Method of Presenting Internet Search Results

Abstract

A method of presenting Internet search results includes obtaining Internet search results in response to a search request from a first user of a site. Users of the site have profiles with information regarding the users. The first user has a profile with information associating certain of the users to the first user. The search results are ranked such that the search results related to the information regarding the users associated with the first user are ranked highest. The search results are displayed on a display according to the ranking

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of presenting search results to a user of a social network web site, wherein users of the site have profiles with information regarding the users, wherein a first user of the site has a profile with information associating profiles of certain of the users as friends to the first user and lists items on the site as an interest or affinity of the first user, the method comprising:
 obtaining by a server search results in response to a search request from the first user;   determining a rank for use in providing search results to the first user based at least in part on strength of relationships between the first user and other users of the site, wherein a determination of the strength of relationships between the first user and other users of the site includes
 identifying the profiles of users with which the first user has associated as a friend; and 
 identifying the profiles of users which list on the site as an interest or affinity any of the same items listed on the site as an interest or affinity of the first user; and 
   displaying on a display the search results using the rank as a factor in deciding whether a given search result should be displayed.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein:
 the determination of the strength of relationships further includes identifying the profiles of users having a second order relationship with the first user. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein:
 the rank is determined further based on the information in the profiles of users associated as friends of the first user such that the search results related to the information in the profiles of users that are friends with the first user are ranked higher than the search results unrelated to the information in the profiles of users that are friends with the first user. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the profile of the first user further includes information identifying other users of the site who the first user trusts, wherein:
 the rank is determined further based on the information in the profiles of users trusted by the first user such that the search results related to the information in the profiles of users trusted by the first user are ranked higher than the search results unrelated to the information in the profiles of users trusted by the first user. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the information in the profile of the first user further includes a group membership of the first user, wherein:
 the determination of the strength of relationships further includes identifying the profiles of users who are members of the same group of the first user. 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein:
 the determination of the strength of relationships further includes identifying the profiles of users who are family members of the first user. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the information in the profile of the first user further includes an occupation of the first user, wherein:
 the determination of the strength of relationships further includes identifying the profiles of users who have the same occupation as the first user. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the information in the profile of the first user further includes a gender of the first user, wherein:
 the determination of the strength of relationships further includes identifying the profiles of users who have the same gender as the first user. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the information in the profile of the first user further includes a marital status of the first user, wherein:
 the determination of the strength of relationships further includes identifying the profiles of users who have the same marital status as the first user. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the information in the profile of the first user further includes an age of the first user, wherein:
 the determination of the strength of relationships further includes identifying the profiles of users who have an age within a given age range as the first user. 
 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the information in the profile of the first user further includes an employer of the first user, wherein:
 the determination of the strength of relationships further includes identifying the profiles of users who have the same employer as the first user. 
 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein:
 the rank is determined further based on the information in the profiles of users known to the first user such that the search results related to the information in the profiles of users known to the first user are ranked higher than the search results unrelated to the information in the profiles of users known to the first user. 
 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein:
 the displayed search results include items on the site that are not profiles. 
 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein:
 the displayed search results include profiles of users on the site. 
 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein:
 the displayed search results include advertisements of users of the site. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein:
 the displayed search results include products for sale from users of the site. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1  wherein:
 the determination of the strength of relationships considers popularity of an item on the site and whether users are members of the same group and wherein the search results include search results that are referred to in the profile of the first user. 
 
     
     
         18 . A method of identifying a list of items relating to a social network, wherein users of the social network have profiles and/or webpages with information regarding the users and/or their activities, products, and/or services, wherein a first user has a profile with information associating certain of the users to the first user, the method comprising:
 obtaining by a server a list of items relating to the social network to be displayed to a first user, wherein the items include one or more of advertisements relating to businesses, products, and/or services of users of the social network, user profiles on the social network, and/or webpages on the social network; and   creating the list of items relating to the social network using a process including
 identifying profiles of users that have been associated as friends with the profile of the first user by the first user; 
 identifying profiles of users that have a second degree of separation from the first user; 
 identifying profiles of users that are in a family relationship with the first user; 
 identifying items relating to the social network for which a user has a like, interest, and/or affinity; 
 identifying profiles of users that have a common like, interest, and/or affinity with the first user; 
 identifying profiles of users that have the same group membership as the first user; and 
 determining a rank that indicates the strength of the relationship of other users with the first user based upon at least the common interest or affinities of the other users with the first user; and 
 using the rank as a factor in creating the list of items relating to the social network. 
   
     
     
         19 . A method of presenting Internet search results comprising:
 obtaining by a server Internet search results in response to a search request from a first user of a site, wherein users of the site have profiles with information regarding the users, wherein the first user has a profile with information associating certain of the users to the first user;   ranking by the server the search results such that the search results which are related to the information regarding the users associated with the first user are ranked highest; and   displaying on a display the search results according to the ranking   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein:
 the site is a social network site.