Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for providing search results having contacts from a user's social graph

• US 9,471,691 B1
• Filed: 01/23/2015
• Issued: 10/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: de Sousa, David Reis
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Baoquoc N
• Application Number:
  US14/603,758
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: 707/723, 707/748
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2455 Query execution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9024 Graphs; Linked lists G06F16/9027 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

Provided are systems, methods, and computer-readable media for providing search results having contacts from a user'"'"'s social graph are provided herein. A search query is received from a user of client computer, and a point of interest responsive to the search query is determined. A person associated with the point of interest is identified, and a relationship in a social graph between the person and the user is identified. A search result that includes the point of interest and information about the person in the user'"'"'s social graph associated with the point of interest is generated, and the search result is transmitted over a network to the client computer.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for receiving search results having a contact from a social graph of a user, the method executed by one or more processors in a client device programmed to perform the method, the method comprising:

transmitting, by one or more processors in a client device, a search query from a user;

receiving, at the one or more processors, a search result including (i) a point of interest responsive to the search query and (ii) information about a plurality of people associated with the point of interest, wherein each of the plurality of people associated with the point of interest has a relationship with the user in a social graph; and

displaying, by the one or more processors, an indication of the point of interest, the information about the plurality of people associated with the point of interest, and a status indication of a presence of each of the plurality of people at the point of interest in a search results display, wherein the information and the status indication for each of the plurality of people is displayed in a ranked order in the search results display based on a score indicative of interaction between the user and each of the plurality of people.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying information about a plurality of people in a ranked order includes displaying, by the one or more processors, information about two or more of the plurality of people associated with the point of interest, wherein each of the two or more people are ranked above a predetermined threshold ranking, and wherein the predetermined threshold ranking is based on the search results display.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying, by the one or more processors, a social networking message authored by at least one of the plurality of people on the search results display, wherein the social networking message is associated with the point of interest.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein displaying a social networking message includes displaying, by the one or more processors, a highest ranked social networking message from a plurality of social networking messages authored by the at least one person on the search results display.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

in response to receiving, from the user, a selection of the information about the at least one person or the social networking message authored by the at least one person, displaying the plurality of social networking messages authored by the at least one person.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of people are associated with the point of interest based on at least one of:

a current presence of the plurality of people at the point of interest, a previous presence of the plurality of people at the point of interest within a predetermined period of time, or a frequent presence by the plurality of people at the point of interest within a predetermined period of time.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the information about the plurality of people includes displaying at least one of (i) a profile picture of the plurality of people obtained from the social graph and (ii) a description of the association between the plurality of people and the point of interest.

8. A client device comprising:

a user interface;

one or more processors communicatively coupled to the user interface;

a non-transitory computer readable memory communicatively coupled to the one or more processors and storing thereon instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the client device to;

transmit, via a communication network, a search query from a user,

receive, via the communication network, a search result including (i) a point of interest responsive to the search query and (ii) information about a plurality of people associated with the point of interest, wherein each of the plurality of people associated with the point of interest has a relationship with the user in a social graph, and

display an indication of the point of interest, information about the plurality of people associated with the point of interest, and a status indication of a presence of each of the plurality of people at the point of interest on the user interface, wherein the information and the status indication for each of the plurality of people is displayed in a ranked order in the search results display based on a score indicative of interaction between the user and each of the plurality of people.

9. The client device of claim 8, wherein to display information about a plurality of people in a ranked order, the instructions cause the client device to display information about two or more of the plurality of people associated with the point of interest, wherein each of the two or more people are ranked above a predetermined threshold ranking, and wherein the predetermined threshold ranking is based on the user interface.

10. The client device of claim 8, wherein the instructions further cause the client device to display a social networking message authored by at least one of the plurality of people on the user interface, wherein the social networking message is associated with the point of interest.

11. The client device of claim 10, wherein to display a social networking message, the instructions cause the client device to display a highest ranked social networking message from a plurality of social networking messages authored by the at least one person on the user interface.

12. The client device of claim 11, wherein the instructions further cause the client device to display the plurality of social networking messages authored by the at least one person, in response to receiving, from the user, a selection of the information about the at least one person or the social networking message authored by the at least one person.

13. The client device of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of people are associated with the point of interest based on at least one of:

a current presence of the plurality of people at the point of interest, a previous presence of the plurality of people at the point of interest within a predetermined period of time, or a frequent presence by the plurality of people at the point of interest within a predetermined period of time.

14. A non-transitory computer readable memory communicatively coupled to one or more processors and storing thereon instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause a client device to:

transmit, via a communication network, a search query from a user,

receive, via the communication network, a search result including (i) a point of interest responsive to the search query and (ii) information about a plurality of people associated with the point of interest, wherein each of the plurality of people associated with the point of interest has a relationship with the user in a social graph, and

display an indication of the point of interest, information about the plurality of people associated with the point of interest, and a status indication of a presence of each of the plurality of people at the point of interest on a user interface, wherein the information and the status indication for each of the plurality of people is displayed in a ranked order in the search results display based on a score indicative of interaction between the user and each of the plurality of people.

15. The computer readable memory of claim 14, wherein to display information about a plurality of people in a ranked order, the instructions cause the client device to display information about two or more of the plurality of people associated with the point of interest, wherein each of the two or more people are ranked above a predetermined threshold ranking, and wherein the predetermined threshold ranking is based on the user interface.

16. The computer readable memory of claim 14, wherein the instructions further cause the client device to display a social networking message authored by at least one of the plurality of people on the user interface, wherein the social networking message is associated with the point of interest.

17. The computer readable memory of claim 16, wherein to display a social networking message, the instructions cause the client device to display a highest ranked social networking message from a plurality of social networking messages authored by the at least one person on the user interface.