System and method for information gatekeeper based on aggregate profile data

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for controlling access to sharable items. In general, a computing device of a user stores a sharable item. A sharing rule is configured for the sharable item, where the sharing rule is based on an element of aggregate profile data for a current location of the user, a crowd characteristic of one or more crowds that are currently relevant to the current location of the user, or both. Depending on the embodiment, the element of the aggregate profile data, the crowd characteristic of the one or more crowds, or both are obtained and the sharing rule for the sharable item is resolved. Sharing of the sharable item is then provided according to a result of the resolution of the sharing rule for the sharable item.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of operation for a computing device of a user, comprising:
 configuring a sharing rule for a sharable item stored by the computing device, the sharing rule being based on an element of aggregate profile data for a current location of the user;   obtaining the element of the aggregate profile data for the current location of the user;   resolving the sharing rule for the sharable item based on the element of the aggregate profile data for the current location of the user to provide a resolution result; and   sharing the sharable item according to the resolution result for the sharing rule.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the aggregate profile data is an aggregate profile for one or more crowds of users currently relevant to the current location of the user. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the element of the aggregate profile for the one or more crowds of users is a number of user matches over all keywords in a user profile of the user. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the element of the aggregate profile for the one or more crowds of users is a number of user matches for a keyword in a user profile of the user. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the element of the aggregate profile for the one or more crowds of users is ratio of a number of user matches to a total number of users over all keywords in a user profile of the user. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the element of the aggregate profile for the one or more crowds of users is ratio of a number of user matches to a total number of users for a keyword in a user profile of the user. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the one or more crowds of users currently relevant to the current location of the user are one or more crowds that are at least partially within a bounding region corresponding to the current location of the user. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the aggregate profile data is a historical aggregate profile for the current location of the user. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the element of the historical aggregate profile is an average number of user matches over all keywords in a user profile of the user for a defined time window. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the element of the historical aggregate profile is an average number of user matches for a keyword in a user profile of the user for a defined time window. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the element of the historical aggregate profile is an average ratio of a number of user matches to a total number of users over all keywords in a user profile of the user for a defined time window. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the element of the historical aggregate profile is an average ratio of a number of user matches to a total number of users for a keyword in a user profile of the user for a defined time window. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein configuring the sharing rule for the sharable item comprises enabling the user to manually configure the sharing rule for the sharable item. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein configuring the sharing rule for the sharable item comprises automatically configuring the sharing rule for the sharable item. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein automatically configuring the sharing rule comprises:
 identifying one of a plurality of available elements of the aggregate profile data that corresponds to the sharable item; and 
 setting the sharing rule for the sharable item to a default sharing rule for the one of the plurality of available elements of the aggregate profile data that corresponds to the sharable item. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein obtaining the element of the aggregate profile data for the current location of the user comprises obtaining the element of the aggregate profile data for the current location of the user from a remote server. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the sharing rule is mapped to the sharable item and comprises a sharing action and a predicate that defines when the sharing action is to be performed based on the element of the aggregate profile data. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the sharing rule for the sharable item is further based on at least one crowd characteristic of one or more crowds currently relevant to the current location of the user. 
     
     
         19 . A computing device of a user, comprising:
 a communication interface enabling the computing device to share a sharable item stored by the computing device with a computing device of another user; and   a controller associated with the communication interface and adapted to:
 configure a sharing rule for the sharable item, the sharing rule being based on an element of aggregate profile data for a current location of the user; 
 obtain the element of the aggregate profile data for the current location of the user; 
 resolve the sharing rule for the sharable item based on the element of the aggregate profile data for the current location of the user to provide a resolution result; and 
 share the sharable item according to the resolution result for the sharing rule. 
   
     
     
         20 . A computer readable medium storing software for instructing a controller of a computing device of a user to:
 configure a sharing rule for a sharable item stored by the computing device, the sharing rule being based on an element of aggregate profile data for a current location of the user;   obtain the element of the aggregate profile data for the current location of the user;   resolve the sharing rule for the sharable item based on the element of the aggregate profile data for the current location of the user to provide a resolution result; and   share the sharable item according to the resolution result for the sharing rule.   
     
     
         21 . A method of operation for a computing device of a user, comprising:
 configuring a sharing rule for a sharable item stored by the computing device, the sharing rule being based on a crowd characteristic of one or more crowds of users currently relevant to a current location of the user;   obtaining the crowd characteristic for the one or more crowds of users;   resolving the sharing rule for the sharable item based on the crowd characteristic of the one or more crowds of users to provide a resolution result; and   sharing the sharable item according to the resolution result for the sharing rule.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the crowd characteristic is a degree of fragmentation. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the crowd characteristic is a best-case average Degree of Separation (DOS). 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the crowd characteristic is a worst-case average Degree of Separation (DOS). 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the crowd characteristic is degree of bidirectionality of social network relationship. 
     
     
         26 . A computing device of a user, comprising:
 a communication interface enabling the computing device to share a sharable item stored by the computing device with a computing device of another user; and   a controller associated with the communication interface and adapted to:
 configure a sharing rule for the sharable item, the sharing rule being based on a crowd characteristic of one or more crowds of users currently relevant to a current location of the user; 
 obtain the crowd characteristic for the one or more crowds of users; 
 resolve the sharing rule for the sharable item based on the crowd characteristic of the one or more crowds of users to provide a resolution result; and 
 share the sharable item according to the resolution result for the sharing rule. 
   
     
     
         27 . A computer readable medium storing software for instructing a controller of a computing device of a user to:
 configure a sharing rule for a sharable item stored by the computing device, the sharing rule being based on a crowd characteristic of one or more crowds of users currently relevant to a current location of the user;   obtain the crowd characteristic for the one or more crowds of users;   resolve the sharing rule for the sharable item based on the crowd characteristic of the one or more crowds of users to provide a resolution result; and   share the sharable item according to the resolution result for the sharing rule.