# US 8,751,510 B2 · Detecting associates

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- Number: US 8,751,510 B2
- Document ID: US8751510B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/872,955
- Filed: 2013-04-29
- Published: 2013-09-12
- Granted: 2014-06-10
- Earliest claimed: 2007-09-06
- Assignees: LinkedIn Corporation
- Applicants: LinkedIn Corporation
- Inventors: R. Kevin Rose; Elliott White; Kurt Wilms
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8751510B2

## CPC

- G06F 16/27: Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
- G06F 3/048: Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
- G06F 16/958: Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
- G06Q 30/02: Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- 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

Detecting, for a content item, associated preference events is disclosed. For the content item, a plurality of preference events from a plurality of users is received. The received preference events are accumulated. Associated events are detected. The effect of the events is reduced when assigning a status to the item.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of identifying a cohort of users attempting to orchestrate preference events for content items, at a preference system for presenting the content items to users, the method comprising:
receiving from a plurality of users preference events regarding multiple content items; and
for at least one of the plurality of users, operating a processor to:
identify a set of content items for which the user initiated preference events of a first type;
for each of the identified content items, identify other users in the plurality of users, if any, that initiated preference events of the first type for the content item; and
if multiple users amounting to at least a first percentage of users in the plurality of users initiated preference events of the first type for a subset of content items amounting to at least a second percentage of the set of content items:
record the multiple users as a cohort; and
reduce effects of the preference events initiated by the cohort when determining statuses to assign the subset of content items.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein identifying a set of content items for which the user initiated preference events of a first type comprises:
constructing a data table comprising:
a column corresponding to each user in the plurality of users; and
a row corresponding to each content item in the set of content items; and
in the data table column corresponding to the user, in each cell corresponding to a content item for which the user initiated a preference event of the first type:
storing identifications of all other users in the plurality of users that initiated a preference event of the first type for the same content item.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, further comprising:
determining whether multiple users amounting to at least a first percentage of users in the plurality of users initiated preference events of the first type for a subset of content items amounting to at least a second percentage of the set of content items by:
identifying, in the data table column corresponding to the user, each cell that contains a number of identifications of other users equal to or greater than the first percentage; and
for each identified cell, determining whether the identifications stored in the identified cell are stored together in a total number of cells in the data table column equal to or greater than the second percentage.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of users comprises a first user of the preference system and all associates of the first user known to the preference system.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of users comprises a first user of the preference system and all other users of the preference system identified as friends of the first user.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein preference events comprise:
a positive preference event; and
a negative preference event.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein:
a positive preference event is a digg; and
a negative preference event is a bury.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein:
the first percentage is approximately 50%; and
the second percentage is approximately 20%.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein reducing effects of the preference events comprises:
increasing scores associated with the subset of content items when determining statuses to assign the subset of content items.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein reducing effects of the preference events comprises:
decreasing scores associated with the subset of content items when determining statuses to assign the subset of content items.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein reducing effects of the preference events comprises:
discarding the preference events when determining statuses to assign the subset of content items.

### Claim 12

A computer program product for identifying, at a preference system, a cohort of users attempting to orchestrate preference events for content items for presenting the content items to users, the computer program product being embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium and comprising instructions for:
receiving from a plurality of users preference events regarding multiple content items; and
for at least one of the plurality of users:
identifying a set of content items for which the user initiated preference events of a first type;
for each of the identified content items, identifying other users in the plurality of users, if any, that initiated preference events of the first type for the content item; and
if multiple users amounting to at least a first percentage of users in the plurality of users initiated preference events of the first type for a subset of content items amounting to at least a second percentage of the set of content items:
recording the multiple users as a cohort; and
reducing effects of the preference events initiated by the cohort when determining statuses to assign the subset of content items.

### Claim 13

A preference system for identifying a cohort of users attempting to orchestrate preference events for content items, the system including:
a processor; and
a memory coupled with the processor, wherein the memory is configured to provide the processor with instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to:
receive from a plurality of users preference events regarding multiple content items; and
for at least one of the plurality of users:
identify a set of content items for which the user initiated preference events of a first type;
for each of the identified content items, identify other users in the plurality of users, if any, that initiated preference events of the first type for the content item; and
if multiple users amounting to at least a first percentage of users in the plurality of users initiated preference events of the first type for a subset of content items amounting to at least a second percentage of the set of content items:
record the multiple users as a cohort; and
reduce effects of the preference events initiated by the cohort when determining statuses to assign the subset of content items.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein identifying a set of content items for which the user initiated preference events of a first type comprises:
constructing a data table comprising:
a column corresponding to each user in the plurality of users; and
a row corresponding to each content item in the set of content items; and
in the data table column corresponding to the user, in each cell corresponding to a content item for which the user initiated a preference event of the first type:
storing identifications of all other users in the plurality of users that initiated a preference event of the first type for the same content item.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, wherein the memory is further configured to provide the processor with instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to:
determine whether multiple users amounting to at least a first percentage of users in the plurality of users initiated preference events of the first type for a subset of content items amounting to at least a second percentage of the set of content items by:
identifying, in the data table column corresponding to the user, each cell that contains a number of identifications of other users equal to or greater than the first percentage; and
for each identified cell, determining whether the identifications stored in the identified cell are stored together in a total number of cells in the data table column equal to or greater than the second percentage.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein the plurality of users comprises a first user of the preference system and all associates of the first user known to the preference system.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein the plurality of users comprises a first user of the preference system and all other users of the preference system identified as friends of the first user.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein reducing effects of the preference events comprises:
discarding the preference events when determining statuses to assign the subset of content items.

### Claim 19 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein preference events comprise:
a positive preference event; and
a negative preference event.