SYSTEM FOR OPTIMIZING SOCIAL NETWORKING

• US 20130325946A1
• Filed: 06/01/2012
• Published: 12/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Original Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Inventors: Allison, Thayer S. Jr., Bendel, Timothy J., Joa, David, Shao, Yanghong, Joffe, David Neil, Yeri, Naveen G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,874,674 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0204 Market segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

Systems, methods and computer program products are provided for optimizing social networks. In the systems and methods, account data associated with a user account is received and the account data is stored in a storage device. Pluralities of networking opportunities are identified based on the account data. Furthermore, based on the account data triggers may be detected indicating a user'"'"'s interest in one or more social networking opportunities. The system then offers the user, based at least partially on the detected trigger, the one or more social networking opportunities.

Claims

1. An apparatus configured to optimize social networking, the apparatus comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including computer-readable program code stored therein;

a processor operatively coupled to the computer readable storage medium and configured to execute the computer readable program code to;

receive account data associated with a plurality of user accounts;

identify, based on the account data, one or more social networking opportunities;

detect a trigger, based on the account data, wherein the trigger indicates a user'"'"'s interest in the one or more social networking opportunities;

offer the user, based at least partially on the detected trigger, one or more social networking opportunities.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to analyze, based on the account data, demographic information associated with the plurality of user'"'"'s.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to offer the user, based at least partially on the detected trigger and the demographic information, one or more networking opportunities.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to create, based at least partially on the one or more identified social networking opportunities, a social networking site, wherein the social networking site facilitates the exchange of user contact information.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the processor is further configured to offer the user an invitation to the social networking site.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, where the processor is further configured to receive, from the user, consent to post user contact information on the social networking site.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, where the processor is further configured to receive one or more requirements from a social network such that the plurality of users may not be offered the social networking opportunity until the one or more requirements have been met.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, where the processor is further configured to analyze the plurality of user accounts and identify common transactions in the plurality of user accounts.

9. A method for optimizing a social networking, the method comprising:

providing a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including computer-readable program code stored therein;

providing a processor operatively coupled to the computer readable storage medium and configured to execute the computer readable program code to;

receiving account data associated with a plurality of user accounts;

identifying, based on the account data, one or more social networking opportunities;

detecting a trigger, based on the account data, wherein the trigger indicates a user'"'"'s interest in the one or more social networking opportunities;

offering the user, based at least partially on the detected trigger, one or more social networking opportunities.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising analyzing, based on the account data, demographic information associated with the plurality of user'"'"'s.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising offering the user, based at least partially on the detected trigger and the demographic information, one or more networking opportunities.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising creating, based at least partially on the one or more identified social networking opportunities, a social networking site, wherein the social networking site facilitates the exchange of user contact information.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising offering the user an invitation to the social networking site.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising receiving, from the user, consent to post user contact information on the social networking site.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising receiving one or more requirements from a social network such that the plurality of users may not be offered the social networking opportunity until the one or more requirements have been met.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising analyzing the plurality of user accounts and identify common transactions in the plurality of user accounts.

17. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium, wherein the computer-readable medium comprises computer-executable program code portions stored therein, and wherein the computer-executable program code portions comprise:

a first program code portion operable to receive account data associated with a plurality of user accounts;

a second program code portion operable to identify, based on the account data, one or more social networking opportunities;

a third program code portion operable to detect a trigger, based on the account data, wherein the trigger indicates a user'"'"'s interest in the one or more social networking opportunities;

a fourth program code portion operable to offer the user, based at least partially on the detected trigger, one or more social networking opportunities.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, further comprising:

a fifth program code portion operable to analyze, based on the account data, demographic information associated with the plurality of user'"'"'s.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the fifth program code portion is further operable to:

offer the user, based at least partially on the detected trigger and the demographic information, one or more networking opportunities.

20. The computer program product of claim 17, further comprising:

a fifth program code portion operable to create, based at least partially on the one or more identified social networking opportunities, a social networking site, wherein the social networking site facilitates the exchange of user contact information.

21. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the fifth program code portion is further operable to:

offer the user an invitation to the social networking site.

22. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the fifth program code portion is further operable to:

receive, from the user, consent to post user contact information on the social networking site.

23. The computer program product of claim 17, further comprising:

a fifth program code portion operable to receive one or more requirements from a social network such that the plurality of users may not be offered the social networking opportunity until the one or more requirements have been met.

24. The computer program product of claim 17 further comprising:

a fifth program code portion operable to analyze the plurality of user accounts and identify common transactions in the plurality of user accounts.