Context sensitive user group communications

• US 9,900,277 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2013
• Issued: 02/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pinterest, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Excalibur IP, LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Inventors: Dumpeti, Vishweshwar Rao, Moeller, Christopher Patrick, Lyden, Sean, Figueroa, Maria Isabel, Domenech, Enrique R., Gamboa, Santiago
• Primary Examiner(s): Tank, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US14/094,626
• Publication Number:
  US 20140089439A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,541 Days
• Field of Search: 715751-759, 709227
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/18 for broadcast or conference , e.g. multicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services

Abstract

A system and method for resolving topically relevant contacts for a user is provided. One example embodiment provides for a method including acts of presenting, within a web page, a communication list with content that is presented to various user based at least in part on the users being associated with another user and the topical content of the web page. Another example embodiment provides or a system that serves web pages including a communication list with content that is presented to various users based at least in part on the user to user and user to topic associations.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating communication among users, the method comprising:

in response to a first user actuating a publish element on a device-generated display, receiving, at a multi-topic website system from the first user, over a network, user-generated content to be published, wherein the user-generated content to be published includes one or more of a video, audio, text or a photograph, and wherein the user-generated content is received at the multi-topic website system prior to selecting a particular second user to whom the user-generated content is to be presented;

in response to receiving the user-generated content to be published, the multi-topic web site system;

determining that the user-generated content received from the first user relates to a first topic; and

selecting, based on the determination that the user-generated content received from the first user relates to the first topic, the particular second user for receiving the user-generated content;

in response to selecting the particular second user for receiving the user-generated content, the multi-topic web site system presenting the user-generated content to the particular second user;

wherein the user-generated content is presented to the particular second user, in an interface, as one item of user-generated content in a list of user-generated content items;

wherein the interface includes an element which, when actuated, is operable to establish an interactive communication session between the first user and the particular second user;

wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the interface includes an element that is operable to post information included on a first web page, wherein the posted information is viewable by the first user and the particular second user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the interface includes an element that is operable to initiate an email between the first user and the particular second user.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to the first user actuating a second publish element on a second device-generated display, receiving, at the multi-topic website system from the first user, over the network, second user-generated content to be published, wherein the second user-generated content is received at the multi-topic website system prior to selecting a particular third user to whom the second user-generated content is to be presented;

in response to receiving the second user-generated content to be published, the multi-topic website system;

determining that the second user-generated content received from the first user relates to a second topic; and

selecting, based on the determination that the second user-generated content received from the first user relates to the second topic, the particular third user for receiving the content;

in response to selecting the particular third user for receiving the second user-generated content, the multi-topic web site system presenting the second user-generated content to the particular third user;

wherein the second user-generated content is presented to the particular third user, in a second interface, as one item of user-generated content in a list of user-generated content items;

wherein the second interface includes an element which, when actuated, is operable to establish an interactive communication session between the first user and the particular third user.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a particular association between the first user and the particular second user from the first user; and

selecting the particular second user for receiving the user-generated content based on said particular association.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an association between the particular second user and the first topic from the particular second user.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining an association between the first user and the particular second user based at least in part on the first user'"'"'s website usage and the particular second user'"'"'s website usage.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

prior to receiving the user-generated content to be published, presenting a first web page of a website to the first user;

wherein receiving the user-generated content to be published comprises receiving a submission of the user-generated content to be published through said first web page; and

determining that the user-generated content received from the first user relates to the first topic based on a determination that the first web page relates to the first topic.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular second user is selected for receiving the user-generated content based on an association between the particular second user and the first topic that is established based on the particular second user'"'"'s observed pattern of website usage, wherein the pattern is detected as a result of observing multiple instances of website usage by the particular second user.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular second user is selected for receiving the user-generated content based on an association between the particular second user and the first topic that is established based on information, gathered by a website in relation to posts of the particular second user, that reflects a level of expertise of the particular second user within the first topic.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the level of expertise of the particular second user is established based, at least in part, on feedback for user-generated content generated by the particular second user.

12. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions, which when executed by one or more computing devices, cause:

in response to a first user actuating a publish element on a device-generated display, receiving, at a multi-topic website system from the first user, over a network, user-generated content to be published, wherein the user-generated content to be published includes one or more of a video, audio, text or a photograph, and wherein the user-generated content is received at the multi-topic website system prior to selecting a particular second user to whom the user-generated content is to be presented;

in response to receiving the user-generated content to be published, the multi-topic website system;

determining that the user-generated content received from the first user relates to a first topic; and

selecting, based on the determination that the user-generated content received from the first user relates to the first topic, the particular second user for receiving the user-generated content;

in response to selecting the particular second user for receiving the user-generated content, the multi-topic web site system presenting the user-generated content to the particular second user;

wherein the user-generated content is presented to the particular second user, in an interface, as one item of user-generated content in a list of user-generated content items;

wherein the interface includes an element which, when actuated, is operable to establish an interactive communication session between the first user and the particular second user.

13. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 12, wherein the interface includes an element that is operable to post information included on a first web page, wherein the posted information is viewable by the first user and the particular second user.

14. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 12, wherein the interface includes an element that is operable to initiate an email between the first user and the particular second user.

15. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 12, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions, which when executed by one or more computing devices, cause:

in response to the first user actuating a second publish element on a second device-generated display, receiving, at the multi-topic website system from the first user, over the network, second user-generated content to be published, wherein the second user-generated content is received at the multi-topic website system prior to selecting a particular third user to whom the second user-generated content is to be presented;

in response to receiving the second user-generated content to be published, the multi-topic website system;

determining that the second user-generated content received from the first user relates to a second topic; and

selecting, based on the determination that the second user-generated content received from the first user relates to the second topic, the particular third user for receiving the content;

in response to selecting the particular third user for receiving the second user-generated content, the multi-topic web site system presenting the second user-generated content to the particular third user;

wherein the second user-generated content is presented to the particular third user, in a second interface, as one item of user-generated content in a list of user-generated content items;

wherein the second interface includes an element which, when actuated, is operable to establish an interactive communication session between the first user and the particular third user.

16. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 12, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions, which when executed by one or more computing devices, cause:

receiving a particular association between the first user and the particular second user from the first user; and

selecting the particular second user for receiving the user-generated content based on said particular association.

17. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 12, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions, which when executed by one or more computing devices, cause receiving an association between the particular second user and the first topic from the particular second user.

18. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 12, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions, which when executed by one or more computing devices, cause determining an association between the first user and the particular second user based at least in part on the first user'"'"'s website usage and the particular second user'"'"'s website usage.

19. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 12, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions, which when executed by one or more computing devices, cause:

prior to receiving the user-generated content to be published, presenting a first web page of a website to the first user;

wherein receiving the user-generated content to be published comprises receiving a submission of the user-generated content to be published through said first web page; and

determining that the user-generated content received from the first user relates to the first topic based on a determination that the first web page relates to the first topic.

20. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 12, wherein the particular second user is selected for receiving the user-generated content based on an association between the particular second user and the first topic that is established based on the particular second user'"'"'s observed pattern of website usage, wherein the pattern is detected as a result of observing multiple instances of website usage by the particular second user.

21. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 12, wherein the particular second user is selected for receiving the user-generated content based on an association between the particular second user and the first topic that is established based on information, gathered by a website in relation to posts of the particular second user, that reflects a level of expertise of the particular second user within the first topic.

22. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 21, wherein the level of expertise of the particular second user is established based, at least in part, on feedback for user-generated content generated by the particular second user.

23. A system comprising:

one or more computing devices configured to perform the steps of;

in response to a first user actuating a publish element on a device-generated display, receiving, at a multi-topic website system from the first user, over a network, user-generated content to be published, wherein the user-generated content to be published includes one or more of a video, audio, text or a photograph, and wherein the user-generated content is received at the multi-topic website system prior to selecting a particular second user to whom the user-generated content is to be presented;

in response to receiving the user-generated content to be published, the multi-topic website system;

determining that the user-generated content received from the first user relates to a first topic; and

selecting, based on the determination that the user-generated content received from the first user relates to the first topic, the particular second user for receiving the user-generated content;

in response to selecting the particular second user for receiving the user-generated content, the multi-topic website system presenting the user-generated content to the particular second user;

wherein the user-generated content is presented to the particular second user, in an interface, as one item of user-generated content in a list of user-generated content items;

wherein the interface includes an element which, when actuated, is operable to establish an interactive communication session between the first user and the particular second user.