member;

(b) collecting and processing first ratings data for said first member with the computing system including a first rating for a first content source and/or a first rating for a first item;

(c) receiving and processing a first query from said first member of said social network directed to a first subject;

(d) correlating said first subject to one or more of said first content source and/or said first item with the computing system based on said first rating;

(e) based on results of step (d) customizing a set of search result listings presented to said first member responsive to said first topic, such that said set of search result listings include content from said first content source and/or related to said first item.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein steps (c) to (e) are performed at a separate site with a search engine operating at said separate site using recommendation outputs from a recommender system operating at said social network site.

3. The method of claim 1 further including a step:

providing an advertisement related to said first content source and/or said first item along with said set of search result listings.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said set of search result listings includes at least one listing identifying another second member.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said set of search result listings includes at least one listing identifying content or items rated by a second member of said social network identified as a friend of said first member.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein step (c) is performed by mapping said first subject to a matrix of topic ratings maintained for said first member at said social network site.