Method of Sharing Possessions among Friends Connected through a Social Network

• US 20110166928A1
• Filed: 01/06/2010
• Published: 07/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sharitable LLC
• Original Assignee: Sharitable LLC
• Inventors: Robinson, Chloe, Robinson, Dana B.
• Application Number:
  US12/683,150
• Publication Number:
  US 20110166928A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.49
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

A method of sharing possessions among friends connected through a social network whereby friends post sharable items viewable and searchable by keywords, description, and data by their friends and provides means for notification of friends'"'"' desire to borrow said items. Upon item sharing, friends can acknowledge receipt and condition of items borrowed, notify borrower'"'"'s failure to return borrowed items, purchase damage waiver insurance, and rate the quality of the borrower. A method to encourage friends to donate to charities by offering to gift distinct or sharable items, whereby donations must be received by borrower'"'"'s or lender'"'"'s selected charities before gifting, and donations can be coordinated by third parties. Users can post requests for items desired as gifts or monetary amounts they'"'"'re willing to donate upon gift receipt. Items available for gift are searchable and advertisements are displayed to users based on user'"'"'s searched keywords.

Claims

1. A method of sharing possessions between friends that are connected on a social network that allows friends to post items to share and allows friends to view the items shared by their friends;

2. A method of claim 1 where friends can request to borrow items from a friend by using a private messaging system to notify the friend of the desire to borrow and friends with items to lend can approve or disapprove the request.

3. A method of claim 1 where friends that lend can rate the quality of the borrower for others to view the borrower'"'"'s borrow-worthiness.

4. A method of claim 1 where friends can identify the availability of items that are available to lend such that friends can determine and search availability of items they wish to borrow through a searchable database of items by keywords, description, and data

5. A method of claim 1 whereby borrowers may purchase a damage waiver insurance protection that is charged to the borrower upon the lender approving the borrower'"'"'s choice of items that the borrower intends to borrow.

6. A method of claim 1 that employs a searchable database of items, keywords, and/or borrower'"'"'s ratings.

7. A method of claim 1 that allows the lender to acknowledge receipt and condition of items borrowed upon return by the borrower.

8. A method of claim 1 that allows the lender to notify the borrower of failure to return an item borrowed, and/or acknowledgement of the return of an item with or without a condition of the item being identified.

11. A method of claim 9 whereby a user can add a charity of choice to the list of selectable charities, resulting in a communication being sent to the charity requesting that said charity agree to the terms of a donation program before a donation contemplated in claim 5 can be consummated with said charity.

18. A method of claim 1 whereby advertisements are displayed to users based on keywords arising in the user'"'"'s search of the database and items offered to lend that they are viewing.

19. A method of claim 1 whereby users can offer any item for lend or gift to a friend in exchange for that friend donating to a charity.

20. A method of claim 19 where the charity is selected by either the friend that offers the item or by the friend that donates to the charity or a charity is selected by the friend that donates money to a charity.

9. A method of encouraging friends in a social network to donate to a charity by offering to gift an item to a friend if that friend donates money or something of value to a charity;

10. A method of claim 9 whereby the friend offering to gift an item selects a charity of choice that must receive a donation before the item is gifted to the friend who donates something of value to the charity.

12. A method of claim 9 whereby a user can receive charitable donation credit for donating to a charity through a website.

13. A method of claim 9 whereby the items available for gift to friends are searchable by various data entered by the user.

14. A method of claim 9 whereby users can post requests for particular items that they desire to receive as gifts from friends.

15. A method of claim 14 whereby users can post an amount that they are willing to donate to a charity if they receive a gift.

16. A method of claim 9 whereby a third-party can coordinate gifts between friends and donations to charities.

17. A method of claim 16 whereby a third-party can receive a fee or other consideration from charities for receiving donations on behalf of said charity.