Patent ID: 8538955
Filing Date: 2013-09-17
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. A computer method for finding an expert by using at least one data processing device, the method comprising: maintaining at least one database including historical chat session transcripts along with respective quality indications for the transcripts, the transcripts relating to past user inquiries of experts within a social network; receiving a request from a current user for a new chat session; and computing a similarity score between the request and a text from chat session transcripts from the database, the score being based on a function of a profile of the expert and a variable identifying a question, and the score further being based on another function of a variable identifying the expert and a variable identifying a past user who engaged in a chat session, and the score further being based on a probabilistic score based on the variable identifying the expert and the variable identifying the past user; deriving information relevant to the new chat session responsive to: using the derived information, by the current user, to find the expert, wherein a processor coupled to a memory device performs the maintaining, the receiving, the computing, and the deriving.