Social Network Based Event Verification

Abstract

Temporal qualities of events described in electronic documents are verified using a variety of techniques, including human based feedback from contributors near a location of the event in question. The invention can be used in environments such as automated news aggregators, search engines, and other electronic systems which compile information having temporal qualities and which includes timely information on events presented on mobile devices with reduced screen sizes.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of verifying data for events detected by a computing system and identified within an electronic interface for members of a social network comprising:
 a) identifying a first event with the computing system, which first event is identified from first event content provided by a first member of a social network;   b) determining a first event status based on said first event content, which first event status corresponds to a first temporal value identified for said first event;   c) automatically identifying a geographic site associated with said first event using the computing system;   d) automatically identifying, with the computing system, a target set of social network members situated within a geographic area associated with said geographic site eligible to provide data relating to said first event;   e) communicating and soliciting data from each of said target set of social network members with the computing system, including by:   i) identifying an occurrence of said first event within an electronic interface of computing devices for said target set of social network members;   ii) presenting information directed to said first event within the electronic interface, including said first event content;   iii) providing a verification section within the interface including a confirmation indicator which enables said target set of social network members to confirm a first event status assigned to said first event.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein content is solicited by the computing system only from social network members reporting from such site to improve accuracy and timeliness of information for events occurring at said geographic site. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein a prediction is generated by the computing system concerning content to be solicited from said social network members reporting from such site based on a temporal sequence associated with such first event. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further including a step: causing the computing system to periodically poll social network members at such site to collect temporal characteristics of said first event. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further including a step: causing the computing system to prioritize reporting from social network members determined to be closest to such event. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further including a step: predicting an expected path of said first event to a different geographic site, and polling said social network members to confirm temporal aspects of said first event at said different geographic site. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further including a step: predicting future content associated with said first event, and polling said social network members to confirm if such future content depicts a current state of said first event. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  further including a step: monitoring communications between social network members who have granted permission to the computing device to identify content relating to said first event. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7  further wherein said future content is selected from a content template derived from classifying other events similar to said first event. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the currency of content concerning said first event is determined by analyzing votes presented on the same by a plurality of said target set of social network members. 
     
     
         11 . A method of verifying data for events detected by a computing system and identified within an electronic interface for members of a social network comprising:
 a) monitoring postings by the members of the social network to process first event content and identify a first event occurring in a first associated geographic area;   b) determining a first event status based on said first event content, which first event status corresponds to a first temporal value identified for said first event;   c) automatically identifying, with the computing system, a target set of social network members situated within the first associated geographic area eligible to provide data relating to said first event;   e) communicating and soliciting data from each of said target set of social network members with the computing system, including by:   i. identifying an occurrence of said first event within an electronic interface of computing devices for said target set of social network members;   ii. presenting information directed to said first event within the electronic interface, including said first event content and said first associated geographic area;   iii. providing a verification section within the interface including a confirmation indicator which enables said target set of social network members to confirm information concerning said first event, including said first event status assigned to said first event;   f) predicting a second event status for said first event, based on a predetermined pattern determined from other events of a same type as said first event;   g) monitoring the members of the social network to identify an occurrence of said second event status.