Patent ID: 8930966
Filing Date: 2015-01-06
Classification: G06F,G08B,H04L

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: receiving one or more search criteria; in response to receiving the one or more search criteria, performing a first search of a sphere of influence of a particular user, wherein the first search comprises determining whether the one or more search criteria match any profile in a plurality of profiles of users that are within the sphere of influence of the particular user, wherein the sphere of influence of the particular user includes multiple users who have established friend relationships (a) with the particular user through one or more social network providers or (b) with other users who have established friend relationships through the one or more social network providers with the particular user; determining that the one or more search criteria do not match any profile of the plurality of profiles; after determining that the one or more search criteria do not match any profile of the plurality of profiles, updating the sphere of influence of the particular user to include a first profile of a first user that has established a friend relationship with a second user through one of the one or more social network providers but not with the particular user, wherein the second user is connected to the particular user, through one of the one or more social network providers, through zero or more other users; after updating the sphere of influence of the particular user to include the first profile of the first user, automatically performing a second search of the sphere of influence of the particular user, wherein performing the second search comprises determining whether the one or more search criteria matches one or more profiles of users that are within the sphere of influence of the particular user, wherein automatically performing the second search is performed after waiting a particular amount of time after performing the first search; determining that the one or more search criteria matches the first profile; in response to determining that the one or more search criteria matches the first profile: wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.