Default Structured Search Queries on Online Social Networks

• US 20150081686A1
• Filed: 11/11/2014
• Published: 03/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lee, Yofay Kari, Peiris, Keith L., Maschmeyer, William R., Rasmussen, Lars Eilstrup, Sittig, Aaron, Campbell, Craig S.
• Granted Patent: US 9,959,318 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/723
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2423 Interactive query statement specification based on a database schema
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24575 using context
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes accessing a social graph that includes a plurality of nodes and edges, identifying a nodes corresponding to a page currently accessed by a first user, generating one or more structured queries, where each structured query comprises a reference to the identified node and one or more edges that are connected to the identified node, and transmitting one or more of the structured queries to the first user for display on the page.

Claims

1. A method comprising, by a computing system:

receiving, from a client system of a first user of an online social network, an indication of the first user accessing a query field associated with a page of the online social network, the online social networking being associated with a plurality of objects;

identifying an object of the plurality of objects corresponding to the page;

generating one or more structured queries, each structured query comprising a reference to the identified object; and

sending, to the client system of the first user, responsive to the user accessing the query field, one or more of the structured queries for display on the page.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accessing a social graph comprising a plurality of nodes and a plurality of edges connecting the nodes, each of the edges between two of the nodes representing a single degree of separation between them, the nodes comprising;

a first node corresponding to the first user; and

a plurality of second nodes corresponding to the plurality of objects, respectively.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein identifying the object of the plurality of objects corresponding to the page comprises identifying a node of the plurality of nodes corresponding to the page.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein each structured query comprises a reference to the identified node and one or more edges of the plurality of edges that are connected to the identified node.

5. The methods of claim 1, wherein the page is a profile page of the online social network corresponding to a concept or a user of the online social network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the page is a search-results page corresponding to a first structured query comprising a reference to the identified object.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first structured query further comprises references to one or more nodes and one or more edges of a social graph, the social graph comprising a plurality of nodes and a plurality of edges connecting the nodes.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the page is a user interface of a native application associated with the online social network on the client system of the first user.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the page is a webpage of the online social network accessed by a browser client of the client system of the first user.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the page is a newsfeed page of the online social network associated with the first user.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the page is a user interface for accessing emails or messages associated with the online social network.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the structured queries are displayed in association with the query field associated with the page.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the structured queries are displayed in a drop-down menu on the page, wherein the drop-down menu enables the first user to select one of the structured queries.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the sent structured queries are sent for display to the first user as the first user accesses the query field of the page, the display of the structured queries to the first user enabling the first user to select one of the structured queries.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from the client system of the first user, an indication of the first user selecting one of the structured queries; and

generating one or more search results corresponding to the selected structured query.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a rank for each structured query; and

wherein sending one or more of the structured queries comprising sending each structured query having a rank greater than a threshold rank.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein determining a rank for each structured query is based on a search history associated with the first user.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein:

each generated structured query further comprises references to the one or more additional objects; and

determining a rank for each structured query is based on a degree of separation between the first user and the one or more additional objects in a social graph, the social graph comprising a plurality of nodes and a plurality of edges connecting the nodes.

19. One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying software that is operable when executed to:

receive, from a client system of a first user of an online social network, an indication of the first user accessing a query field associated with a page of the online social network, the online social networking being associated with a plurality of objects;

identify an object of the plurality of objects corresponding to the page;

generate one or more structured queries, each structured query comprising a reference to the identified object; and

send, to the client system of the first user, responsive to the user accessing the query field, one or more of the structured queries for display on the page.

20. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory coupled to the processors comprising instructions executable by the processors, the processors operable when executing the instructions to;

receive, from a client system of a first user of an online social network, an indication of the first user accessing a query field associated with a page of the online social network, the online social networking being associated with a plurality of objects;

identify an object of the plurality of objects corresponding to the page;

generate one or more structured queries, each structured query comprising a reference to the identified object; and

send, to the client system of the first user, responsive to the user accessing the query field, one or more of the structured queries for display on the page.