Social Network Feed Filtering via User-Defined Source Rules

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users of social networking systems face the challenge of sifting through a large number of irrelevant feed items, making it time-consuming to identify and consume relevant information, as their information feeds include a mix of relevant and irrelevant posts, comments, likes, and dislikes.

Innovation Solution

The system allows users to customize their information feeds by selecting a tuple of information sources and applying rules specified in a configuration file, ensuring that only relevant feed items associated with all or specific sources are included, with the database server suggesting source combinations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If users receive all feed items from multiple information sources, then the information feed is comprehensive, but the feed contains many irrelevant items making it time-consuming to find relevant information

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompleteness of information feedVSAvoidtime to find relevant information

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the information feed by applying filtering rules that divide feed items into relevant and irrelevant categories based on user-defined criteria such as information source, item type, and user attributes. This segmentation allows users to quickly locate relevant information without manually sifting through all feed items.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces filtering rules as an intermediary mechanism between information sources and the user's information feed. These rules act as a mediator that automatically screens and selects relevant feed items, reducing the time users spend searching for useful information while maintaining feed comprehensiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If users manually filter feed items to remove irrelevant content, then the feed becomes more relevant, but the system complexity and user effort increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of information filteringVSAvoidfiltering system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements self-service filtering where users define their own filtering rules based on their preferences and needs. The system then automatically applies these rules to filter feed items, eliminating the need for manual filtering while keeping the system adaptable to individual user requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent allows users to customize filtering parameters such as information source selection, feed item type preferences, and user attribute-based filtering. By changing these parameters, users can easily adjust the relevance of their feed without increasing system complexity, as the filtering mechanism remains consistent while adapting to different user preferences.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Adaptability or versatility

If the information feed includes all types of feed items from all sources, then the feed is comprehensive, but the user experience deteriorates due to irrelevant content

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefeed customization capabilityVSAvoiduser experience quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adapts the information feed based on user-defined filtering rules and preferences. Users can modify their filtering criteria at any time, and the system automatically adjusts the feed composition accordingly. This dynamic approach maintains high adaptability while ensuring continuous improvement of user experience through relevant content delivery.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

4Quantity of substance

If users track multiple information sources, then the information coverage is extensive, but the time to process and review all feed items increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of information sourcesVSAvoidinformation consumption efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary filtering action by applying user-defined rules to screen feed items before they reach the user's information feed. This preliminary action allows users to track multiple information sources extensively while maintaining high information consumption efficiency, as the filtering process occurs automatically in advance of user review.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS10880255B2System and method in a social networking system for filtering updates in an information feed

Publication Date: 2020.12.29 SALESFORCE INC

AI summary

A method implemented in a database system for providing an information feed from a social networking system is provided. The method comprises receiving a request from a requesting user for an information feed of the social networking system according to configuration information customized by the requesting user. The configuration information identifies a plurality of information sources and has a set of rules for identifying which updates from the identified information sources to include in the information feed. Each information source has one or more associated updates. The method further comprising selecting a first set of updates from a plurality of updates wherein each selected update complies with the set of rules identified in the configuration information, excluding a second set of updates from the plurality of updates wherein each excluded update does not comply with the set of rules identified in the configuration information, and generating the information feed.