Generating a discussion group in a social network based on metadata

• US 8,612,475 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2011
• Issued: 12/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Graham, Jamey, Bailloeul, Timothee
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, ANHTAI V
• Application Number:
  US13/273,189
• Publication Number:
  US 20130027428A1
• Time in Patent Office: 796 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/438 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services

Abstract

The present invention includes a system and method for generating a discussion in a social network based on visual search results. A mixed media reality (MMR) engine receives images from a user device and identifies matching MMR objects. A social network application determines whether a discussion group that is related to metadata associated with the images from user devices are related to a discussion group. If the discussion group does not yet exist, the social network application generates the discussion group and provides the user devices with information about the discussion group.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for generating conversations in a social network comprising:

receiving, with one or more processors, a first electronic image from a first user device and metadata associated with the first electronic image;

performing, with the one or more processors, a visual search using the first electronic image to identify a first electronic document from a database of electronic documents;

determining, with the one or more processors, whether a discussion group exists that is related to the metadata associated with the first electronic image;

receiving, with the one or more processors, a second electronic image from a second user device and metadata associated with the second electronic image;

performing, with the one or more processors, a visual search using the second electronic image to identify a second electronic document from the database of electronic documents;

responsive to the discussion group in the determining step being found to exist, determining, with the one or more processors, whether the discussion group is related to the metadata associated with the second electronic image, the metadata associated with the second electronic image being used to determine a proximity in time between a creation of the discussion group and a time of creation of the second electronic image; and

responsive to the discussion group being related to the metadata associated with the first electronic image and the metadata associated with the second electronic image, providing, with the one or more processors, information about the discussion group to the first user device and the second user device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a cluster of electronic documents that includes the first electronic document and the second electronic document.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the metadata associated with the first electronic image and the second electronic image is used to determine a proximity in distance between the location of the first user device and the second user device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the metadata associated with the first electronic image is at least one of proximity in time, proximity in location and a keyword associated with the first electronic image that is submitted by the user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the discussion group exists further comprises generating a window of time and a radius of allowance for newly established groups and including the discussion group if it is within the window of time and the radius of allowance.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the discussion group exists that is related to the metadata associated with the first electronic image is also based on metadata associated with the first electronic document and wherein determining whether the discussion group is related to the metadata associated with the second electronic image is also based on metadata associated with the second electronic document.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to an absence of the discussion group, generating the discussion group.

8. A system for generating conversations in a social network comprising:

one or more processors;

an engine stored on a memory and executable by the one or more processors, the engine configured to receive a first electronic image from a first user device and metadata associated with the first electronic image, to perform a visual search using the first electronic image to identify a first electronic document from a database of electronic documents, to receive a second electronic image from a second user device and metadata associated with the second electronic image and to perform a visual search using the second electronic image to identify a second electronic document from the database of electronic documents; and

a social network application stored on the memory and executable by the one or more processors, the social network application coupled to the engine and configured to determine whether a discussion group exists that is related to the metadata associated with the first image, responsive to the discussion group being found to exist, to determine whether the discussion group is related to the metadata associated with the second electronic image, the metadata associated with the second electronic image being used to determine a proximity in time between a creation of the discussion group and a time of creation of the second electronic image, and responsive to the discussion group being related to the metadata associated with the first electronic image and the metadata associated with the second electronic image, to provide information about the discussion group to the first user device and the second user device.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the engine determines a cluster of electronic documents that includes the first electronic document and the second electronic document.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the metadata associated with the first electronic image and the second electronic image is used to determine a proximity in distance between the location of the first user device and the second user device.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the metadata associated with the first electronic image is used to determine at least one of proximity in time, proximity in location and a keyword associated with the first electronic image that is submitted by the user.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the social network application determines whether the discussion group exists by generating a window of time and a radius of allowance for newly established groups and including the discussion group if it is within the window of time and the radius of allowance.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein determining whether the discussion group exists that is related to the metadata associated with the first electronic image is also based on metadata associated with the first electronic document and wherein determining whether the discussion group is related to the metadata associated with the second electronic image is also based on metadata associated with the second electronic document.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the social network application is further configured to, responsive to an absence of the discussion group, generate the discussion group.

15. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer useable medium including a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

receive a first electronic image from a first user device and metadata associated with the first electronic image;

perform a visual search using the first electronic image to identify a first electronic document from a database of electronic documents;

determine whether a discussion group exists that is related to the metadata associated with the first electronic image;

receive a second electronic image from a second user device and metadata associated with the second electronic image;

perform a visual search using the second electronic image to identify a second electronic document from the database of electronic documents;

responsive to the discussion group being found to exist, determine whether the discussion group is related to the metadata associated with the second electronic image, the metadata associated with the second electronic image being used to determine a proximity in time between a creation of the discussion group and a time of creation of the second electronic image; and

responsive to the discussion group being related to the metadata associated with the first electronic image and the metadata associated with the second electronic image, provide information about the discussion group to the first user device and the second user device.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising determining a cluster of electronic documents that includes the first electronic document and the second electronic document.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the metadata associated with the first electronic image and the second electronic image is used to determine a proximity in distance between the location of the first user device and the second user device.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the metadata associated with the first electronic image is at least one of proximity in time, proximity in location and a keyword associated with the first electronic image that is submitted by the user.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein determining whether the discussion group exists further comprises generating a window of time and a radius of allowance for newly established groups and including the discussion group if it is within the window of time and the radius of allowance.

20. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising:

responsive to an absence of the discussion group, generate the discussion group.