Enhancing search results with social networking data

Abstract

A method of enhancing search results pertaining to an item with information about the item from a social network is disclosed. It is detected that a user is searching for information about the item in a context outside of a social networking context. Data relating to the item is collected from a social network of the user. A notification of the data relating to the item is generated to supplement a search result that is to be presented to the user in response to the searching.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 one or more computer processors;   one or more computer memories;   a set of instructions incorporated into the one or more computer memories, the set of instructions configuring the one or more computer processors to perform operations, the operations comprising:   detecting that a user of a social networking system is searching for information about an item via an application executing on the device of the user;   based on the detecting, determining information pertaining to whether one or more other users of the social networking system own or have expressed willingness to sell the item;   generating a notification relating to the item, the notification including at least sonic of the information pertaining to whether the one or more other user own are willing to sell the item; and   presenting the notification based on a context of the searching.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the determining of the information pertaining to whether the one or more other users of the social networking system own or are willing to sell the item is based on a personal inventory received from one of the one or more other users. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the personal inventory includes a price at which the one of the one or more other users is willing to sell the item. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the determining of the information pertaining to whether the one or more of the other users owns or is willing to sell the item is based on an analysis of data feeds that are accessible the user. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the accessibility of the data feeds depends on whether the data feeds were made visible to the user by friends of the user or other users of the social networking system. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising detecting the context of the searching based on a search term entered by the user. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising detecting the context of the searching based on a scanning of a bar code for the item. 
     
     
         8 . A method comprising:
 detecting, using one or more computer processors of a device, that a user of a social networking system is searching for information about an item via an application executing on the device of the user;   based on the detecting, determining, using the one or more computer processors, information pertaining to whether one or more other users of the social networking system own or are willing to sell the item;   generating, using the one or more computer processors, a notification relating to the item, the notification including at least some of the information pertaining to whether the one or more other user own have expressed willingness to sell the item; and   presenting, using the one or more computer processors, the notification based on a context of the searching.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the determining of the information pertaining to whether the one or more other users of the social networking system own or are willing to sell the item is based on a personal inventory received from one of the one or more other users. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the personal inventory includes a price at which the one of the one or more other users is willing to sell the item. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the determining of the information pertaining to whether the one or more of the other users owns or is willing to sell the item is based on an analysis of data feeds that are accessible the user. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the accessibility of the data feeds depends on whether the data feeds were made visible to the user by friends of the user or other users of the social networking system. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising detecting the context of the searching based on a search term entered by the user. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising detecting the context of the searching based on a scanning of a bar code for the item. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a set of instructions that, when executed by one or more computer processors, cause the one or more computer processors to perform operation comprising:
 detecting that a user of a social networking system is searching for information about an item via an application executing on the device of the user;   based on the detecting, determining information pertaining to whether one or more other users of the social networking system own or have expressed willingness to sell the item;   generating a notification relating to the item, the notification including at least some of the information pertaining to whether the one or more other user own are willing to sell the item; and   presenting the notification based on a context of the searching.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the determining of the information pertaining to whether the one or more other users of the social networking system own or are willing to sell the item is based on a personal inventory received from one of the one or more other users. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the personal inventory includes a price at which the one of the one or more other users is willing to sell the item. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the determining of the information pertaining to whether the one or more of the other users owns or is willing to sell the item is based on an analysis of data feeds that are accessible the user. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the accessibility of the data feeds depends on whether the data feeds were made visible to the user by friends of the user or other users of the social networking system. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , further comprising detecting the context of the searching based on a search term entered by the user.