Method of creating and displaying relationship chains between users of a computerized network
First Claim
1. A method of identifying relationships between users of a computer network, said method comprising:
- extracting information directly from data sources in personal information management systems of said users, wherein said data sources comprise at least one of a calendar, a to-do list, a journal, an address book, e-mails, and a phone log;
processing said information to detect interactions between said users for detecting relationships between said users;
producing sets of contacts for each of said users, wherein a set of contacts for a corresponding user comprises a list of other users having a relationship with said corresponding user;
establishing multiple relationship chains between a first user of said computer network and a second user of said computer network, wherein each relationship chain comprises at least three users and wherein said establishing comprises finding intersections between a first set of contacts of said first user and a second set of contacts of said second user; and
displaying said multiple relationship chains in an order based on a criteria.
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Accused Products
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.
325 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method of identifying relationships between users of a computer network, said method comprising:
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extracting information directly from data sources in personal information management systems of said users, wherein said data sources comprise at least one of a calendar, a to-do list, a journal, an address book, e-mails, and a phone log; processing said information to detect interactions between said users for detecting relationships between said users; producing sets of contacts for each of said users, wherein a set of contacts for a corresponding user comprises a list of other users having a relationship with said corresponding user; establishing multiple relationship chains between a first user of said computer network and a second user of said computer network, wherein each relationship chain comprises at least three users and wherein said establishing comprises finding intersections between a first set of contacts of said first user and a second set of contacts of said second user; and displaying said multiple relationship chains in an order based on a criteria. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of identifying relationships between users of a computer network, said method comprising:
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evaluating network information and network communications between said users to produce metrics, wherein said network information comprises data sources in personal information managements systems of said users and does not comprise entries made for said computer network and wherein said metrics comprise at least one of times and places of meetings, telephone records, email records, and address books; processing said metrics to produce contact information, wherein said contact information indicates whether personal relationships exists between said users; producing sets of contacts for each of said users, wherein a set of contacts for a corresponding user comprises a list of other users having a relationship with said corresponding user; establishing multiple relationship chains between a first user of said computer network and a second user of said computer network, wherein each relationship chain comprises at least three users and wherein said establishing comprises finding intersections between a first set of contacts of said first user and a second set of contacts of said second user; and displaying said multiple relationship chains in an order based on a criteria. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of identifying relationships between users of a computer network, said method comprising:
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extracting information directly from data sources in personal information management systems of said users, wherein said data sources comprise at least one of a calendar, a to-do list, a journal, an address book, e-mails, and a phone log; processing said information to detect interactions between said users for detecting relationships between said users; producing sets of contacts for each of said users, wherein a set of contacts for a corresponding user comprises a list of other users having a relationship with said corresponding user; producing relationship values representing strengths of each of said relationships, wherein said relationship values are based on at least one of longevity, currency, frequency, exclusivity, complexity and reciprocity of said relationships; establishing multiple relationship chains between a first user of said computer network and a second user of said computer network, wherein each of said multiple relationship chains comprises a plurality of said relationships that link at least three users and wherein said establishing comprises finding intersections between a first set of contacts of said first user and a second set of contacts of said second user; and displaying said multiple relationship chains in an order that is based in part upon said strengths of said relationships in said multiple relationship chains. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A program storage device readable by machine, embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method of identifying relationships between users of a computer network, said method comprising:
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extracting information directly from data sources in personal information management systems of said users, wherein said data sources comprise at least one of a calendar, a to-do list, a journal, an address book, e-mails, and a phone log; processing said information to detect interactions between said users for detecting relationships between said users; producing sets of contacts for each of said users, wherein a set of contacts for a corresponding user comprises a list of other users having a relationship with said corresponding user; establishing multiple relationship chains between a first user of said computer network and a second user of said computer network, wherein each relationship chain comprises at least three users and wherein said establishing comprises finding intersections between a first set of contacts of said first user and a second set of contacts of said second user; and displaying said multiple relationship chains in an order based on a criteria. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification