Social network site recommender system and method

• US 8,959,167 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2013
• Issued: 02/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gross, John Nicholas
• Primary Examiner(s): JEAN, FRANTZ B
• Application Number:
  US13/908,982
• Publication Number:
  US 20130268609A1
• Time in Patent Office: 624 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/207, 709/203, 725/32, 725/34
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/825 Dataflow computers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/35 Clustering; Classification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services

Abstract

Particular embodiments evaluate a plurality of messages. Each message may be associated with an author. Information may be logged for each message, such as information associated with the author, information associated with one or more designated recipients of the message, and time information. Correlation values may be determined for one or more sets of designated recipients based on at least a portion of the logged information. Particular embodiments may determine an association amongst a plurality of users over time. The determination may be based on the correlation values. At least one of the plurality of users may comprise at least one of the designated recipients.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing, by one or more processors, an electronic document;

receiving, by the one or more processors, an initial set of designated recipients for the electronic document from a user;

evaluating, by the one or more processors, content of the electronic document to identify at least one topic associated with the content;

comparing, by the one or more processors, data associated with at least one recipient in the initial set to data associated with one or more other individuals to identify one or more other individual with characteristics that match or overlap with the at least one recipient;

suggesting, by the one or more processors, the identified individuals as an additional recipient for the electronic document; and

forming, by the one or more processors, a final set of designated recipients.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic document is compared to prior documents generated by the user or a set of other users related to the user to identify distribution recipients of the prior documents.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein prior document distribution designations of the prior documents are correlated to identify relationships between recipients and to predict recipients to be removed from the final set of designated recipients.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising correlating characteristics of the identified individuals and documents associated with the user.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein a first set of the identified individuals determined to be correlated above a first specified threshold value with the initial set of designated recipients.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein a second set of the identified individuals determined to be correlated above a second specified threshold value with the first set of additional recipients.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a sequence used by the user for entering the initial set of designated recipients is monitored to determine a correlation to prior sequences used by the user.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the data comprises profile data, demographic data, or behavior data.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the identified individuals is determined to have a relationship with the user based on prior document distribution designations of prior documents generated by the user or a set of other users related to the user.

10. One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying software that is operable when executed to:

provide an electronic document;

receive an initial set of designated recipients for the electronic document from a user;

evaluate content of the electronic document to identify at least one topic associated with the content;

compare data associated with at least one recipient in the initial set to data associated with one or more other individuals to identify one or more other individual with characteristics that match or overlap with the at least one recipient;

suggest the identified individuals as an additional recipient for the electronic document; and

form a final set of designated recipients.

11. The media of claim 10, wherein the electronic document is compared to prior documents generated by the user or a set of other users related to the user to identify distribution recipients of the prior documents.

12. The media of claim 11, wherein prior document distribution designations of the prior documents are correlated to identify relationships between recipients and to predict recipients to be removed from the final set of designated recipients.

13. The media of claim 10, further comprising correlating characteristics of the identified individuals and documents associated with the user.

14. The media of claim 10, wherein a first set of the identified individuals determined to be correlated above a first specified threshold value with the initial set of designated recipients.

15. The media of claim 14, wherein a second set of the identified individuals determined to be correlated above a second specified threshold value with the first set of additional recipients.

16. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory coupled to the processors comprising instructions executable by the processors, the processors operable when executing the instructions to;

provide an electronic document;

receive an initial set of designated recipients for the electronic document from a user;

evaluate content of the electronic document to identify at least one topic associated with the content;

compare data associated with at least one recipient in the initial set to data associated with one or more other individuals to identify one or more other individual with characteristics that match or overlap with the at least one recipient;

suggest the identified individuals as an additional recipient for the electronic document; and

form a final set of designated recipients.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the electronic document is compared to prior documents generated by the user or a set of other users related to the user to identify distribution recipients of the prior documents.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein prior document distribution designations of the prior documents are correlated to identify relationships between recipients and to predict recipients to be removed from the final set of designated recipients.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein a sequence used by the user for entering the initial set of designated recipients is monitored to determine a correlation to prior sequences used by the user.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the data comprises profile data, demographic data, or behavior data.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein at least one of the identified individuals is determined to have a relationship with the user based on prior document distribution designations of prior documents generated by the user or a set of other users related to the user.