GROUP AUTHORIZATION METHOD AND SOFTWARE

• US 20120331568A1
• Filed: 06/08/2012
• Published: 12/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sgrouples, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sgrouples, Inc.
• Inventors: Weinstein, Mark, Wolfe, Jonathan
• Granted Patent: US 9,768,969 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/29
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/185 with management of multicast group membership
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services

Abstract

A method for sharing information limited by permission comprising a user providing content to be shared, the user specifying a plurality of individuals or Groups with which to share the content, after the providing and specifying, automatically creating a new Group comprising the specified plurality, and distributing the content to the new Group. Also a method for sharing information limited by permission comprising compiling in an online service a plurality of individual members and Groups, providing content associated with the individuals and Groups, and displaying to a user a combined content view capable of being based on any combination of one or more of: types of Group content; Groups in which the user is a member; combinations of individual members in Groups in which the user is a member; content shared with the user by any of the user'"'"'s contacts; content from sources external to the online service; access and permissions levels; and user selectable display settings.

Claims

1. A method of sharing information limited by permission, the method comprising the steps of:

a user providing content to be shared;

the user specifying a plurality of individuals or Groups with which to share the content;

after the providing and specifying steps, automatically creating a new Group comprising the specified plurality; and

distributing the content to the new Group.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the user and each of the individuals and Groups are members of a same online service.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the user and Groups are members of a same online service but each of the individuals may or may not be.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the individuals not members of the online service are automatically invited to become members of the online service.

5. A method of sharing information limited by permission, the method comprising the steps of:

compiling in an online service a plurality of individual members and Groups;

providing content associated with the individuals and Groups; and

displaying to a user a combined content view capable of being based on any combination of one or more of the group consisting of;

types of Group content;

Groups in which the user is a member;

combinations of individual members in Groups in which the user is a member;

content shared with the user by any of the user'"'"'s contacts;

content from sources external to the online service;

access and permissions levels; and

user selectable display settings.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein types of Group content includes Group content sharing a same tag or tags generated by Group members.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the user can select any subset of the Groups in which they are a member for the displaying step.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the user can select any subset of the individual members in Groups in which the user is a member for the displaying step.

9. Tangible computer readable medium comprising computer software comprising computer readable code for sharing information limited by permission, the software comprising:

code permitting a user to provide content to be shared;

code permitting the user to specify a plurality of individuals or Groups with which to share the content;

code, after the providing and specifying code executes, automatically creating a new Group comprising the specified plurality; and

code distributing the content to the new Group.

10. The tangible computer readable medium of claim 9 wherein the user and each of the individuals and Groups are members of a same online service.

11. The tangible computer readable medium of claim 9 wherein the user and Groups are members of a same online service but each of the individuals may or may not be.

12. The tangible computer readable medium of claim 11 wherein the individuals not members of the online service are automatically invited to become members of the online service.

13. Tangible computer readable medium comprising computer software comprising computer readable code for sharing information limited by permission, the software comprising:

code compiling in an online service a plurality of individual members and Groups;

code providing content associated with the individuals and Groups; and

code displaying to a user a combined content view capable of being based on any combination of one or more of the group consisting of;

types of Group content;

Groups in which the user is a member;

combinations of individual members in Groups in which the user is a member;

content shared with the user by any of the user'"'"'s contacts;

content from sources external to the online service;

access and permissions levels; and

user selectable display settings.

14. The tangible computer readable medium of claim 13 wherein types of Group content includes Group content sharing a same tag or tags generated by Group members.

15. The tangible computer readable medium of claim 13 wherein the user can select any subset of the Groups in which they are a member for the displaying step.

16. The tangible computer readable medium of claim 13 wherein the user can select any subset of the individual members in Groups in which the user is a member for the displaying step.