Method And System For Providing Notifications

Abstract

A computer-based method is provided for selectively providing notifications based on social relevance to a user. The notification is first parsed to determine a sender, a proposed recipient, and at least one topic addressed in the notification. The parsed notification is then evaluated against a social graph of the proposed recipient. A relevance score is assessed based on linkages traversed in the social graph to a predetermined degree of separation from the proposed recipient. The score is increased for linkages that match or relate to the at least one topic. The notification is released to the proposed recipient if the relevance score exceeds a predetermined threshold.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method comprising:
 receiving, by a social relevancy engine from a notification provider, a notification to be delivered to a plurality of users;   parsing the notification to determine a sender of the notification and a topic addressed in the notification;   computing a score indicating a relevance of the notification to a proposed recipient user;   determining that the score exceeds a first threshold value; and   in response, providing the notification to the proposed recipient user.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 obtaining a social graph of the proposed recipient user, the social graph comprising a plurality of nodes, the plurality of nodes including one or more user nodes and one or more topic nodes, and wherein particular pairs of nodes are connected by corresponding links; and   using the social graph of the proposed recipient user to compute the score.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising:
 determining a degree of separation between the sender and the proposed recipient user in the social graph; and   using the degree of separation to compute the score.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein using the degree of separation to compute the score comprises:
 determining whether the proposed recipient user is within a pre-determined number of degrees of separation in the social graph from the sender; and   computing the score based on whether the proposed recipient user is within the pre-determined number of degrees of separation.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising:
 determining a directionality of a connection in the social graph between the sender and the proposed recipient user on the social graph; and   using the directionality to compute the score.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising:
 determining a recency of a connection in the social graph between the sender and the proposed recipient user on the social graph; and   using the determined recency to compute the score.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein computing the score using the social graph comprises:
 determining that the proposed recipient is connected to a topic node corresponding to the topic addressed in the notification; and   using a degree of connection between the proposed recipient and the topic node to compute the score.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising:
 determining that the proposed recipient user does not interact with a plurality of notifications on the topic; and   in response, reducing a degree of association between the proposed recipient user and the corresponding topic in the social graph.   
     
     
         29 . A system comprising:
 at least one programmable processor; and   a machine-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one programmable processor, cause the at least one programmable processor to perform operations comprising:
 receiving, by a social relevancy engine from a notification provider, a notification to be delivered to a plurality of users; 
 parsing the notification to determine a sender of the notification and a topic addressed in the notification; 
 computing a score indicating a relevance of the notification to a proposed recipient user; 
 determining that the score exceeds a first threshold value; and 
 in response, providing the notification to the proposed recipient user. 
   
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the at least one programmable processor to perform operations comprising:
 obtaining a social graph of the proposed recipient user, the social graph comprising a plurality of nodes, the plurality of nodes including one or more user nodes and one or more topic nodes, and wherein particular pairs of nodes are connected by corresponding links; and   using the social graph of the proposed recipient user to compute the score.   
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the at least one programmable processor to perform operations comprising:
 determining a degree of separation between the sender and the proposed recipient user in the social graph; and   using the degree of separation to compute the score.   
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein using the degree of separation to compute the score comprises:
 determining whether the proposed recipient user is within a pre-determined number of degrees of separation in the social graph from the sender; and   computing the score based on whether the proposed recipient user is within the pre-determined number of degrees of separation.   
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the at least one programmable processor to perform operations comprising:
 determining a directionality of a connection in the social graph between the sender and the proposed recipient user on the social graph; and   using the directionality to compute the score.   
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the at least one programmable processor to perform operations comprising:
 determining a recency of a connection in the social graph between the sender and the proposed recipient user on the social graph; and   using the determined recency to compute the score.   
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein computing the score using the social graph comprises:
 determining that the proposed recipient is connected to a topic node corresponding to the topic addressed in the notification; and   using a degree of connection between the proposed recipient and the topic node to compute the score.   
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the at least one programmable processor to perform operations comprising:
 determining that the proposed recipient user does not interact with a plurality of notifications on the topic; and   in response, reducing a degree of association between the proposed recipient user and the corresponding topic in the social graph.   
     
     
         37 . One or more non-transitory computer program product storing instructions that, when executed by at least one programmable processor, cause the at least one programmable processor to perform operations comprising:
 receiving, by a social relevancy engine from a notification provider, a notification to be delivered to a plurality of users;   parsing the notification to determine a sender of the notification and a topic addressed in the notification;   computing a score indicating a relevance of the notification to a proposed recipient user;   determining that the score exceeds a first threshold value; and   in response, providing the notification to the proposed recipient user.   
     
     
         38 . The one or more non-transitory computer program product of  claim 37 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the at least one programmable processor to perform operations further comprising:
 obtaining a social graph of the proposed recipient user, the social graph comprising a plurality of nodes, the plurality of nodes including one or more user nodes and one or more topic nodes, and wherein particular pairs of nodes are connected by corresponding links; and   using the social graph of the proposed recipient user to compute the score.   
     
     
         39 . The one or more non-transitory computer program product of  claim 38 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the at least one programmable processor to perform operations further comprising:
 determining a degree of separation between the sender and the proposed recipient user in the social graph; and   using the degree of separation to compute the score.   
     
     
         40 . The one or more non-transitory computer program product of  claim 39 , wherein using the degree of separation to compute the score comprises:
 determining whether the proposed recipient user is within a pre-determined number of degrees of separation in the social graph from the sender; and   computing the score based on whether the proposed recipient user is within the pre-determined number of degrees of separation.   
     
     
         41 . The one or more non-transitory computer program product of  claim 38 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the at least one programmable processor to perform operations further comprising:
 determining a directionality of a connection in the social graph between the sender and the proposed recipient user on the social graph; and   using the directionality to compute the score.   
     
     
         42 . The one or more non-transitory computer program product of  claim 38 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the at least one programmable processor to perform operations further comprising:
 determining a recency of a connection in the social graph between the sender and the proposed recipient user on the social graph; and   using the determined recency to compute the score.   
     
     
         43 . The one or more non-transitory computer program product of  claim 38 , wherein computing the score using the social graph comprises:
 determining that the proposed recipient is connected to a topic node corresponding to the topic addressed in the notification; and   using a degree of connection between the proposed recipient and the topic node to compute the score.   
     
     
         44 . The one or more non-transitory computer program product of  claim 38 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the at least one programmable processor to perform operations further comprising:
 determining that the proposed recipient user does not interact with a plurality of notifications on the topic; and   in response, reducing a degree of association between the proposed recipient user and the corresponding topic in the social graph.