Seeding user connections in a social network

• US 9,269,081 B1
• Filed: 10/12/2012
• Issued: 02/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Panzer, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Nano, Sargon
• Application Number:
  US13/651,163
• Time in Patent Office: 1,229 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

An example implementation includes identifying a cluster of associated users that includes a plurality of unregistered users based at least in part on message-related information related to a first user. The unregistered users are users that have not been registered to use a social networking service. An invitation is sent to each of the plurality of unregistered users to join the social networking service and two or more requests to join the social networking service are received from two or more interested users, respectively, the two or more interested users being included in the plurality of unregistered users. Each of the two or more interested users is registered to use the social networking service based at least in part on a join criterion.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

aggregating, by one or more processors, message-related information related to a first user, wherein the aggregating includes searching metadata associated with message-related information;

identifying, by the one or more processors, based at least in part on the aggregated message-related information related to the first user, a cluster of associated users that includes a plurality of unregistered users, the plurality of unregistered users not being registered to use a social networking service;

generating, by the one or more processors, a cluster summary, wherein the cluster summary describes the cluster and identifies the plurality of unregistered users included in the cluster;

sending, by the one or more processors, an invitation to each of the plurality of unregistered users identified in the cluster summary to join the social networking service;

receiving, by the one or more processors, two or more requests to join the social networking service from two or more interested users, respectively, the two or more interested users included in the plurality of unregistered users identified in the cluster summary;

determining, by the one or more processors, whether a join criterion has been satisfied; and

responsive to determining the join criterion has been satisfied, registering, by the one or more processors, each of the two or more interested users to use the social networking service.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, comprising:

determining the join criterion as being satisfied based at least in part on a total number of the two or more requests to join the social networking service that were received, wherein the registering of each of the two or more interested users to use the social networking service is based at least in part on the determining of the join criterion as being satisfied.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, comprising:

receiving a request to identify the cluster of associated users from the first user, wherein the identifying, based at least in part on the message-related information related to the first user, the cluster of associated users includes aggregating the message-related information from one or more information sources storing electronic messages associated with the first user.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the electronic messages include one or more of electronic mail messages, SMS/MMS messages, instant messages, social network posts, social network notifications, and micro blog posts.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, comprising:

upon the registering of each of the two or more interested users, connecting the two or more interested users to one another on the social networking service by defining, in a social graph, a social graph connection between each of the two or more interested users.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, comprising:

identifying, from among the cluster of associated users, a registered user that is registered to use the social networking service;

sending an invitation to the registered user to connect with the plurality of unregistered users;

receiving a connection request from the registered user accepting the invitation sent to the registered user; and

connecting the registered user to each of the two or more interested users by defining, in the social graph, a social graph connection between the registered user and each of the two or more interested users.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, comprising:

connecting the first user to each of the two or more interested users by defining, in the social graph, a social graph connection between the first user and each of the two or more interested users, wherein the registering of each of the two or more interested users further includes registering the first user to use the social networking service based at least in part on the join criterion.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, comprising:

receiving a post from the first user or one of the two or more interested users; and

populating a content stream of the first user and each of the two or more interested users with the post.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, comprising:

determining a shared group name based at least in part on the message-related information; and

defining, in the social graph, a shared group including the first user and the two or more interested users based at least in part on the shared group name, the social graph connection between the first user and each of the two or more interested users, and the social graph connection between each of the two or more interested users.

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

aggregate message-related information related to a first user, wherein the aggregating includes searching metadata associated with message-related information;

identify, based at least in part on the aggregated message-related information related to the first user, a cluster of associated users that includes a plurality of unregistered users, the plurality of unregistered users not being registered to use a social networking service;

generate, by the one or more processors, a cluster summary, wherein the cluster summary describes the cluster and identifies the plurality of unregistered users included in the cluster;

send an invitation to each of the plurality of unregistered users identified in the cluster summary to join the social networking service;

receive two or more requests to join the social networking service from two or more interested users, respectively, the two or more interested users included in the plurality of unregistered users identified in the cluster summary;

determine whether a join criterion has been satisfied; and

responsive to determining the join criterion has been satisfied, register each of the two or more interested users to use the social networking service.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the computer-readable program further causes the computer to:

determine the join criterion as being satisfied based at least in part on a total number of the two or more requests to join the social networking service that were received, wherein to register of each of the two or more interested users to use the social networking service is based at least in part on the join criterion being determined as satisfied.

12. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the computer-readable program further causes the computer to:

receive a request to identify the cluster of associated users from the first user, wherein to identify, based at least in part on the message-related information related to the first user, the cluster of associated users includes aggregating the message-related information from one or more information sources storing electronic messages associated with the first user.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the electronic messages include one or more of electronic mail messages, SMS/MMS messages, instant messages, social network posts, social network notifications, and micro blog posts.

14. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the computer-readable program further causes the computer to:

connect, upon each of the two or more interested users being registered, the two or more interested users to one another on the social networking service by defining, in a social graph, a social graph connection between each of the two or more interested users.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the computer-readable program further causes the computer to:

identify, from among the cluster of associated users, a registered user that is registered to use the social networking service;

send an invitation to the registered user to connect with the plurality of unregistered users;

receive a connection request from the registered user accepting the invitation sent to the registered user; and

connect the registered user to each of the two or more interested users by defining, in the social graph, a social graph connection between the registered user and each of the two or more interested users.

16. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the computer-readable program further causes the computer to:

connect the first user to each of the two or more interested users by defining, in the social graph, a social graph connection between the first user and each of the two or more interested users, wherein to register each of the two or more interested users further includes registering the first user to use the social networking service based at least in part on the join criterion.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the computer-readable program further causes the computer to:

receive a post from the first user or one of the two or more interested users; and

populate a content stream of the first user and each of the two or more interested users with the post.

18. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the computer-readable program further causes the computer to:

determine a shared group name based at least in part on the message-related information; and

define, in the social graph, a shared group including the first user and the two or more interested users based at least in part on the shared group name, the social graph connection between the first user and each of the two or more interested users, and the social graph connection between each of the two or more interested users.

19. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the system to;

aggregate message-related information related to a first user, wherein the aggregating includes searching metadata associated with message-related information;

identify, based at least in part on the aggregated message-related information related to the first user, a cluster of associated users that includes a plurality of unregistered users, the plurality of unregistered users not being registered to use a social networking service;

generate, by the one or more processors, a cluster summary, wherein the cluster summary describes the cluster and identifies the plurality of unregistered users included in the cluster;

send an invitation to each of the plurality of unregistered users identified in the cluster summary to join the social networking service;

receive two or more requests to join the social networking service from two or more interested users, respectively, the two or more interested users included in the plurality of unregistered users identified in the cluster summary;

determine whether a join criterion has been satisfied; and

responsive to determining the join criterion has been satisfied, register each of the two or more interested users to use the social networking service.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the instructions further cause the system to:

determine the join criterion as being satisfied based at least in part on a total number of the two or more requests to join the social networking service that were received, wherein to register of each of the two or more interested users to use the social networking service is based at least in part on the join criterion being determined as satisfied.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the instructions further cause the system to:

receive a request to identify the cluster of associated users from the first user, wherein to identify, based at least in part on the message-related information related to the first user, the cluster of associated users includes aggregating the message-related information from one or more information sources storing electronic messages associated with the first user.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the electronic messages include one or more of electronic mail messages, SMS/MMS messages, instant messages, social network posts, social network notifications, and micro blog posts.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the instructions further cause the system to:

connect, upon each of the two or more interested users being registered, the two or more interested users to one another on the social networking service by defining, in a social graph, a social graph connection between each of the two or more interested users.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the instructions further cause the system to:

identify, from among the cluster of associated users, a registered user that is registered to use the social networking service;

send an invitation to the registered user to connect with the plurality of unregistered users;

receive a connection request from the registered user accepting the invitation sent to the registered user; and

connect the registered user to each of the two or more interested users by defining, in the social graph, a social graph connection between the registered user and each of the two or more interested users.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the instructions further cause the computer to:

connect the first user to each of the two or more interested users by defining, in the social graph, a social graph connection between the first user and each of the two or more interested users, wherein to register each of the two or more interested users further includes registering the first user to use the social networking service based at least in part on the join criterion.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the instructions further cause the computer to:

receive a post from the first user or one of the two or more interested users; and

populate a content stream of the first user and each of the two or more interested users with the post.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the instructions further cause the computer to:

determine a shared group name based at least in part on the message-related information; and

define, in the social graph, a shared group including the first user and the two or more interested users based at least in part on the shared group name, the social graph connection between the first user and each of the two or more interested users, and the social graph connection between each of the two or more interested users.