Patent application number | Description | Published |
20120117058 | PRESENTING ACTIONS AND PROVIDERS ASSOCIATED WITH ENTITIES - Computer-readable media, computer systems, and computing devices method of facilitating presentation of actions and providers associated with entities. The method includes determining a query intent of a received query. Entity sets having an entity that matches the determined query intent are recognized. Each entity set includes an entity, an action, and a provider. Actions and/or providers associated with the entity that matches the determined query intent are identified. The actions and/or the corresponding providers associated with the entity are provided for integration with a representation of the associated entity on a search results page. | 05-10-2012 |
20120150657 | Enabling Advertisers to Bid on Abstract Objects - Computer-readable media, computer systems, and computing methods are provided for employing abstract objects to solicit bids from advertisers and to present ads submitted by the advertisers upon a user invoking the abstract objects while conducting an online search. The abstract objects include entities, entity classes, actions, and tasks, which are mined by crawling storage locations on the Internet. These abstract objects are monetized by building an index with entries referencing the abstract objects and maintaining the index in a location accessible to advertisers. Via the index, the advertisers target the abstract objects and place bids thereon. During a user-initiated online search, the abstract objects that are relevant to a task being carried out by the user are identified. Further, ads submitted by advertisers that placed bids upon the identified abstract objects are selected for presentation. Based on the bids, the winning advertiser's ad is presented to the user. | 06-14-2012 |
20130173639 | ENTITY BASED SEARCH AND RESOLUTION - Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for providing a rich search experience utilizing entity-type characterization are provided. A search query is received and an entity type is determined for the query. A Web search is then performed for the query against a predefined list of sources determined to be authoritative for the determined entity type. The results of the source-specific searches are filtered based upon the entity type providing a filtered list of results that each pertains to an entity of the entity type determined to be associated with the query. The filtered list are then compared to a list of resolved entities to determine equivalent entities identified by different searched sources, the equivalent entities being combined into a single potential search result. The consolidated search results are then ordered based upon rank values. At least a portion of the results may then be presented to the user. | 07-04-2013 |
20130185314 | GENERATING SCORING FUNCTIONS USING TRANSFER LEARNING - Data sources, such as web pages or databases, store or output entities that include data or other information. To compare entities generated by different data sources, and to identify duplicate entities, a scoring function is generated for each pair of data sources that can generate a similarity score that represents the similarity of two entities from the data sources in the pair. To generate the scoring functions, training data is generated for each pair of data sources and reviewed by a judge. The training data is used to generate the scoring functions using machine learning. In order to reduce the amount of training data that is used, transfer learning techniques are applied to use information learned from generating one scoring function for a pair of sources when generating a scoring function for a subsequent pair of sources. | 07-18-2013 |
20130346183 | ENTITY-BASED AGGREGATION OF ENDORSEMENT DATA - Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for performing entity-based aggregation of endorsement data are provided. Entity-endorsement data is received from a plurality of different sources, e.g., websites, web pages, database records, files, data feeds, or networks. Entity resolution is then performed to identify like entities. Once the entities are resolved, the relevant endorsement data from each appropriate source is aggregated. The aggregated endorsement data may then be presented with or without an identification of the sources from which the data was aggregated. In this way, sparseness and fragmentation of endorsement data are mitigated and a more complete picture of an entity's endorsement status may be seen. | 12-26-2013 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20120166533 | PREDICTING REAL-WORLD CONNECTIONS BASED ON INTERACTIONS IN SOCIAL NETWORKING SYSTEM - A social networking system performs account recovery for a user with the help of the user's connections (e.g., friends). The social networking system selects connections of the user based on information indicating likelihood of real-world interactions between the user and the selected connections. Access codes are sent to the selected connections and the user instructed to obtain access codes from the selected connections via a communication that is outside the social networking system, for example, via phone. The user provides the access codes obtained from the selected connections to the social networking system. If the access codes provided by the user match the access codes sent to the selected connections, the user is granted access to the account. Real-world interactions between two users are determined based on sharing of devices between the users or information indicating presence of the users in the same place during same time interval. | 06-28-2012 |
20120166553 | USING SOCIAL GRAPH FOR ACCOUNT RECOVERY - A social networking system performs account recovery for a user with the help of the user's connections (e.g., friends). The social networking system selects connections of the user based on information indicating likelihood of real-world interactions between the user and the selected connections. Access codes are sent to the selected connections and the user instructed to obtain access codes from the selected connections via a communication that is outside the social networking system, for example, via phone. The user provides the access codes obtained from the selected connections to the social networking system. If the access codes provided by the user match the access codes sent to the selected connections, the user is granted access to the account. Real-world interactions between two users are determined based on sharing of devices between the users or information indicating presence of the users in the same place during same time interval. | 06-28-2012 |
20130080523 | INSTANTANEOUS RECOMMENDATION OF SOCIAL INTERACTIONS IN A SOCIAL NETWORKING SYSTEM - As a user of a social networking system views a page that includes information provided by the system, certain types of social interactions are monitored. If an interaction monitored for is detected, at least one recommendation unit is identified to present to user on the page. The recommendation unit is identified based on a description of the interaction. The recommendation unit suggests that the user perform a social interaction in the social networking system. The recommendation unit is transmitted to a device of the user and is presented to the user on the page without having to reload the entire page. | 03-28-2013 |
20130080524 | INSTANTANEOUS RECOMMENDATION OF SOCIAL INTERACTIONS IN A SOCIAL NETWORKING SYSTEM - When a social interaction by a user in a social networking system is detected, a description of the interaction is created. A service level auction is performed to select one or more service modules to provide recommendation units from a plurality of service modules. Each of the plurality of service modules is configured to provide recommendation units that suggest that the user engage in a social interaction in the social networking system. The description of the interaction is provided to each service module selected and recommendation units are requested. A plurality of recommendation units are received from the selected service modules. A unit level auction is performed to select one of more recommendation units to present to the user from the plurality of recommendation units. The selected recommendation units are transmitted to a device of the user for presentation. | 03-28-2013 |
20130139236 | IMPOSTER ACCOUNT REPORT MANAGEMENT IN A SOCIAL NETWORKING SYSTEM - Imposter account reports received by a social networking system are put into a report management process that routes the reports into other handling processes based upon the comparison of the probability of fraud in an alleged imposter account versus the probability of fraud in an alleged authentic account. The account determined to be most probably fraudulent is enrolled in an account verification process. In the account verification process, the account-holder is asked to verify their identity through automatic means. If the automatic means fail to verify the identity of the account-holder, a manual process for verification is initiated. | 05-30-2013 |
20130151609 | Content Report Management in a Social Networking System - User reports concerning inappropriate content are received by a social networking system and are put into a content report management process that routes the reports into other handling processes based upon the reporting user's identification of the report type. Reports concerning content that is related to the reporting user are routed into a social resolution process that resolves the complaint through self-help and social resolution. Other reports are handled by a content review process that resolves complaints through automated methods as well as manual review by human agents. | 06-13-2013 |
20140040243 | Sharing Search Queries on Online Social Network - In one embodiment, a method includes accessing a social graph that includes a plurality of nodes and edges, receiving from a user a selection of a structured query the user wants to share, where the structured query comprises references to nodes and edges of the social graph, and sending the structured query for display on a page associated with one or more other users. | 02-06-2014 |
20140040244 | Search Queries with Previews of Search Results on Online Social Networks - In one embodiment, a method includes accessing a social graph that includes a plurality of nodes and edges, generating a plurality of structured queries, where each structured query comprises references to nodes and edges of the social graph, generating search results corresponding to at least one of the structured queries, and sending one or more of the structured queries to a user for display, where at least one of the structured queries is displayed with a preview of one or more of the search results corresponding to the structured query. | 02-06-2014 |
20140040245 | Dynamic Suggested Search Queries on Online Social Networks - In one embodiment, a method includes accessing a social graph that includes a plurality of nodes and edges, generating a plurality of structured queries, where each structured query comprises references to nodes and edges of the social graph, and where at least one of the structured queries is a dynamic query comprising a reference to one or more to the social graph, and sending one or more of the structured queries to a user for display, where at least one of the sent structured queries is a dynamic query. | 02-06-2014 |
20140040246 | Sponsored Search Queries on Online Social Networks - In one embodiment, a method includes accessing a social graph that includes a plurality of nodes and edges, identifying a node corresponding to an advertiser, generating a plurality of structured queries, where each structured query comprises reference to nodes and edges of the social graph, and where at least one structured query is a sponsored query comprising a reference to the identified node and one or more edges that are connected to the identified node, and sending one or more of the structured queries to a user for display, where at least one of the sent structured queries is a sponsored query. | 02-06-2014 |
20140040285 | Generating Default Search Queries on Online Social Networks - In one embodiment, a method includes accessing a social graph that includes a plurality of nodes and edges, generating a plurality of structured queries, where each structured query comprises references to nodes and edges of the social graph, calculating a score for each structured query based on user-engagement factors, and sending each structured query having a score greater than a threshold score to a first user for display. | 02-06-2014 |
20140108550 | INSTANTANEOUS RECOMMENDATION OF SOCIAL INTERACTIONS IN A SOCIAL NETWORKING SYSTEM - As a user of a social networking system views a page that includes information provided by the system, certain types of social interactions are monitored. If an interaction monitored for is detected, at least one recommendation unit is identified to present to user on the page. The recommendation unit is identified based on a description of the interaction. The recommendation unit suggests that the user perform a social interaction in the social networking system. The recommendation unit is transmitted to a device of the user and is presented to the user on the page without having to reload the entire page. | 04-17-2014 |
20140172989 | SPAM DETECTION AND PREVENTION IN A SOCIAL NETWORKING SYSTEM - A social networking system detects spam in comments posted by users of the social networking system. A spam prevention module of the social networking system retrieves content signals associated with a posted comment and analyzes the content signals to determine whether the posted comment contains spam content. The spam prevention module augments the content signal analysis by analyzing social signals of the posted comment. Based on the content signal analysis and the social signal analysis, the spam prevention module determines whether the posted comment is spam and takes remedial actions on detected spam, including blocking the comment and educating the user who posted the comment. | 06-19-2014 |
20140196110 | TRUST-BASED AUTHENTICATION IN A SOCIAL NETWORKING SYSTEM - A social networking system determines whether a user is a real public figure or is the correct “public persona” of an individual who is famous within a particular domain. The system selects one or more trusted agents. A trusted agent is a user who has been confirmed or is otherwise trusted within the system. The system traverses the social graph of the trusted agent to score and identify additional users who have a sufficient connection to the trusted agent to authenticate them as other confirmed public personas/figures. The system computes confidence scores of the connections of the trusted agent, considering the strength of the connections and other relevant factors. The system provides confidence scores for one or more target users in the social network based on the confidence scores of the friends or connections connecting the trusted agent and the target user. | 07-10-2014 |
20140222605 | Promoting Individual System Goals Through System Recommendations - A social networking system presents recommendation units to its users. The recommendation units suggest actions for the users to increase their engagement with the social networking system or otherwise interact with other users. The social networking system establishes internal goals and associates bids for recommendation units with different goals. The bids reflect the value to the goal of a user interacting with a recommendation unit. Based on bids for recommendation units associated with one or more goals, expected values of the recommendation units arid determined. The recommendation units are ranked based on the expected values and one or more recommendation units are selected based on the ranking. | 08-07-2014 |
20140279069 | DETERMINING EFFECTIVENESS OF PROMOTING STORIES WITHIN A SOCIAL NETWORKING SYSTEM - A social networking system provides stories about objects in the social networking system to a viewing user. To increase the likelihood that a story will also be provided to other users, the social networking system allows the viewing user to promote the story. When a user promotes a story, the social networking system may monitor the effectiveness of the promotion. For example, the social networking system generates a ghost story corresponding to a promoted story and not associated with promotion information. When a promoted story is selected to be provided to a user, the social networking system determines whether the ghost story would have been selected to be provided to the user. If the ghost story would have been selected, the social networking system determines the promotion did not affect selection of the promoted story. | 09-18-2014 |
20140279418 | ASSOCIATING AN INDICATION OF USER EMOTIONAL REACTION WITH CONTENT ITEMS PRESENTED BY A SOCIAL NETWORKING SYSTEM - A social networking system user may associate an emoji representing the user's emotional reaction with a content item presented by the social networking system. The user is presented with one or more emoji maintained by the social networking system and selects an emoji for associating with the content item. If certain emoji are selected, the social networking system prompts the user for compensation or requests compensation from an entity associated with the selected emoji. The selected emoji is associated with the content item and a connection, or other information, between the user and the object identifying the selected emoji is stored by the social networking system. The selected emoji may be displayed with the content item to the user and to other users connected to the user. | 09-18-2014 |
20140280629 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR OPTIMIZING COMPOSER PROMPTS FOR POSTING IN A SOCIAL NETWORKING SYSTEM - A computer-implemented method for generating a composer prompt to induce a user to post a message at a social network system is disclosed. The method starts with retrieving information about the user, the user information being stored in a profile at the social networking system. It assesses the user information and temporal information to determine content and format of the composer prompt. Then the method generates a new composer prompt based at least partially on an assessment of the information and display the new composer prompt to the user. | 09-18-2014 |
20140282096 | METHOD AND SYSTEM OF MANAGING EPHEMERAL POST IN A SOCIAL NETWORKING SYSTEM - A method of posting ephemeral posts is disclosed. The method starts with receiving, from a user of a social network, a request to post an ephemeral post, the request including an ephemeral variable associated with a threshold event. The ephemeral post is posted on behalf of the user. Then an occurrence of the threshold event is monitored. When the threshold event has not occurred, the post is allowed to be accessible to at least one viewer other than the user. When the threshold event has occurred, the post is blocked from being accessible by the at least one view other than the user. | 09-18-2014 |
20140365382 | Content Report Management in a Social Networking System - User reports concerning inappropriate content are received by a social networking system and are put into a content report management process that routes the reports into other handling processes based upon the reporting user's identification of the report type. Reports concerning content that is related to the reporting user are routed into a social resolution process that resolves the complaint through self-help and social resolution. Other reports are handled by a content review process that resolves complaints through automated methods as well as manual review by human agents. | 12-11-2014 |
20150088699 | ASSOCIATING AN INDICATION OF USER EMOTIONAL REACTION WITH CONTENT ITEMS PRESENTED BY A SOCIAL NETWORKING SYSTEM - A social networking system user may associate a graphical element representing the user's emotional reaction with a content item presented by the social networking system. The user is presented with one or more graphical elements maintained by the social networking system and selects a graphical element for associating with the content item. If certain graphical elements are selected, the social networking system prompts the user for compensation or requests compensation from an entity associated with the selected graphical element. The selected graphical element is associated with the content item and a connection, or other information, between the user and the object identifying the selected graphical element is stored by the social networking system. The selected graphical element may be displayed with the content item to the user and to other users connected to the user. | 03-26-2015 |