System and method for enforcing privacy in social networks

• US 20060136419A1
• Filed: 05/17/2005
• Published: 06/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dun & Bradstreet Corp., DUN & Bradstreet Incorporated (Dun & Bradstreet Corp.), Hoover's Incorporated (Dun & Bradstreet Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hoover's Incorporated (Dun & Bradstreet Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Brydon, Antony, Patterson, Jeff
• Granted Patent: US 8,554,794 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

The present application describes systems and methods for Relationship Capital Management (“RCM”). An RCM system mines relationship capital, which it correlates to eliminate redundancies, that is made available for searching. An initial result set of the search may be narrowed to a single individual, e.g., the target. Weighted paths are identified that connect the user to the target, which may comprise one or more intermediaries between the two. Weighted paths are presented as maps, which may be embedded in other applications to improve business processes such as selling, marketing, hiring, etc. Selection of a path to the target initiates processing of requests for access to relationship capital and responses between the user and the one or more intermediaries. The processing of requests ultimately leads to the approval, conditional approval or denial of access to the relationship capital to which the user wishes to obtain access.

Claims

1. A method for maintaining ownership rights to relationships in a social network, the method comprising:

storing relationship capital data that identifies a plurality of relationships between entities, a given one of the relationships owned by a first entity;

preventing access to the given relationship by a second entity;

requesting access to the given relationship by the second entity;

responding to the request for access by the first entity;

allowing access to the given relationship where the first entity approves the request for access.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the entity includes an entity selected from the group comprising an individual and an organization.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein responding comprises an approval response, a conditional approval response and a denial response.

4. The method of claim 1 comprising preventing access to the given relationship where the first entity denies the request for access.

5. The method of claim 1 comprising preventing access to the given relationship where the first entity conditional approves the request for access.

6. A method for maintaining ownership rights to relationship capital data in a social network, the method comprising:

storing relationship capital data owned by a first entity;

preventing access to the relationship capital data by a second entity;

requesting access to the relationship data by the second entity;

responding to the request for access by the first entity;

allowing access to the relationship capital data where the first entity approves the request for access.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the entity includes an entity selected from the group comprising an individual and an organization.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein responding comprises an approval response, a conditional approval response and a denial response.

9. The method of claim 6 comprising preventing access to the relationship capital data where the first entity denies the request for access.

10. The method of claim 6 comprising preventing access to the relationship capital data where the first entity conditional approves the request for access.

11. A method for maintaining anonymity in a social network, the method comprising:

storing relationship capital data that identifies a given entity, the relationship capital data owned by the first entity;

preventing access to the relationship capital data by a second entity;

requesting access to the relationship data by the second entity;

responding to the request for access by the first entity;

identifying the first entity where the first entity approves the request for access.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the entity includes an entity selected from the group comprising an individual and an organization.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein responding comprises an approval response, a conditional approval response and a denial response.

14. The method of claim 11 comprising preventing access to the relationship capital data where the first entity denies the request for access.

15. The method of claim 11 comprising preventing access to the relationship capital data where the first entity conditional approves the request for access.