Google buys IBM's US 7,865,592 , and others

US Patent No. 7,865,592 is titled Using semantic networks to develop a social network with

abstract

A method, apparatus and program product are provided for identifying common interests between users of a communication network. A program of instruction monitors activity over a communication network by users and identifies interests for users based on network activity. The program of instruction creates semantic networks based on use of the communication network and identifies other users with common interests from the semantic networks. Optionally, social networks may be created or modified by adding other users with common interests as identified by semantic networks.


first claim

A method for identifying common interests between users of a communication network comprising the steps of:
monitoring activity over a communication network by users;
identifying interests for users based on network activity;
creating semantic networks of users' interests based on the users' use of the communication network; and
identifying users with common interests by comparing the users' respective semantic networks.


It's hard to determine which is more humorous, that IBM, which constantly railed against bogus patents, got the patent, or that Google bought it.

See also Google adds IBM patents as it looks to future which includes the text:

Among the patents acquired in this latest deal is US Patent 7,865,592 which relates specifically to social networking sites, allowing "identifying common interests between users of a communication network".