Identification of relationships in an environment

• US 7,496,582 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2003
• Issued: 02/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Cheng, Lili, Farnham, Shelly D., Portnoy, William L.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEWIS, CHERYL RENEA
• Application Number:
  US10/749,870
• Publication Number:
  US 20050165715A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,882 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 3, 707/10, 707100-103, 707/104.1, 707/9
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A method identifies components associated with a first end point in an environment, such as a social environment. The method further identifies components associated with a second end point in the environment. A determination is made regarding whether any of the identified components are associated with both the first end point and the second end point. The method then displays relationships between the first end point, the second end point, and any components associated with both the first end point and the second end point.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method comprising:

identifying components associated with a first end point in an environment;

identifying components associated with a second end point in the environment;

determining whether any of the identified components are associated with both the first end point and the second end point;

determining a path strength for each path between the first end point and the second point;

identifying relationships between the first end point, the second end point, and any components associated with both the first end point and the second end point;

displaying the relationships by, in part, displaying a social context associated with the first end point and a second context associated with the second end point; and

displaying associated information in response to a user'"'"'s identification of either the first end point or the second end point;

displaying a common component associated with the first end point and the second end point;

displaying at least one link between the common component and the first end point; and

displaying at least one link between the common component and the second end point.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the environment is a social environment.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising receiving a request to identify relationships between the first end point and the second end point.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein determining whether any of the identified components are associated with both the first end point and the second end point includes:

ranking the paths between the first end point and the second end point based on the path strength.

5. A method as recited in claim 4 further comprising ignoring paths having a path strength below a predetermined threshold.

6. A method as recited in claim 4 wherein identifying relationships includes identifying only the top ranked paths between the first end point and the second end point.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein displaying the relationships includes displaying information regarding at least one component.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein displaying the relationships includes displaying information regarding at least one link between components.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein displaying the relationships includes:

displaying the first end point;

displaying the second end point; and

displaying at least one common component associated with the first end point and the second end point.

10. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

displaying the first end point;

displaying the second end point;

displaying components associated with the first end point; and

displaying components associated with the second end point.

11. One or more computer-readable storage memories containing a computer program that is executable by a processor to perform the method recited in claim 1.

12. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the path strength is based at least in part on one or more link strengths, wherein individual link strengths are associated with a link between one or both of:

the first end point and an identified component associated with both the first end point and the second end point;

or

the second end point and an identified component associated with both the first end point and the second end point.

13. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein one or both of identifying components associated with a first end point in an environment and identifying components associated with a second end point in the environment are performed at last in part by analyzing an organizational chart.

14. A computer implemented method comprising:

displaying a first end point;

displaying components associated with the first end point;

displaying a second end point;

displaying components associated with the second end point;

displaying a common component associated with the first end point and the second end point;

displaying a link between the common component and the first end point;

displaying a link between the common component and the second end point;

determining a path strength associated with the common component by, at least in part;

determining a first link strength for the link between the common component and the first end point;

determining a second link strength for the link between the common component and the second end point; and

calculating the path strength between the first endpoint and the second endpoint based at least in part on multiplying the first link strength and the second link strength;

displaying a second common component associated with the first end point and the second end point;

displaying a link between the second common component and the first end point; and

displaying a link between the second common component and the second end point.

15. A method as recited in claim 14 further comprising:

preventing the display of the common component if the path strength is below a threshold.

16. A method as recited in claim 14 further comprising displaying a second link between the common component and the first end point.

17. A method as recited in claim 16 further comprising:

determining a strongest link between the common component and the first end point; and

highlighting the strongest link between the common component and the first end point.

18. A method as recited in claim 14 further comprising:

displaying a second link between the common component and the first endpoint; and

displaying a second link between the common component and the second end point.

19. One or more computer-readable memories containing a computer program that is executable by a processor to perform the method recited in claim 14.

20. One or more computer-readable storage media having stored thereon a computer program that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to:

display a first end point in a social network and a social context associated with the first end point;

display a second end point in a social network and a social context associated with the second end point;

identify a common component associated with the first end point and the second end point;

display the common component associated with the first end point and the second end point;

display a link between the common component and the first end point;

display a link between the common component and the second end point;

calculating the path strength between the first endpoint and the second endpoint based at least in part on multiplying the first link strength and the second link strength; and

displaying associate information in response to a user'"'"'s identification of either a first end point or a second end point;

wherein the one or more processors further determine a path strength associated with the common component and prevent display of the common component if the path strength is below a threshold.

21. One or more computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 20 wherein the one or more processors further display a second link between the common component and the first end point.

22. One or more computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 20 wherein the one or more processors further display a second link between the common component and the first end point and display a second link between the common component and the second end point.

23. One or more computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 20 wherein the one or more processors further identify a second common component associated with the first end point and the second end point.

24. One or more computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 20 wherein the one or more processors further display the second common component associated with the first end point and the second end point.