Hash tag management in a microblogging infrastructure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9418160-B2
Application number	US-97096610-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 17, 2010
Priority date	Dec 17, 2010
Publication date	Aug 16, 2016
Grant date	Aug 16, 2016

Abstract

Architecture that provides enhanced tag telemetry in a microblogging communications infrastructure. The architecture provides efficient discovery and tracking of topics that are of interest to a specific user by enabling users to follow (track) hash tags (#tag) and to receive and view all messages tagged with the hash tag appear in the user's personal feed. Each hash tag has a persisted tag page that aggregates all the associated activity, and includes a list that includes, but is not limited to, the tag followers, the most frequent user (uses the tag the most often in a specific time frame), a description, related tags, for example. The user can receive all the updates in the user's personal feed, and see an aggregation of all the messages and conversations associated with the tag in single place. The user can also mute the tag to prevent the receiving of tag information.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computing system of a microblog platform, comprising:
a processor for executing computer-executable instructions; and memory storing computer-executable instructions for:
tracking instances of a hash tag in microblog messages communicated via a microblogging communications infrastructure;
providing a hash tag page that includes a message area for aggregating microblog messages containing the hash tag and a post area box for receiving message text to be communicated to others, wherein the hash tag automatically appears in the post area box as message text without manual entry and before any other message text is manually entered into the post area box;
providing a topics page of a user that includes a list of other users currently followed by the user and a list of hash tags currently followed by the user;
providing a personal feed page of a user that presents microblog messages posted by the other users currently followed by the user and microblog messages associated with the hash tags currently followed by the user, wherein the personal feed page of the user includes a link to the topics page of the user;
receiving, in the personal feed page of the user, a microblog message posted by one of the other users currently followed by the user, wherein the hash tag is embedded in message text of the microblog message and is not yet followed by the user;
adding the hash tag to the list of hash tags currently followed by the user on the topics page of the user in response to the user selecting the hash tag embedded in the message text of the microblog message received in the personal feed page of the user, wherein selection of the hash tag in the list of hash tags currently followed by the user accesses the hash tag page;
providing an updated hash tag page in response to a new microblog message that includes message text containing the hash tag being communicated via the microblogging communications infrastructure; and
receiving, in the personal feed page of the user, the new microblog message that includes the message text containing the hash tag, wherein selection of the hash tag in the message text of the new microblog message accesses the updated hash tag page.

2. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the memory further stores computer-executable instructions for:
creating a new hash tag page in response to the user creating a new hash tag in a microblog message that is communicated via the microblogging communications infrastructure.

3. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the updated hash tag page includes one or more of: a list of tag followers and a list of related hash tags.

4. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the updated hash tag page includes:
an identity of a most frequent user of the hash tag.

5. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the memory further stores computer-executable instructions for:
associating the hash tag with metadata that is added by the user.

6. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the memory further stores computer-executable instructions for:
providing user interface controls for allowing the user to select between the personal feed page of the user and a feed page of a company associated with the user.

7. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the the memory further stores computer-executable instructions for:
providing a user interface control that allows the user to prevent reception of microblog messages associated with the hash tag in the personal feed page.

8. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the new microblog message was created via the hash tag page.

9. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the personal feed page allows the user to perform a search for a particular hash tag.

10. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
tracking, by a microblog platform having a processor that executes instructions stored in memory, instances of a hash tag in microblog messages communicated via a microblogging communications infrastructure;
providing, by the microblog platform, a hash tag page that includes a message area for aggregating microblog messages containing the hash tag and a post area box for receiving message text to be communicated to others, wherein the hash tag automatically appears in the post area box as message text without manual entry and before any other message microblog message text is entered into the post area box;
providing, by the microblog platform, a topics page of the user that includes a list of other users currently followed by the user and a list of hash tags currently followed by the user;
providing, by the microblog platform, a personal feed page of a user that presents microblog messages posted by the other users currently followed by the user and microblog messages associated with the hash tags currently followed by the user, wherein the personal feed page of the user includes a link to the topics page of the user;
receiving, in the personal feed page of the user, a microblog message posted by one of the other users currently followed by the user, wherein the hash tag is embedded in message text of the microblog message and is not yet followed by the user;
adding, by the microblog platform, the hash tag to the list of hash tags currently followed by the user on the topics page of the user in response to the user selecting the hash tag embedded in the message text of the microblog message received in the personal feed page of the user, wherein selection of the hash tag in the list of hash tags currently followed by the user accesses the hash tag page;
providing, by the microblog platform, an updated hash tag page in response to a new microblog message that includes message text containing the hash tag being communicated via the microblogging communications infrastructure; and
receiving, in the personal feed page of the user, the new microblog that includes the message text containing the hash tag, wherein selection of the hash tag in the message text of the new microblog message accesses the updated hash tag page.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein the updated hash tag page includes one or more of: a list of tag followers and a list of related hash tags.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein the updated hash tag page includes:
an identity of a most frequent user of the hash tag.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , further comprising:
providing a user interface control that allows the user to prevent reception of microblog messages associated with the hash tag in the personal feed page.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein the personal feed page allows the user to perform a search for a particular hash tag.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , further comprising:
creating, by the microblog platform, a new hash tag page in response to the user creating a new hash tag in a microblog message that is communicated via the microblogging communications infrastructure.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15 , further comprising:
updating, by the microblog platform, the new hash tag page as new microblog messages associated with the new hash tag are communicated in the microblogging communications infrastructure.

17. A computer-readable storage device storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor of a microblog platform, cause the microblog platform to perform a method comprising:
tracking instances of a hash tag in microblog messages communicated via a microblogging communications infrastructure;
provid

Assignees

• Kikin-Gil Ruth
• Dussud Cedric P
• Liu Hai
• Archambault Anne
• Griffin John
• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Kikin-Gil Ruth
• Dussud Cedric P
• Liu Hai
• Archambault Anne
• Griffin John

Classifications

• H04L67/02

  based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP] · CPC title

• G06F16/23

  Updating · CPC title

• H04L67/10

  in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network (software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46) · CPC title

• G06F16/285 Primary

  Clustering or classification · CPC title

• G06F16/9535

  Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation · CPC title