U.S. patent application number 11/873388 was filed with the patent office on 2009-03-19 for system and method of collecting market-related data via a web-based networking environment.
Invention is credited to Nova Spivack, Scott White.
Application Number | 20090076887 11/873388 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40455555 |
Filed Date | 2009-03-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090076887 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Spivack; Nova ; et
al. |
March 19, 2009 |
System And Method Of Collecting Market-Related Data Via A Web-Based
Networking Environment
Abstract
Systems and methods of tracking web content provided by a
plurality of users. In one aspect, embodiments of the present
disclosure include a method, which may be implemented on a system,
of hosting web content in response to receiving a request from a
user of the plurality of users. One embodiment can include,
identifying a set of relational attributes of the user associated
with the web content, enforcing a set of rules that govern
accessibility of the web content, the set of rules to be determined
based the set of relational attributes, tracking access and
distribution of the web content by one or more of the plurality of
users, and collecting data related to the access and distribution
of the web content among the one or more of the plurality of
users.
Inventors: |
Spivack; Nova; (San
Francisco, CA) ; White; Scott; (Seattle, WA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PERKINS COIE LLP
P.O. BOX 1208
SEATTLE
WA
98111-1208
US
|
Family ID: |
40455555 |
Appl. No.: |
11/873388 |
Filed: |
October 16, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60972815 |
Sep 16, 2007 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
705/14.69 ;
705/1.1; 705/14.51 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 30/0273 20130101;
G06F 16/25 20190101; G06F 16/367 20190101; G06F 40/30 20200101;
H04L 65/403 20130101; G06Q 30/0253 20130101; G06Q 30/02
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/10 ; 705/1;
705/14 |
International
Class: |
G06Q 30/00 20060101
G06Q030/00; G06Q 99/00 20060101 G06Q099/00 |
Claims
1. A method of tracking web content provided by a plurality of
users, comprising: hosting web content in response to receiving a
request from a user of the plurality of users; identifying a set of
relational attributes of the user associated with the web content;
enforcing a set of rules that govern accessibility of the web
content, the set of rules to be determined based on the set of
relational attributes; tracking access and distribution of the web
content by one or more of the plurality of users; and collecting
data related to the access and distribution of the web content
among the one or more of the plurality of users.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying a set of
preferences of a content provider associated with accessibility of
the web content, wherein the content provider is a third-party host
of the web content.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying user
metadata of user information of the plurality of users, wherein the
set of rules is further determined by one or more of the set of
preferences of the content provider and the user metadata.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying metadata
of the web content.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the metadata of the web content
is identifiable via meta-tags provided by the user.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the metadata of the web content
comprises information associated with one or more of a type,
property, intellectual content, a set of keywords, a set of tags,
and access rights of the web content.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the metadata of the web content
to provide data associated with multimedia composition of the web
content, wherein the multimedia composition comprises one or more
of textual, graphics, video, interactive, and animation
content.
8. The method of claim 1, further comprising making a
pre-determined set of inquiries to the user to determine the set of
relational attributes.
9. The method of claim 8, further comprising making a set of
inquiries to the user to identify the set of relational attributes,
wherein the set of inquiries are specifiable by the content
provider.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the web content comprises
promotional content, wherein the promotional content comprises one
or more of an advertisement, a sales promotion, a notice, a product
placement, a publication, a sponsorship, an announcement, a
broadcast, a commercial, and an endorsement.
11. The method of claim 2, further comprising assessing fees from
the content provider for hosting the web content provided by the
content provider.
12. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing tiered
service levels based on an adopted fee structure of the content
provider.
13. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining a
plurality of performance metrics of the promotional content and
providing one or more sets of the plurality of the performance
metrics to the content provider based on the adopted fee
structure.
14. The method of claim 13, further comprising determining
quantified performance metrics and the statistical attributes of
the quantified performance metrics.
15. The method of claim 13, further comprising identifying one or
more relationships between the plurality of performance metrics of
the promotional content and the user metadata of the plurality of
users.
16. The method of claim 15, further comprising identifying a set of
users to whom the promotional content is to be targeted towards,
the set of users to be identified based on one or more of the
metadata of the web content comprising the promotional content and
the user metadata of the plurality of users.
17. The method of claim 16, further comprising providing tiered
placements of the web content based on the adopted fee structure of
the content provider, wherein the tiered placements of the web
content to be presented to a user in response to one or more of a
relevant query by the user and an identified set of users having a
likelihood of interest in the web content based on the user
metadata of the plurality of users.
18. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the metadata of
the web content and the user metadata of the plurality of users
comprise semantic metadata.
19. The method of claim 18, further comprising identifying one or
more of semantic items and semantic tags based on the semantic
metadata of the web content and determining topical information
related to the web content based on the semantic metadata.
20. The method of claim 19, further comprising further identifying
relevant subject matter to the web content via Bayesian
classification based on the semantic metadata.
21. The method of claim 19, further comprising identifying a set of
related concepts to the web content through entity detection and
ontological classification based on the semantic data and one or
more sets of ontologies.
22. The method of claim 19, further comprising identifying
web-based objects related to the web content and providing the
web-based objects to one or more users having a reasonable
likelihood of interest in the web content.
23. The method of claim 22, wherein the web-based objects are
identifiable based on one or more of the detection of related
intellectual content through semantics and an identification of
related intellectual content through keyword matches.
24. The method of claim 22, further comprising identifying one or
more users having the reasonable likelihood of interest in the web
content by comparing the identified semantic metadata of the user
metadata and the semantic metadata of the web content.
25. The method of claim 18, further comprising providing tiered
placements of a plurality of web content based on an identified
social distance between one or more of the users that provided the
plurality of web content and the user that placed a relevant query,
the relevant query to trigger one or more of a semantic match and a
keyword match with the plurality of web content.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to knowledge
networking, and in particular to applications of knowledge
networking for obtaining market related information relevant to
distribution of promotional content.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Key-word based search engines facilitate a number of
advertisement models based on search engines. Pay-per-click is an
advertising model used by search engines, advertising networks,
and/or websites. In pay-per-click, a fee is assessed on the
advertiser when the advertisement is clicked. Advertisers can bid
on keywords relevant to their advertisements. When a user performs
a query on a keyword for which bids have been placed,
advertisements are displayed in a list of search results. In most
instances, the advertisements are ranked in the order of relevance
based on the value of the bids. In other examples, advertisements
are linked to the contents of a webpage where the advertisements
are to be displayed.
[0003] When a user clicks on an advertisement and reaches the
advertiser's website, the advertiser can in most instances
determine the search engine or advertising network that routed the
user to the advertiser's website. As such, advertisers can track
the number of views generated from various search engines or
advertising networks. However, the extent to which market data can
be obtained by advertisers through keyword based search advertising
schemes is limited.
[0004] In most instances, advertisers can only obtain data about
user activity when the user is browsing a webpage through which the
advertisement is presented and when the user is on the advertiser's
webpage. For example, the advertiser has access to data specifying
the search engine where the user viewed the advertisement. The
advertiser can also determine which web pages the user has browsed
through once the user has reached the advertiser's website.
However, other types of market-related data, for example,
market-related data that are product specific or user specific
cannot be determined by advertisers in keyword or content-based
advertising.
SUMMARY OF THE DESCRIPTION
[0005] A variety of systems, methods, techniques and strategies of
collecting market-related data via a web-based networking
environment are described here. Some embodiments of the present
disclosure are summarized in this section.
[0006] In one aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure include
a method, which may be implemented on a system, of tracking web
content provided by a plurality of users. The method may include
hosting web content in response to receiving a request from a user
of the plurality of users and identifying a set of relational
attributes of the user associated with the web content. One
embodiment further includes, enforcing a set of rules that govern
accessibility of the web content, the set of rules to be determined
based the set of relational attributes. In one embodiment, access
and distribution of the web content by one or more of the plurality
of users is tracked and data related to the access and distribution
of the web content among the one or more of the plurality of users
is collected.
[0007] One embodiment further includes identifying a set of
preferences of a content provider associated with accessibility of
the web content. The content provider may be a third-party host of
the web content. Further, user metadata of user information of the
plurality of users can be identified. The set of rules can be
further determined by the set of preferences of the content
provider and/or the user metadata. In one embodiment, metadata of
the web content is identified. The metadata of the web content can
be identifiable via meta-tags provided by the user.
[0008] The metadata of the web content may include information
associated with one or more of a type, property, intellectual
content, a set of keywords, a set of tags, and access rights of the
web content. In addition, the metadata of the web content can
further provide data associated with multimedia composition of the
web content, wherein the multimedia composition comprises one or
more of textual, graphics, video, interactive, and animation
content.
[0009] One embodiment further includes making a pre-determined set
of inquiries to the user to determine the set of relational
attributes. In one embodiment, the set of inquiries are specifiable
by the content provider. The web content can include promotional
content, wherein the promotional content comprises one or more of
an advertisement, a sales promotion, a notice, a product placement,
a publication, a sponsorship, an announcement, a broadcast, a
commercial, and/or an endorsement. Fees can be assessed from the
content provider for hosting the web content provided by the
content provider. In one embodiment, tiered service levels are
provided based on an adopted fee structure of the content
provider.
[0010] One embodiment includes determining a plurality of
performance metrics of the promotional content and providing one or
more sets of the plurality of the performance metrics to the
content provider based on the adopted fee structure. For example,
quantified performance metrics and the statistical attributes of
the quantified performance metrics and be determined.
[0011] One embodiment includes identifying a set of users to whom
the promotional content is to be targeted towards, the set of users
to be identified based on one or more of the metadata of the web
content including the promotional content and the user metadata of
the plurality of users. Tiered placements of the web content can be
provided based on the adopted fee structure of the content
provider. The tiered placements of the web content can be presented
to a user in response to a relevant query by the user and/or an
identified set of users having a likelihood of interest in the web
content based on the user metadata of the plurality of users.
[0012] In one embodiment, one or more of the metadata of the web
content and the user metadata of the plurality of users includes
semantic metadata. For example, semantic items and/or semantic tags
can be identified based on the semantic metadata of the web
content. In addition, topical information related to the web
content can be determined based on the semantic metadata. One
embodiment includes identifying relevant subject matter to the web
content via Bayesian classification based on the semantic
metadata.
[0013] One embodiment includes identifying a set of related
concepts to the web content through entity detection and
ontological classification based on the semantic data and one or
more sets of ontologies and further identifying web-based objects
related to the web content and providing the web-based objects to
one or more users having a reasonable likelihood of interest in the
web content.
[0014] The web-based objects may be identifiable based on one or
more of the detection of related intellectual content through
semantics and/or an identification of related intellectual content
through keyword matches. In one embodiment, one or more users
having the reasonable likelihood of interest in the web content are
identified by comparing the identified semantic metadata of the
user metadata with the semantic metadata of the web content.
[0015] One embodiment includes providing tiered placements of a
plurality of web content based on an identified social distance
between one or more of the users that provided the plurality of web
content and the user that placed a relevant query, the relevant
query to trigger one or more of a semantic match and/or a keyword
match with the plurality of web content.
[0016] The present disclosure includes methods and systems which
perform these methods, including processing systems which perform
these methods, and computer readable media which when executed on
processing systems cause the systems to perform these methods.
[0017] Other features of the present disclosure will be apparent
from the accompanying drawings and from the detailed description
which follows.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a plurality of client
devices able to communicate with a plurality of content providers
and a server hosting a knowledge networking environment through a
network, according to one embodiment.
[0019] FIG. 2 depicts a block diagram of the components of a host
server for a knowledge networking environment, according to one
embodiment.
[0020] FIG. 3A depicts a block diagram illustrating a database for
storing user information of users (visitors and/or service
subscribers) and a database for storing user group information,
according to one embodiment.
[0021] FIG. 3B depicts a block diagram of a database for storing
items, a database for storing emails, and a database for storing
photographs, according to one embodiment.
[0022] FIG. 3C depicts a block diagram of a database for storing
popular searches, a database for storing popular tags, a database
for storing popular nets, and a database for storing user nets,
according to one embodiment.
[0023] FIG. 3D depicts a block diagram of a database for storing
ontologies and a database for storing promotional content
sponsorship information, according to one embodiment.
[0024] FIG. 4A illustrates a screenshot of a login screen to access
the knowledge networking environment, according to one
embodiment.
[0025] FIG. 4B illustrates an example screenshot of a graphical
user interface for user information and subscription management,
according to one embodiment.
[0026] FIG. 5 illustrates an example screenshot of a graphical user
interface displaying relationships between a user and contacts of
the user in the knowledge networking environment, according to one
embodiment.
[0027] FIG. 6A illustrates an example screenshot of a graphical
user interface for a user to access and manage various services
provided by the networking environment, including connections,
items, tags, and/or events, according to one embodiment.
[0028] FIG. 6B illustrates an example screenshot of a graphical
user interface displaying third party web content hosted by the
networking environment, according to one embodiment.
[0029] FIG. 6C illustrates an example screenshot of a graphical
user interface for sharing the web content shown in FIG. 6B with
another user net, according to one embodiment.
[0030] FIG. 6D illustrates an example screenshot of a graphical
user interface for sharing the web content shown in FIG. 6B with
another user, according to one embodiment.
[0031] FIG. 7A illustrates an example screenshot of a graphical
user interface for viewing and managing web content added to the
networking environment, according to one embodiment.
[0032] FIG. 7B illustrates an example screenshot of an applet for
adding web content to the networking environment from the original
web page hosting the web content, according to one embodiment.
[0033] FIG. 8 depicts a block diagram illustrating components of a
system for collecting market-related data through the web-based
networking environment, according to one embodiment.
[0034] FIG. 9 depicts a table illustrating an example set of
options and features for promotional content placement in the
knowledge networking environment, according to one embodiment.
[0035] FIG. 10 depicts a flow diagram illustrating a process of
hosting web content in the knowledge networking environment at the
request of a user, according to one embodiment.
[0036] FIG. 11 depicts a flow diagram illustrating a process of
providing performance metrics of the promotional content to the
content provider (e.g., sponsor), according to one embodiment.
[0037] FIG. 12 depicts a flow diagram illustrating a process of
providing targeted placement of promotional content, according to
one embodiment.
[0038] FIG. 13 depicts a flow diagram illustrating a process of
providing targeted placement of promotional content based on
semantic matching, according to one embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0039] The following description and drawings are illustrative and
are not to be construed as limiting. Numerous specific details are
described to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosure.
However, in certain instances, well-known or conventional details
are not described in order to avoid obscuring the description.
References to one or an embodiment in the present disclosure can
be, but not necessarily are, references to the same embodiment;
and, such references mean at least one of the embodiments.
[0040] Reference in this specification to "one embodiment" or "an
embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or
characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is
included in at least one embodiment of the disclosure. The
appearances of the phrase "in one embodiment" in various places in
the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same
embodiment, nor are separate or alternative embodiments mutually
exclusive of other embodiments. Moreover, various features are
described which may be exhibited by some embodiments and not by
others. Similarly, various requirements are described which may be
requirements for some embodiments but not other embodiments.
[0041] The terms used in this specification generally have their
ordinary meanings in the art, within the context of the disclosure,
and in the specific context where each term is used. Certain terms
that are used to describe the disclosure are discussed below, or
elsewhere in the specification, to provide additional guidance to
the practitioner regarding the description of the disclosure. For
convenience, certain terms may be highlighted, for example using
italics and/or quotation marks. The use of highlighting has no
influence on the scope and meaning of a term; the scope and meaning
of a term is the same, in the same context, whether or not it is
highlighted. It will be appreciated that same thing can be said in
more than one way.
[0042] Consequently, alternative language and synonyms may be used
for any one or more of the terms discussed herein, nor is any
special significance to be placed upon whether or not a term is
elaborated or discussed herein. Synonyms for certain terms are
provided. A recital of one or more synonyms does not exclude the
use of other synonyms. The use of examples anywhere in this
specification including examples of any terms discussed herein is
illustrative only, and is not intended to further limit the scope
and meaning of the disclosure or of any exemplified term. Likewise,
the disclosure is not limited to various embodiments given in this
specification.
[0043] Without intent to further limit the scope of the disclosure,
examples of instruments, apparatus, methods and their related
results according to the embodiments of the present disclosure are
given below. Note that titles or subtitles may be used in the
examples for convenience of a reader, which in no way should limit
the scope of the disclosure. Unless otherwise defined, all
technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as
commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which
this disclosure pertains. In the case of conflict, the present
document, including definitions will control.
[0044] Embodiments of the present disclosure include systems and
methods of collecting market-related data via a web-based
networking environment, for example, through knowledge networking.
Some embodiments of the present disclosure further include a
networking environment for distributing promotional content and
quantifying promotional performance metrics based on, for example,
semantic relationships between participants.
[0045] In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to
facilitating sharing and distribution of promotional content among
users (e.g., visitors and/or service subscribers) of the networking
environment.
[0046] Users can add items to the networking environment from a
number of external or third party sources. In addition, items can
be created by the user. For example, the user (e.g., a visitor
and/or service subscriber) can have one or more nets with differing
themes where each net has a collection of web content related to
the particular theme of the net. Items may include, by way of
example but not limitation, third-party web content, web content
developed by the user, emails, photography, contacts, notes, links,
events, tags, and/or any other textual, image, video, animated
data.
[0047] The user (e.g., a visitor and/or service subscriber) may be,
in some embodiments, an individual, an institution, business
entity, non-profit organization, or any other entity wishing to
promote an idea, service, and/or product through for example,
increased publicity, product placement, publication, announcement,
broadcast, commercial, endorsement, sponsorship, and/or sales
promotion. For example, the user (e.g., a visitor and/or service
subscriber) can be, but is not limited to, a political party, a
political candidate, a lobbying group, an interest group, a
religious organization, a company, a university, an online
retailer, an online wholesaler. Thus, promotional content can be
supplied to the networking environment to increase public exposure
for access and/or distribution purposes, in the push model and/or
the pull model-based promotional content distribution.
[0048] Since the networking environment hosts a number of users
(e.g., a visitor and/or service subscriber), and in many instances,
the systems and methods have access to and manage information of
the services subscribers, focused and targeted distribution of
promotional content to those likely to have an interest can be
achieved. In addition, promotional content is further propagated
through the connections of a user to other users. For example,
connected first and second users can have access to each other's
items.
[0049] Users can actively send web content (e.g., promotional
content) to other users to whom the content may be of interest.
Services subscribers (e.g., users) can create groups or join groups
having a common theme or interest (e.g., public or private nets).
Promotional content relevant to the theme or interest can be
automatically posted or shared with group members. Other methods
through which promotional content can be distributed through a
networking environment are contemplated and do not deviate from the
novel art of this disclosure.
[0050] In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to determining
statistical attributes associated with the popularity (e.g.,
sharing and/or distribution) of promotional content on the
networking environment.
[0051] Raw data related sharing and distribution of objects
including promotional content on the networking environment can be
collected and stored, to gauge interest in the promoted content. In
addition, the sharing and distribution of promotional content can
be measured relative to users and/or user data. In one embodiment,
statistical attributes of data related to object distribution and
sharing that can be determined, include, but is not limited to, the
number of visitors and/or service subscribers that collected the
object, the number of visitors who collected and/or shared the
object, average number of sharing actions per visitor/service
subscriber, speed of spread of object, acceleration of spread of
object, the volume of object collecting per unit time, and/or the
demographic, geographic, and/or psychographic distributions of the
statistical attributes.
[0052] Further, in addition to statistical analysis, additional
analyses can be performed on recorded data regarding sharing and
distribution of promotional content. For example, curve fitting,
principle component analysis, data mining, or discarding and
retaining subsets of data according to certain criteria, can be
performed and do not deviate from the novel art of this disclosure.
In addition to sharing and distribution, metrics related to the
performance level of promotional content can be measured and
quantified. For example, performance metrics can include, number of
views of the object, number of visits to a third party site to
obtain more information on the promoted content, number of searches
performed on the networking environment to obtain more information
on the promoted content, number of purchases that resulted from the
objected placed on the networking environment, etc.
[0053] In some embodiment, raw data and/or results of data analysis
can be provided to the content providers upon request or
automatically such that the content providers can deduce market
related information regarding the promotional content. Furthermore,
performance metrics (qualitative and quantitative) of the
promotional content, can be provided to the content providers. The
content providers may use the performance metrics, e.g., to
determine the effectiveness of various marketing channels or
various formats/digital content of the objects.
[0054] In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to a tiered
fee structure to provide varying levels of marketing-related
services to suit the varying business needs of clients (e.g.,
sponsors and/or promotional content providers).
[0055] Since the networking environment has access to user data
(e.g., subscription information, user declared hobbies/interests,
implicit interests identified from: objects collected, types of
objects collected, content of objects collected, etc.), targeted
and contextual advertising can be provided to the content provider.
The content provider can identify service subscribers having
particular hobbies/interests, subscribers that belong to certain
interest groups/nets/discussion groups, and/or forums, for
targeting distribution of the promotional content.
[0056] In addition, historical trends including raw data and/or the
analyzed data of a similar product/service previously promoted
through the networking environment provide additional insight to a
content provider, such as identifying specific demographics that
have demonstrated interest in the product/services. Such options
and access to historical data can be provided to content providers,
free of charge, or on a fee basis such that the content providers
and/or sponsors can better position their promotional content.
[0057] In one embodiment, semantic matching and placement can be
offered to promotional content providers and/or sponsors, for
example, free of charge, on a fee basis, or through any suitable
scheme. For example, through semantics, a particular
product/service can be linked to another relevant product/service
such that placement and distribution on the networking environment
can expand further to users not identified on keyword matching
alone. In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to providing
marketing-related services based on semantic matching. Objects with
promotional content can be tagged, automatically or manually, with
semantic meta-tags. In addition, user metadata can include semantic
metadata, thus enabling the networking system to perform semantic
matches, among objects (e.g., items including promotional content),
between objects and users, and among users.
[0058] In most instances, privacy attributes (inherent to the
system, specified by the content providers and/or the users) govern
the interactions occurring in the networking system. The privacy
attributes typically include a set of rules governing the
connecting, sharing, distribution, and/or access rights of objects
by services subscribers and content providers. The rules are
tracked and enforced in the transactions and interactions between
items, users and items, users and users, etc. In some embodiments,
interactive marketing, mobile marketing, and/or social marketing
are facilitated in the networking environment through utilizing
intelligent knowledge of promotional material and user
information.
[0059] FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a plurality of client
devices 104A-N able to communicate with a plurality of content
providers 108A-N, 110 and a server 100 hosting a knowledge
networking environment through a network, according to one
embodiment.
[0060] The plurality of client devices 104A-N and content providers
108A-N, 110 can be any system and/or device, and/or any combination
of devices/systems that is able to establish a connection with
another device, a server and/or other systems. The client devices
104A-N and content providers 108A-N, 110 typically include display
or other output functionalities to present data exchanged between
the devices to a user. For example, the client devices and content
providers can be, but are not limited to, a server desktop, a
desktop computer, a computer cluster, a mobile computing device
such as a notebook, a laptop computer, a handheld computer, a
mobile phone, a smart phone, a PDA, a Blackberry device, a Treo,
and/or an iPhone, etc. In one embodiment, the client devices 104A-N
and content providers 108A-N, 110 are coupled to a network 106. In
some embodiments, the modules may be directly connected to one
another.
[0061] The network 106, over which the client devices 104A-N and
content providers 108A-N, 110 communicate, may be a telephonic
network, an open network, such as the Internet, or a private
network, such as an intranet and/or the extranet. For example, the
Internet can provide file transfer, remote log in, email, news,
RSS, and other services through any known or convenient protocol,
such as, but is not limited to the TCP/IP protocol, Open System
Interconnections (OSI), FTP, UPnP, iSCSI, NSF, ISDN, PDH, RS-232,
SDH, SONET, etc.
[0062] The network 106 can be any collection of distinct networks
operating wholly or partially in conjunction to provide
connectivity to the client devices, host server, and/or the content
providers 108A-N, 110 and may appear as one or more networks to the
serviced systems and devices. In one embodiment, communications to
and from the client devices 104A-N and content providers 108A-N,
110 can be achieved by, an open network, such as the Internet, or a
private network, such as an intranet and/or the extranet. In one
embodiment, communications can be achieved by a secure
communications protocol, such as secure sockets layer (SSL), or
transport layer security (TLS).
[0063] In addition, communications can be achieved via one or more
wireless networks, such as, but is not limited to, one or more of a
Local Area Network (LAN), Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), a
Personal area network (PAN), a Campus area network (CAN), a
Metropolitan area network (MAN), a Wide area network (WAN), a
Wireless wide area network (WWAN), Global System for Mobile
Communications (GSM), Personal Communications Service (PCS),
Digital Advanced Mobile Phone Service (D-Amps), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi,
Fixed Wireless Data, 2G, 2.5G, 3G networks, enhanced data rates for
GSM evolution (EDGE), General packet radio service (GPRS), enhanced
GPRS, messaging protocols such as, TCP/IP, SMS, MMS, extensible
messaging and presence protocol (XMPP), real time messaging
protocol (RTMP), instant messaging and presence protocol (IMPP),
instant messaging, USSD, IRC, or any other wireless data networks
or messaging protocols.
[0064] FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of the components of a
host server 200 for knowledge networking, according to one
embodiment.
[0065] In the example of FIG. 2, the host server 200 includes a
network controller 202, a firewall 204, an image server 206, an
application server 208, a web application server 212, a mail server
214, and a database including a database storage 216 and database
software 218.
[0066] In the example of FIG. 2, the network controller 202 can be
a networking device that enables the host server 200 to mediate
data in a network with an entity that is external to the host
server, through any known and/or convenient communications protocol
supported by the host and the external entity. The network
controller 202 can include one or more of a network adaptor card, a
wireless network interface card, a router, an access point, a
wireless router, a switch, a multilayer switch, a protocol
converter, a gateway, a bridge, bridge router, a hub, a digital
media receiver, and/or a repeater.
[0067] The firewall 204, can, in some embodiments, govern and/or
manage permission to access/proxy data in a computer network, and
track varying levels of trust between different machines and/or
applications. The firewall 204 can be any number of modules having
any combination of hardware and/or software components able to
enforce a predetermined set of access rights between a particular
set of machines and applications, machines and machines, and/or
applications and applications, for example, to regulate the flow of
traffic and resource sharing between these varying entities. The
firewall 204 may additionally manage and/or have access to an
access control list which details permissions including for
example, the access and operation rights of an object by an
individual, a machine, and/or an application, and the circumstances
under which the permission rights stand.
[0068] Other network security functions can be performed or
included in the functions of the firewall 204, can be, for example,
but are not limited to, intrusion-prevention, intrusion detection,
next-generation firewall, personal firewall, etc. without deviating
from the novel art of this disclosure. In some embodiments, the
functionalities of the network controller 202 and the firewall 204
are partially or wholly combined and the functions of which can be
implemented in any combination of software and/or hardware, in part
or in whole.
[0069] In the example of FIG. 2, the host server 200 includes the
image server 206 or a combination of image servers to manage
images, photographs, animation, and/or other types of image data.
The image server 206 is any web server software suitable for
delivering messages to facilitate efficacious retrieval of image
data in web servers to be provided to other components and/or
systems of the host server 200, for example when rendering a web
page with images. In addition, the image server 206 can facilitate
streaming data such as streaming images and/or video. The image
server 206 can be configured separately or together with the web
application server 212, depending on a desired scalability of the
host server 200. Examples of graphics file formats that can be
managed by the image server 206 include but are not limited to,
ADRG, ADRI, AI, GIF, IMA, GS, JPG, JP2, PNG, PSD, PSP, TIFF, and/or
BMP, etc.
[0070] The application server 208 can be any combination of
software agents and/or hardware modules for providing software
applications to end users, external systems and/or devices. The
application server 208 can facilitate interaction and communication
with the web application server 212, or with other related
applications and/or systems. The application server 208 can in some
instances, be wholly or partially functionally integrated with the
web application server 212. The web application server 212 is any
combination of software agents and/or hardware modules for
accepting Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) requests from end
users, external systems, and/or external client devices and
responding to the request by providing the requesters with web
pages, such as HTML documents and objects that can include static
and/or dynamic content (e.g., via one or more supported interfaces,
such as the Common Gateway Interface (CGI), Simple CGI (SCGI), PHP,
JavaServer Pages (JSP), Active Server Pages (ASP), ASP.NET,
etc.).
[0071] In addition, a secure connection, SSL and/or TLS can be
established by the web application server 212. In some embodiments,
the web application server 212 renders the web pages having graphic
user interfaces of the networking environment as shown in the
example screenshots of FIGS. 4-7. The web pages provided by the web
application server 212 to client users/end devices enable user
interface screens 104A-104N for example, to be displayed on client
devices 102A-104N. In some embodiments, the web application server
212 also performs an authentication process before responding to
requests for resource access and data retrieval.
[0072] In one embodiment, the host server 200 includes a mail
server 214 including software agents and/or hardware modules for
managing and transferring emails from one system to another, such
as but is not limited to Sendmail, Postfix, Microsoft Exchange
Server, Eudora, Novell NetMail, and/or IMail, etc. The mail server
214 can also store email messages received from the network. In one
embodiment, the mail server 214 includes a storage component, a set
of access rules which may be specified by users, a list of users
and contact information of the users' contacts, and/or
communication modules able to communicate over a network with a
predetermined set of communication protocols.
[0073] The databases 216, 218 can store software, descriptive data,
images, system information, drivers, and/or any other data item
utilized by other components of the host server for operation. The
databases 216, 218 may be managed by a database management system
(DBMS), for example but not limited to, Oracle, DB2, Microsoft
Access, Microsoft SQL Server, PostgreSQL, MySQL, FileMaker, etc.
The databases 216, 218 can be implemented via object-oriented
technology and/or via text files, and can be managed by a
distributed database management system, an object-oriented database
management system (OODBMS) (e.g., ConceptBase, FastDB Main Memory
Database Management System, JDOInstruments, ObjectDB, etc.), an
object-relational database management system (ORDBMS) (e.g.,
Informix, OpenLink Virtuoso, VMDS, etc.), a file system, and/or any
other convenient or known database management package.
[0074] In the example of FIG. 2, the host server 200 includes
components (e.g., a network controller, a firewall, a storage
server, an application server, a web application server, a mail
server, and/or a database including a database storage and database
software, etc.) coupled to one another and each component is
illustrated as being individual and distinct. However, in some
embodiments, some or all of the components, and/or the functions
represented by each of the components can be combined in any
convenient or known manner. Furthermore, the functions represented
by the devices can be implemented individually or in any
combination thereof, in hardware, software, or a combination of
hardware and software.
[0075] FIG. 3A depicts a block diagram illustrating a database for
storing user information of users (visitors and/or service
subscribers) 302 and a database for storing user group information
304, according to one embodiment.
[0076] In the example of FIG. 3A, the database 302A can store
information about users, including visitors and/or service
subscribers. For example, the user information stored can include
descriptive data of personal information such as, but is not
limited to, a first name and last name of the user, a valid email
ID, a unique user name, age, marital status, occupation, location,
education, home town, schools attended, number of siblings,
heritage, ethnicity, race, etc. The user information further
includes interest information, which may include, but is not
limited to, activities, hobbies, professional information, photos,
etc.
[0077] The database also stores web content (e.g., third-party)
provided by the user, for example, the web content themselves can
be stored, the types of web contents (e.g., email, vcf card,
calendar events, web content, web links, etc.), tags in the web
content, nets that the user belongs to, information of contacts,
connections to other users and/or items, etc. In one embodiment, a
user creates one or more nets with varying themes to which objects
(e.g., web content) can be added. The user can also join nets
created by other users and access items in the nets of the other
users, while conforming to the access rights specified by the other
users and specific for the nets. Further, in addition to storing
information of contacts in the database, the user is able to
connect to other users (e.g., visitors and/or service subscribers)
and specify a designated relationship to the other users. The
user's connections and the relationships of the connections (e.g.,
friends, relatives, and co-workers) are, in some embodiments,
stored in the database.
[0078] In one embodiment, user information stored in the database
is explicitly specified by the user. For example, when the user
(e.g., visitor/service subscriber) signs up for access to the
networking environment, a set of information may be required, such
as a valid email address, a username, and/or age. A user
information form can include optional entries, by way of example
but not limitation, location, activity, hobbies, ethnicity, photos,
etc. In one embodiment, user information is identified from web
content the user added to the networking environment. For example,
the networking environment can automatically determine user
interests and/or hobbies based on the identified intellectual
content of the web objects provided by the user. Hobbies and
interest can also be determined by, for example, but are not
limited to, the events that a user attends and/or common interests
of a user's contacts.
[0079] Each entry or a category of entries (e.g., subscription
information, personal information, interest information, etc.)
related to user information in the database 302A can have
permission settings regarding visibility and accessibility to other
users. The privacy settings may, in some embodiments, vary between
registered and non-registered users (visitors), contacts with
different relationships with the user (e.g., a friend, colleague,
family, etc.). In addition, the privacy settings may be different
and individually specifiable for each contact of a user.
[0080] An example of the user information for the user "Tom Jerry"
that is stored in database 302A is shown in 302B. The user "Tom
Jerry" has an email address of "TomJerry@radarnetworks.com", an age
of "25", is located in "Bermudas" and is "Bermudan" by ethnicity.
The user "Tom Jerry" is recorded to have an education level of "BS,
MBA", and likes to engage in activities related to "Scuba Diving,
outdoors activities". Specifically, "Tom Jerry" is also interested
in "Fishing". The items that "Tom Jerry" has provided include web
content, photographs, and emails.
[0081] The database 302A also records information about the content
of the items, for example, the items provided by "Tom Jerry"
includes "blogs on fishing" and "advertisements for
wetsuits/regulators", and "websites of online retailers selling
scuba diving gear"; recent content includes http://www.scuba.com
and "emails from Joe"; personal nets include "Snorkeling in the
Bermudas". The tags of Tom Jerry's web content include "Hawaii",
"Scuba masks", and "Sharks". "Tom Jerry" has also specified the
privacy settings such that the contents of Tom Jerry's web objects
and/or user information are "visible to contacts only". Tom Jerry's
contacts include "Anne Smith" and "Joe Shmoe"; he belongs to the
nets "World Peace" and "Snorkel Club"; he is also connected to
another user's item, for example "Joe's web link to a snorkel
vest".
[0082] With further reference to FIG. 3A, database 304A includes
data related to information of user groups formed in the networking
environment. A user can form a group, where invitees are invited to
join the group. Alternatively, one or more users can create a
group, for example, based on a common theme or interest. In other
examples, groups may be formed as a channel for sharing information
with a focused group of users within the networking environment,
with or with out a common interest. Group data in the database
304A, includes, for example, shared interests represented by the
group. The database, in addition, stores information about the
privacy attributes of the group, which can indicate group
membership criteria, access to information posted in the group
between group members and visitors, for example. Certain content
and/or information may only be visible and/or accessible to a
subset of members of the group. In addition, items posted on the
group net may not be visible to users that are not members of the
group. The database further stores membership information regarding
the members of the group, membership requests, and/or items that
are shared between group members.
[0083] An example of group information stored in the database 304A
is shown in 304B for "the Under-water Club". The group interests
include "diving", "snorkeling", and the "Peace Corps". The privacy
attributes of "The Under-water Club" are "invite only", which
indicates that a user can only join the group when a membership
request is approved. Current members of "The Under-water club"
include "Tom Jerry" and "Anne Smith"; a membership request is
currently active for user "Joe Shmoe". The shared items between the
members of "The Under-water Club" include "Underwater Photography"
and "Online retailers for underwater gear".
[0084] FIG. 3B depicts a block diagram of a database for storing
items 312A, a database for storing emails 314A, and a database for
storing photographs 316A, according to one embodiment.
[0085] The database 312A can store data regarding information of
items (referred to herein after as "item data") provided by users.
The items are, in some instances, web objects, such as, web
content, emails, photography, emails, calendar events, contact
information, etc. Item data stored in the database can also include
information about the item type, the subject matter of the content
provided in the item (e.g., whether the web content contains
information regarding fishing, the presidential election, etc.),
and/or who added the item to the networking environment (e.g., the
user that posted the item, or the user that authored the item).
Item data can also include information regarding the privacy
attributes associated with the item. For example, if the item can
be viewed publicly, if the item can only be viewed by registered
users, if the item is blocked from particular users, if the item is
public to users that belong to certain user groups, if the item is
available upon request on an individual or subgroup basis, etc.
[0086] Item data may further include the number of views of the
item. For example, the number of views can be stored as the total
number of views since the item has been posted, the number of views
for a predetermined amount of time (e.g., a day, an hour, last 12
hours, etc.), the total number of views from users that belong to a
particular user group, from users having a particular interest, are
some ways that popularity of an item can be determined. In some
embodiments, the same item may be posted on the networking
environment by different users, thus, the database can include item
data to indicate how many users have posted the same item.
[0087] In addition, item data regarding the number of collections
of an item can be stored in the database 312A. For example, once an
item has been visited, a user may wish to add an item of interest
to a net in the networking platform for future access. Similarly, a
user may bookmark (e.g., add the link to the item as a bookmark in
the web browser) an item for future access as an alternative to
collecting the item. A user may also wish to share an item (e.g.,
that either the user posted on the networking environment or
collected from another user) with a third user. In one embodiment,
item data indicative of item popularity, including but not limited
to, collection data, bookmarking data, and sharing data, data
indicating shares with other nets, is stored in the database
312A.
[0088] Additional item data that may be indicative of item
popularity include data of visits to the third-party web site
hosting the web content provided by the item, transactions (e.g.,
purchases, sales, rents, leases, bids, etc.) that occurred due to
viewing of the object via the networking environment, comments
and/or reviews related to the web content provided by the object,
for example. In one embodiment, item data stored in the database
312A include keywords identified from the content of the web
object.
[0089] In some embodiments, item data include semantic tags
identified from the web content, tagged by the system, tagged by
the user that provided the web content, tagged by the third party
content provider and/or tagged by the sponsor. Thus, in addition,
content/items related to the web content, web links containing
information related to the contents of the object, additional
content including topics similar to content provided by the object
can also be identified (e.g., based on a keyword match and/or a
semantic match) and stored in the database 312A.
[0090] In one embodiment, survey questions can be presented to a
user that demonstrated interest in the item. For example, interest
can be indicated when the user clicks on a link to the item, when
the user submits the item to the networking environment, when a
user bookmarks the item, when a user shares the item, when a user
collects the item, etc. The survey questions may be a predetermined
default set of questions or the survey questions may be provided by
the third-party that provided the web content. Thus, the survey
questions associated with an item are stored in the database 312A,
in one embodiment. The database 312A can further store data
indicating the triggers that cause a particular survey question to
be presented to a user. For example, a first set of questions can
be presented to a user when the user adds the item to the
networking environment, whereas a second set of questions are
presented to a user when the user shares an item with another user
on the networking environment.
[0091] An example of item data stored in the database 312A is shown
in 312B. The type of the item is "web content" and content of the
item belongs to the category of "Scuba gear". The item is posted
by/authored by "Tom Jerry" and its privacy attribute is "Public".
The item has had "31" views, "1" post, "3" collections, "13"
shares, "6" bookmarks, and "2" purchases via the networking
environment. The number of visits to the third-party content
provider site from a viewing of the item on the networking
environment is "5". The item status for comments and/or review is
"Not yet rated".
[0092] An object that is related to the content of the item is
stored on the database as an image of a pair of flippers. A related
link to the content of the item is
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scuba_diving. The related topics to
item content include "Snorkeling", "antipollution", "corals", and
"fish". The semantic tags related to the item include, "Bermuda",
"sharks", "Hawaii", "scuba gear", "masks", "waterproof camera",
"Cayman Islands", and "tropical". The survey questions associated
with the item are "what are your favorite places to shop for scuba
gear?" and "how often do you shop for scuba gear?"
[0093] The database 314A in the example of FIG. 3B stores the
emails and data/information associated with the emails (referred to
herein after as `email data`) added by the users to the networking
environment. Examples of email data that are stored include but are
not limited to the recipient(s) of the email, whom the email is
sent from, the content of the email, the semantic tags associated
with the email, the keywords identified from the text body of the
email, and/or scheduled events identifiable via the body of the
email.
[0094] An example of email data stored in the database 314A is
shown in 314B. The title of subject line of the email is "Sat.
September 22, meet at the Cayman Islands?" The recipients of the
email are "Anne" and "Joe", the email is sent from "Tom Jerry. The
identified content of the email is an "Invitation to the annual
scuba divers' symposium". The semantic tags identified from the
email, either tagged by a user, specified by the content provider,
or automatically identified by the networking environment, are
"scuba", "Cayman Islands", "meet", and "carpool". The identified
event to be scheduled in this email is "September 22--Annual Scuba
Divers' Symposium in the Cayman Islands".
[0095] The database 316A in the example of FIG. 3B stores the
photographs and data/information associated with the photographs
(referred to herein after as `photograph data`) provided by the
users to the networking environment. Examples of photograph data
that are stored include but are not limited to the author of the
photograph, the content of the photograph, the day/time the
photograph was taken, saved, edited, and/or otherwise modified. The
pixel count and file type of the photograph. An example of
photograph data stored in the database 316A is shown in 316B. The
author of the photograph is "Anne Smith", and the contents of the
photograph include the "whale shark". The photograph was taken at
"3:25 PM on 4/5/2005"; the pixel count of the photograph is "6.7
MP" and the file type is ".TIFF".
[0096] FIG. 3C depicts a block diagram of a database for storing
popular searches 322, a database for storing popular tags 324, a
database for storing popular nets 326A, and a database for storing
user nets 326B, according to one embodiment.
[0097] The database 322 stores a list of popular searches that
occurred on the networking environment. The popular searches can be
determined based on the total number of searches that occurred for
the keyword over a predetermined amount of time. Similarly, the
popular searches can be determined based on the rate of increase in
the number of searches for a particular keyword over a
predetermined amount of time. In some embodiments, the searches for
the same keyword that originate from the same user, IP address, or
machine ID, for example, are factored in and not counted towards
the tally towards determining popularity of a search term. In the
example database 322 of FIG. 3C, the identified popular searches
include the keywords "iPhone", "Apple", "Iraq", "Presidential
campaign", "Interest rate", "Subprime", "Italy", and "Spanish
Wine".
[0098] The database 324 stores a list of popular tags on the
networking environment. The tags can, in some embodiments, be
identified from items (e.g., web content, email, web objects,
photographs, contacts, calendar events, etc.) provided by users in
the networking environment. For example, an item can be tagged with
keywords added by a user to the networking environment and/or be
tagged automatically by the system based on a set of
metadata/meta-tags associated with the item. In addition, the item
may be tagged by the third-party provider of the item. In some
embodiments, the meta-tags include semantic tags. Thus, items
having topically similar and/or related content can be identified
in the networking environment items database and counted towards
identifying the popular tags.
[0099] Additionally, tags indicating similar and/or related
keywords and tags can be identified in user information databases
in determining the popular tags on the networking environment.
Additional methods and/or algorithms for identifying popular tags
are contemplated and expected and do not deviate from the novel art
of this disclosure. In the example database 324 of FIG. 3C, the
identified popular tags include "Web 3.0", "India", "New York
Times", "Hillary Clinton", "Semantic Web", "Terrorism", "Travel",
"Wine", "Web 2.0", "Xbox 360", "iPhone", "Foreclosure", and
"Interest rates".
[0100] The database 326A stores a list of popular nets on the
networking environment. In the example database 326A of FIG. 3C,
the identified popular nets stored in database 326A include
"Fishing", "India", "Web 2.0", "Wine", "Real Estate", and "Scuba
Diving". In one embodiment, each net that is identified as popular
in the database 326A is an individual net and determined as
`popular` based on the number of members in the net. Alternatively,
the popularity can be determined by the total number of views of
the net over a predetermined amount of time, regardless of whether
the net was viewed by a registered user or a visitor. The
popularity can also be determined by the rate of increase of views
over a predetermined amount of time. In some embodiments, the
popularity is determined by the total number of views of the net
generated by users who are not members of the net.
[0101] In some embodiments, the views generated by the same user in
a net do not count towards the number of views that determine
popularity of a net. In one embodiment, each identified popular net
includes a plurality of nets that relate to a similar topic. For
example, the popular net "India" may include the nets having topics
similar to but is not limited to the "Taj Mahal", "tombstones",
"Bangalore", "Bombay", "authentic curry", etc. Since in some
embodiments, the contents of the nets have semantic meta-tags,
other related content (e.g., similar and/or related content on
other nets) shared on the networking environment are identified and
a set of popular nets having similar and/or related content can be
determined.
[0102] The database 326B stores the user nets and data/information
associated with the user nets (hereinafter referred to as `user net
data`). The user net data stored in the database 326B can include,
for example, but is not limited to, the user(s) who created the
net, the contents of the net, items posted in the net, the number
of items posted in the net, the number of members in the net, the
number of guest visitors in the net, the number of views,
promotional items, semantic tags and/or keywords, related nets,
and/or related items.
[0103] One or more users can create a net, for example, to
facilitate information/knowledge sharing and/or to provide
centralized access to a set of data/information. In addition, since
in some embodiments, semantic meta-data tagging enables similar
and/or related data/information to be identified on the networking
environment, nets can be created by a user to add information and
to identify additional related information provided by other users
through items added by the other users and/or the nets created by
the other users. The additional items and nets of other users can
be stored in the database 326B such that when the net is accessed
by a user, the user is apprised of related or similar items and
nets that may be of interest to the user. The items in a net may or
may not have a common theme or topic of interest. Thus, the
identified contents of the net, either based on keyword matches,
semantic matches, as identified automatically, by the user, and/or
by the third party content provider, can be stored in the database
326B. In one embodiment, a list of promotion items provided in the
net is stored in the database 326B. A promotional item can be a
third party advertisement or other types of endorsements for a
product and/or service added to the net by a user or members of the
net.
[0104] An example of user net data stored in the database 326B is
shown in 326C. The user that created the net "Tourism in India" has
a user name of "iLoVEtraVel2007", and the contents of the net
include "Indian food", "Indian culture", "Taj Mahal", "Agra",
"Bangalore", and "Delhi". The items posted on the net include
"Emails about itinerary", "scheduled meetings", "hotel
reservations", and "car reservations", "web content about scenic
spots in India", and "Notes about plans in India and soliciting
advise/comments about India Travels".
[0105] The number of items posted in the net is `15`, the number of
members of the net is `3`, the number of guests to the net is `8`,
and the number of views of the net is `35`. The promotional items
in the net include "3 days/4 nights road trip special from
Bangalore to Agra", and "Discount tickets to the Taj Mahal". The
semantic tags/keywords determined in the items included in the net
include "tombstones", "Taj Mahal", "Agra", "deserts", Ministry of
Tourism", "visa", "yoga", "IIT Kanpur", "Monsoon", and "Goa". Nets
related to "Tourism in India" include "Beautiful Taj Mahal",
"Bombay", "Curry!", and "Safaris".
[0106] FIG. 3D depicts a block diagram of a database for storing
ontologies 342A and a database for storing promotional content
sponsorship information 344A, according to one embodiment.
[0107] The database 342A stores the ontologies available in the
networking environment. The ontologies can be provided and
integrated by administrators of the networking environment. In
addition, ontologies can be requested by a user to be added into
the platform, or added to the platform by a user. In the example
database 342A of FIG. 3D, the currently available ontologies
include the ontologies for "Web 2.0", "Oceanography", "Enology",
"cosmology", "Biomedical Ontology", "Proteomics", "Clothing",
"Internet", "Electronics", "Real estate", "Agricultural", "Beer",
and "Investment". An example of a portion of the enology ontology
stored in the database 342A is shown in 342B. The enology ontology
includes a list of the different types of barrels ("Oak" (e.g.,
French oak and American oak), "Stainless Steel", different types of
wines ("White wine (e.g., Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc), "Red
wine" (e.g., Cabernet Sauvignon, Burgundy, Bordeaux, and Pinot
Noir), "Champagne"), and the different steps involved in wine
making ("harvesting", "destemming", "crushing", "fermentation",
"barreling", and "bottling").
[0108] The database 344A stores a list of sponsors and
data/information associated with the sponsors (referred to
hereinafter as `sponsor data`). As discussed, the web content added
by users to the networking environment can sometimes include
promotional content that promotes one or more of an idea, product,
and/or service. Similarly, the content provider can be a service
subscriber of the networking environment services and shares items
having promotional content on the network to increase exposure and
access of the promotional content to users of the networking
environment.
[0109] In some embodiments, the content provider can become a
sponsor, such that when web content provided by the content
provider is added to the networking environment (e.g., either by
the third-party content provider and/or another user), the content
provider can have access to additional services, in particular,
marketing services and access to market-related data relevant to
the ideal/product/service the content provider wishes to promote.
In some instances, the sponsor is not necessarily the content
provider of the web content but merely an entity with vested
interest in the promotional material in the web content. In some
embodiments, membership fees are assessed in association with
sponsorship of promotional content in the networking environment.
The assessment of membership fees and the additional
functions/services provided in association with promotional content
are described in more detail in the description of FIG. 9.
[0110] The sponsor data stored in the database can include but is
not limited to, the company making the sponsorship, the
advertisements that are being sponsored by the company, the payment
method, the fee structure adopted by the sponsor, the survey
questions the sponsor wishes to be presented to users, the
promotional features included in the membership, and the semantic
tags/keywords related to the sponsorship, business, trade, service
and/or product.
[0111] An example of a portion of the sponsorship data stored in
the database 344A is shown in 344B. The sponsor "Vino Discounters"
sponsors "all advertisements from Vino Discounters" on behalf of
the company "Vino Discounters Co.". The sponsor has signed up for
the additional services to "pay for keyword placement", "pay for
semantic keyword placement", "pay for targeted advertisement", and
"pay for track advertisement distribution" and the payments are to
be remitted via "Automatic debit".
[0112] The survey questions to be presented to a user whom has
indicated interest in a sponsored advertisement include "where do
you purchase wine and wine related apparatus". The promotional
features included in the sponsorship of "Vino Discounters" include
"cross-link to related products/services", "distribute
advertisements to members of specific mailing lists", and
"personalize advertisement content". The semantic tags/keywords
associated with content provided by the sponsor include "wine",
"wine bottles", "wine opener", "storage", "pairings", "decant",
"age", "Zinfandel", "reservatol", "heart disease", "liver disease",
"grapes", "tastings", "nose", and "Brut".
[0113] More or less databases may be included. The databases can
store other types of information, including but not limited to,
information, data, services pertaining to knowledge/information
sharing, and user friendliness, and/or additional information
related to tracking and monitoring propagation of web content and
information among the users in the networking environment.
Additional data types that can be stored in databases, such as data
related to delivering the services, functions, and features of a
web-based networking environment to providing advanced marketing
services to entities utilizing the knowledge networking to
intelligently promote an idea/service/product, are contemplated and
expected, and do not deviate from the novel art of this
disclosure.
[0114] In some embodiments, one or more databases can be
implemented as one database and different types of information can
be stored in combination rather than in separation as shown in the
example databases of FIGS. 3A-3D.
[0115] FIG. 4A illustrates a screenshot 400 of a login screen to
access the knowledge networking environment, according to one
embodiment.
[0116] In the example of FIG. 4A, the platform utilizes a
username/email and password identification method for authorizing
access. The screen in the example screenshot collects data to
determine if the user is authorized to access the system and if so,
securely logs the user into the system. In other embodiments, other
forms of identity authentication, include but is not limited to,
security cards, digital certificates, biometric identifiers (e.g.,
fingerprints, retinal scans, facial scans, DNA, etc.) can be
utilized and are contemplated and in accordance with this
disclosure. A user may be able to specify and/or obtain a logon ID
after subscribing or registering.
[0117] The user may be able to obtain a trial account, for a period
of time during which the user can access the networking environment
(with full or limited services) to determine if the user wishes to
obtain a full account. In addition, the user may be invited by a
registered user, for example, to join a common interest group
(e.g., net), and/or to access an object shared on the networking
environment, for example. A user with a guest account may have
access to limited features and services relative to a full account.
A subscription fee may be charged to service
subscribers/registrants on a one-time basis, a monthly basis, a
yearly basis, a usage basis, and/or other fee structures. In some
embodiments, visitors may be charged a fee for temporary access to
the features, services, and access to data shared on the networking
environment.
[0118] FIG. 4B illustrates an example screenshot 410 of a graphical
user interface for information and subscription management of a
user net.
[0119] The user interface for managing/updating information and
subscription management for a user net is shown in the example
screenshot 410 of FIG. 4B. The screen 410 allows the user to access
various functions and services related to user net management
provided by the networking environment. The screen in the example
includes an "About Me" section where the first ("John") and last
name ("Doe") of the user that is logged on is shown. The "About Me"
section of the screen also includes a list of the user's contacts
on the networking environment. In one embodiment, the screen 410
includes a listing of the groups to which the user belongs to
(e.g., "Photography", "Knowledge Base", and "Alpha Tester
Information").
[0120] In one embodiment, items (e.g., web content, web objects)
can be added to the net by sending an email having the items to a
predetermined email address. For example, the email can include an
attachment of a photograph to be added to the net. In addition, the
email can include, but is not limited to, a note, a calendar event,
a link, and/or any other web content to be added to the net,
uniquely identified by the email address to which the email is sent
to. In the example shown, content can be added to the user's (John
Doe's) net via sending an email to "john@users.add.com". Therefore,
the user ("John Doe") can provide this email to friends, other
service subscribers, non service subscribers such that they can add
items to the user's net. In some embodiments, an authentication and
validation procedure is performed by the sender to verify whether
the user has authorized the email sender to add items to the user
net. For example, the user can have a list of valid sender email
addresses from which to accept items. In other embodiments, no
verification is performed, so long as a valid email recipient
address is indicated, or some other suitable condition is met.
[0121] The example user interface 410 for managing/updating
information and subscription management for a user net includes a
frame 402 that identifies and lists (e.g., in a word cloud) the top
types of web content in the user net, in this example, the net
managed by John Doe. The top types of web content in this example
are indicated to be notes, people, and web pages. The top types of
web content can be determined based on the number of items the user
has in each category. In some embodiments, the top types of web
content can be determined based on the number of views that each
category of web content has generated. In addition, the top types
of web content can depend on the number of users that have
bookmarked, shared, collected, or otherwise shown interest in the
items belonging to different categories. Other methods and/or
algorithms of determining the top types of web content in a net are
contemplated and do not deviate from the novel art of this
disclosure.
[0122] In one embodiment, the user interface 410 for
managing/updating information and subscription management for the
user net includes a frame 404 that depicts (e.g., in a word cloud)
the top tags of the net. The tags can be identified from the web
content in the net, provided by the creator of the net and/or other
users. The other users may or may not be registrants of the
web-based networking services. The tags can be keyword tags,
semantic tags or semantic links. The tags can be identified from
web content through one or more of many methods, some of which are
described herein as follows. Keyword tags can be manually added by
users that added the web content to the network. For example, the
user can highlight the text of the item, via one or more of any
known or convenient method to indicate the keywords to be
tagged.
[0123] The user can also type the keywords into a keyword field
that receives keywords associated with the web content that are to
be tagged. In addition to manual tags by users, the web content may
have associated with it, metadata that indicates keywords and/or
semantic tags and/or semantic links related to the item. The
metadata associated with the web content can be provided by the
content provider of the web content or any other entity. In one
embodiment, the networking environment performs automatic tagging
of keywords and/or semantic tags/links of items added to the
platform. The automatic tagging can be performed in addition to or
in lieu of manual tagging or through the metadata associated with
the item. Tagging functions are further discussed as it relates to
the tagging module in the description of FIG. 8.
[0124] Note that one or more icons shown in the example screenshots
400 and 410, and the screenshots illustrated in other figures in
this application, can and are expected to be linked to one or more
web pages with different screen layouts, depending on the services
selected. Additional screens with different screen layouts are
contemplated and considered to be in accordance with the techniques
and embodiments disclosed herein to provide the general
functionality and services related to knowledge networking and
collecting market-related data via knowledge networking.
[0125] FIG. 5 illustrates an example screenshot 500 of a graphical
user interface displaying relationships between a user and contacts
of the user in the knowledge networking environment, according to
one embodiment.
[0126] In the example screenshot 500 of FIG. 5, a web page for the
user ("John") to manage and/or to view his contacts is displayed.
The user, as shown, has two contacts (e.g., "Tom" and "Anne")
designated to have a collegial relationship with the user ("John").
In some embodiments, the user can have different contacts for
different nets that the user has created and/or manages. In this
example, the list of contacts for the net named ("My Net") is
illustrated. Additionally, different relationships between the user
and contacts are available, including but not limited to,
relatives, immediate family, friends, acquaintances, etc. In one
embodiment, the webpage for managing and/or viewing contacts
includes a search box where the user can submit text and/or
keywords to search for existing users on the user's contact
list.
[0127] In addition, the user interface of screenshot 500 can enable
the user to invite friends and/or acquaintances to join the
networking environment or to connect to existing friends and/or
acquaintances on the network. In one embodiment of the present
disclosure, the search box accepts email addresses of
friends/acquaintances that the user would like to send an
invitation to join the network or existing friends/acquaintances on
the network that they would like to add as a contact and connect
to. In some embodiments, the search box provides a basis for the
user to search for other users outside of the user's contact list,
by submitting text that wholly or partially matches the first
and/or last names of the other users. In addition, keywords and/or
semantic tags can be submitted via the search box to identify other
users whose user profile/information contains the queried keywords
and/or semantic tags. Once a user not currently in the user's
("John's") contact list is identified via a search query, the user
can be added via the "Add Contacts" button. Depending on the
preferences of the user being added, a request can be sent to the
user, the user can be automatically added to the contact list or
the request may be immediately denied.
[0128] FIG. 6A illustrates an example screenshot 600 of a graphical
user interface for a user to access and manage various services
provided by the networking environment, including connections,
items, tags, and/or events, according to one embodiment.
[0129] In example screenshot 600, the user's home page where
content hosted by the networking environment is displayed. The home
page is, in one embodiment, a collective view of different types of
information the user has added to the networking environment. The
home page also provides access to popular tags and popular content
types identified by the networking environment. For example, the
home page for user "John" shows, the nets that John belongs to
(e.g., "Nets I Belong To"), the user's friends (e.g., "My
Friends"), relatives (e.g., "My Relatives"), colleagues (e.g., "My
Co-workers"), contacts (e.g., "My Contacts"), types of web content
(e.g., "note", "person", "web page"), latest items (e.g., "Beers
worth waiting . . . ", "Email item"), some popular tags identified
from the user's web contents (e.g., "champagne", "red", "tasting",
etc.), events, and/or photos. Additional or less categories can be
displayed on the home page. In some embodiments, the layout of the
homepage is user modifiable. For example, some categories can be
removed from the home page or shifted to a different location on
the home page.
[0130] Note that the entries and options associated with the
category boxes are, in some embodiments, hyperlinks. For example,
the text "Photography" under the category "Nets I belong to", when
clicked, opens up a user interface of the net "Photography".
Similarly, when the text "Email Item" under the category "Latest
Items" is clicked, an interface having the "Email Item" is opened
up. In addition to accessing existing content in the networking
environment via the home page, the home page can include hyperlinks
to allow users to add content. For example, a hyperlink for adding
contacts is included at the bottom of the category boxes, "My
Friends", "My Relatives", "My Co-workers", and "My Contacts". When
the "Add Contact" link is clicked, an interface is displayed for
example, to allow the interface to invite friends to join the
network and/or to connect to a friend/acquaintance already on the
network.
[0131] In one embodiment, the entries in the "Tags" category box
are also hyperlinks. When the hyperlinks in the "Tags" category box
(e.g., "champagne") are clicked on, the web contents in the
networking environment having the word "champagne" tagged are
presented. The web content presented may or may not be content
present in the user's net ("My Net"). Depending on the user's
setting and privacy settings of other nets, web content in other
user nets having the word "champagne" tagged can be displayed as
well.
[0132] FIG. 6B illustrates an example screenshot 610 of a graphical
user interface displaying third party web content hosted by the
networking environment, according to one embodiment.
[0133] The example screenshot of FIG. 6B illustrates an instance of
third party web content hosted by the networking environment
displayed on a web page. The web content ("Web Page: Company to
build solar thermal plant, raises $40M") shown in this example is
added by the user ("John") to the user net ("My Net"). The instance
of the web content includes a URL of the third party hosting the
content for a visitor to view the original document. In addition, a
description of the web content can also be shown. In some
embodiments, the description is specified by the user that added
the content. The description can in some instances, be an excerpt
or full text of the web content.
[0134] In one embodiment, tags can be identified (e.g., by the
system or by the user) from the text in the description of the web
content. The tags may be highlighted in the description and, in
addition, listed under the tags section (e.g., "Solar" and "Silicon
Valley"). Tags can be added by the user and/or visitors of the
user's net that views the web content by clicking on the hyperlink
"Add Tags" displayed on the web page. In addition, comments about
the web content can be added by the user and/or other users that
have viewed the web content. In some embodiments, a discussion
group about the web content can be facilitated through users and
visitors posting comments via this web page. Of course, the
visitors that are able to view and/or post comments can be
moderated by the creator of the net and/or the user that added the
web content.
[0135] In one embodiment, web content added to the networking
environment can be `collected` and `shared` by users that are
active in the network. The users may be visitors, trial service
subscribers, and/or service subscribers. For example, the user that
created the content in "My Net" may wish to share the web content
("Web Page: Company to build solar thermal plant, raises $40M")
with another net focused on alternative energy solutions. The web
content creator ("John") can share the content with another net by
clicking on the button "Collect and Share" 612. The button 612, in
one embodiment, allows the user to share the content with another
net and/or another user.
[0136] When the user selects to share the content with another net,
a user interface screen such as that shown in the example of FIG.
6C is displayed on the screen. FIG. 6C illustrates an example
screenshot 620 of a graphical user interface 622 for sharing the
web content shown in FIG. 6B with another net, according to one
embodiment. On interface screen 622, the user can select one or
more nets the user ("John") wishes to share the web content with.
In one embodiment, the user can add a comment with the shared web
content. Once the user submits the web content to be shared,
depending on the privacy and access rights of the selected net(s),
the web content may be automatically added to the destination net,
or the web content may be added upon approval by one or more
authorized moderators of the net.
[0137] Similarly, when the user selects to share the content with
another user, a user interface screen such as that shown in the
example of FIG. 6D is displayed on the screen. FIG. 6D illustrates
an example screenshot 630 of a graphical user interface 632 for
sharing the web content shown in FIG. 6B with another user,
according to one embodiment. On interface screen 632, the user can
select one or more contacts ("Tom", "Jerry", and "Anne") to share
the web content with. In one embodiment, the user can add a comment
with the shared web content. Once the user submits the web content
to be shared, depending on the privacy and access rights of the
selected recipient(s), the web content may be automatically shared
with the recipient, or the web content may be shared upon approval
by the recipient. After the user hits the "Share" button, the user
interface screens 622 and 632 disappear and the web content is
visible on the screen again.
[0138] In some embodiments, sharing of web content with nets and
users are initiated by visitors in addition to the creator of the
web content in the net. For example, a visitor, Jimmy, of the
John's user net ("My Net"), can share the web content added by John
on John's user net with other users and other nets. In addition to
sharing web content with another user, a visitor of the creator's
("John") net ("My Net") can collect the web content. The visitor
can collect web content, such that, for example, the web content
("Web Page: Company to build solar thermal plant, raises $40M") is
added to the visitor's user net.
[0139] In one embodiment, the button 612 "Collect and Share" is
utilized by visitors to add the web content of interest to the
visitor's own user net. In some embodiments, the original content
provider and the creator of the web content on the net where the
visitor is viewing the content impose limitation as to the degree
of sharing and collecting of items. These limitations can be
tracked and enforced by the networking environment.
[0140] FIG. 7A illustrates an example screenshot 700 of a graphical
user interface for viewing and managing web content 702, 704, 706
added to the networking environment, according to one
embodiment.
[0141] In some instances, the web content added to the network by a
user includes promotional content. In the example screenshot 700 of
a list of web content added by a user in the networking environment
includes an online news article 702, web content promoting
scuba/snorkeling fins 704, and web content promoting kid's swim
mask 706. In the web page for viewing and managing a user's web
content, additional items can be added by clicking on the "Add
Item" button. A listing of tags identified from the user's web
content may also be displayed on the viewing/managing screen 700.
The search field shown on the viewing/managing screen can be used
to locate web content in the user's one or more nets based on the
query. In some embodiments, the search is based on a semantic
search. In some instances, relevant web content added by other
users (keyword match and/or semantic link) can be identified and
listed in the search results in response to a query.
[0142] In one embodiment, the promotional content (e.g., content
704, 706) can be collected by other users, shared with nets and/or
other users in a manner similar to that illustrated in FIGS. 6C-D.
Promotional content can be bookmarked as well, although not
explicitly shown in the figures. Since the sharing and distribution
of web content, in particular, promotional content occurs in the
networking environment, the system has the ability to track the
access and distribution by users in the network, and in some
embodiments, collect data related to the access and distribution of
the web content among one or more users. In addition to identifying
and collecting access and distribution data of promotional content,
the networking platform can further identify information to
determine performance metrics of the promotional content.
[0143] For example, indications of performance include, but is not
limited to, clicks on the link to view a web site of the
third-party content provider, a purchase that results from a user
that adds the promotional content to the networking environment,
any transaction that results from a user adding the promotional
content, transactions resulting from a user sharing the content
with other users, number of views of the content via the networking
environment and/or via the third-party content provider's website,
identified interest in a second promotional content based on its
relation to a first promotional content, etc.
[0144] Oftentimes, the access and distribution data collected can
be valuable market information for the promoters. Thus, entities
may wish to sponsor promotional content. The sponsoring entity can
be the original host of the promotional content and/or a
third-party with vested interest in the promotional content. The
sponsorship can be applied to individual instances of web content,
or applied to a set of web content (e.g., Dell Computers may wish
to sponsor all web content having promotional material that
promotes items sold by or made by Dell Computers). Similarly,
Microsoft may wish to sponsor web content having promotional
material that promotes laptops and desktops made by Dell, in
addition to sponsoring web content having promotional content for
Microsoft products, since Microsoft may believe that sales of
computers typically lead to purchase of the Windows operating
system by the same customer. The concept of sponsoring promotional
content to further advance a vested interest in the promoted
material, further applies to but is not limited to, promotion of
services, ideas, concepts, religion, events, in addition to
products.
[0145] In one embodiment, the one or more sponsors of web content
having promotional content elect to pay to receive market data
collected by the networking environment deemed valuable. Different
fee structures are provided to tailor to the needs of different
types of businesses and different types of market needs, for
example. The sponsorship fee can enable a sponsor of web content,
to access raw data collected related to access and distribution of
the web content. Further, the sponsorship fee may allow the sponsor
to access statistical data compiled from the raw data. The sponsor
may also purchase information related to the performance of the
promotional content, as identified by, for example, but not limited
to, user interest level in the promotional content, actions
(clicks, views, purchases, sales, etc.) generated in response to
viewing the promotional content. The performance metrics can be
qualitative or quantitative. The sponsor may pay an extra fee for
quantitative data, another extra fee for further analysis of the
data, such as, but not limited to, statistical analysis.
[0146] In one embodiment, sponsors pay for obtaining relational
information between the user interest level/performance metrics of
the promotional content and user information. Obtaining user
information provides market information about the types of
attributes, qualities in an individual that are likely to indicate
interest in the promotional content. Sponsors can utilize this
information to identify a set of users towards which to target
promotional content. Sponsors can further utilize this data to
determine variations of the promotional content that may be of
interest to other groups of users. In some embodiments, sponsors
can pay for placement on a search result page when a relevant query
is made. Sponsors can also pay to have the promotional content
presented to have a likelihood of interest in the promotional
material. Both the push and pull advertising models can be used.
The pull model may cost the sponsor more. In addition, sponsors can
pay for being semantically linked to related and/or similar
products.
[0147] FIG. 7B illustrates an example screenshot 710 of an applet
712 for adding web content to the networking environment from the
original web page 714 hosting the web content, according to one
embodiment.
[0148] One embodiment of a process of adding web content to the
networking environment is to click the "Add Item" button on one or
more user interfaces of the networking environment, such as that
shown in FIG. 7A. Another example of a method for adding web
content to the networking environment occurs on the original web
page hosting the web content. As shown, in order to add the web
content shown in screenshot 710 to the networking environment, the
applet 712 can be initiated on the original web page 714. The
applet 712 is, in one embodiment, initiated via a java script
having a link that can be bookmarked. Thus, by clicking on the
bookmark while browsing the original web page hosting the web
content to be added to the networking environment, content can be
added without having to logon to the networking environment.
[0149] The applet 712 allows the user to identify the type of item
being added, the net to be added to, and enter descriptive
information (e.g., title, summary, tags, and/or comments) regarding
the web content. In some embodiments, the title, summary, and tags
are automatically determined by the applet; however, the user can
make modifications if so desired. The tags identified by the user
and/or the applet can be keyword based and or semantically
based.
[0150] FIG. 8 depicts a block diagram illustrating components of a
system for collecting market-related data through the web-based
networking environment, according to one embodiment.
[0151] In the example of FIG. 8, the host server 800 is one
embodiment of the system. The system includes a tracking module
802, a user module 804, an item management module 806 having a
promotional content module, a market data module 808 having a
statistics module, a fee module 810, and/or a tagging module 812.
Additional or less modules can be included without deviating from
the novel art of this disclosure. In addition, each module in the
example of FIG. 8 can include any number and combination of
sub-modules, and systems, implemented with any combination of
hardware and/or software modules.
[0152] The host server 800, although illustrated as comprised of
distributed components (physically distributed and/or functionally
distributed), could be implemented as a collective element. In some
embodiments, some or all of the modules, and/or the functions
represented by each of the modules can be combined in any
convenient or known manner. Furthermore, the functions represented
by the modules can be implemented individually or in any
combination thereof, partially or wholly, in hardware, software, or
a combination of hardware and software.
[0153] The tracking module 802 can be any combination of software
agents and/or hardware modules able to track user activity related
to web content added to the networking environment (e.g., knowledge
networking environment). For example, the tracking module 802
records the instances when web content added to the networking
environment is viewed, who viewed the web content, and the time and
date the content is viewed. The data can be stored in the system
for a predetermined amount of time, as suitable. The tracking
module may also record the instances when the web content is
bookmarked, collected, shared with another user and/or net, and who
bookmarks, collects, and/or shares the content. The recipient and
the net receiving the web content can also be recorded. In some
instances, the tracking module also records different users add the
same content to the networking environment, since identical web
content added by different users can be an indication of
interest.
[0154] In one embodiment, the tracking module 802 determines when a
user views a third-party web page in response to viewing web
content in the networking environment. The tracking module can also
record when additional actions (e.g., purchase, sale, lease, rent,
bid, ask a questions, post a comment, send a message, send an
email, etc.) occur in response to viewing web content, in
particular, web content having promotional content. In most
instances, the identities of the parties involved in the action are
recorded. In some embodiments, the tracking module 802 collects
numerical data regarding content access/distribution and performs
elementary statistical analysis on the data collected. In some
embodiments, elementary statistical analysis and/or additional data
analysis methods are performed in the market data module 808.
[0155] For example, the tracking module 802 can record the number
and percentage of visitors that collected the web content, visitors
that collected the web content then shared the web content,
visitors who made a purchase based on the web content. The tracking
module 802 may also record the average number of subsequent shares
per user that has viewed the web content, the average number of
visits to the web content before collecting it. In one embodiment,
the tracking module 802 determines when a user collects web
content, the average number of repeat visits to web content per
user prior to collecting the web content. The total number of users
that the web content has spread to can be determined by the
tracking module 802. In addition, the velocity and/or the
acceleration of the spread of the web content can be determined and
recorded.
[0156] In one embodiment, the tracking module 802 determines the
total volume of collections, shares, bookmarks, shares, purchases
for web content over a predetermined amount of time. For example,
the daily volume of the total number of users that collected an
advertisement for the iPhone can be determined and stored. In one
embodiment, the tracking module 802 can determine which users are
the top spreaders of the web content. In some embodiments, the
tracking module 802 distinguishes between a visitor who is not a
subscriber and a visitor who is a subscriber and records the
subscription status of a user who accessed and/or distributed web
content.
[0157] The user module 804 can be any combination of software
agents and/or hardware modules able to identify user metadata from
a set of user information. The user information can be supplied by
the user and/or identified by the networking environment. For
example, the user information can include basic profile information
submitted by the user during registration, such as a first and last
name, birth date, location, etc. In addition, the user may have the
option of submitting additional information including but is not
limited to, nationality, religion, ethnicity, interests, hobbies,
occupation, education, etc. as described in detail in FIG. 3A. User
information can also be identified based on user activity on the
networking environment.
[0158] For example, general interest can be identified from common
topics or themes in the content added by a user to the networking
environment. Similarly, general interest can be determined based on
commonalities between the user and the user's contacts and/or
connections on the networking environment. In one embodiment, user
information can be deduced from visits to other users' nets and
views of content provided by other users. Additionally, web content
collected and/or bookmarked by the user provides additional
information about the user. The type of the web content (e.g., a
web page, an email, a photograph, etc.) in addition to the
intellectual content of the web content (e.g., the subject matter
of an online news paper article) can both be utilized to obtain
user information.
[0159] In some embodiments, the user module 804 communicates or
otherwise shares information with the tracking module 802 such that
access/distribution data can be associated with user data about the
users involved in the access and distribution of web content. For
example, demographic, geographic, and/or psychographic analysis can
be performed on the data collected in relation to access and
distribution of web content, in particular, promotional content.
Alternatively, the data identified and stored by the tracking
module 802 and the user module 804 can be stored in a common data
depository (e.g., on the tracking module, on the user modules, or
external to the tracking and user modules) such that data recorded
by the tracking and user modules can be retrieved independently or
in conjunction, as necessary.
[0160] The item management module 806 can be any combination of
software agents and/or hardware modules able to track any activity
or the lack of, related to web content that has been added to the
networking environment. The item management module 806 can manage
web content added to the networking environment and delete web
content in response to receiving a request from a user with rights
to delete the web content.
[0161] In one embodiment, the item management module 806 identifies
a number of rules associated with privacy and/or access rights of
the web content. For example, a user can specify a set of
relational attributes when adding web content to the networking
environment. Relational attributes can include, for example, who
can see the content, the users that can see the content, or a
particular group of users that can see the content. In some
embodiments, a set of users with a predetermined relationship
(e.g., family) of the user can view the content. In addition,
relational attributes can further include who can edit the content,
share the content, collect the content, and/or bookmark the
content. Similar to content viewing rights, edit, commenting,
asking a question, sharing, collecting, bookmarking rights can be
specified by default, on an individual basis, on a relationship
basis, or on a group basis (e.g., only users who are subscribers
can edit the content).
[0162] In one embodiment, the item management module 806 identifies
the preferences of a content provider associated with accessibility
of the web content when the content provider is a third-party host
of the web content. The preferences can be determined from metadata
associated with the web content. For example, the third-party host
may not permit edits/modifications to be made to the web content.
In addition, the third-party host may limit the number of shares
that can be made on the networking environment. Thus, in one
embodiment, the item management module 806 determines a set of
rules governing accessibility of the web content based on the
relational attributes specifiable by the user who adds the web
content and the preferences of the third-party host of the web
content, when applicable. When users share and distribute web
content in the networking environment, the item management module
806 enforces the set of rules. In one embodiment, the item
management module 806 includes a promotional content module.
[0163] The market data module 808 can be any combination of
software agents and/or hardware modules able to collect, compile,
and/or analyze data that is generally market related. In some
embodiments, the market data module 808 can obtain data from one or
more of the tracking module 802, user module 804, and/or the item
management module 806. Further, the market data module 808 can
dynamically interact with a plurality of modules in the system
(e.g., host server 800) to obtain data needed for analysis to
determine market data related to promotional content distributed in
the networking environment, or to provide market data for
promotional material to be distributed in the networking
environment. For example, if the market data module 808 determines
that more data points in time are necessary, the market data module
808 can place a request to increase the frequency at which data is
obtained, to the tracking module 802. Thus, data collection and
analyses procedures can be performed interactively, for example, on
an as needed basis. In other embodiments, data is collected by the
tracking and/or user modules, with predetermined settings.
[0164] In one embodiment, the market data module 808 records the
number and percentage of users that accessed the web content, who
reported owning the promoted material versus the number and
percentage of users interested in purchasing the promoted material.
The market data module 808 can record the users, the number and/or
percentage of users who opted in to receive news and/or offers
related to the promotional material in the particular web content.
In one embodiment, the market data module 808 records the related
tags, topics of interest, web sites, people, companies, places,
events, media content, and/or product preference, brand affinity of
users who collected, shared, opted in, and/or purchased the
promoted material.
[0165] In one embodiment, the market data module 808 includes a
statistics module. The statistics module performs statistical
analysis on data collected such as computing the mean, standard
deviation, performing Gaussian analysis, performing principle
component analysis, determining regression, correlation, performing
the chi-square test, etc. In one embodiment, the market data module
808 performs additional data analysis methods which may be embodied
in part or in whole, in the market data module 808 and/or the
statistics module, by way of example but not limitation, curve
fitting, data mining, de-noising, encoding, decoding, etc.
[0166] The fee module 810 can be any combination of software agents
and/or hardware modules able to provide an offer of different
levels of services to sponsors and assessing fees based on the
adopted level of services. The fee module 810 can further obtain
and store sponsor information. A sponsor can pay a fee to sponsor
web content. For example, sponsored web content can be displayed in
the sponsored results section of the web page when a relevant query
(e.g., keyword match and/or semantic match) is made. Sponsored web
content can also be highlighted such that it is visually
distinguishable in a list of search results. In one embodiment, the
fee module 810 assesses the sponsor a fee to obtain raw
access/distribution data of the web content, such as the data
obtained by the tracking module 802. In addition, a fee can be
assessed by the fee module 810 to provide data indicating
performance metrics of the promotional content to the sponsor.
[0167] Performance metrics can be determined by a number of actions
generated by users in response to viewing the promotional content.
For example, transactions (e.g., purchase, sale, lease, rent, bid,
etc.) that occurred, the speed at which the promotional content is
shared and/or collected, visits to web sites of third-party hosts
of the promotional content, can be indicators of performances of
the promotional content. In some embodiments, the performance
metrics are quantified by the fee module 810. The sponsor can
access the quantified performance metrics with an additional fee.
In addition, the fee module 810 can communicate with the market
data module 808 to obtain or compute results related to the
statistical attributes of the quantified performance metrics, which
can be provided to the sponsor, with an additional fee.
[0168] In one embodiment, the sponsor can pay to obtain a detailed
viral report about the web content. For example, the fee module 810
can further communicate with the user module 804 to determine, in
addition to data related to propagation of promotional content,
data about users whom the promotional content is being shared with
or sent to. The fee module 810 can also communicate with the market
data module 808 to obtain market-related data specific to the
business needs of a particular sponsor and/or specific to the
services/products/ideas that a sponsor wishes to promote. The
amount of information available to different businesses may vary.
In some embodiments, a sponsor can view a sample report or a
portion of a real report prior to signing up to receive a
particular type of report. Reports can be generated by the system
(e.g., one or more of the tracking module, user module and/or the
market data module) and/or data can be exported by the sponsor for
analysis.
[0169] In one embodiment, keywords and/or semantic tags are
identified in the web content or promotional content added to the
networking environment. The keywords and/or semantic tags can be
identified by the tagging module 812 and/or manually by one or more
users. Regardless of how the tags are identified, in one
embodiment, semantic placement and/or keyword placement in a list
of search results can be purchased. For example, a sponsor may
purchase specific keywords for which the sponsored promotional
content will be listed when the keywords are queried. Additional
fees can be assessed for positioning the sponsored material higher
up in the list.
[0170] Furthermore, a sponsor can purchase semantic tags and/or
specific semantic links for which the sponsored material is to be
listed when a query related to the semantic tag/link is made. For
example, a placement on the search results page can occur for Kodak
film when a query for a camera is made. Similarly, a placement for
Microsoft Office can occur when a search for a laptop computer is
made. Thus, in addition to placements being made based on exact
keyword matches, placements can also be made based on an identified
intellectual content and related content to a query. The fee module
810 can identify related promotional material between various web
content with promotional content. The fee module 810 can offer
these services to a sponsor at a fee.
[0171] In one embodiment, promotional content can be presented to a
user based on the identified tags (e.g., top 20 tags) associated
with a user. The tags associated with a user can be identified
from, for example, but not limited to, the web content that the
user has added, from the user's nets, web content that the user has
viewed on the networking environment, and/or tags that the user has
added, etc. In one embodiment, the fee module 810 assesses a fee
from a sponsor to present promotional content to users based on the
tags associated with the user. In one embodiment, the fee module
810 assesses a fee to present survey questions when the promotional
content is accessed. An additional fee may be assessed to view the
results of the survey questions.
[0172] In one embodiment, a pay-per-view option is available for
web content for which sponsors pay an additional fee. In addition,
the fee module 810 can associate a "Buy It" button with the
promotional content when the sponsor is assessed the fee. The "Buy
It" button can direct the user to a page to facilitate ease of
payment. For example, the "Buy It" button, when clicked, can add
the item to the user's shopping cart and directs the user to a web
page to enter payment information. If the user's payment
information is already on record, the page may populate fields
and/or allow the user to immediately authorize payment to complete
the transaction.
[0173] In one embodiment, the fee module 810 enables a sponsor to
create a campaign for a set of related promotional material. For
example, the sponsor can create an advertisement to jointly promote
a set of products, services, and/or ideas. In some embodiments, the
fee module 810 creates the joint campaign for the sponsor at an
additional fee. In one embodiment, the fee module 810 provides
customized format and layout (e.g., different colors, icons,
pictures, etc.) for the promotional content to tailor to different
audiences, based on one or more of profile information, user
metadata, popular tags, etc. In addition, the sponsor can pay an
additional fee to automatically apply different sets of
personalized formatting to promotional content to target different
users (e.g., users of different age group, different gender,
different favorite colors, etc.). Further, premium features can be
added to sponsored promotional content, such as, flash media,
audio, music, video, java script, reminders, etc.
[0174] In one embodiment, tiered placements of web content can be
provided based on an identified social distance between one or more
of the users that provided the plurality of web content and the
user that placed a relevant query. The relevant query to can be
based on a semantic match and/or a keyword match with the plurality
of web content. However, the order of the listing of the search
results can be determined based on the relationship between the
user that placed the query and the user that added the web content
appearing in the search results. For example, a result with the
keyword match "Kodak camera" posted by a friend of the searcher may
be positioned higher in the results list compared with another
result with the same keyword match but posted by a friend of a
friend. Similar guidelines may apply to other types of
relationships, such as immediate family, relatives, in-law
relatives, blood relatives, colleagues, acquaintances, friends,
etc.
[0175] In one embodiment, fee module 810 offers to distribute
sponsored promotional content to users that belong to an interest
group. For example, to users who are members of a particular net,
to users that belong to a mailing list, to users with identified
interests pertinent to that of the sponsored material (e.g., tags,
user profile, contacts, keywords, etc.) to users that belong to a
discussion group, to members that have commented on particular
products/services/ideas. In addition, the fee module 810 can
receive requests for services not already offered.
[0176] The tagging module 812 can be any combination of software
agents and/or hardware modules able to identify one or more of
keywords, tags, meta-tags, semantic tags from user metadata, user
behavior on the networking environment, and/or metadata of web
content. Semantic tags can be identified based on one or more of
many methods. In one embodiment, tags are identified in content via
natural language processing (NLP). The natural language processing
method can detect nouns, proper nouns, verbs, subject, predicate,
object and/or other parts of speech as well as grammatical
expressions such as phrases and other constructions. For example,
proper nouns can be turned into tags. When the tags are clicked, a
query can be made to locate other web content and/or items with
that tag, and/or with any text that matches that tag.
[0177] In one embodiment, tags are identified via entity
extraction, by, for example, combining NLP and ontologies of
concept and rules. The combination of NLP and ontologies can detect
classes of concepts in intellectual content and semantically
classify the concepts as, one or more of but not limited to,
people, companies, places, addresses, phone numbers, general
concepts, or finer classifications of the above (e.g., products,
events, schools, celebrities, presidential candidates, etc.).
[0178] In one embodiment, tags are identified via a Bayesian
classification process thus enabling identification of one or more
subject matter/concepts the web content and/or an item encompasses.
In some instances, the subject matter can be identified even when
the subject matter is not explicitly mentioned in the web content.
For example an article describing process and procedure through
which the Declaration of Independence was drafted can be identified
as being related to "politics" and "history" and tagged as such,
even though neither the words "politics" nor "history" were
necessarily explicitly stated in the article. In one embodiment,
subject matter can be identified based on Bayesian statistical
techniques and performing machine learning to analyze a knowledge
(information) database with a predetermined structure (e.g.,
including for example, encyclopedias, dictionaries, thesaurus, such
as, but is not limited to, the Wikipedia, encyclopedia.com,
Britannica.com, MSN Encarta, dictionary.com, thesaurus.com,
techweb.com, etc.).
[0179] For example, the Wikipedia contains approximately 300,000
declared subject categories, which are specially named pages in
Wikipedia. Other pages in the Wikipedia that represent the content
or articles of Wikipedia are linked to the subject category pages
for the subjects they are relevant to. In one embodiment,
classified articles in Wikipedia having a particular subject matter
(e.g., "history") in the Wikipedia are utilized as "training
inputs" for the Bayesian classification process. Machine learning
can then be performed on the classified articles of the knowledge
(information) database to determine a set of statistical
classification rules for identifying content that is an indication
of the particular subject matter (e.g., "history"). The amount of
"training inputs" can be adjusted, in one embodiment, as suitable
to the application.
[0180] When a suitable amount of "training data" is provided for a
particular subject matter (e.g., "history"), an estimated
probability that an object having text is about the subject matter
(e.g., "history") can be provided via the Bayesian classification
process. In most instances, the accuracy and precision of estimated
probability that a set of content is about the particular subject
matter, increases with the quantity of "training data" provided
during the machine learning process. The same procedure can be
applied to additional subject matter and/or concepts.
[0181] In one embodiment, the classification process is performed
in a hierarchical manner, since, for example, the structure of the
original database for which a statistical model is built is also
hierarchical. For example, a set of content can initially be
analyzed to determine if it is about a particular subject matter
("history"). Then, the content can be analyzed to determine if it
is about a child-subject matter ("history of America") of the
subject matter ("history"). If the content is about the "history of
America", then the content can further be analyzed to determine if
subject matter further relates to a child-subject matter (e.g.,
"Declaration of Independence") of the "history of America", and so
on and so forth to further narrow and precisely identify one or
more subject matter.
[0182] In one embodiment, tags are identified via comparing textual
data in the network platform (e.g., text that occurs in emails,
notes, added web content, photographs, user profile, user metadata,
etc.) to text that occurs in other content on the networking
environment. For example, if an article includes one or more
references to "Super Solar", and additional content on the network
is identified to have one or more references to "Super Solar", then
the term "Super Solar" can be an identified tag. When the term
"Super Solar" is again detected in other content, the term "Super
Solar" can be tagged in the other content. Thus, in one embodiment,
significant phrases can be determined via detecting presence of the
phrases in one or more contents (e.g., items, objects, web content,
notes, photographs, emails, etc.) in the networking environment. In
some instances, for example, even when the phrases are not
identifiable by NLP, entity extraction, Bayesian classification
and/or explicit links,
[0183] In one embodiment, tags are identified via determining and
analyzing distribution of nouns and phrases that occur in the
content in the networking environment over time and user metadata.
For example, nouns and phrases that are frequently used may be
identified as tags when they are mentioned. In some embodiments,
additional filters may be necessary to screen out noise expressions
to further hone in on the nouns and phrases representative of
topics rather than common expressions or words
[0184] The host server 800 represents any one or a portion of the
functions described for the modules. More or less functions can be
included, in whole or in part, without deviating from the novel art
of the disclosure.
[0185] FIG. 9 depicts a table 900 illustrating an example set of
options and features for promotional content placement in the
knowledge networking environment, according to one embodiment.
[0186] Membership fees can be associated with some sponsorships of
promotional content to be distributed via the networking
environment. A sponsor can be any person, institution, group,
political party, religious group, interest group, corporation,
business, educational institution, etc., wishing to promote
services, products, and/or ideas through promotional content
distributed in the networking environment. Special features
provided by the networking environment that associated with
increasing the efficaciousness of the distribution and likelihood
of acceptance of the promoted material can accordingly be offered
to the sponsors. In some embodiments, some of these special
features cost an additional fee in addition to a membership fee.
The sponsor, can, in some instances, bundle purchase a set of
features for a discounted price. The sponsor can also sign up for a
trial period to receive one or more of the special features to
determine the efficacy and suitability for the sponsor's particular
trade and type of business.
[0187] In some instances, the sponsor may have premium membership
status, for example, having been a member for a predetermined about
of time, and some of the special features can be available to the
sponsor at a discounted price or complimentary, for a certain
amount of time. Some of the special features are shown in table 900
of the example FIG. 9. The features 902-936 explicitly shown in the
table are for illustrative purposes only. Additional features are
contemplated in association with increasing the efficaciousness of
promotional content distribution and do not deviate from the novel
art of the disclosure. In particular, features related to
increasing efficaciousness and likelihood of acceptance of
promotional material, in a web-based online-networking environment,
where user preferences, habits, topics of interest, inclinations,
hobbies, and activities are accessible by the networking
environment. Some of the special features are described below.
[0188] In one embodiment, promotional content is placed based on
keyword match to search terms. The relevant keywords in the
promotional content can be specified by one or more of, but is not
limited to, the networking environment, the sponsor, the user that
added the content to the networking environment, etc. Additionally,
the sponsor can bid to have keywords be associated with a
particular promotional content such that the promotional content
will appear in search results related to additional keywords than
those originally tagged and/or identified by the system. In one
embodiment, promotional content is placed based on semantic links
to search terms. Since the promotional content can be tagged,
semantically via one or more of the many processes and analysis
methods described in FIG. 8, the promotional content can be
semantically linked to a search term. Similarly, a sponsor can pay
for additional words to be associated with the promotional
content.
[0189] The order of the listed results can also be bid on by
sponsors. In one embodiment, promotional content is placed based on
keyword match to subscriber information/data. Subscriber
information (e.g., user information) can be identified via user
metadata, submitted by a user, and/or determined user activities
and habits on the networking environment. In one embodiment,
promotional content is placed based on keyword matches to relevant
products/services for which a search was performed. In one
embodiment, promotional content is placed based on semantic links
to relevant products/services for which a search was performed. In
some embodiments, fees are assessed from the sponsor for collection
of user information specific to the promotional content. In one
embodiment, fees are assessed to enable sharing of promotional
content among subscribers. In one embodiment, fees are assessed to
enable tracking sharing of promotional content among subscribers.
In one embodiment, fees are assessed to compensate subscribers for
referrals, actions, and/or sales generated.
[0190] In one embodiment, fees are assessed for push-model based
targeted advertising. For example, a set of users can be identified
as a set of users towards whom the promotional content is to be
targeted. The set of users can be identified based on the metadata
(e.g., identified tags, keywords, etc.) of the promotional content
and the user metadata of the users (e.g., subscribers or visitors).
In one embodiment, web content is presented to a user in a tiered
fashion, for example, in response to a relevant query by the user
and/or an identified set of users having a likelihood of interest
in the web content based on user metadata. In the push-model based
targeted advertising, the user may not make an explicit search,
however, the promotional content is provided when the system
determines that the user may be interested in the promoted content,
based on for example, the content of an article that the user is
browsing.
[0191] In one embodiment, fees are assessed for push-model based
contextual advertising. In contextual advertising, in addition to
utilizing user information, historical information related to
relationships between performance metrics of similar promotional
material and the user metadata is utilized. For example, if men
between the ages of 45-50 were determined to be the main market for
red polo shirts, then promotional content for polo shirts in
general can be targeted towards men between the ages of 45-50.
[0192] In one embodiment, fees are assessed for customizing
promotional content based on subscriber information/data. For
example, promotional content may be presented to young girls with
pink balloons and flowers in the background while promotional
content may be presented to young boys with toy cars and Legos in
the background.
[0193] In one embodiment, fees are assessed for determining
statistical data on collection of promotional content and/or
providing the statistical data to the sponsor. In addition, fees
can be assessed for determining statistical data on
distribution/sharing of promotional content and/or providing the
statistical data to the sponsor. In one embodiment, fees are
assessed for determining statistical data on subscribers and/or
providing the statistical data to the sponsor. Similarly, fees may
be assessed for determining statistical data on action generated
from the promotional content and/or providing the statistical data
to the sponsor.
[0194] FIG. 10 depicts a flow diagram illustrating a process of
hosting web content on the knowledge networking environment at the
request of a service subscriber, according to one embodiment.
[0195] In process 1002, a request from a service subscriber to host
web content provided by a content provider is received. The request
can be received via an upload request placed by the service
subscriber through an upload interface of the networking
environment. For example, an item (e.g., web content) can be added
by clicking the `Add Item` button of the "Items" of a user net
shown in the screenshots of FIGS. 4-7. Lists of basic item types
that can be added, in most instances, are displayed on the "Items"
page when a request to add an item is received. A few examples of
the item types include notes, photography, emails, web pages,
contacts, etc. When an item of the "note" type is received, for
example, an editable form for adding a new note is to be filled
out. Once a completed form is submitted, the content can be
analyzed and tagged. The analysis can be based on keyword matching.
In one embodiment, semantic tags can be identified based on one or
more of many methods, as described in detail in the description of
the tagging module in FIG. 8.
[0196] In one embodiment, a request to host web content is received
via a command initiated from the web page hosting the web content.
For example, a java script link can be bookmarked and initiated
when a user wishes to add content to the networking environment.
When the JavaScript is initiated, an applet appears on the host web
page originally hosting the content. The applet allows the user to
enter basic information about the web content. For example, as
shown in the screenshot of FIG. 7B, the type of the item can be
specified, a thumbnail image of the web content can be selected
from a set of pre-selected images. The net to which the content can
be added is selected in the "Add to" field, for example. In some
embodiments, the user has the option of adding the content to a
friend or contact's net.
[0197] In process 1004, the metadata of the web content is
identified. The metadata includes information about the web
content. The metadata can be machine-readable and/or
human-readable, including structural/control metadata that
describes the structure of data such as tables, columns, and/or
indexes. For example, relational database metadata include tables
indicating the names, sizes, and number of rows of the tables in a
database. Relational database metadata may further include tables
of columns in the database, what tables the columns are used in,
and the types of data stored in the columns. Metadata such as, file
system metadata, data warehouse metadata, file system metadata,
image metadata, program metadata, can be identified. Metadata can
also include guide metadata, for example, to assist humans in
identifying specific items such as a set of keywords.
[0198] In some embodiments, an item of the metadata is described by
metadata. For example, metadata of the web content can include but
is not limited to, data about the size of the content, date/time
the content was created and/or modified, the author/origin of the
content, privacy/access attributes of the content, type of objects
in the content, and/or a title of the content. Thus, in process
1006, preferences of the content provider associated with
accessibility of the web content are identified. For example, the
content provider can specify different access attributes related to
whom and/or under what circumstances may edit the web content. The
content provider can also specify what aspects of the content can
be deleted, edited, and/or otherwise modified. In some embodiments,
the metadata of the web content indicates the extent to which the
web content can be shared. For example, if the content can be
bookmarked, collected, shared, and with whom the item is to be
shared and to what extent.
[0199] In addition, digital library metadata of the web content can
include descriptive information about the intellectual content of
the web content, including semantic metadata. Thus, in one
embodiment, the applet through which web content can be added to
the networking environment without leaving the original web site
hosting the web content, determines a suitable title for the web
content based on its identified contents. In some instances, the
user can specify the title for which the web content is to be given
on the networking environment via the applet. The applet can also
identify a suitable summary for the web content based on its
identified content. Alternatively, the summary can be user
specifiable. As shown in the example screenshot of FIG. 7B, the
applet can identify tags associated with the web content. Tags and
comments can also be specified by users on the applet to be made
available on the networking environment.
[0200] In process 1008, the service subscriber is inquired. The
service subscriber can be presented with a set of questions when
the service subscriber requests to add web content to the
networking environment. The questions asked can be a default set of
questions presented to every service subscriber who wishes to add
content. The questions asked is, in some embodiments, specific to
the type of item added, and/or specific to the intellectual content
of the item added. In some embodiments, a sponsor of the item can
specify a set of questions to be presented to the subscribers that
add the item to the networking environment. Thus, in process 1010,
the relational attributes of the service subscriber associated with
the web content are identified, for example, based on the responses
to the inquiries made to the subscribers.
[0201] The relational attributes of the service subscriber include
privacy and access settings of the web content. For example, the
service subscriber can indicate for web content added to the
networking environment, whether the web content is visible to other
users or not. In addition to visibility, the subscriber can
indicate whether other users can collect, bookmark, share, and/or
edit the web content. The subscriber can assign privacy attributes
on an individual basis, and/or on a group basis. For example, the
subscriber can allow the contacts who are friends of the subscriber
full access while allowing contacts who are colleagues, partial
access. The subscriber can also assign different privacy settings
and access rights to users who are subscribers versus visitors. The
subscriber may have a default set of privacy settings and/or access
rights for all items added unless otherwise noted.
[0202] In process 1012, the web content is shared and distributed
based on user requests while enforcing the rules governing
accessibility of the web content. In addition to privacy rules of
the user that added the web content, the accessibility rules
specified by the content provider are also enforced. Actions
constituting sharing and/or distribution of the web content include
but are not limited to collecting, sending, sharing, adding to a
net, bookmarking, viewing, writing a comment regarding the web
content, asking a question regarding the web content, and/or
participating in a discussion about the web content, etc. In
process 1014, the access and distribution of the web content are
tracked. The access and distribution is identified when one or more
of the above actions and/or other actions indicating user interest
in the web content are detected. In process 1016, quantitative data
related to the access and distribution of the web content is
determined and recorded. In process 1018, fees are assessed from
the content provider. In some embodiments, the content provider is
a sponsor (direct or third-party) who wishes to promote the
material in the web content, utilizing one or more of the special
features offered by the networking environment, such as those
described in FIGS. 8-9.
[0203] FIG. 11 depicts a flow diagram illustrating a process of
providing performance metrics of the promotional content to the
content provider, according to one embodiment.
[0204] In process 1102, fees are assessed from the content provider
for hosting the web content. The web content, in example, includes
promotional material that the content provider wishes to promote
via the networking environment. For example, to receive one or more
of the special features offered by the networking environment
associated with increasing the efficacy of the promotion and
likelihood of user acceptance. In process 1104, the content
provider is provided with tiered marketing services based on an
adopted fee structure. Examples of the tiered marketing services
include those illustrated in table 900 of FIG. 9 and the
corresponding description.
[0205] In process 1106, the performance metrics of the promotional
content are determined. The performance metrics can additionally be
quantified and the statistical attributes of the performance
metrics can be determined. In addition, one or more relationships
between the plurality of performance metrics of the promotional
content and the user metadata of the plurality of users can be
identified to determine the performance of specific promotional
material within different user groups. In process 1108, the
performance metrics are provided to the content provider, based on
the adopted fee structure. The quantified data and the statistical
attributes may be provided as well.
[0206] FIG. 12 depicts a flow diagram illustrating a process of
providing targeted placement of promotional content, according to
one embodiment.
[0207] In process 1202, the relationship between the performance
metrics of the promotional content and user metadata of service
subscribers is determined. In process 1204, target service
subscribers based on the metadata of the web content and/or the
user metadata of the service subscribers are identified. In one
embodiment, the set of users can be identified based on the
metadata of the promotional content and/or the user metadata of the
plurality of users. In process 1206, fees are assessed from the
content provider for hosting the web content. In process 1208,
tiered placement of web content is provided based on the adopted
fee structure and the identified service subscribers having a
likelihood of interest for the web content. In one embodiment, the
tiered placements of the web content is to be presented to a user
in response to a relevant query by the user and/or an identified
set of users having a likelihood of interest in the web content
based on the user metadata of the plurality of users
[0208] FIG. 13 depicts a flow diagram illustrating a process of
providing targeted placement of promotional content based on
semantic matching, according to one embodiment.
[0209] In process 1302, a request from a service subscriber to host
web content is received. In process 1304, the topical information
related to the web content is determined based on the semantic
metadata and one or more sets of ontologies. In one embodiment,
semantic items and semantic tags based on the semantic metadata of
the web content are identified. In addition, relevant subject
matter to the web content is identified via Bayesian classification
based on the semantic metadata. Similarly, the tag identification
methods and processes discussed in correspondence with FIG. 8 can
be utilized as well. In process 1306, additional web-based objects
related to the web are identified. For example, a set of related
concepts to the web content through entity detection and
ontological classification based on the semantic data and one or
more sets of ontologies. In one embodiment, the web-based objects
are identifiable based on the detection of related intellectual
content through semantics and/or an identification of related
intellectual content through keyword matches.
[0210] In process 1308, the identified semantic metadata of the
user metadata are compared with the semantic metadata of the web
content. In process 1310, target service subscribers are identified
based on the semantic metadata of the web content and/or the user
metadata of the service subscribers. In process 1312, target
service subscribers having the likelihood of interest in the web
content are identified based on the metadata of the web content
and/or the user metadata of the service subscribers. In process
1314, the web-based objects are provided to one or more service
subscribers having a likelihood of interest in the web content.
[0211] Although embodiments have been described with reference to
specific example embodiments, it will be evident that the various
modification and changes can be made to these embodiments.
Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in
an illustrative sense rather than in a restrictive sense. The
foregoing specification provides a description with reference to
specific exemplary embodiments. It will be evident that various
modifications may be made thereto without departing from the
broader spirit and scope as set forth in the following claims. The
specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an
illustrative sense rather than a restrictive sense.
* * * * *
References