Generating And Displaying Recommendation Counters Based On Recommendation Dialogue Captured Through A Social Network And Constrained By Geographic Regions Of The Recommenders

• US 20160350831A1
• Filed: 11/02/2015
• Published: 12/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: nextdoor Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nextdoor.com Incorporated (nextdoor Ltd.)
• Inventors: Tolia, Nirav N., Webber, Aaron, Bromage, Sean, Liu, Kevin, Howe, Paul, Sims, Ryan, Hallmon, Morgan, Masquelier, Daniel, Mukhopadhyay, Rishi, Clancy, Daniel J.
• Granted Patent: US 10,157,412 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0282 Rating or review of business operators or products
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal

Abstract

A system and method for generating a recommendation counter for a business entity based on social networking interactions is provided. In an embodiment, a social networking server provides an interface for users of social networking accounts to request recommendations for business entities and to reply to the requests with recommendations. When the social networking server computer receives a recommendation for a particular business entity, the social networking server computer determines whether the recommending social networking account has recommended the particular business entity in the past. In response to determining that the social networking account has not recommended the particular business entity in the past, the social networking server computer increments a recommendation counter for the particular business entity.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

at a social network server computer, storing account information for a plurality of social networking accounts comprising geographic data, user identification data, and prior recommendation data;

using digitally programmed logic of the social network server computer, causing displaying, through a graphical user interface on a first computing device associated with a first social networking account, a recommendation request option, wherein first account information for the first social networking account comprises geographic data for a particular geographic region;

using digitally programmed logic of the social network server computer, receiving, through the graphical user interface on the first computing device, a selection of the recommendation request option, and, in response, generating a recommendation request;

using digitally programmed logic of the social network server computer, determining that second account information for a second social networking account comprises geographic data for the same particular geographic region;

using digitally programmed logic of the social network server computer, only in response to determining that the second account information comprises geographic data for the particular geographic region, causing displaying, through a graphical user interface on a second computing device associated with the second social networking account, the recommendation request;

using digitally programmed logic of the social network server computer, receiving, through the graphical user interface on the second computing device, first input indicating a recommendation for a particular entity;

using digitally programmed logic of the social network server computer, in response to receiving first input indicating the recommendation for the particular entity, causing displaying, through the graphical user interface on the first computing device, the first input indicating the recommendation for the particular entity;

using digitally programmed logic of the social network server computer, determining that the account information for the second social networking account comprises prior recommendation data that does not include a recommendation for the particular entity, and in response thereto, incrementing a particular recommendation counter for the particular entity.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, through a graphical user interface on a third computing device associated with a third social networking account, a search request for recommended entities;

using digitally programmed logic of the social network server computer, causing displaying, through the graphical user interface on the third computing device, at least the particular entity and the particular recommendation counter for the particular entity.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising, using digitally programmed logic of the social network server computer, causing displaying, through the graphical user interface on the third computing device, with the particular entity and the particular recommendation counter for the particular entity, the first input indicating the recommendation for the particular entity received through the graphical user interface on the second computing device and an identification of the second social networking account.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving, through the graphical user interface on the third computing device, a selection of the first input indicating the recommendation for the particular entity received through the graphical user interface on the second computing device;

using digitally programmed logic of the social network server computer, in response to receiving, through the graphical user interface on the third computing device, the selection of the first input indicating the recommendation for the particular entity received through the graphical user interface on the second computing device, causing displaying, through the graphical user interface on the third computing device, the recommendation request with the first input indicating the recommendation for the particular entity.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein displaying the recommendation request with the first input indicating the recommendation further comprises displaying one or more other responses to the recommendation request by one or more other computing devices associated with one or more other social networking accounts.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the first input indicating the recommendation for the particular entity received through the graphical user interface on the second computing device does not include a comment, the method further comprising:

using digitally programmed logic of the social network server computer, causing displaying, through the graphical user interface on the third computing device, with the first input indicating the recommendation for the particular entity, an option to request additional information;

receiving, through the graphical user interface on the third computing device, a selection of the option to request additional information;

using digitally programmed logic of the social network server computer, in response to receiving the selection of the option to request additional information, sending to the second computing device a request to add a comment to the first input indicating the recommendation for the particular entity;

receiving, through a graphical user interface on the second computing device, comment input for the particular entity;

using digitally programmed logic of the social network server computer, causing displaying, through the graphical user interface on the third computing device, the first input indicating the recommendation for the particular entity and the comment input for the particular entity.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using digitally programmed logic of the social network server computer, identifying a plurality of entities of a particular entity type, including the particular entity;

using digitally programmed logic of the social network server computer, determining that the particular recommendation counter for the particular entity is higher than each other recommendation counter for other entities of the particular entity type;

using digitally programmed logic of the social network server computer, storing data identifying the particular entity as a favorite entity of the particular entity type;

using digitally programmed logic of the social network server computer, causing displaying, through a graphical user interface on a third computing device associated with a third social networking account, a favorites listing comprising a plurality of favorite entities of a plurality of entity types.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, through a graphical user interface on a third computing device associated with a third social networking account, second input indicating a recommendation of the particular entity;

using digitally programmed logic of the social network server computer, determining that third account information for the third social networking account does not comprise geographic data for the particular geographic region;

using digitally programmed logic of the social network server computer, in response to determining that the third account information for the third social networking account does not comprise geographic data for the particular geographic region, incrementing a separate recommendation counter for the particular entity, and refraining from incrementing the particular recommendation counter for the particular entity.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first input indicating a recommendation of the particular entity includes a first comment, the method further comprising:

receiving, through a graphical user interface on the second computing device, second input indicating a recommendation of the particular entity, the second input including a second comment;

in response to receiving the second input indicating a recommendation of the particular entity, without incrementing the particular recommendation counter for the particular entity, storing the second comment in association with the particular entity;

receiving, through a graphical user interface on a third computing device associated with a third social networking account, a search request for recommended entities;

using digitally programmed logic of the social network server computer, causing displaying, through the graphical user interface on the third computing device, at least the particular entity, the particular recommendation counter for the particular entity, and the second comment.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, through a graphical user interface on a third computing device associated with a third social networking account, a search request for recommended entities of a particular type;

determining that the social networking server computer has obtained an inadequate number of recommendations for entities of the particular entity type;

identifying a preferred social networking account associated with the particular geographic region based on one or more of;

a recommendation history of the preferred social networking account, a profile associated with the preferred social networking account, or a search history of the preferred social networking account;

in response to identifying the preferred social networking account, sending, to a second particular computing device associated with the preferred social networking account, a request for a recommendation for an entity of the particular entity type.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising sending, to the second particular computing device, the request for a recommendation for an entity of the particular entity type only in response to determining that a recommendation for a recommended entity of the particular entity type has not been obtained from the preferred social networking account.

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

at a social network server computer, storing account information for a plurality of social networking accounts comprising geographic data, user identification data, and prior recommendation data;

causing displaying, through a graphical user interface on a first computing device associated with a first social networking account, a recommendation request option;

wherein first account information for the first social networking account comprises geographic data for a particular geographic region;

receiving, through the graphical user interface on the first computing device, a selection of the recommendation request option, and, in response, generating a recommendation request;

determining that second account information for a second social networking account comprises geographic data for the same particular geographic region;

only in response to determining that the second account information comprises geographic data for the particular geographic region, causing displaying, through a graphical user interface on a second computing device associated with the second social networking account, the recommendation request;

receiving, through the graphical user interface on the second computing device, first input indicating a recommendation for a particular entity;

in response to receiving input indicating the recommendation for the particular entity, causing displaying, through the graphical user interface on the first computing device, the recommendation for the particular entity;

determining that the account information for the second social networking account comprises prior recommendation data that does not include a recommendation for the particular entity, and in response thereto, incrementing a particular recommendation counter for the particular entity.

13. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 12, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause performance of:

receiving, through a graphical user interface on a third computing device associated with a third social networking account, a search request for recommended entities;

causing displaying, through the graphical user interface on the third computing device, at least the particular entity and the particular recommendation counter for the particular entity.

14. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 13, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause performance of:

using digitally programmed logic of the social network server computer, causing displaying, through the graphical user interface on the third computing device, with the particular entity and the particular recommendation counter for the particular entity, the first input indicating the recommendation for the particular entity received through the graphical user interface on the second computing device and an identification of the second social networking account.

15. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 14, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause performance of:

receiving, through the graphical user interface on the third computing device, a selection of the first input indicating the recommendation for the particular entity received through the graphical user interface on the second computing device;

using digitally programmed logic of the social network server computer, in response to receiving, through the graphical user interface on the third computing device, the selection of the first input indicating the recommendation for the particular entity received through the graphical user interface on the second computing device, causing displaying, through the graphical user interface on the third computing device, the recommendation request with the first input indicating the recommendation for the particular entity.

16. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 15 wherein displaying the recommendation request with the first input indicating the recommendation further comprises displaying one or more other responses to the recommendation request by one or more other computing devices associated with one or more other social networking accounts.

17. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 14, wherein the first input indicating the recommendation for the particular entity received through the graphical user interface on the second computing device does not include a comment, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause performance of:

using digitally programmed logic of the social network server computer, causing displaying, through the graphical user interface on the third computing device, with the first input indicating the recommendation for the particular entity, an option to request additional information;

receiving, through the graphical user interface on the third computing device, a selection of the option to request additional information;

using digitally programmed logic of the social network server computer, in response to receiving the selection of the option to request additional information, sending to the second computing device a request to add a comment to the first input indicating the recommendation for the particular entity;

receiving, through a graphical user interface on the second computing device, comment input for the particular entity;

using digitally programmed logic of the social network server computer, causing displaying, through the graphical user interface on the third computing device, the first input indicating the recommendation for the particular entity and the comment input for the particular entity.

18. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 12, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause performance of:

using digitally programmed logic of the social network server computer, identifying a plurality of entities of a particular entity type, including the particular entity;

using digitally programmed logic of the social network server computer, determining that the particular recommendation counter for the particular entity is higher than each other recommendation counter for other entities of the particular entity type;

using digitally programmed logic of the social network server computer, storing data identifying the particular entity as a favorite entity of the particular entity type;

using digitally programmed logic of the social network server computer, causing displaying, through a graphical user interface on a third computing device associated with a third social networking account, a favorites listing comprising a plurality of favorite entities of a plurality of entity types.

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

receiving, through a graphical user interface on a third computing device associated with a third social networking account, second input indicating a recommendation of the particular entity;

using digitally programmed logic of the social network server computer, determining that third account information for the third social networking account does not comprise geographic data for the particular geographic region;

using digitally programmed logic of the social network server computer, in response to determining that the third account information for the third social networking account does not comprise geographic data for the particular geographic region, incrementing a separate recommendation counter for the particular entity, and refraining from incrementing the particular recommendation counter for the particular entity.

20. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 12, wherein the first input indicating a recommendation of the particular entity includes a first comment, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause performance of:

receiving, through a graphical user interface on the second computing device, second input indicating a recommendation of the particular entity, the second input including a second comment;

in response to receiving the second input indicating a recommendation of the particular entity, without incrementing the particular recommendation counter for the particular entity, storing the second comment in association with the particular entity;

receiving, through a graphical user interface on a third computing device associated with a third social networking account, a search request for recommended entities;

using digitally programmed logic of the social network server computer, causing displaying, through the graphical user interface on the third computing device, at least the particular entity, the particular recommendation counter for the particular entity, and the second comment.

21. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 12, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause performance of:

receiving, through a graphical user interface on a third computing device associated with a third social networking account, a search request for recommended entities of a particular type;

determining that the social networking server computer has obtained an inadequate number of recommendations for entities of the particular entity type;

identifying a preferred social networking account associated with the particular geographic region based on one or more of;

a recommendation history of the preferred social networking account, a profile associated with the preferred social networking account, or a search history of the preferred social networking account;

in response to identifying the preferred social networking account, sending, to a second particular computing device associated with the preferred social networking account, a request for a recommendation for an entity of the particular entity type.

22. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 21 wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause performance of:

sending, to the second particular computing device, the request for a recommendation for an entity of the second particular entity type only in response to determining that a recommendation for a recommended entity of the particular entity type has not been obtained from the preferred social networking account.