METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING REAL FRIENDS COUNT

• US 20090083418A1
• Filed: 09/18/2008
• Published: 03/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cormode, Graham, KRISHNAMURTHY, BALACHANDER, Purdy, Kermit Hal
• Granted Patent: US 8,732,295 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/234 for tracking messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

A method and apparatus for tracking communications in a network are disclosed. For example, the method receives a subscription from a customer for a service to track at least one variable associated with a plurality of communicants of the customer. The method identifies a plurality of members of a social network of the customer, and gathers communication data associated with the plurality of members for tracking the at least one variable. The method then displays at least one result derived from the communication data to the customer.

Claims

1. A method for tracking communications in a network, comprising:

receiving a subscription from a customer for a service to track at least one variable associated with a plurality of communicants of said customer;

identifying a plurality of members of a social network of said customer;

gathering communication data associated with said plurality of members for tracking said at least one variable; and

displaying at least one result derived from said communication data to said customer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said displaying displays said at least one result in a chart comprising a plurality of segments, wherein each segment displays one of said at least one variable being tracked.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing a statistical analysis on said communication data, wherein said displaying at least one result displays at least one result of said statistical analysis.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said statistical analysis provides one or more of:

a measure of connectedness, a measure of ranking order for each of said plurality of members, a measure of frequency of communication between the customer and each of the plurality of members, a measure of intimacy, or an indication of a last communication between the customer and each of the plurality of members.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

enabling said customer to provide said at least one result of said statistical analysis to one of said plurality of members.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a global popularity list from said at least one result of said statistical analysis.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing a global statistical analysis by a network service provider anonymously for a plurality of customers of said network service provider for tracking interactions associated with said plurality of customers.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

notifying one or more of said plurality of members of said customer to accept an invitation to subscribe to said service.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

downloading a software application for said service to an endpoint device of said customer, wherein said communication data is gathered locally at said endpoint device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said displaying is invoked on a periodical basis.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one variable comprises one variable for tracking outgoing communications and one variable for tracking incoming communications.

12. The method of claim 2, wherein each segment of said chart is provided with one or more color codes, wherein said one or more color codes signify a freshness of communication.

13. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions, the plurality of instructions including instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the steps of a method for tracking communications in a network, comprising:

receiving a subscription from a customer for a service to track at least one variable associated with a plurality of communicants of said customer;

identifying a plurality of members of a social network of said customer;

gathering communication data associated with said plurality of members for tracking said at least one variable; and

displaying at least one result derived from said communication data to said customer.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein said displaying displays said at least one result in a chart comprising a plurality of segments, wherein each segment displays one of said at least one variable being tracked.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, further comprising:

performing a statistical analysis on said communication data, wherein said displaying at least one result displays at least one result of said statistical analysis.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein said statistical analysis provides one or more of:

a measure of connectedness, a measure of ranking order for each of said plurality of members, a measure of frequency of communication between the customer and each of the plurality of members, a measure of intimacy, or an indication of a last communication between the customer and each of the plurality of members.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, further comprising:

enabling said customer to provide said at least one result of said statistical analysis to one of said plurality of members.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, further comprising:

generating a global popularity list from said at least one result of said statistical analysis.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, further comprising:

performing a global statistical analysis by a network service provider anonymously for a plurality of customers of said network service provider for tracking interactions associated with said plurality of customers.

20. An apparatus for tracking communications in a network, comprising:

means for receiving a subscription from a customer for a service to track at least one variable associated with a plurality of communicants of said customer;

means for identifying a plurality of members of a social network of said customer;

means for gathering communication data associated with said plurality of members for tracking said at least one variable; and

means for displaying at least one result derived from said communication data to said customer.