Social search engine
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method implemented by a data processing apparatus, the method comprising:
- receiving, by the data processing apparatus, a question from an asker in which the question is associated with one or more topics;
selecting, by the data processing apparatus, a plurality of candidate answerers based at least partly on each candidate answerer'"'"'s respective social relationship to the asker within a computer-implemented social network;
determining, by the data processing apparatus, a respective wait time for each candidate answerer in the plurality of candidate answerers, where the respective wait time is based on one or more of a respective communication channel used by the candidate answerer and a historical responsiveness of the candidate answerer for the respective communication channel, wherein the respective communication channel comprising one of an instant message, an electronic mail, a blog post, and a short message service message;
selecting, by the data processing apparatus, a first candidate answerer based on a ranking of the plurality of candidate answerers;
sending, by the data processing apparatus, the question to the first candidate answerer of the plurality of candidate answerers through the respective communication channel of the first candidate answerer;
determining, by the data processing apparatus, that the respective wait time of the first candidate answerer for a first answer from the first candidate answerer has expired without receiving the first answer, and in response;
selecting a second candidate answerer based on the ranking of the plurality of candidate answerers, andsending the question to the second candidate answerer of the plurality of candidate answerers through the respective communication channel of the second candidate answerer;
receiving, by the data processing apparatus, a second answer to the question from the second candidate answerer; and
sending, by the data processing apparatus, the second answer to the asker and information that identifies the second answerer.
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Abstract
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for a social search engine. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a question from an asker in which the question is associated with one or more topics; selecting candidate answerers based at least partly on each answerer'"'"'s respective relationship to the asker; sending the question successively to groups of one or more candidate answerers according to the ranking until an answer is received from a particular one of the candidate answerers; and sending to the asker the received answer and information that identifies the particular answerer.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method implemented by a data processing apparatus, the method comprising:
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receiving, by the data processing apparatus, a question from an asker in which the question is associated with one or more topics; selecting, by the data processing apparatus, a plurality of candidate answerers based at least partly on each candidate answerer'"'"'s respective social relationship to the asker within a computer-implemented social network; determining, by the data processing apparatus, a respective wait time for each candidate answerer in the plurality of candidate answerers, where the respective wait time is based on one or more of a respective communication channel used by the candidate answerer and a historical responsiveness of the candidate answerer for the respective communication channel, wherein the respective communication channel comprising one of an instant message, an electronic mail, a blog post, and a short message service message; selecting, by the data processing apparatus, a first candidate answerer based on a ranking of the plurality of candidate answerers; sending, by the data processing apparatus, the question to the first candidate answerer of the plurality of candidate answerers through the respective communication channel of the first candidate answerer; determining, by the data processing apparatus, that the respective wait time of the first candidate answerer for a first answer from the first candidate answerer has expired without receiving the first answer, and in response; selecting a second candidate answerer based on the ranking of the plurality of candidate answerers, and sending the question to the second candidate answerer of the plurality of candidate answerers through the respective communication channel of the second candidate answerer; receiving, by the data processing apparatus, a second answer to the question from the second candidate answerer; and sending, by the data processing apparatus, the second answer to the asker and information that identifies the second answerer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A non-transitory computer-readable memory having instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
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receiving a question from an asker in which the question is associated with one or more topics; selecting a plurality of candidate answerers based at least partly on each candidate answerer'"'"'s respective social relationship to the asker within a computer-implemented social network; determining a respective wait time for each candidate answerer in the plurality of candidate answerers, where the respective wait time is based on one or more of a respective communication channel used by the candidate answerer and a historical responsiveness of the candidate answerer for the respective communication channel, wherein the respective communication channel comprising one of an instant message, an electronic mail, a blog post, and a short message service message; selecting a first candidate answerer based on a ranking of the plurality of candidate answerers; sending the question to the first candidate answerer of the plurality of candidate answerers through the respective communication channel of the first candidate answerer; determining that the respective wait time of the first candidate answerer for a first answer from the first candidate answerer has expired without receiving the first answer, and in response; selecting a second candidate answerer based on the ranking of the plurality of candidate answerers, and sending the question to the second candidate answerer of the plurality of candidate answerers through the respective communication channel of the second candidate answerer; receiving a second answer to the question from the second candidate answerer; and sending the second answer to the asker and information that identifies the second answerer. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system comprising:
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a processor; and computer-readable medium coupled to the processor and having instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising; receiving a question from an asker in which the question is associated with one or more topics; selecting a plurality of candidate answerers based at least partly on each candidate answerer'"'"'s respective social relationship to the asker within a computer-implemented social network; determining a respective wait time for each candidate answerer in the plurality of candidate answerers, where the respective wait time is based on one or more of a respective communication channel used by the candidate answerer and a historical responsiveness of the candidate answerer for the respective communication channel, wherein the respective communication channel comprising one of an instant message, an electronic mail, a blog post, and a short message service message; selecting a first candidate answerer based on a ranking of the plurality of candidate answerers; sending the question to the first candidate answerer of the plurality of candidate answerers through the respective communication channel of the first candidate answerer; determining that the respective wait time of the first candidate answerer for a first answer from the first candidate answerer has expired without receiving the first answer, and in response; selecting a second candidate answerer based on the ranking of the plurality of candidate answerers, and sending the question to the second candidate answerer of the plurality of candidate answerers through the respective communication channel of the second candidate answerer; receiving a second answer to the question from the second candidate answerer; and sending the second answer to the asker and information that identifies the second answerer. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification