SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CROSS-DOMAIN SOCIAL NETWORKING

• US 20070150603A1
• Filed: 12/22/2006
• Published: 06/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Catalog.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Catalog.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Martin, Thad, Crull, Robert, Miller, Bill, Kenney, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US11/615,806
• Publication Number:
  US 20070150603A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/335 for accessing specific resources, e.g. using Kerberos tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/41 where a single sign-on provides access to a plurality of computers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2119 Authenticating web pages, e.g. with suspicious links
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0815 providing single-sign-on or federations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8545 for generating interactive applications

Abstract

Social networking systems and processes include cross-domain functionality. Requests for access to websites coupled to an authentication system may be received. Whether a user is logged on to the authentication system may be automatically detected. The authentication system may allow a user to be logged on to a second website coupled to the authentication system on a different domain when the user is logged on to the first website. A webpage may be presented that allows a user to log on if the user is not logged on. At least a portion of a webpage may be based on user information.

Claims

1. A method of social networking comprising:

receiving a request from a user for access to a first website coupled to an authentication system;

automatically determining whether the user is logged on to the authentication system, wherein the authentication system is configured to automatically allow the user to be logged on to a second website coupled to the authentication system and on a different domain from the first website when the user is logged on to the first website;

presenting a first webpage on the first website configured to allow the user to log on to the authentication system if the user is not logged on; and

presenting a second webpage on the first website based at least in part on user information, wherein at least a portion of content of the second webpage is based on an authorization status of the user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically logging the user out of the authentication system after a predetermined period of time.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting a third webpage associated with the second webpage based at least in part on the user information, wherein at least a portion of content of the second webpage is based on the authorization status of the user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first webpage comprises the second webpage with an embedded portion configured to allow the user to log on to the authentication system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second webpage comprises messages for the user.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing the user on the first website to communicate with a second user on the second website.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing the user on the second website to communicate with a second user on the second website.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the user is a member of at least one social network group and further comprising allowing the user to communicate with other users in a particular one of the social network groups.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the social network comprises a plurality of nodes, and wherein each node comprises a plurality of users, and wherein at least one of the nodes comprises the user, and wherein the user is capable of communicating with a second user in the same node as the user and/or in a different node from the user.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a peer group of a user based on the user identification, and generating at least a portion of the website based on the peer group.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the authentication system is at least partially stored remotely (define as not the domain hosting server).

12. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the user is logged on to the authentication system comprises transmitting an HTTP call to the authentication system.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the user is logged on to the authentication system comprises determining whether a cookie is stored on the user'"'"'s system that indicates the authorization status of the user.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the user is logged on to the authentication system comprises determining if a cookie comprising the authorization status of the user exists on the domain of the first website.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the user is logged on to the authentication system, further comprising:

receiving a request for access to a third website from the user, wherein the authorization system is associated with a third website; and

automatically logging the user on to the third website.

16. Software comprising a computer-readable instructions operable when executed to:

receive a request from a user for access to a first website coupled to an authentication system;

automatically determine whether the user is logged on to the authentication system, wherein the authentication system is configured to automatically allow the user to be logged on to a second website coupled to the authentication system and on a different domain from the first website when the user is logged on to the first website;

present a first webpage on the first website configured to allow the user to log on to the authentication system if the user is not logged on; and

present a second webpage on the first website based at least in part on user information, wherein at least a portion of content of the second webpage is based on an authorization status of the user.

17. A system for providing sponsored content for use with a business application, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing program instructions operable to;

receive a request from a user for access to a first website coupled to an authentication system;

automatically determine whether the user is logged on to the authentication system, wherein the authentication system is configured to automatically allow the user to be logged on to a second website coupled to the authentication system and on a different domain from the first website when the user is logged on to the first website;

present a first webpage on the first website configured to allow the user to log on to the authentication system if the user is not logged on; and

present a second webpage on the first website based at least in part on user information, wherein at least a portion of content of the second webpage is based on an authorization status of the user.