Methods and systems for providing current email addresses and contact information for members within a social network
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- receiving a request for an email address of a first member of a social network from a second member of the social network responsive to detecting an input of a first identifier associated with the first member in a sending parameter of an email message;
determining, using a processor, a type of relationship and a level of relationship of the second member with the first member;
determining a degree of separation between the second member and the first member based on a weighting factor associated with the type of relationship and the level of relationship;
determining, using the processor, whether the second member is authorized to receive the email address based on the type of relationship, the level of relationship, and the degree of separation;
determining the email address from a social network profile of the first member; and
responsive to the request and the second member being authorized to receive the email address, transmitting the email address.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and systems for providing current email addresses or contact information to members within a social network are described. In one described method, an email program application requests an email address for a member within a social network. Using profile information associated with the member, the email address is provided to the email program application which sent the request. The email address is then entered into the send-to parameter field of an email message. In another described method, contact information associated with a first member of a social can be provided to a second member of the social network. The contact information is provided if the relationship between the first and second members is an authorized relationship. The contact information associated with the first member can be used to update the contact information for the first member in an electronic address book associated with the second member.
142 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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receiving a request for an email address of a first member of a social network from a second member of the social network responsive to detecting an input of a first identifier associated with the first member in a sending parameter of an email message; determining, using a processor, a type of relationship and a level of relationship of the second member with the first member; determining a degree of separation between the second member and the first member based on a weighting factor associated with the type of relationship and the level of relationship; determining, using the processor, whether the second member is authorized to receive the email address based on the type of relationship, the level of relationship, and the degree of separation; determining the email address from a social network profile of the first member; and responsive to the request and the second member being authorized to receive the email address, transmitting the email address. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A system comprising:
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a computer processor; and a non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the computer processor, are configured to; receive a request for an email address of a first member of a social network from a second member of the social network responsive to detecting an input of a first identifier associated with the first member in a sending parameter of an email message; determine a type of relationship and a level of relationship of the second member with the first member; determine a degree of separation between the second member and the first member based on a weighting factor associated with the type of relationship and the level of relationship; determine whether the second member is authorized to receive the email address based on the type of relationship, the level of relationship, and the degree of separation; determine the email address from a social network profile of the first member; and responsive to the request and the second member being authorized to receive the email address, transmit the email address. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium encoding instructions that, in response to execution by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:
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receiving a request for an email address of a first member of a social network from a second member of the social network responsive to detecting an input of a first identifier associated with the first member in a sending parameter of an email message; determining a type of relationship and a level of relationship of the second member with the first member; determining a degree of separation between the second member and the first member based on a weighting factor associated with the type of relationship and the level of relationship; determining whether the second member is authorized to receive the email address based on the type of relationship, the level of relationship, and the degree of separation of the second member with the first member in the social network; determining the email address from a social network profile of the first member; and responsive to the request and the second member being authorized to receive the email address, transmitting the email address. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification