DATA MANAGEMENT IN SOCIAL NETWORKS

• US 20080005073A1
• Filed: 06/28/2006
• Published: 01/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Gates, William H., Naam, Ramez, Flake, Gary W., Platt, John C., Gupta, Anoop, Goodman, Joshua T., Meek, Christopher A., Hurst-Hiller, Oliver, Griffin, Trenholme J., Horvitz, Eric J., Moss, Kenneth A., Brunell, Bradly A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,141,704 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

Architecture that monitors interaction data (e.g., search queries, query results and click-through rates), and provides users with links to other users that fall into similar categories with respect to the foregoing monitored activities (e.g., providing links to individuals and groups that share common interests and/or profiles). A search engine can be interactively coupled with one or more social networks, and that maps individuals and/or groups within respective social networks to subsets of categories associated with searches. A database stores mapped information which can be continuously updated and reorganized as links within the system mapping become stronger or weaker. The architecture can comprise a social network system that includes a database for mapping search-related information to an entity of a social network, and a search component for processing a search query for search results and returning a link to an entity of a social network based on the search query.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method that facilitates social networks, comprising:

interactively coupling a search engine to one or more social networks;

providing a database of mapping information that maps search-related information of a search process to a user of the one or more social networks; and

monitoring at least one of the search process and click-through rate data of the user;

returning links to other users of the one or more social networks based on at least one of the search process and the click-through rate; and

continuously updating the database and reorganizing the mapping information based on changes in the links.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising enticing the entity with a reward to reveal a link to another entity of the of the one or more social networks.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically generating a buddy list of users of the other network entities.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising routing advertising returned to the entity, which is a user, as a result of the search process to the other entities.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising routing advertising returned as a result of search processes of the other entities, to the entity.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the other users define a social network that is different than a social network of which the user is a node.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving and processing endorsements from one or more of the other users with respect to the search process of the user.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising restricting the search process to the one or more social networks.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising returning search results of the search process to a common workspace accessible by one or more of the other users.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising exposing wiki-type data to members of the one or more social networks for individualized editing and adding of data.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising analyzing search terms and phrases of the search process and making inferences about the search terms and phrases that leads the user to one or more of the other users.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying a weighting value to a node of the one or more social networks based on a number of node edges.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying a weighting value to a node of the one or more social networks and adjusting the weighting value relative to a timed event.

14. A computer-implemented method that facilitates social networks, comprising:

interactively coupling a search engine to one or more social networks;

providing a database of mapping information of links between users of the one or more social networks;

monitoring a search process of a user;

returning links to other users of the one or more social networks based on the search process; and

continuously updating the database and reorganizing the mapping information based on changes in one or more social networks.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising monitoring click-through rate data of the user.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising automatically executing the search process as a background operation based on a occurrence of an event.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising scanning data on a user system of the user, generating personal profile based on the scanned data, and establishing a link with another of the users of the one or more social networks based on the scanned data.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising accumulating information of the user in a scrapbook, and exposing the scrapbook for other users of the one or more social networks to annotate.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising processing search terms of the search process related to a buddy list, and returning links to buddy lists of other users of the one or more social networks.

20. A computer-executable system, comprising:

computer-implemented means for searching a social network;

computer-implemented means for monitoring search-related information of a user of the social network;

computer-implemented means for storing mapping information of links between the user and one or more other users of the social network based on the search-related information;

computer-implemented means for returning a link in the search-related information, the link referencing the one or more other users of the social network; and

computer-implemented means for updating the mapping information based on changes in search-related information.