System and method for managing connections in an online social network
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A computer system for managing connection between registered users of an online social network, comprising:
- a server computer; and
a database of registered users that stores for each registered user, a user ID of the registered user and a set of user IDs of registered users who are directly connected to the registered user,wherein the server computer has a programmable setting for a maximum degree of separation (Nmax) of at least two, wherein two registered users who are directly connected are deemed to be separated by one degree of separation, and two registered users who are connected through N, but no less than N, other registered users are deemed to be separated by N+1 degrees of separation, andwherein the server computer is programmed to search for a connection between a first registered user and a second registered user through one or more other registered users by searching for the user ID of the second registered user in the sets of user IDs that are stored for registered users who are less than Nmax degrees of separation away from the first registered user, and not in the sets of user IDs that are stored for registered users who are greater than or equal to Nmax degrees of separation away from the first registered user, such that the connection between the first registered user and the second registered user who are separated by more than Nmax degrees of separation cannot not be found.
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Abstract
An online social network collects descriptive data about various individuals and allows those individuals to indicate other individuals with whom they have a personal relationship. The descriptive data and the relationship data are integrated and processed to reveal the series of social relationships connecting any two individuals within a social network. A maximum degree of separation setting is provided and set to at least two. The maximum degree of separation setting limits the amount of searching that is carried out when searching for a connection between two individuals in the social network.
475 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A computer system for managing connection between registered users of an online social network, comprising:
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a server computer; and a database of registered users that stores for each registered user, a user ID of the registered user and a set of user IDs of registered users who are directly connected to the registered user, wherein the server computer has a programmable setting for a maximum degree of separation (Nmax) of at least two, wherein two registered users who are directly connected are deemed to be separated by one degree of separation, and two registered users who are connected through N, but no less than N, other registered users are deemed to be separated by N+1 degrees of separation, and wherein the server computer is programmed to search for a connection between a first registered user and a second registered user through one or more other registered users by searching for the user ID of the second registered user in the sets of user IDs that are stored for registered users who are less than Nmax degrees of separation away from the first registered user, and not in the sets of user IDs that are stored for registered users who are greater than or equal to Nmax degrees of separation away from the first registered user, such that the connection between the first registered user and the second registered user who are separated by more than Nmax degrees of separation cannot not be found. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. In a computer system including a server computer and a database of registered users that stores for each registered user, a user ID of the registered user and a set of user IDs of registered users who are directly connected to the registered user, a method for connecting a first registered user to a second registered user through one or more other registered users, the method comprising the steps of:
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setting a maximum degree of separation (Nmax) of at least two that is allowed for connecting any two registered users, wherein two registered users who are directly connected are deemed to be separated by one degree of separation, and two registered users who are connected through N, but no less than N, other registered users are deemed to be separated by N+1 degrees of separation; searching for the user ID of the second registered user in the sets of user IDs that are stored for registered users who are less than Nmax degrees of separation away from the first registered user, and not in the sets of user IDs that are stored for registered users who are greater than or equal to Nmax degrees of separation away from the first registered user, until the user ID of the second registered user is found in one of the searched sets; and connecting the first registered user to the second registered user if the user ID of the second registered user is found in one of the searched sets, wherein the method limits the searching of the second registered user in the sets of user IDs that are stored for registered users who are less than Nmax degrees of separation away from the first registered user, such that the first registered user and the second registered user who are separated by more than Nmax degrees of separation are not found and connected. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification