Extending user relationships

• US 20080134292A1
• Filed: 10/28/2007
• Published: 06/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seven Networks LLC (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Seven Networks Inc
• Inventors: van Gent, Robert Paul, Ariel, Ido
• Granted Patent: US 9,251,193 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/23 Updating
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/245 Query processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/285 Clustering or classification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting

Abstract

A system and method for linking information of one user to other users via a data aggregation server is provided. Various security settings govern the linking of information. Various methodologies for initiating a link of PIM data are also provided including automatic linking, targeted linking and requested linking. Implementations utilizing group profiles are also provided.

Claims

1-23. -23. (canceled)

24. A method for extending relationships amongst users in a network community, the method comprising:

accessing personal information management (PIM) data corresponding to a first user;

accessing PIM data corresponding to a second user;

identifying a common relationship in the PIM data of the first user and the second user; and

creating a link between the first user and the second user based on the common relationship, wherein the first user and the second user are both members of the network community.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the link is created automatically.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the link is created following receipt of authorization to create the link from both the first user and the second user.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein identification of the common relationship occurs automatically.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein identification of the common relationship occurs in response to a request from either the first user or the second user.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein creating a link between the first user and the second user includes exchanging an encryption key.

30. The method of claim 24, wherein creating the link between the first user and the second user includes sharing all PIM data about each user.

31. The method of claim 24, wherein creating the link between the first user and the second user includes sharing all PIM data about other users and to which each user individually has access.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein creating the link includes updating out-of-date PIM data about each user with respect to PIM data maintained by the common relationship.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein creating the link includes updating out-of-date PIM data about other users and to which each user commonly has access.

34. The method of claim 24, wherein creating the link between the first user and the second user includes sharing all PIM data about each user that corresponds to a pre-defined privacy setting.

35. The method of claim 24, wherein creating the link between the first user and the second user includes sharing all PIM data about other users and to which each user individually has access and that corresponds to a pre-defined privacy setting.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the pre-defined privacy setting is set by the individual user hosting the PIM data.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the pre-defined privacy setting is set by the user who is the subject of the PIM data to be shared.

38. The method of claim 35, wherein the pre-defined privacy setting corresponds to the PIM data as a whole.

39. The method of claim 35, wherein the pre-defined privacy setting corresponds to classes of PIM data.

40. A system for extending relationships amongst users in a network community, the system comprising:

a computing device associated with a first user, the computing device storing personal information management (PIM) data corresponding to the first user;

a computing device associated with a second user, the computing device storing PIM data corresponding to the second user;

a server configured to;

access PIM data at the computing device corresponding to the first user and the computing device corresponding to the second user;

identify a common relationship in the PIM data corresponding to the first user and the second user,

create a link between the first user and the second user based on the common relationship, wherein creating the link between the first user and the second user includes sharing of all PIM data about each user and corresponding to a pre-defined privacy setting.

41. A system for extending relationships amongst users in a network community, the system comprising:

a computing device associated with a first user, the computing device storing personal information management (PIM) data corresponding to the first user,

a computing device associated with a second user, the computing device storing PIM data corresponding to the second user;

a server configured to;

access PIM data at the computing device corresponding to the first user and the computing device corresponding to the second user;

identify a common relationship in the PIM data corresponding to the first user and the second user,

create a link between the first user and the second user based on the common relationship, wherein creating the link between the first user and the second user includes sharing all PIM data about other users and to which each user individually has access, the PIM data corresponding to a pre-defined privacy setting.

42. A computer-readable storage medium having embodied thereon a program, the program being executable by a processor to perform a method for extending relationships amongst users in a network community, the method comprising:

accessing personal information management (PIM) data corresponding to a first user;

accessing PIM data corresponding to a second user;

identifying a common relationship in the PIM data corresponding to the first user and the second user; and

creating a link between the first user and the second user based on the common relationship, wherein creating the link between the first user and the second user includes sharing all PIM data about each user and corresponding to a pre-defined privacy setting, and wherein the first user and the second user are both members of the network community.

43. A computer-readable storage medium having embodied thereon a program, the program being executable by a processor to perform a method for extending relationships amongst users in a network community, the method comprising:

accessing personal information management (PIM) data corresponding to a first user;

accessing PIM data corresponding to a second user;

identifying a common data point in the PIM data corresponding to the first user and the second user; and

creating a link between the first user and the second user based on the common data point, wherein creating the link between the first user and the second user includes sharing all PIM data about other users and to which each user individually has access, the PIM data corresponding to a pre-defined privacy setting, and wherein the first user and the second user are both members of the network community.