Methods and systems for team searches in a social networking service

Abstract

Techniques for team searches within a social graph are described. Consistent with some embodiments, a search request initiated by a searching member profile is received. The search request includes search criteria. A team membership connection between the searching member profile and a team profile is then detected. Based on the detected team membership connection, profile connections between member profiles and teammates of the searching member profile are identified. The teammates are member profiles with team membership connections to the team profile. Then, matching member profiles are identified by matching the member profiles with the identified profile connection with the search criteria. The matching member profiles are then communicated to the searching member profile.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 receiving a search request being initiated by a searching member profile, the search request including search criteria;   detecting, in one or more databases, a team membership connection between the searching member profile and a team profile;   based on the detected team membership connection, identifying, by one or more processors, profile connections between member profiles and teammates of the searching member profile, the teammates being member profiles with team membership connections to the team profile;   identifying matching member profiles by matching the member profiles with the identified profile connection with the search criteria; and   communicating the matching member profiles with the identified profile connections to the searching member profile.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the team profile includes messaging limits shared by the searching member profile and the teammates. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein identifying the profile connections between the member profiles and the teammates includes limiting the profile connections to first degree connections. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising granting the searching member profile access rights to the matching member profiles corresponding access rights granted to member profiles with profile connection between each other. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein communicating the matching member profiles comprising generating a visual indicator for each of the matching member profiles, the visual indicator designating the communicated member profiles as profile connections of the teammates of the searching member profile. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 communicating additional member profiles that match the search criteria, the additional member profiles lacking team membership connections to the team profile; and   generating a visual indicator to be displayed with the additional member profiles, the additional indicator being a different visual image than the visual indicators associated with the matching member profiles.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, prior to receiving the search request:
 generating a user interface that includes a member selection element configured to obtain a user specified member of the social networking service;   responsive to detecting a user initiated submission of the user specified member, sending an invitation to join the team profile to a member account corresponding to the user specified member.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising, responsive to detecting an acceptance of the invitation to join the team profile, generating a team membership connection between the team profile and the member profile corresponding to the user specified member. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising updating a status of the invitation to indicate that the user specified member joined the team profile. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 identifying additional member profiles connected to the member profile of the user specified member through profile connections; and   generating team connections between the additional member profiles and the team profile.   
     
     
         11 . A computer system comprising:
 at least one processor;   a team search engine implemented by the at least one processor and configured to:
 receive a search request being initiated by a searching member profile, the search request including search criteria; 
 detect, in one or more databases, a team membership connection between the searching member profile and a team profile; 
 based on the detected team membership connection, identify profile connections between member profiles and teammates of the searching member profile, the teammates being member profiles with team membership connections to the team profile; 
 identify matching member profiles by matching the member profiles with the identified profile connection with the search criteria; and 
 communicate the matching member profiles with the identified profile connections to the searching member profile. 
   
     
     
         12 . The computer system of  claim 11 , wherein the team profile includes messaging limits shared by the searching member profile and the teammates. 
     
     
         13 . The computer system of  claim 11 , wherein the team search engine is configured to identify the profile connections between the member profiles and the teammates by limiting the profile connections to first degree connections. 
     
     
         14 . The computer system of  claim 11 , wherein the team search engine is further configured to grant the searching member profile access rights to the matching member profiles corresponding access rights granted to member profiles with profile connection between each other. 
     
     
         15 . The computer system of  claim 11 , wherein the team search engine is further configured to communicate the matching member profiles by generating a visual indicator for each of the matching member profiles, the visual indicator designating the communicated member profiles as profile connections of the teammates of the searching member profile. 
     
     
         16 . The computer system of  claim 11 , wherein the team search engine is further configured to:
 communicate additional member profiles that match the search criteria, the additional member profiles lacking team membership connections to the team profile; and   generate a visual indicator to be displayed with the additional member profiles, the additional indicator being a different visual image than the visual indicators associated with the matching member profiles.   
     
     
         17 . The computer system of  claim 11 , further comprising a team generator module implemented by the at least one processors t and configured to, prior to receiving the search request:
 generate a user interface that includes a member selection element configured to obtain a user specified member of the social networking service;   responsive to detecting a user initiated submission of the user specified member, send an invitation to join the team profile to a member account corresponding to the user specified member.   
     
     
         18 . The computer system of  claim 17 , wherein the team generator module is further configured to, responsive to detecting an acceptance of the invitation to join the team profile, generate a team membership connection between the team profile and the member profile corresponding to the user specified member. 
     
     
         19 . The computer system of  claim 18 , wherein the team generator module is further configured to update a status of the invitation to indicate that the user specified member joined the team profile. 
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing executable instructions thereon, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations including:
 receiving a search request being initiated by a searching member profile, the search request including search criteria;   detecting, in one or more databases, a team membership connection between the searching member profile and a team profile;   based on the detected team membership connection, identifying profile connections between member profiles and teammates of the searching member profile, the teammates being member profiles with team membership connections to the team profile;   identifying matching member profiles by matching the member profiles with the identified profile connection with the search criteria; and   communicating the matching member profiles with the identified profile connections to the searching member profile.