RESOURCE BASED VIRTUAL COMMUNITIES

• US 20110231488A1
• Filed: 09/19/2010
• Published: 09/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Yongyong Xu
• Original Assignee: Yongyong Xu
• Inventors: Xu, Yongyong
• Application Number:
  US12/790,863
• Publication Number:
  US 20110231488A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/00 Methods or arrangements for processing data by operating upon the order or content of the data handled logic circuits H03K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

This invention disclosed a system and method for resource based virtual communities. Any resources that can be shared or used by multiple people, including Internet resources, software or other resources can be the basis for the community, whose members are users of the resource. Web resources include web sites, web pages news groups or discussion forums. Other types of resources include software products, bulletin boards, games or other products. The community composes of the current resource users such as web page readers, bulletin board posters, game players, software users. Whenever a person accesses or uses the resource, the user is automatically joined as part of the community. At the same time they are using the resource, they can access all services provided by the community, such as talking with other members, collaborating with others, publishing comments, or even adding new community services. A universal virtual community server is disclosed to support all virtual communities based on all resources in the world and all users in the Internet. There are 6 methods disclosed for individual users to connect to this resource based communities.

Claims

1. A system for providing a virtual community, the virtual community being comprised of users accessing a same resource, the system comprising:

a virtual community server providing community content to the virtual community; and

a client component coupled to the virtual community server, the client component providing the virtual community server with the resources being accessed by the users.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the community content is user generated.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the community content comprises community services.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the community services comprise communication services.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the community services comprise online chat services.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the community services comprise online collaboration services.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein the community services comprise information services.

8. The system of claim 3, wherein the community services comprise user authentication services.

9. The system of claim 3, wherein the community services comprise statistical services.

10. The system of claim 3, wherein the community services comprise search services.

11. The system of claim 3, wherein the community services comprise user filtering services.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the virtual community server associates each of the resources being accessed by the users with a unique virtual community.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein users automatically become members of the virtual community associated with the resource being accessed.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the resource being accessed comprises a web resource.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the resource being accessed is a software product.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the client component comprises a browser plugin.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the client component comprises a helper object.

18. A method for providing a virtual community, the virtual community being comprised of users accessing a same resource, the method comprising:

providing a virtual community server, the virtual community server providing community content to the virtual community; and

providing a client component coupled to the virtual community server, the client component providing the virtual community server with the resources being accessed by the users

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the community content comprises community services.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising associating each of the resources being accessed by the users with a unique virtual community.