METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR KNOWLEDGE GENERATION AND DEPLOYMENT IN A DISTRIBUTED NETWORK

Abstract

In one embodiment, the present invention is a method and apparatus for knowledge generation and deployment in a distributed network. In one embodiment, a method for processing messages in a social network includes receiving a new message from a first node in the network, the new message including a query, providing the first node with an answer to the query, if the answer is located in a repository, and initiating generation of the answer, if the answer is not located in the repository.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The teaching of the present invention can be readily understood by considering the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary social network within which the present invention may be implemented;

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating one embodiment of a method for learning the expertise measures of nodes in a social network, according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating one embodiment of a method for routing messages and learning communication patterns in a distributed network, according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating one embodiment of a method for processing a message, according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating one embodiment of a method for determining a first node's referral rank, according to the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary network;

FIG. 7 is a high level block diagram of the message routing method that is implemented using a general purpose computing device.

Claims

1. A method for processing messages in a social network, the method comprising: receiving a new message from a first node in the network, the new message including a query;providing the first node with a response to the new message, including a query, if the response is located in a data repository;identifying one or more potential nodes in the network that may have the response; andinitiating generation of the response, if the response is not located in the data repository.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the query is explicit.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the query is implicit.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing comprises: identifying a previous message that is related to the new message; andreturning an answer corresponding to the previous message as the answer to the new message.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the initiating comprises: forwarding the new message to at least one other node in the network in accordance with a profile of the at least one other node.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the profile comprises at least: an expertise measure indicative of an expertise of the at least one other node relative to at least one given topic, a referral rank indicative of an affinity of one or more other nodes in the network to refer messages to the at least one other node, and a response score indicative of a likelihood of the at least one other node to respond to a message.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the response score further indicates a likelihood of the at least one other node to respond to a message with a correct answer.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising: receiving a response message from the at least one other node in response to the new message;providing the response message to the first node; andsoliciting feedback from one or more validation nodes, the feedback relating to a quality of the response message.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising: storing the new message and the response message in the data repository, if the feedback is positive.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the one or more validation nodes are selected in accordance with one or more profiles of the respective one or more validation nodes.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising: globally updating the profile of the at least one other node in accordance with at least one of: the response message or the feedback.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising: sending an update message to the at least one other node, the update message instructing the at least one other node to update the profile locally in accordance with the global update.

13. A computer readable medium containing an executable program for processing messages in a social network, where the program performs the steps of: receiving a new message from a first node in the network, the new message including a query;providing the first node with a response to the new message, including a query, if the response is located in a data repository;identifying one or more potential nodes in the network that may have the response; andinitiating generation of the answer or response, if the response is not located in the data repository.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the query is explicit.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the query is implicit.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the providing comprises: identifying a previous message that is related to the new message; andreturning an answer corresponding to the previous message as the answer to the new message.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the initiating comprises: forwarding the new message to at least one other node in the network in accordance with a profile of the at least one other node.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the profile comprises at least: an expertise measure indicative of an expertise of the at least one other node relative to at least one given topic, a referral rank indicative of an affinity of one or more other nodes in the network to refer messages to the at least one other node, and a response score indicative of a likelihood of the at least one other node to respond to a message.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the response score further indicates a likelihood of the at least one other node to respond to a message with a correct answer.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 17, further comprising: receiving a response message from the at least one other node in response to the new message;providing the response message to the first node; andsoliciting feedback from one or more validation nodes, the feedback relating to a quality of the response message.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 20, further comprising: storing the new message and the response message in the data repository, if the feedback is positive.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein the one or more validation nodes are selected in accordance with one or more profiles of the respective one or more validation nodes.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 20, further comprising: globally updating the profile of the at least one other node in accordance with at least one of: the response message or the feedback.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 23, further comprising: sending an update message to the at least one other node, the update message instructing the at least one other node to update the profile locally in accordance with the global update.

25. A system for processing messages in a social network, comprising: means for receiving a new message from a first node in the network, the new message including a query;means for providing the first node with a response to the new message, including a query, if the response is located in a data repository;means for identifying one or more potential nodes in the network that may have the response; andmeans for initiating generation of the response, if the response is not located in the data repository.