Patent ID: 7707122
Filing Date: 2010-04-27
Classification: G06Q,H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of sharing information between a plurality of subscribers of an online social network with a processing device that enables actions, comprising: employing the processing device to determine a relationship trust based that is based at least in part on behavioral information about at least one behavior of each subscriber in the plurality of subscribers of the online social network, wherein the behavioral information includes at least tracked online activities of each subscriber that is both indirect of the tracked online activity and separate from an interaction or communication with another subscriber in the plurality of subscribers; employing the processing device to determine a relationship strength between each of the plurality of subscribers of the online social network, wherein the relationship strength is based at least in part on a degree of separation between each of the plurality of subscribers; employing the processing device to determine an affinity of a relationship between a subscriber and each of the other subscribers in the plurality of subscribers of the online social network based, in part on the relationship strength and the relationship trust that is based on the determined behavioral information that includes at least the tracked online activities separate from an interaction or communication with another subscriber; employing the processing device to receive an input query and an affinity filter parameter from the subscriber of the online social network, wherein the input query is a request for information and the affinity filter parameter specifies a subset of the plurality of subscribers; employing the processing device to search through the determined behavioral information and generate a result based at least in part on the input query, the affinity filter parameter, and the determined affinity of the relationship, wherein the affinity filter parameter based on a separate selection for each of the relationship trust and the relationship strength; and employing the processing device to provide the result of the searching to the subscriber of the online social network that includes actual information requested by the input query, wherein the actual information being based on at least one behavior of the other subscribers in the subset of the plurality of subscribers.