Methods for determining a reputation score for a user of a social network

• US 8,386,564 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2006
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Pennington, Havoc
• Primary Examiner(s): Osman, Ramy M
• Application Number:
  US11/564,998
• Publication Number:
  US 20080133657A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,280 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/204, 709/224, 709/223, 705/37, 705/10, 725/16
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and systems for assigning a “karma” to users of a social network. In some embodiments, the karma is a score that is based on various reputations and feedback on a user. For example, reputation or feedback scores given to user in general are collected. In addition, karma is based on scores collected by analyzing feedback provided between two users. Thus, a reputation score for one from the point of view of the others may be calculated. Embodiments of the present invention provide an open interface (API) that allows users to submit their reputation scores.

Claims

1. A method of calculating a combined reputation score for a user having a plurality of unique identities in a social network, said method comprising:

collecting individual feedback about each unique identity of the user, wherein the feedback is provided by other users;

monitoring sharing activity between each unique identity of the user and the other users within the social network;

determining, from the monitored sharing activity, a frequency of interactions between each unique identity of the user and each of the other users within the social network; and

determining, by a processor, the combined reputation score for the user based on the individual feedback provided by the other users and the frequency of interactions between each of the unique identities of the user and each of the other users.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring sharing activity between each unique identity of the user and the other users comprises actively monitoring sharing activity between the user and the other users.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring sharing activity between each unique identity of the user and the other users comprises passively monitoring sharing activity between each unique identity of the user and the other users in the social network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the sharing activity comprises recommendations distributed by the user in the social network.

6. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions for causing a computer to perform the method of claim 1.

5. An apparatus for calculating a combined reputation score for each unique identity of a user having a plurality of unique identities in a social network, said apparatus comprising:

a database adapted to store individual feedback about each unique identity of the user, wherein the feedback is provided by other users; and

a processor adapted to collect the feedback provided by the other users;

monitor sharing activity between each unique identity of the user and the other users within the social network;

determine, from the monitored sharing activity, a frequency of interactions between each unique identity of the user and each of the other users within the social network; and

determine the combined reputation score for the user based on the individual feedback provided by the other users and the determined frequency of interactions between each of the unique identities of the user and each of the other users.