1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
a) accepting, by a computer system including one or more computers on a network, page content of a page requested by a user device;
b) accepting, from an ad server and by the computer system, information of an ad which includes ad content;
c) using, by the computer system, at least one of terms, concepts, or categories from the content of the ad to determine relevant content, from a content server, in addition to content of the ad, wherein the determined relevant content is one of (A) a news story, (B) a review, or (C) a user group message;
d) combining, automatically and regardless of any user input, by the computer system, (1) at least a portion of content of the ad, from the ad server, (2) at least a portion of the determined relevant content, from the content server, and (3) the page content, to generate combined information; and
e) serving an electronic document including the combined information to induce display of the electronic document by the user device,
wherein the page content is (A) not directly used to determine the determined relevant content and (B) different than the content of the ad.
2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the ad is for a product and wherein the determined relevant content is a review for the product.
3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the acts of (c) using at least one of terms, concepts and categories from the content of the ad to determine relevant content in addition to content of the ad, and (d) combining (1) at least a portion of content of the ad, (2) at least a portion of the determined relevant content, and (3) the page content, to generate combined content, are performed automatically by a machine executing machine executable instructions.
4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the ad is for a service and wherein the determined relevant content is a review for the service.
5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the acts of (c) using at least one of terms, concepts and categories from the content of the ad to determine relevant content in addition to content of the ad, and (d) combining (1) at least a portion of content of the ad, (2) at least a portion of the determined relevant content, and (3) the page content, to generate combined content, are performed automatically by a machine executing machine executable instructions.
6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the ad is for a product or service and wherein the determined relevant content is a news story about the product or service.
7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the acts of (c) using at least one of terms, concepts and categories from the content of the ad to determine relevant content in addition to content of the ad, and (d) combining (1) at least a portion of content of the ad, (2) at least a portion of the determined relevant content, and (3) the page content, to generate combined content, are performed automatically by a machine executing machine executable instructions.
8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the. determined relevant content further includes a search query related to the content Of the ad.
9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the determined relevant content is a message from a user group.
10. A computer-implemented method comprising:
a) accepting, by a computer system including one or more computers on a network, document content information of a document requested by a user device;
b) using, by the computer system, at least one of terms, concepts and categories of the document content information to retrieve relevant content in addition to content of the document, wherein the retrieved relevant content is one of (A) a news story, (B) a review, (C) a search query, or (D) a user group message;
c) using, by the computer system, the retrieved relevant content, retrieving further content, wherein the retrieved further content is at least one ad, received from an ad server, relevant to the retrieved relevant content; and
d) combining, by the computer system, at least a portion of content of the document, at least a portion of the retrieved relevant content, and at least a portion of the retrieved further content for presentation by the user device.
11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the acts of (b) using at least one of terms, concepts and categories of the document content information to retrieve relevant content in addition to content of the document, (c) using the retrieved relevant content, retrieving further content, and (d) combining at least a portion of content of the document, at least a portion of the retrieved relevant content, and at least a portion of the retrieved further content for presentation on the client device, are performed automatically by a machine executing machine executable instructions.
12. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the at least a portion of content of the document, the at least a portion of the retrieved relevant content, and the at least a portion of the retrieved further content are combined as part of a single Web page.
13. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the act of combining the at least a portion of content of the document, the at least a portion of the retrieved relevant content, and the at least a portion of the retrieved further content is performed before the page is presented on a user device.
14. Apparatus comprising:
a) one or more processor; and
b) at least one storage device storing processor executable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations including
1) accepting page content of a page requested by a user device,
2) accepting information of an ad which includes ad content,
3) determining relevant content, from a content server, in addition to content of the ad using at least one of terms, concepts, or categories from the content of the ad, wherein the determined relevant content is one of (A) a news story, (B) a review, or (C) a user group message,
4) combining, automatically and regardless of any user input, (i) at least a portion of content of the ad, from the ad server, (ii) at least a portion of the determined relevant content, from the content server, and (iii) the page content, to generate combined information, and
5) serving an electronic document including the combined information to induce display of the electronic document by the user device,
wherein the page content is (A) not directly used to determine the determined relevant content and (B) different than the content of the ad.
15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the ad is for a product and wherein the determined relevant content is a review for the product.
16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the ad is for a service and wherein the determined relevant content is a review for the service.
17. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the ad is for a product or service and wherein the determined relevant content is a news story about the product or service.
18. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the determined relevant content further includes a search query related to the content of the ad.
19. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the determined relevant content is a message from a user group.
20. Apparatus comprising:
a) one or more processors; and
b) at least one storage device storing processor executable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations including
1) accepting document content information of a document requested by a user device,
2) retrieving relevant content in addition to content of the document using at least one of terms, concepts and categories of the document content information, wherein the retrieved relevant content is one of (A) a news story, (B) a review, (C) a search query, or (D) a user group message,
3) retrieving further content using the retrieved relevant content, wherein the retrieved further content is at least one ad, received from an ad server, relevant to the retrieved relevant content, and
4) combining at least a portion of content of the document, at least a portion of the retrieved relevant content, and at least a portion of the retrieved further content for presentation by the user device.
21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the at least a portion of content of the document, the at least a portion of the retrieved relevant content, and the at least a portion of the retrieved further content are combined as part of a single Web page.
22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the act of combining the at least a portion of content of the document, the at least a portion of the retrieved relevant content, and the at least a portion of the retrieved further content is performed before the page is presented on a user device.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An application server for matching a plurality of users within a domain, said application server configured to:
(A) implement a social network having a plurality of users;
(B) observe network behaviors of at least some of said plurality of users of said social network;
(C) develop profiles of at least some of said plurality of users within at least one of a plurality of domains using a profile function, wherein (i) said profile function defines a level of relevance of network behaviors for said domain, (ii) said profile function maps said observed network behaviors to said profiles for said domain and (iii) each of said profiles stores a descriptor representing one of said plurality of users for said domain; and
(D) compute matches of two or more of said plurality of users with respect to one of said domains, wherein said matches are based on a relation of common descriptors of said profiles for said domain.
2. The application server according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of domains comprises at least one of an activity, a goal, a need and an interest.
3. The application server according to claim 1, further configured to:
(E) receive ratings of one or more of said matches from said plurality of users, wherein said rating is based on a combination of (i) one or more user inputs of said users having matched profiles and (ii) participation data of said users having matched profiles; and
(F) update said profiles based on said ratings.
4. The application server according to claim 1, wherein said profiles comprise scale factors having a magnitude representing said level of relevance of said observed network behaviors for said domain.
5. The application server according to claim 4, wherein said magnitude of said scale factors are refined based on ratings received from said plurality of users.
6. The application server according to claim 1, wherein said profiles are developed with respect to one or more domains.
7. The application server according to claim 1, wherein (i) said observed network behaviors are represented by a matrix and (ii) said profiles are an association of said matrix with respect to said domain.
8. The application server according to claim 1, wherein said observed network behaviors are determined automatically based on actions, habits and preferences of each of said plurality of users.
9. The application server according to claim 8, wherein said actions, habits and preferences of said user are performed on a portable communication device.
10. The application server according to claim 8, wherein said actions, habits and preferences are based on data collected from sensors of a portable communication device.
11. The application server according to claim 1, wherein said observed network behaviors comprise a customization of an avatar.
12. The application server according to claim 1, wherein (i) said observed network behaviors comprise a selection of words from a word list and (ii) said words are associated with any combination of a value, a need and a goal.
13. The application server according to claim 1, wherein said observed network behaviors comprise a communication preferences between at least one of said plurality of users and a service provider.
14. The application server according to claim 1, wherein said level of relevance of said network behaviors across domains is updated in accordance to ratings provided by said plurality of users.
15. The application server according to claim 1, wherein content is (i) recommended in a first mode and (ii) presented in a second mode based on said profile and said domain.
16. The application server according to claim 1, wherein (i) friends and (ii) acquaintances are suggested based on said profile and said domain.
17. The application server according to claim 1, wherein one or more scale factors associate one or more of said network behaviors with one or more of said plurality of domains.
18. The application server according to claim 1, wherein (i) said profiles are updated and (ii) said updates are based on cumulative activity of said plurality of users.
19. The application server according to claim 18, wherein said cumulative activity updates said level of relevance of one or more of said network behaviors with respect to one or more of said domains.