Online Social Encountering

• US 20100198742A1
• Filed: 02/03/2009
• Published: 08/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: PurpleComm Incorporated
• Original Assignee: PurpleComm Incorporated
• Inventors: Tseng, Yiwen, Sheu, William H., Chang, Jack H., Tuan, Sherman
• Application Number:
  US12/365,050
• Publication Number:
  US 20100198742A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/319
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

A method for online social encountering includes obtaining identity information regarding a user of an online encounter service, and sending to a presence server, online presence information regarding the user. The method also includes receiving from the presence server, online presence information regarding one or more friends of the user that are visiting a website that the user is also visiting. If the user and the one or more friends indicate a desire to interact, an interaction between the user and the one or more friends is initiated.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

obtaining identity information regarding a user of an online encounter service;

sending to a presence server, online presence information regarding the user;

receiving from the presence server, online presence information regarding one or more friends of the user that are visiting a website that the user is also visiting; and

if the user and the one or more friends indicate they desire to interact, initiating an interaction between the user and the one or more friends.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the online presence information regarding the user comprises:

an identification of the user;

an identification of one or more websites that the user is visiting; and

a presence status of the user.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the interaction comprises one of instant messaging, voice chat, desktop sharing, and co-browsing.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after the receiving, notifying the user of the one or more friends.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the notifying comprises displaying to the user via a pop-up toast, information regarding the one or more friends.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the information comprises one or more of:

an identification of the one or more friends;

an indication of one or more websites being visited by the one or more friends; and

an indication of a social network associated with the one or more friends.

7. A method comprising:

receiving online presence information regarding a user of an online encounter service;

storing the online presence information;

sending the online presence information to an encounter server;

receiving an indication of one or more friends with whom the user would like to interact; and

if at least one of the one or more friends are visiting the same website as the user, and if the at least one of the one or more friends are allowed to view online activities of the user, sending the online presence information to the at least one of the one or more friends.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the online presence information regarding the user comprises:

an identification of the user;

an identification of one or more websites that the user is visiting; and

a presence status of the user.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the storing comprises storing the online presence information locally in a presence server cache.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the storing comprises storing the online presence information locally in a persistent database.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the storing comprises storing the online presence information locally in a presence server cache and storing the online presence information locally in a persistent database.

12. A method comprising:

receiving online presence information regarding a user of an online encounter service; and

sending an indication of one or more friends with whom the user would like to interact when the user and at least one of the one or more friends are visiting the same website.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the online presence information regarding the user comprises:

an identification of the user;

an identification of one or more websites that the user is visiting; and

a presence status of the user.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the indication of one or more friends with whom the user would like to interact is obtained from one or more third party social media services.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the one or more third party social media services comprises an instant messaging service, an online social network service, or a social bookmarking network service.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

before the sending, applying one or more privacy controls to for the user, the one or more privacy controls limiting the availability of online social encountering.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the one or more privacy controls indicate online social encountering at one or more particular websites should be blocked.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the one or more privacy controls indicate online social encountering at one or more particular websites should be allowed.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the one or more privacy controls indicate online social encountering with one or more particular friends or friend groups should be blocked.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein the one or more privacy controls indicate online social encountering with one or more particular friends or friend groups should be allowed.

21. An apparatus comprising:

a memory; and

a processor configured to;

obtain identity information regarding a user of an online encounter service;

send to a presence server, online presence information regarding the user;

receive from the presence server, online presence information regarding one or more friends of the user that are visiting a website that the user is also visiting; and

if the user and the one or more friends indicate they desire to interact, initiate an interaction between the user and the one or more friends.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the online presence information regarding the user comprises:

an identification of the user;

an identification of one or more websites that the user is visiting; and

a presence status of the user.

23. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the interaction comprises one of instant messaging, voice chat, desktop sharing, and co-browsing.

24. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the processor is further configured to, after the receiving, notify the user of the one or more friends.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the processor is further configured to display to the user via a pop-up toast, information regarding the one or more friends.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the information comprises one or more of:

an identification of the one or more friends;

an indication of one or more websites being visited by the one or more friends; and

an indication of a social network associated with the one or more friends.

27. An apparatus comprising:

a memory; and

a processor configured to;

receive online presence information regarding a user of an online encounter service;

store the online presence information;

send the online presence information to an encounter server;

receive an indication of one or more friends with whom the user would like to interact; and

if at least one of the one or more friends are visiting the same website as the user, and if the at least one of the one or more friends are allowed to view online activities of the user, send the online presence information to the at least one of the one or more friends.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the online presence information regarding the user comprises:

an identification of the user;

an identification of one or more websites that the user is visiting; and

a presence status of the user.

29. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the processor is further configured to store the online presence information locally in a presence server cache.

30. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the processor is further configured to store the online presence information locally in a persistent database.

31. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the processor is further configured to store the online presence information locally in a presence server cache and to store the online presence information locally in a persistent database.

32. An apparatus comprising:

a memory; and

a processor configured to;

receive online presence information regarding a user of an online encounter service; and

send an indication of one or more friends with whom the user would like to interact when the user and at least one of the one or more friends are visiting the same website.

33. The apparatus of claim 32 wherein the online presence information regarding the user comprises:

an identification of the user;

an identification of one or more websites that the user is visiting; and

a presence status of the user.

34. The apparatus of claim 32 wherein the indication of one or more friends with whom the user would like to interact is obtained from one or more third party social media services.

35. The apparatus of claim 34 wherein the one or more third party social media services comprises an instant messaging service, an online social network service, or a social bookmarking network service.

36. The apparatus of claim 32 wherein the processor is further configured to, before the sending, apply one or more privacy controls to for the user, the one or more privacy controls limiting the availability of online social encountering.

37. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein the one or more privacy controls indicate online social encountering at one or more particular websites should be blocked.

38. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein the one or more privacy controls indicate online social encountering at one or more particular websites should be allowed.

39. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein the one or more privacy controls indicate online social encountering with one or more particular friends or friend groups should be blocked.

40. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein the one or more privacy controls indicate online social encountering with one or more particular friends or friend groups should be allowed.

41. An apparatus comprising:

means for obtaining identity information regarding a user of an online encounter service;

means for sending to a presence server, online presence information regarding the user;

means for receiving from the presence server, online presence information regarding one or more friends of the user that are visiting a website that the user is also visiting; and

means for, if the user and the one or more friends indicate they desire to interact, initiating an interaction between the user and the one or more friends.

42. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving online presence information regarding a user of an online encounter service;

means for storing the online presence information;

means for sending the online presence information to an encounter server;

means for receiving an indication of one or more friends with whom the user would like to interact; and

means for, if at least one of the one or more friends are visiting the same website as the user, and if the at least one of the one or more friends are allowed to view online activities of the user, sending the online presence information to the at least one of the one or more friends.

43. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving online presence information regarding a user of an online encounter service; and

means for sending an indication of one or more friends with whom the user would like to interact when the user and at least one of the one or more friends are visiting the same website.

44. A program storage device readable by a machine, embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method, the method comprising:

obtaining identity information regarding a user of an online encounter service;

sending to a presence server, online presence information regarding the user;

receiving from the presence server, online presence information regarding one or more friends of the user that are visiting a website that the user is also visiting; and

if the user and the one or more friends indicate they desire to interact, initiating an interaction between the user and the one or more friends.

45. A program storage device readable by a machine, embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving online presence information regarding a user of an online encounter service;

storing the online presence information;

sending the online presence information to an encounter server;

receiving an indication of one or more friends with whom the user would like to interact; and

if at least one of the one or more friends are visiting the same website as the user, and if the at least one of the one or more friends are allowed to view online activities of the user, sending the online presence information to the at least one of the one or more friends.

46. A program storage device readable by a machine, embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving online presence information regarding a user of an online encounter service; and

sending an indication of one or more friends with whom the user would like to interact when the user and at least one of the one or more friends are visiting the same website.