Rating characteristics of relationships

Abstract

A plurality of relationship is determined, each relationship being between a first entity and a different one of a plurality of other entities. For each of the plurality of relationships, a rating for a characteristic of the relationship is determined. Then a rating is assigned to the first entity based on the ratings for the characteristic of each of the plurality of relationships.

1 . A system comprising:
 an information server executable by a processor and configured to store information relating to entities; and   a rating component configured to:
 identify a plurality of relationships, each relationship being between a first entity and a different one of a plurality of other entities; 
 for each of the plurality of relationships, determine a rating for a characteristic of the relationship; and 
 assign a rating to the first entity based on the ratings for the characteristic of each of the plurality of relationships. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the assigning includes determining a weighted average of ratings for the characteristic of each of the plurality of relationships. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the characteristic value is an alphabetic indication of the characteristic. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the characteristic value is a graphic indication of the characteristic. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the graphic indication is a thumbs up. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the characteristic value is a symbolic indication of the characteristic. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the characteristic value is based on feedback from entities. 
     
     
         8 . A method comprising:
 identifying a plurality of relationships, each relationship being between a first entity and a different one of a plurality of other entities;   for each of the plurality of relationships, determining a rating for a characteristic of the relationship; and   assigning a rating to the first entity based on the ratings for the characteristic of each of the plurality of relationships.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the assigning includes determining a weighted average of ratings for the characteristic of each of the plurality of relationships. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the characteristic value is an alphabetic indication of the characteristic. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the characteristic value is a graphic indication of the characteristic. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the graphic indication is a thumbs up. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the characteristic value is a symbolic indication of the characteristic. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the characteristic value is based on feedback from entities. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions, which when implemented by one or more machines, cause the one or more machines to perform operations comprising:
 identifying a plurality of relationships, each relationship being between a first entity and a different one of a plurality of other entities;
 for each of the plurality of relationships, determining a rating for a characteristic of the relationship; and 
 assigning a rating to the first entity based on the ratings for the characteristic of each of the plurality of relationships. 
   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the assigning includes determining a weighted average of ratings for the characteristic of each of the plurality of relationships. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the characteristic value is an alphabetic indication of the characteristic. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the characteristic value is a graphic indication of the characteristic. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein the graphic indication is a thumbs up. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the characteristic value is a symbolic indication of the characteristic.