# US 2014/0195606 A1 · Identifying valuable users in a social network

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- Number: US 2014/0195606 A1
- Document ID: US20140195606A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/737,723
- Filed: 2013-01-09
- Published: 2014-07-10
- Earliest claimed: 2013-01-09
- Assignees: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
- Applicants: At&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
- Inventors: Balachander Krishnamurthy; Alan Edward Mislove
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140195606A1

## CPC

- H04L 67/306: User profiles
- G06Q 10/46: Determination of level of influence of users within social networking services
- H04L 67/535: {Tracking the activity of the user (network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34)}
- G06Q 30/02: Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- 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

## Abstract

A method, computer readable medium and apparatus for determining a value of a user of a social network are disclosed. For example, the method measures user influence information of the user on the social network. The method then calculates the value of the user based upon the user influence information.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for determining a value of a user of a social network, comprising:
measuring, by a processor, user influence information of the user on the social network; and
calculating, by the processor, the value of the user based upon the user influence information.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the user influence information comprises user activity information, wherein the user activity information comprises:
an uploading of user profile information to a user profile of the user on the social network;
an endorsement of an object;
an acceptance of a friend request; and
an uploading of content to the social network.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the user influence information comprises user property information, wherein the calculating the value of the user is further based upon the user property information.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the user property information comprises:
a number of friends of the user on the social network;
a number of group memberships of the user on the social network;
a participation time of the user on the social network;
a quantity of content uploaded to the social network by the user; and
a number of new users that the user has recruited to the social network.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the user property information comprises:
a time of use of social network-native applications by the user.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the user property information comprises:
a number of third-party applications accessible to the user.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the user property information further comprises:
a time of use of the third-party applications by the user.

### Claim 8 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the user property information comprises:
a quantity of indirect activities attributable to an activity of the user.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the activity of the user comprises an uploading of content to the social network.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein one indirect activity of the indirect activities comprises a different user commenting on the content that is uploaded to the social network.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein one indirect activity of the indirect activities comprises a different user commenting on a response related to the content that is uploaded.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the activity of the user comprises an uploading of profile information of the user.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
performing a marketing activity based upon the value of the user that is calculated.

### Claim 14

A tangible computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations for determining a value of a user of a social network, the operations comprising:
measuring, by a processor, user influence information of the user on the social network; and
calculating, by the processor, the value of the user based upon the user influence information.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the user influence information comprises user activity information, wherein the user activity information comprises:
an uploading of user profile information to a user profile of the user on the social network;
an endorsement of an object;
an acceptance of a friend request; and
an uploading of content to the social network.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the user influence information comprises user property information, wherein the calculating the value of the user is further based upon the user property information.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the user property information comprises:
a number of friends of the user on the social network;
a number of group memberships of the user on the social network;
a participation time of the user on the social network;
a quantity of content uploaded to the social network by the user; and
a number of new users that the user has recruited to the social network.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the user property information comprises:
a time of use of social network-native applications by the user.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the user property information comprises:
a number of third-party applications accessible to the user.

### Claim 20

An apparatus for determining a value of a user of a social network, comprising:
a processor; and
a computer-readable medium in communication with the processor, storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:
measuring, by a processor, user influence information of the user on the social network; and
calculating, by the processor, the value of the user based upon the user influence information.