Patent Application
20120278310
This specification relates to collaborative filtering based on social graphs. Collaborative filtering involves filtering data (typically large data sets) to identify patterns or information that can be used for further useful activities. In addition, in the context of filtering for user data, social network information can be used in combination with the main data to assist the filtering process.
This specification describes technologies relating to collaborative filtering, such as collaborative filtering using a spatial-aware social graph. Implementations of these technologies can allow computer systems to provide localized recommendations of objects that are related with the spatial-aware social graph and more likely to the user's interests.
Use of spatial queries as one of the features to filter objects localized to the user in a recommendation algorithm can improve the results produced by the recommendation algorithm. In contrast with existing practice, both spatial and social information can be taken into consideration in constructing a recommendation.
In some implementations, “friends” (e.g., as defined by a separate system) can be used as the objects that are related to the spatial-aware graph. However, in other implementations, queries can be applied to other types of objects. Moreover, in various implementations, additional feature parameters can be added to the recommendation algorithm.
The term Object(s), as used herein, refers to any data that explicitly or implicitly have relationship to the spatial-aware social graph. For example, a user's friend is one of the Objects that is explicitly related to the user. But, upcoming events or places are implicitly related to the user. As soon as a user checks-in to the event or place, the user converts the implicit relationship to an explicit one. The spatial-aware social graph includes social graph data which contains geographical information about one or more of the data.
In some implementations, the algorithm be as follows. 1. Get the user's friends (1st-degree friends, UF). The system can be configurable to recursively find the Nth-degree friends, but 1st-degree friends are generally used because of its close relatedness to the user. 2. Get the Union of the 1st-degree Objects of UF (2nd-degree from the user, OC). If the type of OC is the same as UF, make sure that all OC are not in UF.
Let the whole social graph be S. Let the 1st-degree friends of the user is UF={UF1, UF2 . . . UFN}⊂S. Let the Union of the 1st-degree of UF's are OC={OC11, OC12 . . . OC/UF/M}⊂S. If the type of OC and UF are the same, then Get OB=OC−UF, OB⊂S. If the type of OC and UF are not the same, then OB=OC⊂S.
3. Apply spatial queries against OB and show all of its spatial attributes. In some implementations, the K-Nearest Neighbor (kNN) algorithm can be used, but this can also be configurable for Range, or any other commonly used spatial queries. See http:—download.oracle.com-docs-cd-B19306—01-appdev.102-b14255-sdo_operat.htm, which is hereby incorporated by reference, for additional details regarding one or more algorithms that can be used in this context.
4. Use result(s) of the spatial queries as the feature for the recommendation algorithm. In some implementations, distance can be used as the main feature for recommendation, and the top K items can be picked. However, in some implementations, the system can be configured to consider additional features, such as the number of friend's check-ins. The function that is used to weight the score for recommendation can also be configurable.
The algorithm can run on a backend system and can communicate with the spatial databasc system that stores the spatial-award social graph. Sending a request to the backend system can result in the suggested objects being returned, which objects can be displayed on a front-end system.
Embodiments of the subject matter and the functional operations described in this specification can be implemented in digital electronic circuitry, or in computer software, firmware, or hardware, including the structures disclosed in this specification and their structural equivalents, or in combinations of one or more of them.
The term “data processing apparatus” encompasses all apparatus, devices, and machines for processing data, including by way of example a programmable processor, a computer, or multiple processors or computers. The apparatus can include, in addition to hardware, code that creates an execution environment for the computer program in question, e.g., code that constitutes processor firmware, a protocol stack, a database management system, an operating system, a runtime environment, or a combination of one or more of them. In addition, the apparatus can employ various different computing model infrastructures, such as web services, distributed computing and grid computing infrastructures.
A computer program (also known as a program, software, software application, script, or code) can be written in any form of programming language, including compiled or interpreted languages, declarative or procedural languages, and it can be deployed in any form, including as a stand-alone program or as a module, component, subroutine, or other unit suitable for use in a computing environment. A computer program does not necessarily correspond to a file in a file system. A program can be stored in a portion of a file that holds other programs or data (e.g., one or more scripts stored in a markup language document), in a single file dedicated to the program in question, or in multiple coordinated files (e.g., files that store one or more modules, sub-programs, or portions of code). A computer program can be deployed to be executed on one computer or on multiple computers that are located at one site or distributed across multiple sites and interconnected by a communication network.
The processes and logic flows described in this specification can be performed by one or more programmable processors executing one or more computer programs to perform functions by operating on input data and generating output. The processes and logic flows can also be performed by, and apparatus can also be implemented as, special purpose logic circuitry, e.g., an FPGA (field program able gate array) or an ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit).
Processors suitable for the execution of a computer program include, by way of example, both general and special purpose microprocessors, and any one or more processors of any kind of digital computer. Generally, a processor will receive instructions and data from a read-only memory or a random access memory or both. The essential elements of a computer are a processor for performing instructions and one or more memory devices for storing instructions and data. Generally, a computer will also include, or be operatively coupled to receive data from or transfer data to, or both, one or more mass storage devices for storing data, e.g., magnetic, magneto-optical disks, or optical disks. However, a computer need not have such devices. Moreover, a computer can be embedded in another device, e.g., a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a mobile audio or video player, a game console, a Global Positioning System ((PS) receiver, or a portable storage device (e.g., a universal serial bus (USB) flash drive), to name just a few. Devices suitable for storing computer program instructions and data include all forms of non-volatile memory, media and memory devices, including by way of example semiconductor memory devices, e.g., EPROM, EEPROM, and flash memory devices; magnetic disks, e.g., internal hard disks or removable disks; magneto-optical disks; and CD-ROM and DVD-ROM disks. The processor and the memory can be supplemented by, or incorporated in, special purpose logic circuitry.
To provide for interaction with a user, embodiments of the subject matter described in this specification can be implemented on a computer having a display device, e.g., a CRT (cathode ray tube) or LCD (liquid crystal display) monitor, for displaying information to the user and a keyboard and a pointing device, e.g., a mouse or a trackball, by which the user can provide input to the computer. Other kinds of devices can be used to provide for interaction with a user as well; for example, feedback provided to the user can be any form of sensory feedback, e.g., visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile feedback; and input from the user can be received in any form, including acoustic, speech, or tactile input.
Embodiments of the subject matter described in this specification can be implemented in a computing system that includes a back-end component, e.g., as a data server, or that includes a middleware component, e.g., an application server, or that includes a front-end component, e.g., a client computer having a graphical user interface or a Web browser through which a user can interact with an implementation of the subject matter described is this specification, or any combination of one or more such back-end, middleware, or front-end components.
The computing system can include clients and servers. A client and server are generally remote from each other and typically interact through a communication network. The relationship of client and server arises by virtue of computer programs running on the respective computers and having a client-server relationship to each other.
White this specification contains many implementation details, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention or of what may be claimed, but rather as descriptions of features specific to particular embodiments of the invention. Certain features that are described in this specification in the context of separate embodiments can also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features that are described in the context of a single embodiment can also be implemented in multiple embodiments separately or in any suitable subcombination. Moreover, although features may be described above as acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, one or more features from a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from the combination, and the claimed combination may be directed to a subcombination or variation of a subcombination.
Thus, particular embodiments of the invention have been described. Other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims. For example, the actions recited in the claims can be performed in a different order and still achieve desirable results.
This application claims the benefit of the priority of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/479,659, filed Apr. 27, 2011 and entitled “Collaborative Filtering”.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61479659 | Apr 2011 | US |
