SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AN INTERACTIVE MOBILE-OPTIMIZED ICON-BASED PROFESSIONAL PROFILE DISPLAY AND ASSOCIATED SEARCH, MATCHING AND SOCIAL NETWORK

• US 20120311462A1
• Filed: 05/14/2012
• Published: 12/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: John R. Devecka
• Original Assignee: John R. Devecka
• Inventors: Devecka, John
• Application Number:
  US13/471,193
• Publication Number:
  US 20120311462A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/753
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/10 Multimedia information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications

Abstract

An icon-based interactive professional profile, search and matching system configured within professional network platforms and technologies enabling a user to generate a personalized interactive icon-based business or resume profile representing icon profile elements optimized for display and functionality on mobile devices. The icon profile system utilizes and integrates selected personalized icon profile elements and associated data for searching, compatibility matching, invitations, communities, and calendar functions. In professional network environments, icon elements are unitized to aggregate users based on a selected icon profile element and in further environments automatically compare and report compatibility between unknown users, which vastly improves professional network functionality.

Claims

1. A method for professional networking, comprising:

maintaining a plurality of icons, wherein each icon represents a professional profile element;

receiving a selection of a plurality of icons from a first user; and

generating a first professional profile for the first user based on the plurality of selected icons.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, from the first user, secondary descriptor information associated with at least one professional profile element associated with at least one of the plurality of selected icons.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the secondary descriptor information comprises at least one a skill level indicator, a passion level indicator, an experience level, a goal, a method of contact, an invitation method, an approval counter, a concierge preference, a privacy preference, an advertising preference, a search term, a tag, a media file, a status update preference, a zone preference, a preference relating to receipt of an update, and a brand preference.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising storing the secondary descriptor information in association with the at least one professional profile element associated with the at least one of the plurality of selected icons.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving, from a second user, a selection of one of the plurality of selected icons of the first professional profile; and

providing the secondary descriptor information associated with at least one professional profile element of the first professional profile to the second user.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising restricting access to the secondary descriptor information by the second user based on a preference of the first user.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising receiving a connection communication, from the second user, associated with the at least one professional profile element of the first professional profile.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing the first professional profile and a second professional profile associated with a second user in a compatibility function.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a compatibility score based on a comparison of the first professional profile and a second professional profile associated with a second user.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising aggregating a plurality of users into a professional community environment based on one of the plurality of selected icons from the first professional profile.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one professional profile element of the first professional profile comprises a communication preference associated with the at least one professional profile element.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising delivering an icon-specific communication from the second user to the first user in accordance with the communication preference.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the icon-specific communication is associated with a calendar function.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying at least one of the selected icons and associated secondary information on a calendar associated with the first user.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

displaying, in association with the calendar, a toolbar comprising one or more of the plurality of selected icons of the first professional profile;

receiving a selection of one of the plurality of selected icons of the first professional profile; and

displaying, on the calendar, an event associated with the selected one of the plurality of selected icons of the first professional profile.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, from the first user, a selection of a professional network community type.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising configuring the plurality of icons and associated category information based on the selected professional network community type.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising connecting the first professional profile with one or more professional network environments.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

comparing the first professional profile to a second professional profile associated with a second user;

generating a compatibility result associated with the first user and second user; and

displaying the compatibility result to the first user and the second user.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving search criteria from an advertiser; and

providing the advertiser with information associated with one or more of the plurality of selected icons of the first professional profile based on the search criteria.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising delivering an advertisement from the advertiser to the first user.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an advertising preference from the first user associated with one or more of the plurality of selected icons of the first professional profile.

23. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing the first professional profile with a set of user profiles maintained in a searchable database;

generating a search result; and

displaying the search result in association with the first professional profile.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the comparing is based on at least one icon of the first professional profile.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the comparing is based on one or more common icons shared by the first professional profile and the set of user profiles.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the comparing is based on secondary descriptor information associated with the first professional profile and the set of user profiles.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the comparing is based on a zone associated with the first professional profile and the set of user profiles.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein the comparing is based on one or more compatibility preferences selected by the first user.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein the search result comprises one or more compatibility scores.

30. The method of claim 23, further comprising generating a compatibility smart clique score associated with the first professional profile and a second professional profile associated with a second user.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the compatibility smart clique score is based on one or more search icons received from the first user and at least one additional common icon comprised in the first professional profile and the second professional profile.

32. The method of claim 23, further comprising generating a plurality of compatibility smart clique scores associated with the first professional profile and a set of other user profiles.

33. The method of claim 1, further comprising integrating the first professional profile into one or more external professional network environments via an API.

34. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a blog associated with one or more of the plurality of selected icons.

35. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from the first user, at least one of an image, a video, an icon animation or an icon description; and

generating a custom icon based on the at least one of an external image, a video, an icon animation or an icon description.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising adding the custom icon to a library comprising the plurality of icons.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising:

receiving, from a second user, a selection of search criteria comprising the custom icon; and

matching the first user and the second user based on the custom icon.

38. The method of claim 35, further comprising receiving, from the first user, secondary descriptor information associated with the custom icon.

39. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating one or more tags with the first professional profile.

40. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating the one or more tags with at least one of a search engine and a compatibility engine.

41. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating the first professional profile in a resume format.

42. A method comprising:

maintaining a plurality of icons, wherein each icon represents a professional profile element;

receiving a selection of a plurality of icons from a first user;

storing personalized information from the first user associated with one or more of the plurality of selected icons;

generating a first professional profile for the first user based on the plurality of selected icons; and

adding the first professional profile to a searchable database comprising a plurality of user profiles.

43. The method of claim 42, further comprising:

receiving, from the first user, search criteria;

conducting a search of the searchable database based on the search criteria; and

identifying one or more of the plurality of user profiles based on the search criteria.

44. The method of claim 43, further comprising reporting a compatibility result comparing the first professional profile and one or more of the identified plurality of user profiles.

45. The method of claim 44, further comprising receiving a connection request from the first user associated with one or more of the reporting a compatibility result comparing the first professional profile and one or more of the identified plurality of user profiles.

46. The method of claim 42, further comprising receiving a selection of a professional network environment type.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the professional network environment type comprises at least one of a blog, a billboard, a video-based system, social gaming system, and an external API professional network.

48. A computing device comprising:

a memory; and

a processing device coupled to the memory, wherein the processing device is configured to;

maintain a plurality of icons, wherein each icon represents a professional profile element,

receive a selection of a plurality of icons from a first user, and

generate a first professional profile for the first user based on the plurality of selected icons.

49. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by a processing system, cause the processing system to perform a method for professional networking, the method comprising:

maintaining a plurality of icons, wherein each icon represents a professional profile element;

receiving a selection of a plurality of icons from a first user; and

generating a first professional profile for the first user based on the plurality of selected icons.