Generation and implementation of a social utility grid

• US 9,015,597 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2009
• Issued: 04/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pearson, Larry B., Belz, Steven M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUONG, HIEN LUONGVAN
• Application Number:
  US12/533,523
• Publication Number:
  US 20110029887A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,090 Days
• Field of Search: 715/751
• US Class Current: 715/743
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Information is gathered regarding a first party. Social relationships between the first party and other parties are determined by transforming the gathered information into the social relationships. Relationship types of the social relationships between the first party and the other parties are determined by transforming the gathered information into the relationship types. Relationship strengths of the social relationships between the first and the other parties are determined by transforming the gathered information into the relationship strengths. The social utility grid is generated based on the social relationships between the first party and the other parties, the relationship types of the social relationships, and the relationship strengths of the social relationships.

Claims

1. A method for generating a social utility grid, the method comprising:

gathering, by a computer comprising a processor, information regarding a first party, wherein the information comprises location information associated with the first party;

determining, by the computer based on the information, a social relationship between the first party and a second party;

determining, by the computer based on the information, a relationship type of the social relationship between the first party and the second party;

correlating, by the computer, an address book entry associated with the second party with the location information associated with the first party to determine a proximity frequency between the first party and the second party;

determining, by the computer based at least in part on the proximity frequency between the first party and the second party, a relationship strength of the social relationship between the first party and the second party;

generating, by the computer, the social utility grid, the social utility grid identifying the social relationship, the relationship type of the social relationship, and the relationship strength of the social relationship;

receiving, by the computer, a first communication rule identifying a date when a party associated with a first type of relationship is allowed to contact the first party and identifying a proximity to the first party required by the party associated with the first type of relationship to contact the first party;

receiving, by the computer, a first request from the second party to contact the first party;

determining, by the computer, whether a current date meets the date identified by the first communication rule, whether the second party is within the proximity to the first party identified by the first communication rule, and whether the relationship type of the social relationship between the first party and the second party meets the first type of relationship identified by the first communication rule; and

in response to determining that the current date meets the date identified by the first communication rule, that the second party is within the proximity to the first party identified by the first communication rule, and that the relationship type of the social relationship between the first party and the second party meets the first type of relationship identified by the first communication rule, granting, by the computer, the first request from the second party to contact the first party.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, based on the information, a relationship context between the first party and the second party, wherein the relationship context identifies a group in which the first party and the second party belong; and

generating, by the computer, the social utility grid that identifies the social relationship, the relationship context of the first party and the second party, the relationship type of the social relationship, and the relationship strength of the social relationship.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first party and the second party each comprises at least one of a person, a group of people, or an organization,

wherein the social utility grid comprises a graph, the graph comprising a first node representing the first party, a second node representing the second party, and an edge connecting the first node and the second node, the edge representing the social relationship between the first party and the second party, and

wherein the social utility grid further comprises representations of the relationship type, the relationship context, and a weight representing the relationship strength.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second communication rule identifying a second type of relationship and a strength of relationship required to contact the first party via a type of communication;

receiving, from the second party via the type of communication identified by the second communication rule, a second request to contact the first party;

determining whether the relationship type of the social relationship between the first party and the second party meets the second type of relationship identified by the second communication rule and whether the relationship strength of the social relationship between the first party and the second party meets the strength of relationship identified by the second communication rule; and

in response to determining that the relationship type of the social relationship between the first party and the second party does not meet the second type of relationship identified by the second communication rule, restricting the second party from contacting the first party via the type of communication identified by the second communication rule.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the type of communication identified by the second communication rule comprises at least one of a mobile communication, a text message, an instant message, or an email.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining, by the computer, the social relationship between the first party and the second party comprises inferring the social relationship based on the information, and wherein the location information is gathered from device global positioning system logs.

7. A system for generating a social utility grid, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that stores instructions for generating the social utility grid which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising

gathering information regarding a first party, wherein the information comprises location information associated with the first party,

determining, based on the information, a social relationship between the first party and a second party,

determining, based on the information, a relationship type of the social relationship between the first party and the second party,

correlating an address book entry associated with the second party with the location information associated with the first party to determine a proximity frequency between the first party and the second party,

determining, based at least in party on the proximity frequency between the first party and the second party, a relationship strength of the social relationship between the first party and the second party,

generating the social utility grid, the social utility grid identifying the social relationship, the relationship type of the social relationship, and the relationship strength of the social relationship,

receiving a first communication rule identifying a date when a party associated with a first type of relationship is allowed to contact the first party and identifying a proximity to the first party required by the party associated with the first type of relationship to contact the first party,

receiving a first request from the second party to contact the first party,

determining whether a current date meets the date identified by the first communication rule, whether the second party is within the proximity to the first party identified by the first communication rule, and whether the relationship type of the social relationship between the first party and the second party meets the first type of relationship identified by the first communication rule, and

in response to determining that the current date meets the date identified by the first communication rule, that the second party is within the proximity to the first party identified by the first communication rule, and that the relationship type of the social relationship between the first party and the second party meets the first type of relationship identified by the first communication rule, granting the request from the second party to contact the first party.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprises:

determining, based on the information, a relationship context between the first party and the second party, wherein the relationship context identifies a group in which the first party and the second party belong; and

generating the social utility grid that identifies the social relationship, the relationship context of the first party and the second party, the relationship type of the social relationship, and the relationship strength of the social relationship.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the first party and the second party each comprises at least one of a person, a group of people, or an organization,

wherein the social utility grid comprises a graph, the graph comprising a first node representing the first party, a second node representing the second party, and an edge connecting the first node and the second node, the edge representing the social relationship between the first party and the second party, and

wherein the social utility grid further comprises representations of the relationship type, the relationship context, and a weight representing the relationship strength.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a second communication rule identifying a second type of relationship and a strength of relationship required to contact the first party via a type of communication;

receiving, from the second party via the type of communication identified by the second communication rule, a second request to contact the first party;

determining whether the relationship type of the social relationship between the first party and the second party meets the second type of relationship identified by the second communication rule and whether the relationship strength of the social relationship between the first party and the second party meets the strength of relationship identified by the second communication rule; and

in response to determining that the relationship type of the social relationship between the first party and the second party does not meet the second type of relationship identified by the second communication rule, restricting the second party from contacting the first party via the type of communication identified by the second communication rule.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the type of communication identified by the second communication rule comprises a mobile communication, a text message, an instant message, or an email.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

gathering information regarding a first party, wherein the information comprises location information associated with the first party;

determining, based on the information, a social relationship between the first party and a second party;

determining, based on the information, a relationship type of the social relationship between the first party and the second party;

correlating an address book entry associated with the second party with the location information associated with the first party to determine a proximity frequency between the first party and the second party;

determining, based at least in part the proximity frequency between the first party and the second party, a relationship strength of the social relationship between the first party and the second party;

generating a social utility grid, the social utility grid identifying the social relationship, the relationship type of the social relationship, and the relationship strength of the social relationship;

receiving a first communication rule identifying a date when a party associated with a first type of relationship is allowed to contact the first party and identifying a proximity to the first party required by the party associated with the first type of relationship to contact the first party;

receiving a first request from the second party to contact the first party;

determining whether a current date meets the date identified by the first communication rule, whether the second party is within the proximity to the first party identified by the first communication rule, and whether the relationship type of the social relationship between the first party and the second party meets the first type of relationship identified by the first communication rule; and

in response to determining that the current date meets the date identified by the first communication rule, that the second party is within the proximity to the first party identified by the first communication rule, and that the relationship type of the social relationship between the first party and the second party meets the first type of relationship identified by the first communication rule, granting the first request from the second party to contact the first party.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining, based on the information, a relationship context between the first party and the second party, wherein the relationship context identifies a group in which the first party and the second party belong; and

generating the social utility grid that identifies the social relationship, the relationship context of the first party and the second party, the relationship type of the social relationship, and the relationship strength of the social relationship.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the first party and the second party each comprises at least one of a person, a group of people, or an organization,

wherein the social utility grid comprises a graph, the graph comprising a first node representing the first party, a second node representing the second party, and an edge connecting the first node and the second node the edge representing the social relationship between the first party and the second party, and

wherein the social utility grid further comprises representations of the relationship type and the relationship context and a weight representing the relationship strength.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a second communication rule identifying a second type of relationship and a strength of relationship required to contact the first party via a type of communication;

receiving, from the second party via the type of communication identified by the second communication rule, a second request to contact the first party;

determining whether the relationship type of the social relationship between the first party and the second party meets the second type of relationship identified by the second communication rule and whether the relationship strength of the social relationship between the first party and the second party meets the strength of relationship identified by the second communication rule; and

in response to determining that the relationship type of the social relationship between the first party and the second party does not meet the second type of relationship identified by the second communication rule, restricting the second party from contacting the first party via the type of communication identified by the second communication rule.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the type of communication identified by the second communication rule comprises a mobile communication, a text message, an instant message, or an email.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein determining the social relationship between the first party and the second party comprises inferring the social relationship based on the information, and wherein the location information is gathered from device global positioning system logs.