Patent ID: 7788260

Claim:
In a computer system for an online social network that includes a server computer and a database of registered users, a method for generating search results for display at a user computer in response to a search query transmitted to the server computer by a registered user from the user computer, the method being carried out by the computer system and comprising the steps of: maintaining a database of registered users that stores for each registered user, a user ID of the registered user and an adjacency list that identifies other registered users who are directly related to the registered user within the online social network; receiving a search query from the user computer; retrieving records that are responsive to the search query; for each retrieved record, determining a frequency of relevant clicks on a hyperlink associated with each retrieved record, wherein the relevant clicks are clicks by other registered users who are related within two or more degrees of separation to the registered user within the online social network; sorting the retrieved records in the order of the frequency of relevant clicks associated with the retrieved records; and transmitting a search result page to the user computer for display at the user computer, wherein the search result page includes the sorted retrieved records and a visual tag next to at least one of the sorted retrieved records, wherein said visual tag is to be displayed next to a retrieved record if the frequency of relevant clicks associated with the retrieved record is greater than a predetermined minimum value, and wherein said visual tag is not to be displayed next to a retrieved record if the frequency of relevant clicks associated with the retrieved record is less than the predetermined minimum value.