System and method for maintaining context sensitive user groups

• US 8,601,377 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2008
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pinterest, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dumpeti, Vishweshwar Rao, Moeller, Christopher Patrick, Lyden, Sean, Figueroa, Maria Isabel, Domenech, Enrique R., Gamboa, Santiago
• Primary Examiner(s): Abdul-Ali, Omar
• Assistant Examiner(s): TANK, ANDREW L
• Application Number:
  US12/247,980
• Publication Number:
  US 20100088607A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,882 Days
• Field of Search: 715/739, 715705-709, 715751-759, 715/748, 709205-206, 709219-220, 709/224, 709219-222, 345/473
• US Class Current: 715/751
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/18 for broadcast or conference , e.g. multicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services

Abstract

A system and method for resolving topically relevant contacts for a user is provided. One example embodiment provides for a method including acts of presenting, within a web page, a communication list with content that is presented to various user based at least in part on the users being associated with another user and the topical content of the web page. Another example embodiment provides or a system that serves web pages including a communication list with content that is presented to various users based at least in part on the user to user and user to topic associations.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating communication among users, the method comprising:

prior to selecting a particular second user with whom to establish an interactive communication session with a first user relative to a first topic, receiving content to be published from the first user, wherein the content to be published includes one or more of a video, audio, text or a photograph;

in response to receiving the content to be published from the first user;

determining that the content received from the first user relates to the first topic, and

selecting the particular second user for receiving the content based at least in part on an association between the particular second user and the first topic;

wherein the association between the particular second user and the first topic is established based on at least one of;

(a) an association, created by the first user before the content to be published is received from the first user, between the particular second user and the first topic;

(b) the particular second user'"'"'s observed pattern of website usage, wherein the pattern is detected as a result of observing multiple instances of website usage by the particular second user;

or

(c) information, gathered by a website in relation to posts of the particular second user, that reflects a level of expertise of the particular second user within the first topic; and

in response to said selecting, presenting the content to the particular second user;

wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein presenting the content includes presenting a list of content to the first user and the particular second user.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

presenting the content includes presenting the content as a communication in a list of communications in a user interface;

the user interface enables the interactive communication session to be established between the first user and the particular second user.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

presenting the content includes presenting a list of communications in a user interface;

the user interface posts the content as a communication on the list of communications, and

the posted content is viewable by the first user and the particular second user.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the user interface includes a control that enables posting, to other users, information selected from a first web page.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a particular association between the first user and the particular second user from the first user; and

selecting the particular second user for receiving the content based on said particular association.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving an association between the particular second user and the first topic from the particular second user.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining an association between the first user and the particular second user based at least in part on the first user'"'"'s website usage and the particular second user'"'"'s website usage.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving second content to be published from the first user;

in response to receiving the second content to be published from the first user;

determining that the second content received from the first user relates to a second topic;

selecting a particular third user for receiving the second content based at least in part on an association between the particular third user and the second topic; and

in response to selecting the particular third user for receiving the second content, presenting the second content to the third user.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the association between the particular second user and the first topic is established based on an association, created by the first user before the content is received from the first user, between the particular second user and the first topic.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the association between the particular second user and the first topic is established based on the particular second user'"'"'s observed pattern of website usage, wherein the pattern is detected as a result of observing multiple instances of website usage by the particular second user.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the association between the particular second user and the first topic is established based on information, gathered by a website in relation to posts of the particular second user, that reflects a level of expertise of the particular second user within the first topic.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

prior to receiving the content from the first user, presenting a first web page of the website to the first user;

wherein the step of receiving the content involves receiving a submission of the content, from the first user, through said first web page; and

determining that the content received from the first user relates to the first topic based on a determination that the first web page relates to the first topic.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the level of expertise of the particular second user is established based, at least in part, on feedback for content generated by the particular second user.

15. A computer readable medium storing computer readable instructions that, as a result of being executed by a controller, instruct the controller to perform a method comprising:

prior to selecting a particular second user with whom to establish an interactive communication session with the first user relative to a first topic, receiving content to be published from a first user, wherein the content to be published includes one or more of a video, audio, text or a photograph;

in response to receiving the content to be published from the first user;

determining that the content received from the first user relates to the first topic;

selecting the particular second user for receiving the content based at least in part on an association between the particular second user and the first topic;

wherein the association between the particular second user and the first topic is established based on at least one of;

(a) an association, created by the first user before the content to be published is received from the first user, between the particular second user and the first topic;

(b) the particular second user'"'"'s observed pattern of website usage, wherein the pattern is detected as a result of observing multiple instances of website usage by the particular second user;

or

(c) information, gathered by a website in relation to posts of the particular second user, that reflects a level of expertise of the particular second user within the first topic; and

in response to said selecting, presenting the content to the particular second user.

16. A web server for facilitating communication among users, the web server comprising:

a network interface; and

a controller coupled to the network interface;

the controller configured to perform;

prior to selecting a particular second user with whom to establish an interactive communication session with the first user relative to a first topic, receiving content to be published from a first user, wherein the content to be published includes one or more of a video, audio, text or a photograph;

in response to receiving the content to be published from the first user;

determining that the content received from the first user relates to the first topic;

selecting the particular second user for receiving the content based at least in part on an association between the particular second user and the first topic;

wherein the association between the particular second user and the first topic is established based on at least one of;

(a) an association, created by the first user before the content to be published is received from the first user, between the particular second user and the first topic;

(b) the particular second user'"'"'s observed pattern of website usage, wherein the pattern is detected as a result of observing multiple instances of website usage by the particular second user;

or

(c) information, gathered by a website in relation to posts of the particular second user, that reflects a level of expertise of the particular second user within the first topic; and

in response to said selecting, presenting the content to the particular second user.

17. The web server according to claim 16, wherein:

presenting the content includes presenting the content as a communication in a user interface;

the user interface enables the interactive communication session to be established between the first user and the particular second user.

18. The web server according to claim 16, wherein:

presenting the content includes presenting the content as a communication in a user interface;

the user interface includes a control that enables initiating an email between the first user and the particular second user.

19. The web server according to claim 16, wherein:

presenting the content includes presenting a list of communications in a user interface;

the user interface posts the content as a communication on the list of communications, and the posted content is viewable by the first user and the particular second user.

20. The web server according to claim 19, wherein the user interface includes a control that enables posting, to other users, information selected from a first web page.

21. The web server according to claim 16, wherein the controller is further configured to receive, from the first user via the network interface, an association between the first user and the particular second user.

22. The web server according to claim 16, wherein the controller is further configured to receive, from the particular second user, an association between the particular second user and the first topic.

23. The web server according to claim 16, wherein the controller is configured to determining an association between the first user and the particular second user based at least in part on the first user'"'"'s website usage and the particular second user'"'"'s website usage.

24. The web server according to claim 16, wherein the controller is further configured to receive, from the first user, a request to include the content in a third web page and to serve the content as part of the third web page.

25. The web server according to claim 16, wherein the association between the particular second user and the first topic is established based on an association, created by the first user before the content is received from the first user, between the particular second user and the first topic.

26. The web server according to claim 16, wherein the association between the particular second user and the first topic is established based on the particular second user'"'"'s observed pattern of website usage, wherein the pattern is detected as a result of observing multiple instances of website usage by the particular second user.

27. The web server according to claim 16, wherein the association between the particular second user and the first topic is established based on information, gathered by a website in relation to posts of the particular second user, that reflects a level of expertise of the particular second user within the first topic.

28. The web server according to claim 16, wherein the controller is further configured to perform:

prior to receiving the content from the first user, presenting a first web page of the website to the first user; and

determining that the content received from the first user relates to the first topic based on a determination that the first web page relates to the first topic.

29. The web server according to claim 16, wherein the level of expertise of the particular second user is established based, at least in part, on feedback for content generated by the particular second user.