Method and apparatus for generating and using an interest graph

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses are provided for generating, updating, and using an interest graph. A plurality of interests representing a plurality of subjects' affinities towards a plurality of topics may be obtained. A processing device may generate an interest graph based on the obtained interests. The generated interest graph may include: (i) at least two nodes, each of the at least two nodes representing an interest of the obtained interests, wherein the obtained interests are free of any personally identifiable information associated with the plurality of subjects and (ii) at least one link connecting a first node to a second node of the at least two nodes, the at least one link representing a relatedness of the interest represented by the first node to the interest represented by the second node.

1 - 44 . (canceled) 
     
     
         45 . A method comprising:
 obtaining, by a processing device, an interest graph,
 the interest graph including:
 a plurality of nodes,
 each of the plurality of nodes representing a respective interest of a plurality of obtained interests, and 
 
 at least one link,
 the at least one link linking a first node, of the plurality of nodes, to a second node, of the plurality of nodes; 
 
 
   receiving, by the processing device, one or more user interests associated with a particular user;   determining, by the processing device and using the interest graph, that the one or more received user interests do not match any of the plurality of obtained interests;   determining, by the processing device and based on determining that the one or more received user interests do not match any of the plurality of obtained interests, a measure of similarity between the one or more received user interests and at least one of the plurality of obtained interests;   associating, by the processing device and when the measure of similarity between the one or more received user interests and the at least one of the plurality of obtained interests satisfies a threshold value, at least one of the one or more received user interests with the at least one of the plurality of obtained interests; and   providing, by the processing device and based on associating the at least one of the one or more received user interests with the at least one of the plurality of obtained interests, information associated with the at least one of the plurality of obtained interests to the particular user.   
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 45 , further comprising:
 storing information associated with the at least one link,
 the stored information including a measure of relatedness of the respective interest represented by the first node to the respective interest represented by the second node. 
   
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 45 , further comprising:
 storing information associated with the at least one link,
 the stored information including demographic information associated with at least one of the plurality of obtained interests. 
   
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 45 , further comprising:
 obtaining demographic information associated with the particular user,
 the interest graph being based on the obtained demographic information. 
   
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 45 , where, when determining the measure of similarity, the method includes:
 obtaining demographic information associated with the particular user;   comparing the obtained demographic information to demographic information associated with the at least one of the plurality of obtained interests; and   determining the measure of similarity based on the comparison.   
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 49 , where the obtained demographic information associated with the particular user includes at least one of:
 age information associated with the particular user,   gender information associated with the particular user, or   location information associated with the particular user.   
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 45 , where
 the interest graph includes a plurality of links, and   when determining the measure of similarity, the method includes:
 determining a first measure of similarity between a first link, of the plurality of links, and a second link of the plurality of links,
 the first link being different than the second link, 
 
 determining a second measure of similarity between a third link, of the plurality of links, and the second link,
 the third link being different than the first link and being different than the second link; and 
 
 determining, based on the first measure of similarity and the second measure of similarity, a third measure of similarity between the one or more received user interests and an interest associated with the second link. 
   
     
     
         52 . A device comprising:
 a memory to store instructions; and   a processor to execute the instructions to:
 obtain an interest graph,
 the interest graph including:
 a plurality of nodes, 
  each of the plurality of nodes representing a respective interest of a plurality of obtained interests, and 
 at least one link, 
  the at least one link linking a first node, of the plurality of nodes, to a second node, of the plurality of nodes; 
 
 
 receive one or more user interests associated with a particular user; 
 determine, using the interest graph, that the one or more received user interests do not match any of the plurality of obtained interests; 
 determine, based on determining that the one or more received user interests do not match any of the plurality of obtained interests, a measure of similarity between the one or more received user interests and at least one of the plurality of obtained interests; 
 associate, when the measure of similarity between the one or more received user interests and the at least one of the plurality of obtained interests satisfies a threshold value, at least one of the one or more received user interests with the at least one of the plurality of obtained interests; and 
 provide, based on associating the at least one of the one or more received user interests with the at least one of the plurality of obtained interests, information associated with the at least one of the plurality of obtained interests to the particular user. 
   
     
     
         53 . The device of  claim 52 , where the processor is further to:
 store information associated with the at least one link,
 the stored information including a measure of relatedness of the respective interest represented by the first node to the respective interest represented by the second node. 
   
     
     
         54 . The device of  claim 52 , where the processor is further to:
 store information associated with the at least one link,
 the stored information including demographic information associated with at least one of the plurality of obtained interests. 
   
     
     
         55 . The device of  claim 52 , where the processor is further to:
 obtain demographic information associated with the particular user,
 the interest graph being based on the obtained demographic information. 
   
     
     
         56 . The device of  claim 52 , where the processor, when determining the measure of similarity, is further to:
 obtain demographic information associated with the particular user;   compare the obtained demographic information to demographic information associated with the at least one of the plurality of obtained interests; and   determine the measure of similarity based on the comparison.   
     
     
         57 . The device of  claim 56 , where the obtained demographic information associated with the particular user includes at least one of:
 age information associated with the particular user,   gender information associated with the particular user, or   location information associated with the particular user.   
     
     
         58 . The device of  claim 52 , where
 the interest graph includes a plurality of links, and   the processor, when determining the measure of similarity, is further to:
 determine a first measure of similarity between a first link, of the plurality of links, and a second link of the plurality of links,
 the first link being different than the second link, 
 
 determine a second measure of similarity between a third link, of the plurality of links, and the second link,
 the third link being different than the first link and being different than the second link; and 
 
 determine, based on the first measure of similarity and the second measure of similarity, a third measure of similarity between the one or more received user interests and an interest associated with the second link. 
   
     
     
         59 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions comprising:
 one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
 obtain an interest graph,
 the interest graph including:
 a plurality of nodes, 
  each of the plurality of nodes representing a respective interest of a plurality of obtained interests, and 
 at least one link, 
  the at least one link linking a first node, of the plurality of nodes, to a second node, of the plurality of nodes; 
 
 
 receive one or more user interests associated with a particular user; 
 determine, using the interest graph, that the one or more received user interests do not match any of the plurality of obtained interests; 
 determine, based on determining that the one or more received user interests do not match any of the plurality of obtained interests, a measure of similarity between the one or more received user interests and at least one of the plurality of obtained interests; 
 associate, when the measure of similarity between the one or more received user interests and the at least one of the plurality of obtained interests satisfies a threshold value, at least one of the one or more received user interests with the at least one of the plurality of obtained interests; and 
 provide, based on associating the at least one of the one or more received user interests with the at least one of the plurality of obtained interests, information associated with the at least one of the plurality of obtained interests to the particular user. 
   
     
     
         60 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 59 , where the instructions further include:
 one or more instructions to store information associated with the at least one link,
 the stored information including a measure of relatedness of the respective interest represented by the first node to the respective interest represented by the second node. 
   
     
     
         61 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 59 , where the instructions further include:
 one or more instructions to store information associated with the at least one link,
 the stored information including demographic information associated with at least one of the plurality of obtained interests. 
   
     
     
         62 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 59 , where the instructions further include:
 one or more instructions to obtain demographic information associated with the particular user,
 the interest graph being based on the obtained demographic information. 
   
     
     
         63 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 59 , where the one or more instructions to determine the measure of similarity include:
 one or more instructions to obtain demographic information associated with the particular user;   one or more instructions to compare the obtained demographic information to demographic information associated with the at least one of the plurality of obtained interests; and   one or more instructions to determine the measure of similarity based on the comparison.   
     
     
         64 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 59 , where
 the interest graph includes a plurality of links, and   the one or more instructions to determine the measure of similarity include:
 one or more instructions to determine a first measure of similarity between a first link, of the plurality of links, and a second link of the plurality of links,
 the first link being different than the second link, 
 
 one or more instructions to determine a second measure of similarity between a third link, of the plurality of links, and the second link,
 the third link being different than the first link and being different than the second link; and 
 
 one or more instructions to determine, based on the first measure of similarity and the second measure of similarity, a third measure of similarity between the one or more received user interests and an interest associated with the second link.