Saved Queries in Social Networking Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Social networking systems overwhelm users with a large volume of irrelevant content, making it difficult for users to identify interesting or relevant content due to the lack of structured search capabilities for connections between user profiles and content items.
Innovation Solution
A social networking system allows users to save structured queries defining connections between objects, using a reverse index to match and maintain lists of relevant objects, and periodically updates these lists to include new matching objects, enabling users to view relevant content through a tree structure organization of query identifiers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the social networking system presents a large volume of content items to users, then the system can provide comprehensive content coverage, but users are overwhelmed with information and cannot easily identify relevant content
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the large volume of content items into structured groups based on connection relationships. Users can define queries that group content by specific connection patterns (e.g., content from friends of friends, content connected through specific interests), transforming the overwhelming undifferentiated content stream into organized, manageable segments that are easier to navigate and identify relevant items within.
2Measurement precision
If the system allows users to search for specific items using keywords, then users can find targeted content, but the system lacks structured search capabilities for connections between user profiles and content items
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal query system that can handle multiple search types through a single structured framework. The connection-based query mechanism serves multiple functions: it can search for content by connection patterns, filter by relationship types, and organize results by connection strength. This multi-functional approach replaces the need for separate search mechanisms while maintaining precision and expanding versatility.
3Productivity
If the system maintains structured queries defining connections between objects, then users can efficiently find relevant content, but the system complexity increases with reverse index maintenance and periodic updates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-computing and storing connection relationships in a reverse index structure before queries are executed. The system proactively maintains the index by periodically updating connection data as new content and relationships are added to the network. This preliminary organization of data eliminates the need for complex real-time computation during queries, improving discovery efficiency while managing system complexity through advance preparation.
Data Source
AI summary
A user saves a structured query defining connections between two or more objects maintained by a social networking system. The social networking system finds objects matching the structured query, either by periodically performing searches for new objects or by analyzing objects as they are added or modified. The user creating the saved query can subsequently view the matching objects.