SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SOCIAL GRAPH DATA ANALYTICS TO DETERMINE CONNECTIVITY WITHIN A COMMUNITY

• US 20140258160A1
• Filed: 05/20/2014
• Published: 09/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: www.TrustScience.com Inc.
• Original Assignee: www.TrustScience.com Inc.
• Inventors: Chrapko, Evan V, Chan, Leo M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,460,475 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/319
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/065 related to network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/124 using a combination of metrics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display

Abstract

Systems and methods for social graph data analytics to determine the connectivity between nodes within a community are provided. A user may assign user connectivity values to other members of the community, or connectivity values may be automatically assigned from third parties or based on the frequency of interactions between members. Connectivity values may represent such factors as alignment, reputation, status, and/or influence within a social graph of a network community, or the degree of trust. The paths connecting a first node to a second node may be retrieved, and social graph data analytics may be performed on the retrieved paths. Network connectivity values and/or other social graph data may be outputted to third-party processes and services for use in initiating automatic transactions or making automated network-based or real-world decisions.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. A method for determining the network connectivity between a first node and a second node connected to the first node by at least one path, the method comprising:

identifying paths to the second node from the first node within a network community;

using processing circuitry to;

determine a normalized path weight for each identified path;

determine a user connectivity value for each identified path;

for each identified path, sum the product of the user connectivity value and the normalized path weight to produce a network connectivity indication;

output the network connectivity indication;

determine whether one or more of the user connectivity value for each identified path has changed; and

calculate at least one prospective decision based on the determination.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising accessing a link threshold value, wherein identifying paths to the second node from the first node within a network community comprises identifying only those paths containing fewer links than the accessed link threshold value.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising accessing a path weight threshold value, wherein identifying paths to the second node from the first node within a network community comprises identifying only those paths with a normalized path weight above the accessed path weight threshold value.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the processing circuitry determines a normalized path weight for each identified path by dividing the product of the link weights of each link in an identified path by the sum of the path weights of all identified paths.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the processing circuitry determines a user connectivity value for each identified path by multiplying the path weight for an identified path and the minimum connectivity value assigned to a link in the identified path.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein the user connectivity value represents at least one of a subjective user trust value or a competency assessment.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising using the processing circuitry to

access third-party ratings data;

and

determine the network connectivity indication based, at least in part, on the third-party ratings information.

9. The method of claim 2 wherein identifying paths to the second node from the first node within a network community comprises accessing data from a social networking service.

10. The method of claim 2 wherein identifying paths to the second node from the first node within a network community comprises retrieving a pre-stored identification of the paths to the second node from the first node from a table in a database.

11. The method of claim 2 further comprising automatically making at least one network-based decision based, at least in part, on the network connectivity indication.

12. A system for determining the network connectivity between a first node and a second node connected to the first node by at least one path, the system comprising processing circuitry configured to:

identify paths to the second node from the first node within a network community;

determine a normalized path weight for each identified path;

determine a user connectivity value for each identified path;

for each identified path, sum the product of the user connectivity value and the normalized path weight to produce a network connectivity indication;

output the network connectivity indication;

determine whether one or more of the user connectivity value for each identified path has changed; and

calculate at least one prospective decision based on the determination.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to access a link threshold value, wherein the control circuitry identifies paths to the second node from the first node within a network community by identifying only those paths containing fewer links than the accessed link threshold value.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to access a path weight threshold value, wherein the control circuitry identifies paths to the second node from the first node within a network community by identifying only those paths with a normalized path weight above the accessed path weight threshold value.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein the processing circuitry determines a normalized path weight for each identified path by dividing the product of the link weights of each link in an identified path by the sum of the path weights of all identified paths.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein the processing circuitry determines a user connectivity value for each identified path by multiplying the path weight for an identified path and the minimum connectivity value assigned to a link in the identified path.

17. The system of claim 12 wherein the user connectivity value represents at least one of a subjective user trust value or a competency assessment.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to

access third-party ratings data;

and

determine the network connectivity indication based, at least in part, on the third-party ratings information.

19. The system of claim 12 wherein the processing circuitry identifies paths to the second node from the first node within a network community by accessing data from a social networking service.

20. The system of claim 12 wherein the processing circuitry identifies paths to the second node from the first node within a network community by retrieving a pre-stored identification of the paths to the second node from the first node from a table in a database.

21. The system of claim 12 wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to automatically making at least one network-based decision based, at least in part, on the network connectivity indication.