SOCIAL AGGREGATION AND SUBSTRUCTURES TARGETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

• US 20120059698A1
• Filed: 09/08/2010
• Published: 03/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Oath Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Watfa, Allie K., Nussel, Dale, Kilroy, Jonathan
• Application Number:
  US12/877,844
• Publication Number:
  US 20120059698A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0252 based on events or environment, e.g. weather or festivals

Abstract

The present invention provides techniques for utilizing opportunities presented by events and social gatherings, such as online advertisement targeting and communications-related opportunities. A virtual user grouping may be formed based in part on a particular event or gathering with which the users are associated, and communications between users in the grouping may be facilitated. Furthermore, social substructures, which may be associated with the virtual grouping, may be identified. Social substructures, and associated generated templates, may be used in facilitating communications between users. Feedback from use of templates may be used in modifying and improving templates for future use.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

using one or more computers, obtaining a first set of information providing an indication that each of a set of users is within a specified area, wherein at least some of the set of users are mobile electronic device users;

using one or more computers, obtaining a second set of information providing an indication that at least some of the set of users are at a particular event or gathering;

using one or more computers, obtaining a third set of information relating to a set of social substructures associated with the particular event or gathering; and

using one or more computers, facilitating communications between users of the set of users, based at least in part on the particular event or gathering, and based at least in part on at least one of the set of social substructures.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising facilitating communications between users of the set of users, wherein the set of social substructures is a set of virtual social substructures relating at least in part to roles of users, of the set of users, at least in part in relation to the particular event or gathering.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising facilitating communications between users, of the set of users, of a particular social substructure.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising facilitating communications between users, of the set of users, of a particular social substructure, comprising using a template associated with the particular social substructure.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising facilitating communications between users, of the set of users, of a particular social substructure, comprising using a template associated with the particular social substructure, and comprising using feedback from use of templates in improving templates for future use.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising facilitating communications between users, of the set of users, of a particular social substructure, comprising using a template associated with the particular social substructure, and comprising using feedback from use of templates in improving templates for future use, comprising modifying or adjusting templates, based at least in part on feedback from use of templates, to better optimize templates for future use.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising facilitating communications between users, of the set of users, of a particular social substructure, comprising using a template associated with the particular social substructure, and comprising constructing the template based at least in part on roles of users within the particular social substructure.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising facilitating communications between users, of the set of users, of a particular social substructure, comprising using a template associated with the particular social substructure, and comprising constructing the template based at least in part on roles of users within the particular social substructure, and comprising facilitating communications differently for users with different roles.

9. The method of claim 1, comprising facilitating communications between users, of the set of users, of a particular social substructure, comprising using a template associated with the particular social substructure, and comprising constructing the template based at least in part on roles of users within the particular social substructure, and comprising facilitating communications differently for users with different roles, comprising limiting or increasing communications capabilities or privileges of users based at least in part on roles of users.

10. The method of claim 1, comprising facilitating communications between users, of the set of users, of a particular social substructure, comprising using a template associated with the particular social substructure, and comprising constructing the template based at least in part on roles of users within the particular social substructure, wherein roles of users are determined based at least in part on user profiles and user historical online behavior.

11. The method of claim 1, comprising facilitating communications between users, of the set of users, of a particular social substructure, comprising using a template associated with the particular social substructure, and comprising constructing the template based at least in part on roles of users within the particular social substructure, and comprising using feedback, associated with template usage at one or more particular events or gatherings, to modify and improve the template for use with one or more other particular events or gatherings.

12. The method of claim 1, comprising forming a virtual grouping of the set of users based at least in part on the particular event or gathering, and comprising targeting advertisements to users, of the set of users, based at least in part on the virtual grouping.

13. The method of claim 1, comprising forming virtual groupings of users, of the set of users, based at least in part on social substructures, and comprising targeting advertisements to users, of the set of users, based at least in part on social substructures to which the users belong.

14. A system comprising:

one or more server computers coupled to a network; and

one or more databases coupled to the one or more server computers;

wherein the one or more server computers are for;

obtaining a first set of information providing an indication that each of a set of users is within a specified area, wherein at least some of the set of users are mobile electronic device users;

obtaining a second set of information providing an indication that at least some of the set of users are at a particular event or gathering;

obtaining a third set of information relating to a set of social substructures associated with the particular event or gathering; and

facilitating communications between users of the set of users, based at least in part on the particular event or gathering, and based at least in part on at least one of the set of social substructures.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the one or more server computers are coupled to the Internet.

16. The system of claim 14, comprising storing the first set of information, the second set of information and the third set of information in at least one of the one or more databases.

17. The system of claim 14, comprising facilitating communications between users of the set of users, wherein the set of social substructures is are virtual social substructures relating at least in part to roles of users, of the set of users, at least in part in relation to the particular event or gathering.

18. The system of claim 14, comprising facilitating communications between users, of the set of users, of a particular social substructure.

19. The system of claim 14, comprising facilitating communications between users, of the set of users, of a particular social substructure, comprising using a template associated with the particular social substructure.

20. The system of claim 14, comprising facilitating communications between users, of the set of users, of a particular social substructure, comprising using a template associated with the particular social substructure, and comprising constructing the template based at least in part on roles of users within the particular social substructure.

21. The system of claim 14, comprising facilitating communications between users, of the set of users, of a particular social substructure, comprising using a template associated with the particular social substructure, and comprising constructing the template based at least in part on roles of users within the particular social substructure, and comprising facilitating communications differently for users with different roles.

22. A computer readable medium or media containing instructions for executing a method comprising:

using one or more computers, obtaining a first set of information providing an indication that each of a set of users is within a specified area, wherein at least some of the set of users are mobile electronic device users;

using one or more computers, obtaining a second set of information providing an indication that at least some of the set of users are at a particular event or gathering;

using one or more computers, obtaining a third set of information relating to a set of social substructures associated with the particular event or gathering; and

using one or more computers, facilitating communications between users of the set of users, based at least in part on the particular event or gathering, and based at least in part on at least one of the set of social substructures, comprising facilitating communications between users, of the set of users, of a particular social substructure, comprising using a template associated with the particular social substructure, and comprising constructing the template based at least in part on roles of users within the particular social substructure, and comprising facilitating communications differently for users with different roles, comprising limiting or increasing communications capabilities or privileges of users based at least in part on roles of Users.