Identifying people a person may know

Abstract

A method and system for evaluating the reputation of a member of a social networking system is disclosed. Consistent with an embodiment of the invention, one or more attributes associated with a social networking profile of a member of a social network are analyzed. Based on the analysis, a ranking, rating or score is assigned to a particular category of reputation. When requested, the ranking, rating or score is displayed to a user of the social network.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for identifying at least one profile of a person a target member may know in a social networking system, the method comprising:
 storing one or more profile elements for the target member, each profile element in the plurality of profile elements entered by the target member;   receiving a search request, the search request initiated on behalf of the target member;   processing the search request to identify at least one result, the at least one result comprised of a selection of the at least one profile from a plurality of profiles, wherein the selection is based on a rule identifying a relationship between the person and the target member, wherein the processing of the search request is performed by a processor; and   generating a visualization of the least one result for display.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the rule identifying the relationship between the person and the target member comprises a specification that the at least one profile lists the person as having the target member as a direct connection. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the rule identifying the relationship between the person and the target member further comprises a specification that the at least one profile lists the person as having worked in an organization listed in the one or more profile elements of the target member. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the rule identifying the relationship between the person and the target member further comprises a specification that the at least one profile lists the person as having worked in the organization listed in the one or more profile elements of the target member at the same time as the target member. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the rule identifying the relationship between the person and the target member further comprises a specification that the at least one profile lists the person as currently working in the organization listed as the current organization in the one or more profile elements of the target member. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the rule identifying the relationship between the person and the target member further comprises a specification that the at least one profile lists the person as having worked in the organization listed in the one or more profile elements of the target member within a predetermined time period after the target member left the organization. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising accessing an address book of the person and wherein the rule identifying the relationship between the person and the target member comprises a specification that the at least one profile lists the person as having the target member in the address book. 
     
     
         8 . A system for identifying at least one profile of a person a target member may know in a social networking system, the system comprising:
 a memory comprising a set of instructions;   one or more processors coupled to the memory and configured to, based on the set of instructions,   store one or more profile elements for the target member, each profile element in the plurality of profile elements entered by the target member;   receive a search request, the search request initiated on behalf of the target member;   process the search request to identify at least one result, the at least one result comprised of a selection of the at least one profile from a plurality of profiles, wherein the selection is based on a rule identifying a relationship between the person and the target member; and   generate a visualization of the least one result for display.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the rule identifying the relationship between the person and the target member comprises a specification that the at least one profile lists the person as having the target member as a direct connection. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the rule identifying the relationship between the person and the target member further comprises a specification that the at least one profile lists the person as having worked in an organization listed in the one or more profile elements of the target member. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the rule identifying the relationship between the person and the target member further comprises a specification that the at least one profile lists the person as having worked in the organization listed in the one or more profile elements of the target member at the same time as the target member. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the rule identifying the relationship between the person and the target member further comprises a specification that the at least one profile lists the person as currently working in the organization listed as the current organization in the one or more profile elements of the target member. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the rule identifying the relationship between the person and the target member further comprises a specification that the at least one profile lists the person as having worked in the organization listed in the one or more profile elements of the target member within a predetermined time period after the target member left the organization. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to, based on the set of instructions, access an address book of the person and wherein the rule identifying the relationship between the person and the target member comprises a specification that the at least one profile lists the person as having the target member in the address book. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus for identifying at least one profile of a person a target member may know in a social networking system, the apparatus comprising:
 means for storing one or more profile elements for the target member, each profile element in the plurality of profile elements entered by the target member;   means for receiving a search request, the search request initiated on behalf of the target member;   means for processing the search request to identify at least one result, the at least one result comprised of a selection of the at least one profile from a plurality of profiles, wherein the selection is based on a rule identifying a relationship between the person and the target member; and   means for generating a visualization of the least one result for display.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the rule identifying the relationship between the person and the target member comprises a specification that the at least one profile lists the person as having the target member as a direct connection. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the rule identifying the relationship between the person and the target member further comprises a specification that the at least one profile lists the person as having worked in an organization listed in the one or more profile elements of the target member. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the rule identifying the relationship between the person and the target member further comprises a specification that the at least one profile lists the person as having worked in the organization listed in the one or more profile elements of the target member at the same time as the target member. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the rule identifying the relationship between the person and the target member further comprises a specification that the at least one profile lists the person as having worked in the organization listed in the one or more profile elements of the target member within a predetermined time period after the target member left the organization. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , further comprising means for accessing an address book of the person and wherein the rule identifying the relationship between the person and the target member comprises a specification that the at least one profile lists the person as having the target member in the address book.