Social network augmentation of search results methods and apparatus
First Claim
1. A method for a computer server that includes a processor and a memory operating in an electronic environment, comprises:
- receiving search criteria from a first user at a remote client;
receiving a user identifier associated with the first user, wherein a social map is associated with the first user and the social map includes a plurality of different social distances between a plurality of users in a computer network;
performing a search in response to the search criteria to determine a plurality of search results including a first search result, a second search result, and a third search result, wherein the first search result is initially prioritized ahead of the second search result;
determining a first rating from a second user associated with the first search result;
determining a first social distance from the second user to the first user within a social network, wherein a first profile is provided for the first user and includes the first social distance between the first user and a second user, and wherein a second profile is provided for the first user and includes a second social distance between the first user and the second user, the first social distance and the second social distance being different, wherein the first social distance is reduced between the first and second users as a result of a weighting factor determined by a frequency of communications between the first and second users, a responsiveness by the first user in answering communications from the second user, a user satisfaction characteristic, and by a manual adjustment made directly to the weighting factor by the first user;
determining a second rating from a third user associated with the second search result;
determining the second social distance from the third user to the first user within the social network;
providing the first search result to the remote client including the first rating and the first social distance;
providing the second search result to the remote client including the second rating and the second social distance;
providing the third search result to the remote client, wherein the third search result is not associated with a user within the social network, and wherein the first search result and the second search result are highlighted at the remote client due to their underlying social distances; and
prioritizing the second search result ahead of the first search result in response to the first social distance and the second social distance, wherein providing the second search result comprises providing the second search result to the remote client prioritized ahead of the first search result.
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Abstract
A method for a computer server includes receiving search criteria from a first user at a remote client, receiving a first identifier associated with the first user, performing a search to determine a plurality of search results including a first and a second search result, determining a first rating from a second user associated with the first search result, determining a first social network indicia from the second user to the first user within a social network, determining a second rating from a third user associated with the second search result, determining a second social network indicia from the third user to the first user within the social network, providing the first search result to the remote client including the first rating and the first social network indicia, and providing the second search result to the remote client including the second rating and the second social network indicia.
124 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method for a computer server that includes a processor and a memory operating in an electronic environment, comprises:
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receiving search criteria from a first user at a remote client; receiving a user identifier associated with the first user, wherein a social map is associated with the first user and the social map includes a plurality of different social distances between a plurality of users in a computer network; performing a search in response to the search criteria to determine a plurality of search results including a first search result, a second search result, and a third search result, wherein the first search result is initially prioritized ahead of the second search result; determining a first rating from a second user associated with the first search result; determining a first social distance from the second user to the first user within a social network, wherein a first profile is provided for the first user and includes the first social distance between the first user and a second user, and wherein a second profile is provided for the first user and includes a second social distance between the first user and the second user, the first social distance and the second social distance being different, wherein the first social distance is reduced between the first and second users as a result of a weighting factor determined by a frequency of communications between the first and second users, a responsiveness by the first user in answering communications from the second user, a user satisfaction characteristic, and by a manual adjustment made directly to the weighting factor by the first user; determining a second rating from a third user associated with the second search result; determining the second social distance from the third user to the first user within the social network; providing the first search result to the remote client including the first rating and the first social distance; providing the second search result to the remote client including the second rating and the second social distance; providing the third search result to the remote client, wherein the third search result is not associated with a user within the social network, and wherein the first search result and the second search result are highlighted at the remote client due to their underlying social distances; and prioritizing the second search result ahead of the first search result in response to the first social distance and the second social distance, wherein providing the second search result comprises providing the second search result to the remote client prioritized ahead of the first search result. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A computer server coupled to a remote client comprises:
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a memory to store a first plurality of listings including a first listing and a second listing, wherein the memory stores a first rating associated with the first listing provided by a first user, and wherein the memory stores a second rating associated with the second listing provided by a second user, wherein a social map is associated with the first user and the social map includes a plurality of different social distances between a plurality of users in a computer network, wherein a first profile is provided for the first user and includes a first social distance between the first user and a second user, and wherein a second profile is provided for the first user and includes a second social distance between the first user and the second user, the first social distance and the second social distance being different; and a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor receives search criteria from a third user at a remote client, wherein the processor determines a user identifier associated with the third user, wherein the processor performs a search within the first plurality of listings in response to the search criteria and to determine a second plurality listings including the first listing, the second listing, and a third listing, wherein the first listing is initially prioritized ahead of the second listing, wherein the processor determines the first social distance from the first user to the third user within a social network, wherein the processor determines the second social distance from the second user to the third user within the social network, wherein the processor provides the first listing to the remote client including the first rating and the first social distance, wherein the processor provides the second listing to the remote client including the second rating and the second social distance, wherein the processor provides the third listing to the remote client, wherein the third listing is not associated with a user within the social network, and wherein the first search result and the second search result are highlighted at the remote client due to their underlying social distances, wherein the first social distance is reduced between the first and second users as a result of a weighting factor determined by a frequency of communications between the first and second users, a user satisfaction characteristic, a responsiveness by the first user in answering communications from the second user, and by a manual adjustment made directly to the weighting factor by the first user, wherein the processor prioritizes the second listing ahead of the first listing to the remote client in response to the first social distance and to the second social distance. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A computer program product for a computer system including a processor and a memory operating in an electronic environment, comprises:
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code directing the processor to receive a plurality of search results including a first search result, a second search result, and a third search result, wherein the plurality of search results are determined by a search engine in response to a search request from a first user, wherein a social map is associated with the first user and the social map includes a plurality of different social distances between a plurality of users in a computer network; code directing the processor to determine a user identifier associated with the first user; code directing the processor to determine a first rating associated with the first search result from a second user, wherein a first profile is provided for the first user and includes a first social distance between the first user and a second user, and wherein a second profile is provided for the first user and includes a second social distance between the first user and the second user, the first social distance and the second social distance being different, wherein the first social distance is reduced between the first and second users as a result of a weighting factor determined by a frequency of communications between the first and second users, a user satisfaction characteristic, a responsiveness by the first user in answering communications from the second user, and by a manual adjustment made directly to the weighting factor by the first user; code directing the processor to determine the first social distance from the second user to the first user within a social network; code directing the processor to determine a second rating associated with the second search result from a third user; code directing the processor to determine the second social distance from the third user to the first user within the social network; code directing the processor to provide the first search result to the first user including the first rating and the first social distance; code directing the processor to provide the second search result to the first user including the second rating and the second social distance; code directing the processor to provide the third search result to the first user, wherein the third search result is not associated with a user within the social network; code directing the processor to highlight the first search result and the second search result to the first user; code directing the processor to prioritize the second search result ahead of the first search result in response to the first social distance and the second social distance, and wherein code directing the processor to provide the second search result comprises code directing the processor to provide the second search result before the first search result to the first user. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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Specification