# US 2010/0161369 A1 · Application of relationship weights to social network connections > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2010/0161369 A1 - Document ID: US20100161369A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/342,409 - Filed: 2008-12-23 - Published: 2010-06-24 - Earliest claimed: 2008-12-23 - Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation - Inventors: Stephen Paul FARRELL; Ido GUY; Noga MESHULAM; Inbal RONEN; Elad SHAHAR; Sigalit UR; Eric WILCOX - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100161369A1 ## CPC - G06Q 10/10: Office automation; Time management - G06Q 10/42: Determination of affinities or common interests between users - G06Q 10/48: using social graphs - H04L 51/52: for supporting social networking services - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A method and system for relationship weighting in social networks are provided. The method includes identifying a plurality of sources of relationship data and extracting from each source a list of connected contacts with a relationship strength for each connection. The lists of contacts from the sources are aggregated into an aggregated list, with each source having a source weighting. The aggregated list is applied to an un-weighted social network to provide relationship strengths between contacts. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for relationship weighting in social networks, comprising: identifying a plurality of sources of relationship data; extracting from each source a list of connected contacts with a relationship strength for each connection; aggregating the lists of contacts from the sources into an aggregated list, with each source having a source weighting; and applying the aggregated list to a social network to provide relationship strengths between contacts. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the list of connected contacts extracted from each source is a list of connected contacts to an identified contact and applying the aggregated list provides relationship strengths between contacts and the identified contact. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein each source defines relationship strengths for each connection according to relationship strength measures. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the relationship strength measures include one or more of the group of: number of common interactions between contacts, number of total interactions of each contact, number of participant contacts in each interaction, time span of interaction, symmetry of interaction, reciprocity of interaction, sentiment of interaction, density of interaction, age of interaction. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the source weightings are user configurable. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein applying the aggregated list to a social network applies the aggregated list to a social network with no previously defined relationship strengths. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein sources of relationship data include public sources of contact connections. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the public sources of contact connections include one or more of the group including: web logs (blogs), wikis, friending applications, social tagging networks, social network services, publication or patent repositories, organizational charts, forums, file and photo sharing sites, web communities. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein sources of relationship data include private sources of contact connections and wherein access to the derived data is restricted to the owners of the private sources. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the private sources of contact connections include one or more of the group including: email applications, instant messaging applications, calendar and scheduling applications. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, including providing evidence of the derivation of contacts relationship strengths. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the evidence is time-ordered log entries from the sources. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein applying the aggregated list to a social network to provide relationship strengths between contacts provides a contact list for an instant messaging system based on the relationship strength to the instant messaging application user. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method as claimed in claim 13, including a preview of the contact list with different user selection of the source weightings. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, including integrating the method with a topic search to locate contacts with expertise on the topic. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein applying the aggregated list to a social network to provide relationship strengths between contacts provides automatic completion of names. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein applying the aggregated list to a social network to provide relationship strengths between contacts provides social paths for indirectly related contacts. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein applying the aggregated list to a social network to provide relationship strengths between contacts provides enhanced social network services. ### Claim 19 A computer software product for relationship weighting in social networks, the product comprising a computer-readable storage medium, storing a computer in which program comprising computer-executable instructions are stored, which instructions, when read executed by a computer, perform the following steps: identifying a plurality of sources of relationship data; extracting from each source a list of connected contacts with a relationship strength for each connection; aggregating the lists of contacts from the sources into an aggregated list, with each source having a source weighting; and applying the aggregated list to a social network to provide relationship strengths between contacts. ### Claim 20 A method of providing a service to a customer over a network, the service comprising: identifying a plurality of sources of relationship data; extracting from each source a list of connected contacts with a relationship strength for each connection; aggregating the lists of contacts from the sources into an aggregated list, with each source having a source weighting; and applying the aggregated list to a social network to provide relationship strengths between contacts. ### Claim 21 A system for relationship weighting in social networks, comprising: a processor; means for connection to a plurality of sources of relationship data; means for extracting from each source a list of connected contacts with a relationship strength for each connection; means for aggregating the lists of contacts from the sources into an aggregated list, with each source having a source weighting; and means for applying the aggregated list to a social network to provide relationship strengths between contacts. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The system as claimed in claim 21, including means for input of user configurable source weightings. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The system as claimed in claim 21, wherein sources of relationship data include private sources of contact connections and the system includes means to restrict access to the derived data to the owners of the private sources. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The system as claimed in claim 21, including means for providing evidence of the derivation of contacts relationship strengths.