SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SOCIAL NETWORKING IN A VIRTUAL SPACE

• US 20090265428A1
• Filed: 03/18/2009
• Published: 10/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures Holding 81 LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intellectual Ventures Fund 66 LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Roberts, Jon L., Light, Elliott D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,733,232 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

Social networking in a virtual space over a network is facilitated. Subscriber computing devices each operated by a subscriber are associated with a subscriber identifier. Each computing device is connected to the network. A subscriber profile is created in a profile datastore, wherein the subscriber profile comprises information about the subscriber and wherein the subscriber profile is associated with the subscriber'"'"'s subscriber identifier. Subscriber identifiers associated with subscribers who are logged in to a website are monitored. The website defines a virtual space and the logged-in subscribers are characterized as present in the virtual space. A web page is served to the computing devices of the present subscribers via the network. The web page of a first subscriber comprises a first subscriber icon associated with the first subscriber and subscriber icons of other present subscribers. A determination is made whether the first subscriber profile matches the subscriber profile of one or more of the other present subscribers according to matching criteria. An attribute is assigned to the icons of the other present subscribers that match the profile of the first subscriber according to matching criteria. Selected profile information is provided to the first subscriber of a selected one of any of the other present matching subscribers.

Claims

1. A system for social networking in a virtual space comprising:

a network;

subscriber computing devices, wherein the subscriber computing devices are each associated with a subscriber identifier and wherein each computing device is connected to the network;

a profile datastore, wherein the profile datastore comprises a subscriber profile comprising information about a subscriber and wherein the subscriber profile is associated with the subscriber'"'"'s subscriber identifier;

an information processor connected to the network, wherein the information processor comprises instructions for;

monitoring subscriber identifiers associated with the subscriber devices that are logged into a website, wherein the website defines a virtual space and the logged-in subscriber devices are characterized as present in the virtual space;

serving web pages to the computing devices of the present subscribers via the network, wherein a web page of a present subscriber comprises a subscriber icon associated with the present subscriber and subscriber icons of other present subscribers;

determining whether a subscriber profile associated with the present subscriber matches the subscriber profiles associated with the other present subscribers according to matching criteria (herein, the “

matching determination”

);

in response to the matching determination, linking the icon of the present subscriber to the icons associated with other present subscribers having profiles that match the profile of the subscriber according to the matching criteria; and

displaying a match indicator to the present subscriber of a selected one of the other present matching subscribers associated with the selected one of the other present matching subscribers.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the match indicator comprises an attribute icon associated with the selected one of the other present matching subscribers and wherein the processor further comprises instructions for:

determining when the attribute icon is selected by the present subscriber; and

when the attribute icon is selected by the present subscriber, displaying attribute information associated with the selected one of the other present matching subscribers to the present subscriber in accordance with at least one attribute condition established by the selected one of the other present matching subscribers.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the instruction for displaying attribute information associated with the selected one of the other present matching subscribers to the present subscriber in accordance with at least one attribute condition established by the selected one of the other present matching subscribers comprises displaying a pre-selected set of attribute information established by the selected one of the other present matching subscribers.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the pre-selected set of attribute information comprises at least one attribute selected from the group consisting of a brief summary of the attributes of the selected one of the other present matching subscribers, a matching score of the selected one of the other present matching subscribers, and a photograph of the selected one of the other present matching subscribers.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the match indicator comprises a profile icon associated with the selected one of the other present matching subscribers and wherein the processor further comprises instructions for:

determining when the profile icon is selected by the present subscriber;

when the profile icon is selected by the present subscriber, generating a request for profile data of the selected one of the other present matching subscribers;

displaying profile information associated with the selected one of the other present matching subscribers to the present subscriber in accordance with at least one profile condition established by the selected one of the other present matching subscribers.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one profile condition is selected from the group consisting of a matching determination and a matching determination wherein a matching score exceeds a pre-set threshold.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein the profile condition requires the selected one of the other present matching subscribers to send a release of the profile information and wherein the processor further comprises instructions for:

sending a request message to the selected one of the other present matching subscribers for the release of the profile information;

determining the release is received; and

displaying the profile information associated with the selected one of the other present matching subscribers to the present subscriber when the release is received.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the request message is selected from the group consisting of a text message, an audio message, and a message produced using a network protocol.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the subscriber computing devices are selected from the group consisting of a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a PDA, a cellphone, and a smartphone.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the network is selected from the group consisting of a wireless network, a wired network, a fiber network, a public network, a private network, and a subscriber network.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the profile information is selected from the group consisting of personal data and preference data.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the virtual space is representative of a real space and wherein the web page comprises a graphical depiction of the virtual space.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the information processor further comprises instructions for determining a location of the subscriber computing devices relative to the real space and wherein the icon of the present subscriber and the icons of the other present subscribers are displayed relative to their locations in the real space.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the real space is selected from a country, a city, a geographic region, a shopping mall, a trade show venue, a social venue, a school, a university, a bar, a night club, and a sports venue.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein computing devices are wireless devices, the network is a wireless network, and the present subscriber and the other present subscribers are physically located in the real space.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the match indicator comprises a profile icon associated with the selected one of the other present matching subscribers and wherein the method further comprises:

determining when the profile icon is selected by the present subscriber;

when the profile icon is selected by the present subscriber, generating a request for profile data of the selected one of the other present matching subscribers;

displaying profile information associated with the selected one of the other present matching subscribers to the present subscriber in accordance with at least one profile condition established by the selected one of the other present matching subscribers.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the at least one profile condition is selected from the group consisting of a matching determination and a matching determination wherein a matching score exceeds a pre-set threshold.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the profile condition requires the selected one of the other present matching subscribers to send a release of the profile information and wherein the method further comprises:

sending a request message to the selected one of the other present matching subscribers for the release of the profile information;

determining the release is received; and

displaying the profile information associated with the selected one of the other present matching subscribers to the present subscriber when the release is received.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the request message is selected from the group consisting of a text message, an audio message, and a message produced using a network protocol.

16. A method for social networking in a virtual space over a network comprising:

associating subscriber computing devices with subscriber identifiers, wherein each computing device is connected to the network;

creating a subscriber profile in a profile datastore, wherein the subscriber profile comprises information about a subscriber and wherein the subscriber profile is associated with the subscriber'"'"'s subscriber identifier;

monitoring subscriber identifiers associated with the subscriber devices that are logged into a website, wherein the website defines a virtual space and the logged-in subscriber devices are characterized as present in the virtual space;

serving web pages to the computing devices of the present subscribers via the network, wherein a web page of a present subscriber comprises a subscriber icon associated with the present subscriber and subscriber icons of other present subscribers;

determining whether a subscriber profile associated with the present subscriber matches the subscriber profiles associated with the other present subscribers according to matching criteria (herein, the “

matching determination”

);

in response to the matching determination, linking the icon of the present subscriber to the icons associated with other present subscribers having profiles that match the profile of the subscriber according to the matching criteria and assigning an attribute to the icons of the other present subscribers having profiles that match the profile of the present subscriber according to matching criteria; and

displaying a match indicator to the present subscriber of a selected one of the other present matching subscribers associated with the selected one of the other present matching subscribers.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the match indicator comprises an attribute icon associated with the selected one of the other present matching subscribers and wherein the method further comprises:

determining when the attribute icon is selected by the present subscriber; and

when the attribute icon is selected by the present subscriber, displaying attribute information associated with the selected one of the other present matching subscribers to the present subscriber in accordance with at least one attribute condition established by the selected one of the other present matching subscribers.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein displaying attribute information associated with the selected one of the other present matching subscribers to the present subscriber in accordance with at least one attribute condition established by the selected one of the other present matching subscribers comprises displaying a pre-selected set of attribute information established by the selected one of the other present matching subscribers.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the pre-selected set of attribute information comprises at least one attribute selected from the group consisting of a brief summary of the attributes of the selected one of the other present matching subscribers, a matching score of the selected one of the other present matching subscribers, and a photograph of the selected one of the other present matching subscribers.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein the subscriber computing devices are selected from the group consisting of a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a PDA, a cellphone, and a smartphone.

25. The method of claim 16, wherein the network is selected from the group consisting of a wireless network, a wired network, a fiber network, a public network, a private network, and a subscriber network.

26. The method of claim 16, wherein the profile information is selected from the group consisting of personal data and preference data.

27. The method of claim 16, wherein the virtual space is representative of a real space and wherein the web page comprises a graphical depiction of the virtual space.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising:

determining a location of the subscriber computing devices relative to the real space; and

displaying the interested subscriber icon and the other present subscriber icons relative to their locations in the real space.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the real space is selected from a country, a city, a geographic region, a shopping mall, a trade show venue, a social venue, a school, a university, a bar, a night club, and a sports venue.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein computing devices are wireless devices, the network is a wireless network, and the interested subscriber and the other present subscribers are physically located in the real space.