Method of Recording Usage of an Online Social Network

• US 20110137722A1
• Filed: 02/23/2011
• Published: 06/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Streetspace Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Streetspace Incorporated
• Inventors: Mathai, Tom J., Margon, Kenneth
• Application Number:
  US13/033,488
• Publication Number:
  US 20110137722A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.41
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0242 Determining effectiveness of advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/16 for devices exhibiting advertisements, announcements, pictures or the like
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access

Abstract

A method comprises receiving a logon request from a user of an online social network; processing the logon request to log the user in to the online social network; and recording usage of the online social network by the user.

Claims

1. A method of recording a user'"'"'s usage of an online social network, the method comprising:

receiving a logon request from a user of an online social network;

processing the logon request to log the user in to the online social network; and

recording usage of the online social network by the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the recorded usage comprises time of login.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the recorded usage comprises total time of a usage session.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the recorded usage comprises a page accessed by the user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the recorded usage comprises a number of times the user has logged in to the online social network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the recorded usage comprises a length of time the user views a page.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the recorded usage comprises a response by the user to a specific advertisement displayed to the user.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the response indicates that the user did not respond to the specific advertisement and further comprising the step of removing the advertisement from a list of possible advertisements to be subsequently displayed to the user.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of updating a usage history record stored in a database with the recorded usage.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the online social network is offered as a free service to the user.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the recorded usage comprises a type of content accessed by the user.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the recorded usage comprises a location of the user.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the recorded usage comprises business transactions involving the user.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a reward for the user based on the recorded usage.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the reward comprises a number of points, the number of points being dependent on the recorded usage.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting an advertisement based on the recorded usage; and

transmitting the selected advertisement to a display used by the user.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the recorded usage comprises interest categories selected by the user.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the online social network is web-based.