Method of creating and displaying relationship chains between users of a computerized network

• US 20040122855A1
• Filed: 12/19/2002
• Published: 06/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Globalfoundries US Incorporated (GlobalFoundries, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Schirmer, Andrew L., Ruvolo, Joann, Zeller, Marijane M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,177,880 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/104.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

A method and structure for identifying potential relationships between users of a computer network is disclosed. The invention extracts relationship information from databases in the computer network in order to establish multiple relationship chains of the users from the relationship information. More specifically, the invention evaluates network information and network communications between the users to produce metrics and processes the metrics to produce contact information. The contact information indicates whether a personal relationship exists between two users. In addition, the invention can produce relationship values representing strengths of social relationships between users of the computer network based on such relationship information.

Claims

1. A method of identifying potential relationships between users of a computer network, said method comprising:

extracting relationship information from databases in said computer network;

establishing multiple relationship chains of said users from said relationship information; and

displaying said relationship chains.

2. The method in claim 1, wherein said establishing comprises finding intersections between contacts of a first user of said network and contacts of a second user of said network.

3. The method in claim 2, wherein said establishing further comprises, if said finding process is unsuccessful, a second process of finding intersections between second order contacts of a first user of said network and second order contacts of a second user of said network,

wherein said second order contacts of said first user comprise contacts of users contained in said first user'"'"'s contacts;

and

wherein said second order contacts of said second user comprise contacts of users contained in said second user'"'"'s contacts.

4. The method in claim 2, wherein all of said relationship chains begin with said first user and end with said second user.

5. The method in claim 4, wherein a difference between said relationship chains comprises different computer network users between said first user and said second user.

6. The method in claim 1, further comprising selecting one of said relationship chain as a most desirable relationship chain based upon first user input.

7. The method in claim 1, wherein said displaying process displays said relationship chains in an order from shortest relationship chain to longest relationship chain.

8. A method of identifying potential relationships between users of a computer network, said method comprising:

evaluating network information and network communications between said users to produce metrics;

processing said metrics to produce contact information, wherein said contact information indicates whether a personal relationship exists between two users;

establishing multiple relationship chains of said users based upon said contact information; and

displaying said relationship chains.

9. The method in claim 8, wherein said establishing comprises finding intersections between contacts of a first user of said network and contacts of a second user of said network.

10. The method in claim 9, wherein said establishing further comprises, if said finding process is unsuccessful, a second process of finding intersections between second order contacts of a first user of said network and second order contacts of a second user of said network,

wherein said second order contacts of said first user comprise contacts of users contained in said first user'"'"'s contacts;

and

wherein said second order contacts of said second user comprise contacts of users contained in said second user'"'"'s contacts.

11. The method in claim 9, wherein all of said relationship chains begin with said first user and end with said second user.

12. The method in claim 11, wherein a difference between said relationship chains comprises different computer network users between said first user and said second user.

13. The method in claim 8, further comprising selecting one of said relationship chains as a most desirable relationship chain based upon first user input.

14. The method in claim 8, wherein said displaying process displays said relationship chains in an order from shortest relationship chain to longest relationship chain.

15. A method of identifying potential relationships between users of a computer network, said method comprising:

extracting relationship information from databases in said computer network;

producing relationship values representing strengths of social relationships between users of said computer network based on said relationship information,

establishing multiple relationship chains of said users from said relationship information; and

displaying said relationship chains in an order that is based in part upon said strengths of said social relationships.

16. The method in claim 15, wherein said displaying process displays said relationship chains in an order from shortest relationship chain to longest relationship chain, and for relationship chains that have the same length, relationship chains are displayed in an order from highest relationship strength to lowest relationship strength.

17. The method in claim 15, wherein said establishing comprises finding intersections between contacts of a first user of said network and contacts of a second user of said network.

18. The method in claim 17, wherein said establishing further comprises, if said finding process is unsuccessful, a second process of finding intersections between second order contacts of a first user of said network and second order contacts of a second user of said network,

wherein said second order contacts of said first user comprise contacts of users contained in said first user'"'"'s contacts;

and

wherein said second order contacts of said second user comprise contacts of users contained in said second user'"'"'s contacts.

19. The method in claim 17, wherein all of said relationship chains begin with said first user and end with said second user.

20. The method in claim 19, wherein a difference between said relationship chains comprises different computer network users between said first user and said second user.

21. The method in claim 15, further comprising selecting one of said relationship chains as a most desirable relationship chains based upon first user input.

22. A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method of identifying potential relationships between users of a computer network, said method comprising:

extracting relationship information from databases in said computer network;

establishing multiple relationship chains of said users from said relationship information; and

displaying said relationship chains.

23. The program storage device in claim 22, wherein said establishing comprises finding intersections between contacts of a first user of said network and contacts of a second user of said network.

24. The program storage device in claim 23, wherein said establishing further comprises, if said finding process is unsuccessful, a second process of finding intersections between second order contacts of a first user of said network and second order contacts of a second user of said network,

wherein said second order contacts of said first user comprise contacts of users contained in said first user'"'"'s contacts;

and

wherein said second order contacts of said second user comprise contacts of users contained in said second user'"'"'s contacts.

25. The program storage device in claim 23, wherein all of said relationship chains begin with said first user and end with said second user.

26. The program storage device in claim 25, wherein a difference between said relationship chains comprises different computer network users between said first user and said second user.

27. The program storage device in claim 22, wherein said method further comprises selecting one of said relationship chain as a most desirable relationship chain based upon first user input.

28. The program storage device in claim 22, wherein said displaying process displays said relationship chains in an order from shortest relationship chain to longest relationship chain.