Bootstrap social network using event-related records

• US 9,596,207 B1
• Filed: 12/31/2012
• Issued: 03/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Lin, Jennifer W., Wu, Ping
• Primary Examiner(s): Gillis, Brian J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ballard, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US13/731,359
• Time in Patent Office: 1,534 Days
• Field of Search: 725/50, 707/748, 707/754, 707/E17.014, 707/602, 707/728, 707/784, 705/319, 705/14.66, 705/7.18, 705/36, 705/35, 715/733, 704/9, 706/46
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services

Abstract

Event-related data including at least one event-related record belonging to a first user is received. The event-related record is processed for an event. The event is classified into an event type using a plurality of predefined event types. A post for the event based on the event type is generated and a content stream of the first user is populated with the post.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving event-related data including at least one event-related record belonging to a first user;

determining an importance score of the event-related record based on a level of user engagement with the event-related record;

determining whether the importance score of the event-related record satisfies an importance threshold;

processing the event-related record to determine an event;

classifying the event with an event type using a plurality of predefined event types;

determining whether a content stream of the first user has insufficient content by comparing a density of posts included in the content stream of the first user with a threshold density;

responsive to a determination that the content stream of the first user has insufficient content and a determination that the importance score of the event-related record satisfies the importance threshold, automatically generating a post for the event based on the event type; and

populating the content stream of the first user on an online service with the post for display, the post including a notification notifying that the post has been automatically generated based on the event-related data.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein processing the event-related record includes processing the event-related record for event-related attributes that correspond to the event and classifying the event into an event type includes:

applying an event template associated with the event type, the event template including one or more required fields;

processing the event-related attributes for information corresponding to the one or more required fields; and

generating the post for the event based on the event template and the information.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the at least one record includes an electronic message thread and a calendar entry, the electronic message thread and the calendar entry are aligned based on a similarity, and processing the event-related record includes processing the electronic message thread and the calendar entry to determine the event.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the at least one record includes an electronic message-thread or calendar entry belonging to the first user.

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

the event-related data includes a plurality of event-related records;

processing the event-related data includes assigning scores to the event-related records based on one or more criteria and filtering out one or more of the event-related records having scores that do not satisfy a predetermined threshold;

classifying the event includes classifying one or more events of the one or more event-related records that are unfiltered by the filtering;

generating the post includes generating one or more posts based on the one or more event-related records; and

populating the content stream includes populating the content stream with the one or more posts.

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

receiving interaction data reflecting an interaction by the first user or another user with a post of the content stream;

determining an event type corresponding to the post of the content stream; and

modifying scores that are assigned during the processing of a subsequent set of event-related records based on the event type.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein processing the event-related records further includes:

processing sets of contacts, sets of contact-related attributes, and sets of event-related attributes from the event-related records;

assigning first importance scores to the sets of contacts based on the sets of contact-related attributes that respectively correspond to the sets of contacts;

assigning second importance scores to the event-related records based on one or more criteria including the first importance scores and the sets of event-related attributes corresponding to the event-related records;

filtering out one or more event-related records having second importance scores less than the predetermined threshold; and

determining one or more events based on one or more sets of event-related attributes corresponding to one or more event-related records that are unfiltered by the filtering.

8. 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:

receive event-related data including at least one event-related record belonging to a first user;

determine an importance score of the event-related record based on a level of user engagement with the event-related record;

determine whether the importance score of the event-related record satisfies an importance threshold;

process the event-related record to determine an event;

classify the event with an event type using a plurality of predefined event types;

determine whether a content stream of the first user has insufficient content by comparing a density of posts included in the content stream of the first user with a threshold density;

responsive to a determination that the content stream of the first user has insufficient content and a determination that the importance score of the event-related record satisfies the importance threshold, automatically generate a post for the event based on the event type; and

populate the content stream of the first user on an online service with the post for display, the post including a notification notifying that the post has been automatically generated based on the event-related data.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein to process the event-related data includes processing the event-related record for event-related attributes that correspond to the event and to classify the event into an event type includes:

applying an event template associated with the event type, the event template including one or more required fields;

processing the event-related attributes for information corresponding to the one or more required fields; and

generating the post for the event based on the event template and the information.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the at least one record includes an electronic message thread and a calendar entry, the electronic message thread and the calendar entry are aligned based on a similarity, and to process the event-related record includes processing the electronic message thread and the calendar entry to determine the event.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the at least one record includes an electronic message-thread or calendar entry belonging to the first user.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein:

the event-related data includes a plurality of event-related records;

to process the event-related data includes assigning scores to the event-related records based on one or more criteria and filtering out one or more of the event-related records having scores that do not satisfy a predetermined threshold;

to classify the event includes classifying one or more events of the one or more event-related records that are unfiltered by the filtering;

to generate the post includes generating one or more posts based on the one or more event-related records; and

to populate the content stream includes populating the content stream with the one or more posts.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on the computer, further causes the computer to:

receive interaction data reflecting an interaction by the first user or another user with a post of the content stream;

determine an event type corresponding to the post of the content stream; and

modify scores that are assigned during the processing of a subsequent set of event-related records based on the event type.

14. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein to process the event-related records further includes:

processing sets of contacts, sets of contact-related attributes, and sets of event-related attributes from the event-related records;

assigning first importance scores to the sets of contacts based on the sets of contact-related attributes that respectively correspond to the sets of contacts;

assigning second importance scores to the event-related records based on one or more criteria including the first importance scores and the sets of event-related attributes corresponding to the event-related records;

filtering out one or more event-related records having second importance scores less than the predetermined threshold; and

determining one or more events based on one or more sets of event-related attributes corresponding to one or more event-related records that are unfiltered by the filtering.

15. A system comprising:

a processor; and

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

receive event-related data including at least one event-related record belonging to a first user;

determine an importance score of the event-related record based on a level of user engagement with the event-related record;

determine whether the importance score of the event-related record satisfies an importance threshold;

process the event-related record to determine an event;

classify the event with an event type using a plurality of predefined event types;

determine whether a content stream of the first user has insufficient content by comparing a density of posts included in the content stream of the first user with a threshold density;

responsive to a determination that the content stream of the first user has insufficient content and a determination that the importance score of the event-related record satisfies the importance threshold, automatically generate a post for the event based on the event type; and

populate the content stream of the first user on an online service with the post for display, the post including a notification notifying that the post has been automatically generated based on the event-related data.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein to process the event-related data includes processing the event-related record for event-related attributes that correspond to the event and to classify the event into an event type includes:

applying an event template associated with the event type, the event template including one or more required fields;

processing the event-related attributes for information corresponding to the one or more required fields; and

generating the post for the event based on the event template and the information.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one record includes an electronic message thread and a calendar entry, the electronic message thread and the calendar entry are aligned based on a similarity, and to process the event-related record includes processing the electronic message thread and the calendar entry to determine the event.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one record includes an electronic message-thread or calendar entry belonging to the first user.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein:

the event-related data includes a plurality of event-related records;

to process the event-related data includes assigning scores to the event-related records based on one or more criteria and filtering out one or more of the event-related records having scores that do not satisfy a predetermined threshold;

to classify the event includes classifying one or more events of the one or more event-related records that are unfiltered by the filtering;

to generate the post includes generating one or more posts based on the one or more event-related records; and

to populate the content stream includes populating the content stream with the one or more posts.

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

receive interaction data reflecting an interaction by the first user or another user with a post of the content stream;

determine an event type corresponding to the post of the content stream; and

modify scores that are assigned during the processing of a subsequent set of event-related records based on the event type.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein to process the event-related records further includes:

processing sets of contacts, sets of contact-related attributes, and sets of event-related attributes from the event-related records;

assigning first importance scores to the sets of contacts based on the sets of contact-related attributes that respectively correspond to the sets of contacts;

assigning second importance scores to the event-related records based on one or more criteria including the first importance scores and the sets of event-related attributes corresponding to the event-related records;

filtering out one or more event-related records having second importance scores less than the predetermined threshold; and

determining one or more events based on one or more sets of event-related attributes corresponding to one or more event-related records that are unfiltered by the filtering.