Method for facilitating authorized online communication

• US 20070016484A1
• Filed: 07/12/2005
• Published: 01/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hamilton, Rick, Boss, Gregory, Waters, Timothy, Moraca, William
• Application Number:
  US11/179,240
• Publication Number:
  US 20070016484A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]

Abstract

A method for facilitating authorized online communication includes receiving sponsor identification information. The method further includes receiving sign up information from at least a first and second user based on the sponsor identification information and receiving a sponsor authorization. Based on the sponsor authorization, communication between users is allowed. A computer usable medium including computer program code for accomplishing similar actions is also disclosed. A system including means for accomplishing similar actions is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating authorized online communication, the method comprising:

receiving sponsor identification information;

receiving sign up information from at least a first user and a second user in response to the sponsor identification information;

receiving a sponsor authorization; and

allowing communication between the users based on the sponsor authorization.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication is an instant messaging communication transmitted over a network.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the sponsor identification information includes personally verifiable information.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising establishing a symbolic reputation value associated with the sponsor identification information.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

establishing at least one communication community based on the sponsor identification information; and

associating each user with at least one communication community.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

establishing at least one communication subcommunity within the established communication community.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

associating at least one user associated with the communication community with the communication subcommunity.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving at least one delegate identification information in response to receiving the sponsor identification information.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

issuing an invitation to at least one user in response to receiving the sponsor identification information.

10. A computer usable medium including computer readable code for facilitating authorized online communication, the medium comprising:

computer readable code for receiving sponsor identification information;

computer readable code for receiving sign up information from at least a first and second user based on the sponsor identification information;

computer readable code for receiving a sponsor authorization; and

computer readable code for allowing communication between the users based on the sponsor authorization.

11. The medium of claim 10 wherein the communication is an instant messaging communication transmitted over a network.

12. The medium of claim 10 wherein the sponsor identification information includes personally verifiable information.

13. The medium of claim 10 further comprising computer readable code for establishing a symbolic reputation value associated with the sponsor identification information.

14. The medium of claim 10 further comprising:

computer readable code for establishing at least one communication community based on the sponsor identification information; and

computer readable code for associating each user with at least one communication community.

15. The medium of claim 14 further comprising:

computer readable code for establishing at least one communication subcommunity within the established communication community.

16. The medium of claim 15 wherein users associated with the communication community become associated with the communication subcommunity.

17. The medium of claim 10 further comprising:

computer readable code for receiving at least one delegate identification information in response to receiving the sponsor identification information.

18. The medium of claim 10 further comprising:

computer readable code for issuing an invitation to at least one user in response to receiving the sponsor identification information.

19. A system for facilitating authorized online communication, the system comprising:

means for receiving sponsor identification information;

means for receiving sign up information from at least a first and second user based on the sponsor identification information;

means for receiving a sponsor authorization; and

means for allowing communication between the users based on the sponsor authorization.