Method and system for exploring similarities

• US 20060195790A1
• Filed: 02/27/2006
• Published: 08/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chand, Jagdish, Beaupre, Todd
• Application Number:
  US11/363,779
• Publication Number:
  US 20060195790A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/727
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/273 Asynchronous replication or reconciliation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3344 using natural language analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4387 by the use of playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4393 Multimedia presentations, e.g. slide shows, multimedia albums
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/637 Administration of user profiles, e.g. generation, initialization, adaptation or distribution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/639 using playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6236 between heterogeneous systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2213/0038 System on Chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2216/01 Automatic library building
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2113 Multi-level security, e.g. mandatory access control
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2137 Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1235 with control of digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/386 using messaging services or messaging apps using mobile network messaging services for payment, e.g. SMS G06Q20/3255
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00086 Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy indicating unauthorised use of record carriers in general G11B23/28; scrambling for television signal recording H04N5/913; network architectures or network protocols for network security H04L63/00; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 : Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 : Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 : applying security measures for digital rights management data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for commerce, e.g. marketing, shopping, billing, auctions or e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 : Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0263 : Rule management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 : Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 : Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 : Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 : for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 : specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 : User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 : involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 : Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 : Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 : Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 : Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4126 : The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 : embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 : Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 : Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 : Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 : for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 : communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4825 : using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/658 : Transmission by the client directed to the server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 : comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 : involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/913 : Multimedia

Abstract

A method and computer readable medium for exploring similar users and items of a media service. In one aspect, a user can explore for similar users iteratively. In one aspect, a user interface is generated that displays a user selectable indicia representing a similar member function for allowing a user to search a media service for at least one other user which has a degree of similarity with respect to the searching user. In another aspect, a method facilitates the search of such a similar user within a media service.

Claims

1. A method for exploring similar users of a media service from a media management application comprising:

generating a user interface that displays a user selectable indicia representing a similar member function, wherein said similar member function allows a first user to search for at least one other user having a degree of similarity with respect to said first user;

receiving, a user selection action from said first user of said indicia indicating said first user'"'"'s desire to identify at least one user of said service that is similar to said first user;

accessing an affinity engine that generates a first list of at least one similar user in said service, said similar user having a first degree of similarity with respect to said first user, said degree of similarity based at least in part upon said user and said similar user'"'"'s media interaction behavior; and

displaying at least one identifier and information associated with said similar user, wherein selecting said identifier causes said user interface to display a second list of at least one second similar user in said service, said second similar user having a second degree of similarity with respect to said similar user.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said second similar user has a third degree of similarity with respect to said first user.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising displaying at least one identifier and information associated with said second similar user, wherein selecting said second similar user identifier causes said user interface to display a third list of at least one third similar user in said service, said third similar user having a fourth degree of similarity with respect to said second similar user.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said third similar user has a fifth degree of similarity with respect to said similar user.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said third similar user has a sixth degree of similarity with respect to said first user.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said first degree, said second degree, said third degree, said fourth degree, said fifth degree, and said sixth degree are ungraded with respect to each other.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein iterative selections of displayed similar users cause iterative display of further similar users.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said information associated with said similar user comprises an identifier for accessing a profile page associated with said similar user.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said information associated with said similar user comprises an identifier for allowing said similar user to act as an influencer so that media files streamed to an online radio station associated with said first user are biased towards those media files preferred by said similar user.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said information associated with said similar user comprises a user name, said user name being unique to said service.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said information associated with said similar user comprises at least one artist said similar user has rated highly.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein said information associated with said similar user comprises at least one album said similar user has rated highly.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein said information associated with said similar user comprises a textual message defined by said similar user.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein said service is located on the internet.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein said identifier comprises an indicia representing said similar member function.

16. A computer readable medium comprising software code for a media management application, the code configured to implement functions comprising:

generating a user interface that displays a user selectable indicia representing a similar member function, wherein said similar member function allows a first user to search for at least one other user having a degree of similarity with respect to said first user;

receiving a user selection action from said first user of said indicia indicating said first user'"'"'s desire to identify at least one user of said service that is similar to said first user;

accessing an affinity engine that generates a first list of at least one similar user in said service, said similar user having a first degree of similarity with respect to said first user, said degree of similarity based at least in part upon said user and said similar user'"'"'s media interaction behavior; and

displaying at least one identifier and information associated with said similar user, wherein selecting said identifier causes said user interface to display a second list of at least one second similar user in said service, said second similar user having a second degree of similarity with respect to said similar user.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16 wherein said second similar user has a third degree of similarity with respect to said first user.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17 further comprising displaying at least one identifier and information associated with said second similar user, wherein selecting said second similar user identifier causes said user interface to display a third list of at least one third similar user in said service, said third similar user having a fourth degree of similarity with respect to said second similar user.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 18 wherein said third similar user has a fifth degree of similarity with respect to said similar user.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19 wherein said third similar user has a sixth degree of similarity with respect to said first user.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 20 wherein said first degree, said second degree, said third degree, said fourth degree, said fifth degree, and said sixth degree are ungraded with respect to each other.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 16 wherein iterative selections of displayed similar users cause iterative display of further similar users.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 16 wherein said information associated with said similar user comprises an identifier for accessing a profile page associated with said similar user.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 16 wherein said information associated with said similar user comprises an identifier for allowing said similar user to act as an influencer so that media files streamed to an online radio station associated with said first user are biased towards those media files preferred by said similar user.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 16 wherein said information associated with said similar user comprises a user name, said user name being unique to said service.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 16 wherein said information associated with said similar user comprises at least one artist said similar user has rated highly.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 16 wherein said information associated with said similar user comprises at least one album said similar user has rated highly.

28. The computer readable medium of claim 16 wherein said information associated with said similar user comprises a textual message defined by said similar user.

29. The computer readable medium of claim 16 wherein said service is located on the internet.

30. The computer readable medium of claim 16 wherein said identifier comprises an indicia representing said similar member function.

31. A method for exploring similar users of a media service comprising:

receiving, from a media management application, similar member search criteria, said search criteria representing a first user'"'"'s desire to search said service for at least one other user having a degree of similarity with respect to said first user;

accessing an affinity engine that generates a first list of at least one similar user of said service, said similar user having a first degree of similarity with respect to said first user, said degree of similarity based on at least in part upon said user'"'"'s and said similar user'"'"'s media interaction behavior; and

sending, to said media management application, at least one identifier and information associated with said similar user;

receiving, from said first user, a user selection action of said at least one identifier;

accessing, upon selection of said at least one identifier, said affinity engine that generates a second list of at least one second similar user in said service, said second similar user having a second degree of similarity with respect to said similar user; and

sending, to said media management application, at least one identifier and information associated with said second similar user.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein said second similar user has a third degree of similarity with respect to said first user.

33. The method of claim 32 further comprising accessing, upon selection of said at least one identifier associated with said second similar user, said affinity engine that generates a third list of at least one third similar user in said service, said third similar user having a fourth degree of similarity with respect to said second similar user;

and sending, to said media management application, at least one identifier and information associated with said third similar user.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein said third similar user has a fifth degree of similarity with respect to said similar user.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein said third similar user has a sixth degree of similarity with respect to said first user.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein said first degree, said second degree, said third degree, said fourth degree, said fifth degree, and said sixth degree are ungraded with respect to each other.

37. The method of claim 31 wherein said media interaction comprises explicit user behavior of users of said service.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein said explicit user behavior comprises a user applied rating associated with a media file.

39. The method of claim 37 wherein said explicit user behavior comprises expressed preferences associated with a user of said service.

40. The method of claim 31 wherein said media interaction comprises implicit user behavior of users of said service.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein said implicit user behavior comprises data collected as users of said service play media files.

42. The method of claim 40 wherein said implicit user behavior comprises tracking the activities of user of said service as they utilize said service.

43. The method of claim 37 wherein said first degree of similarity is determined by comparing said first user'"'"'s explicit behavior to said similar user'"'"'s explicit behavior.

44. The method of claim 31 wherein said information associated with said similar user comprises a user name, said user name being unique to said service.

45. The method of claim 31 wherein said information associated with said similar user comprises at least one artist said similar user has rated highly.

46. The method of claim 31 wherein said information associated with said similar user comprises at least one album said similar user has rated highly.

47. The method of claim 31 wherein said information associated with said similar user comprises a textual message defined by said similar user.

48. The method of claim 31 wherein said service is located on the internet.

49. The method of claim 31 further comprising applying a threshold to limit said first list.

50. The method of claim 49 wherein said threshold limits said list to only users having a predetermined number of media files rated by said media file'"'"'s associated genre.

51. The method of claim 49 wherein said threshold limits said list to only users having a predetermined number of media files rated by said media file'"'"'s associated album.

52. The method of claim 49 wherein said threshold limits said list to only users having a predetermined number of media files rated by said media file'"'"'s associated artist.

53. The method of claim 49 wherein said threshold limits said list to only users having a predetermined number of media files rated by said media file'"'"'s associated song.

54. The method of claim 49 wherein said threshold removes from said list at least one media file that is rated highly by users of said media service.

55. The method of claim 49 wherein said affinity engine upon generating said first list, gives preference to including in said list those users that have rated highly a media file'"'"'s associated artist wherein said artist is also highly rated by said first user.

56. The method of claim 49 wherein said affinity engine upon generating said first list, gives preference to including in said list those users that have rated highly a media file'"'"'s associated album wherein said album is also highly rated by said first user.

57. The method of claim 49 wherein said affinity engine upon generating said first list, gives preference to including in said list those users that have rated highly a media file wherein said media file is also highly rated by said first user.