Searching data in a social network to provide an answer to an information request
First Claim
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1. A method, comprising:
- receiving an information request from a user of a social network, the information request being associated with a business and comprising data specifying a geographic location;
searching social network data stored on a storage device to identify a plurality of social network users with activity relating to the geographic location and the business associated with the information request;
forming a question based upon the information request, the question relating to the business and the geographic location;
directing, via a data processing system, the question to a first of the plurality of social network users;
receiving an answer to the question from the first of the plurality of social network users;
generating a rating of the answer based upon a popularity of the answer with friends of the user who have rated the business on the social network;
providing the answer and the rating to the user;
searching the social network data to identify a second of the plurality of social network users with further activity relating to the geographic location;
directing the question to the second of the plurality of social network users;
receiving a further answer to the question from the second of the plurality of social network users; and
providing the further answer to the user, wherein the further activity related to the geographic location comprises location data received from a user device associated with the second of the plurality of social network users, wherein the location data further comprises location data relating to a favorite provided to the social network by the second of the plurality of social network users, and wherein the favorite is associated with a further geographic location that is located within a predetermined distance of the geographic location.
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Abstract
An information request is received from a user of a social network. Data for other users in the social network is searched in order to provide an answer to the request. A question based on the information request is sent to one or more of the other users having prior activity on the social network that is related to the information request.
209 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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receiving an information request from a user of a social network, the information request being associated with a business and comprising data specifying a geographic location; searching social network data stored on a storage device to identify a plurality of social network users with activity relating to the geographic location and the business associated with the information request; forming a question based upon the information request, the question relating to the business and the geographic location; directing, via a data processing system, the question to a first of the plurality of social network users; receiving an answer to the question from the first of the plurality of social network users; generating a rating of the answer based upon a popularity of the answer with friends of the user who have rated the business on the social network;
providing the answer and the rating to the user;searching the social network data to identify a second of the plurality of social network users with further activity relating to the geographic location; directing the question to the second of the plurality of social network users; receiving a further answer to the question from the second of the plurality of social network users; and providing the further answer to the user, wherein the further activity related to the geographic location comprises location data received from a user device associated with the second of the plurality of social network users, wherein the location data further comprises location data relating to a favorite provided to the social network by the second of the plurality of social network users, and wherein the favorite is associated with a further geographic location that is located within a predetermined distance of the geographic location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A recordable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:
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receiving an information request from a user of a social network, the information request being associated with a business and comprising location data specifying a geographic location; searching social network data associated with a plurality of friends of the user on the social network to identify a first of the plurality of friends with activity relating to the geographic location and the business associated with the information request; generating a question based upon the information request, the question relating to the geographic location and the business; directing the question to the first of the plurality of friends; receiving an answer to the question from the first of the plurality of friends; rating the answer based upon a popularity of the answer with friends of the user who have rated the business on the social network; and providing the answer and the rating to the user, wherein the activity relating to the geographic location comprises a favorite previously provided to the social network by the first of the plurality of friends, wherein the favorite is associated with a further geographic location that is located within a predetermined distance of the geographic location. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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Specification