FACILITATION OF SOCIAL INTERACTIONS

• US 20140337428A1
• Filed: 08/13/2013
• Published: 11/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GlobalFoundries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kau, Christian B., Smith, Barton A., Kumar, Anuj
• Granted Patent: US 9,491,257 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/245 Query processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/62 Protecting access to data via a platform, e.g. using keys or access control rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

Embodiments relate to facilitating social interactions. An aspect includes determining that a first communications device is in communicative contact with a second communications device, identifying at least one artifact relating to a user of the first communications device, and searching at least one database for information about a user of the second communications device that is in common with the user of the first communications device with respect to the artifact. Also, results of the searching are provided as a topic of conversation to the first communications device.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining that a first communications device is in communicative contact with a second communications device;

identifying at least one artifact relating to a user of the first communications device;

searching at least one database for information about a user of the second communications device that is in common with the user of the first communications device with respect to the artifact; and

providing results of the searching, as a topic of conversation, to the first communications device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying the artifact includes searching at least one electronic data source for information about the user of the first communications device, the searching initiated absent input from the user of the first communications device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying the artifact includes searching an access-restricted electronic data source for information about the user of the first communications device, the method further comprising:

receiving authorization from the user of the first communications device to search the access-restricted electronic data source;

creating a profile for the user of the first communications device; and

storing retrieved information from the access-restricted electronic data source, including the artifact, in the profile.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

periodically searching the access-restricted electronic data source for new and changed information about the user of the first communications device; and

updating the profile with results of the periodic searching.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the searching the database for information about the user of the second communications device that is in common with the user of the first communications device with respect to the artifact includes:

in response to determining that no information about the user of the second communications device commonly relates with the user of the first communications device with respect to the artifact;

determining a geographic location of the first communications device and the second communications device; and

searching the database for contextually-relevant information based on the geographic location.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communications device and the second communications device are mobile devices, and the searching is performed in response to receiving, from the first communications device, a request for information common to the user of the first communications device and the user of the second communications device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the determining that the first communications device is in communicative contact with the second communications device includes:

receiving, from the first communications device, identification information about the user of the second communications device, the identification information communicated from the second communications device to the first communications device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the identification information includes data from an electronic business card of the user of the second communications device.

9. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer readable storage medium having program code embodied therewith, the program code executable by a computer to implement;

determining that a first communications device is in communicative contact with a second communications device;

identifying at least one artifact relating to a user of the first communications device;

searching at least one database for information about a user of the second communications device that is in common with the user of the first communications device with respect to the artifact; and

providing results of the searching, as a topic of conversation, to the first communications device.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the identifying the artifact includes searching at least one electronic data source for information about the user of the first communications device, the searching initiated absent input from the user of the first communications device.

11. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the identifying the artifact includes searching an access-restricted electronic data source for information about the user of the first communications device, and wherein the program code executable by the computer further implements:

receiving authorization from the user of the first communications device to search the access-restricted electronic data source;

creating a profile for the user of the first communications device; and

storing retrieved information from the access-restricted electronic data source, including the artifact, in the profile.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the program code executable by the computer further implements:

periodically searching the access-restricted electronic data source for new and changed information about the user of the first communications device; and

updating the profile with results of the periodic searching.

13. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the searching the database for information about the user of the second communications device that is in common with the user of the first communications device with respect to the artifact includes:

in response to determining that no information about the user of the second communications device commonly relates with the user of the first communications device with respect to the artifact;

determining a geographic location of the first communications device and the second communications device; and

searching the database for contextually-relevant information based on the geographic location.

14. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the first communications device and the second communications device are mobile devices, and the searching is performed in response to receiving, from the first communications device, a request for information common to the user of the first communications device and the user of the second communications device.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the determining that the first communications device is in communicative contact with the second communications device includes:

receiving, from the first communications device, identification information about the user of the second communications device, the identification information communicated from the second communications device to the first communications device.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the identification information includes data from an electronic business card of the user of the second communications device.