Methods and apparatus for targeting communications using social network metrics

• US 8,682,995 B1
• Filed: 04/07/2005
• Issued: 03/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lawler, Brian, Loh, Elliot, Martino, Paul, Pincus, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Khajuria, Shripal
• Application Number:
  US11/102,570
• Time in Patent Office: 3,274 Days
• Field of Search: 709/207, 709/206, 707/104.1, 705/14, 705/26, 705/27
• US Class Current: 709/207
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/285 Clustering or classification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/145 Payments according to the detected use or quantity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/226 Delivery according to priorities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15

Abstract

A method for a computer system includes receiving a first user communication, determining a first group of users, determining a target number of users, determining whether the first group of users includes the target number of users, and if not, providing the communication to the first group of users, determining a hierarchal mapping of groups of users in response to user memberships, determining a second group of users from the hierarchal mapping, determining a plurality of social network relationship factors for the second group of users with respect to the first user, and providing the communication to at least a subset of users in the second group of users in response to the first plurality of social network relationship factors.

Claims

1. A method for restricting a communication in an electronic environment that utilizes a memory and a processor to perform operations comprising:

maintaining, in a random access memory of a graphing server, relationship information for a first user of a social network and other users in the social network;

receiving an initial communication from a remote user intended for the first user;

triggering real-time generation of a social map, in response to the first user logging into the social network, by the graphing server accessing the relationship information for the first user and the other users from the random access memory to calculate social distances between the first user and the other users, the social map mapping the social distances between the first user and the other users in the social network;

sorting a plurality of communications intended for the first user including providing high priority communications in the plurality of communications to the first user on a home page of the first user, wherein priority of a communication is based at least in part on the social distance between the first user and the sender of the corresponding communication;

determining that the initial communication is a lower priority based at least in part on the social distance from the first user to the remote user such that the initial communication is not displayed at the home page;

receiving a request by the first user to display lower priority communications; and

providing the initial communication to the first user on the home page responsive to the request.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the initial communication is selected from a group consisting of:

e-mail, IM, SMS, RSS feed, telephone call.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein previously provided input from the first user is used to determine social distances between the first user and other users in the social network.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein first user comprises an entity selected from a group consisting of:

an individual, a company, a partnership, a business, a group of individuals.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the request is received following presentation of the home page to the first user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of communications is a telephonic communication.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein social distances mapped by the social map are based at least in part on inputs provided by the first user in connection with the social network.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein input is associated with the first user belonging to an affinity group with other users in the social network.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein sorting the plurality of communications intended for the first user includes sorting at least a portion of the plurality of communications according to one or more affinity groups associated with the respective communication.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial communication is forwarded to a folder associated with lower priority communications.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the request includes a request to view the folder.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a particular input from the first user relating to the initial communication, wherein the particular input changes the social distance from the first user to the remote user.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the particular input includes a response to the initial communication.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising identifying a time to response to the initial communication by the first user, wherein the change to social distance from the first user to the remote user in based at least in part on the time to response to the initial communication.

15. Logic encoded in non-transitory media that includes code for execution and when executed by a processor is operable to perform operations comprising:

maintaining, in a random access memory of a graphing server, relationship information for a first user of a social network and other users in the social network;

receiving an initial communication from a remote user intended for the first user,

triggering real-time generation of a social map, in response to the first user logging into the social network, by the graphing server accessing the relationship information for the first user and the other users from the random access memory to calculate social distances between the first user and the other users, the social map mapping the social distances between the first user and the other users in the social network;

sorting a plurality of communications intended for the first user including providing high priority communications in the plurality of communications to the first user on a home page of the first user, wherein priority of a communication is based at least in part on the social distance between the first user and a sender of the corresponding communication;

determining that the initial communication is a lower priority based at least in part on the social distance between the first user and remote user such that the initial communication is not displayed at the home page;

receiving a request by the first user to display lower priority communications; and

providing the initial communication to the first user on the home page responsive to the request by the first user.

16. A system comprising:

at least one processor device;

at least one random access memory;

a social graphing module, adapted when executed by the at least one processor device to;

maintain, in the random access memory, relationship information for a first user of a social network and other users in the social network;

generate in real time a social map by the processor device in response to the first user logging into the social network, the processor device generating in real time the social map by accessing the relationship information for the first user and the other users from the random access memory for calculating social distances between the first user and the other users, the social map mapping the social distances between at least the first user and the other users in a social network;

identify a social distance between a remote user and a first user in connection with an initial communication from the remote user to the first user, the social distance identified using a social map mapping social distances between the first user and a plurality of other users in a social network; and

a communication manager, adapted when executed by the at least one processor device to;

sort a plurality of communications intended for the first user based at least in part on the social map, wherein sorting the plurality of communications includes providing high priority communications in the plurality of communications to the first user on a home page of the first user, and sorting of each communication in the plurality of communications is based at least in part on a social distance between the first user and a sender of the corresponding communication;

determine an initial communication from the remote user intended for the first user is a lower priority based at least in part on the social distance between the first user and remote user such that the initial communication is not displayed at the home page;

receive a request by the first user to display lower priority communications; and

provide the initial communication to the first user on the home page responsive to the request by the first user.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein sorting the plurality of communications based on the social map is based at least in part on one or more user preferences previously provided by the first user.