Method and apparatus for processing authentication request message in a social network

• US 9,432,352 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2015
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.
• Inventors: Ye, Jun, Mo, Jianxiang
• Primary Examiner(s): DENNISON, JERRY B
• Application Number:
  US14/605,827
• Publication Number:
  US 20150237030A1
• Time in Patent Office: 582 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for processing an authentication request message in a social network are provided. To improve the inefficiency of existing technology in processing user authentication and request to establish social relationship as well as inadequacy of parameters available for said authentication, the disclosed method includes a social network server detecting an authentication request message sent by a first client to a second client requesting to establish a social relationship with the second client. The social network server obtains information social attributes that are common to the first client and the second client, forwards the authentication request message, and sends the obtained information of common social attributes to the second client. The social attribute information is used by the second client to decide whether or not to authenticate the authentication request message.

Claims

1. A method of establishing a direct online social relationship, the method comprising:

detecting, by a server, a request sent from a first client to a second client with whom the first client is not directly connected in an online social relationship, the request being a message requesting a direct online social relationship with the second client;

extracting first identification information of the first client, the first identification information including a first list of tertiary clients with whom the first client is directly connected in an online social relationship;

extracting second identification information of the second client, the second identification information including a second list of tertiary clients with whom the second client is directly connected in an online social relationship;

analyzing the first and second lists of tertiary clients to identify particular tertiary clients that are found in both the first and the second lists;

calculating a plurality of overall sums of degrees of familiarity, each overall sum corresponding to a respective overall sum of the degrees of familiarity between one of the respective particular tertiary clients and the first client and the second client, the calculating including;

determining a first degree of familiarity for each particular tertiary client with respect to the first client,

determining a second degree of familiarity for each particular tertiary client with respect to the second client, and

summing the first degree of familiarity and the second degree of familiarity resulting in an overall sum of the degrees of familiarity with respect to each grouping of a particular tertiary client, the first client, and the second client;

selecting, based on a result of the calculating the plurality of overall sums of degrees of familiarity, a third client from among the particular tertiary clients; and

forwarding, by the server, the request message and information of the third client to the second client, to enable the second client to determine whether to authorize the requested direct online social relationship with the first client.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the selection of the third client from among the particular tertiary clients is based on the third client having a highest sum of degrees of familiarity, among the summed degrees of familiarity of each respective particular tertiary client.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein a quantitative expression of the first degree of familiarity is X1, X2, . . . XN,

where X represents a numerical value determined according to a predetermined rule with respect to an aspect of the social relationship between each particular tertiary client and the first client, and

where N represents distinct particular tertiary clients with which a value X is associated,

wherein a quantitative expression of the second degree of familiarity is Y1, Y2, . . . YN,

where Y represents a numerical value determined according to a predetermined rule with respect to an aspect of the social relationship between each particular tertiary client and the second client, and

where N represents distinct particular tertiary clients with which a value Y is associated, and

wherein the overall sum of the degrees of familiarity is expressed as XN+YN.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the selection of the third client includes identifying, as the third client, a particular tertiary client having a highest overall sum of degrees of familiarity.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first identification information and the second identification information include social attribute information, and

wherein the first and second degrees of familiarity are determined, at least in part, based on the social attribute information.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the social attribute information includes

a length of time during which the first client and each respective particular tertiary client had a direct online social relationship, and

a length of time during which the second client and each respective particular tertiary client had a direct online social relationship.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the social attribute information includes a number of times that an information exchange occurred between the first client and each respective particular tertiary client during a fixed time period.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein the social attribute information includes a number of times that an information exchange occurred between the second client and each respective particular tertiary client during a fixed time period.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining social attributes that are common between the first client and the second client.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining social attributes that are common between the first client and the third client.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising determining social attributes that are common between the first client and each particular tertiary client,

wherein each common social attribute is considered to be a degree of familiarity.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the selection of the third client from among the particular tertiary clients is based on the third client having a highest sum of degrees of familiarity, among the summed degrees of familiarity of each respective particular tertiary client.

13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining social attributes that are common between the first client and the second client; and

determining social attributes that are common between the first client and the third client,

wherein the social attributes include

activities engaged in by the first client and the second client, and

activities engaged in by the first client and the third client.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

selecting multidimensional social attribute information of the first client and the second client; and

sending the selected multidimensional social attribute information to the second client.

15. An apparatus for processing a request for a direct online social relationship, the apparatus comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory to maintain a plurality of components executable by the one or more processors, the plurality of components including;

an acquisition module, that;

detects a request sent from a first client to a second client with whom the first client is not directly connected in an online social relationship, the request being a message requesting a direct online social relationship with the second client,

extracts first identification information of the first client, the first identification information including a first list of tertiary clients with whom the first client is directly connected in an online social relationship,

extracts second identification information of the second client, the second identification information including a second list of tertiary clients with whom the second client is directly connected in an online social relationship,

analyzes the first and second lists of tertiary clients to identify particular tertiary clients that are found in both the first and the second lists,

calculates a plurality of overall sums of degrees of familiarity, each overall sum corresponding to a respective overall sum of the degrees of familiarity between one of the respective particular tertiary clients and the first client and the second client, where calculating includes;

a determination of a first degree of familiarity for each particular tertiary client with respect to the first client,

a determination of a second degree of familiarity for each particular tertiary client with respect to the second client, and

a summation of the first degree of familiarity and the second degree of familiarity resulting in an overall sum of the degrees of familiarity with respect to each grouping of a particular tertiary client, the first client, and the second client, and

selects, based on a result of the calculating the plurality of overall sums of degrees of familiarity, a third client from among the particular tertiary clients, and

a transmitting module that forwards the request message and information of the third client to the second client, to enable the second client to determine whether to authorize the requested direct online social relationship with the first client.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the selection of the third client from among the particular tertiary clients is based on the third client having a highest sum of degrees of familiarity, among the summed degrees of familiarity of each respective particular tertiary client.

17. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein a quantitative expression of the first degree of familiarity is X1, X2, . . . XN,

where X represents a numerical value determined according to a predetermined rule with respect to an aspect of the social relationship between each particular tertiary client and the first client, and

where N represents distinct particular tertiary clients with which a value X is associated,

wherein a quantitative expression of the second degree of familiarity is Y1, Y2, . . . YN,

where Y represents a numerical value determined according to a predetermined rule with respect to an aspect of the social relationship between each particular tertiary client and the second client, and

where N represents distinct particular tertiary clients with which a value Y is associated, and

wherein the overall sum of the degrees of familiarity is expressed as XN+YN.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the selection of the third client includes identifying, as the third client, a particular tertiary client having a highest overall sum of degrees of familiarity.