Social Network System and Method of Operation

• US 20140058965A1
• Filed: 07/24/2013
• Published: 02/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zoom Video Communications, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Ryan, Grant James, Franklin, Gary Lee, Cone, Julian Malcolm, Stalker, William Ferguson, Robinson, Derick Ian
• Granted Patent: US 9,519,937 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/319
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1053 Employment or hiring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0214 Referral reward systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/554 Data synchronization
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/557 Portable profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6009 Personal information, e.g. profiles or personal directories being only provided to authorised persons

Abstract

A method of forming unique, private, personal, virtual social networks on a social network system that includes a database storing data relating to corresponding user entities. The method includes: a first user entity sending an invitation to a second user entity, recording in the database the second user entity as a direct contact of the first user entity and determining that third user entities, directly connected to the second user entity, are indirect contacts. A unique, personal, social network formed from direct and indirect contacts is thereby created for each user entity. Each user entity is able to control privacy of its data with respect to other user entities depending on the connection factor to that other entity and/or that other entity'"'"'s attributes. Each user entity is able to take the role of provider or participant in applications where the provider provides an item or service to the participant.

Claims

1-29. -29. (canceled)

30. A social network system, comprising:

at least one host computer; and

at least one database communicatively coupled to the at least one host computer, the social network system causing the at least one host computer to;

send, over a data network, one or more friend requests from a first user of the social network system to one or more other users of the social network system, an accepted friend request to result in a second user to be included in a first user'"'"'s social network as a friend of the first user;

store, in data records of the at least one database corresponding to the first user, one or more attributes of the second user having accepted the friend request from the first user;

provide the one or more other users access to at least part of the data records for the first user'"'"'s data records stored in the at least one database; and

permit the one or more other users to take a role of provider or participant in an activity and/or application via the data network, wherein a provider provides an item or service to another and a participant utilizes the item or service.

31. The social network system of claim 30, wherein a provider service comprises a location-based service to cause the at least one host computer to determine the location of another user via a GPS location.

32. A social network system, comprising:

at least one host computer; and

at least one database communicatively coupled to the at least one host computer, the social network system causing the at least one host computer to;

send, over a data network, one or more friend requests from a first user of the social network system to one or more other users of the social network system to be included as a friend in a first user'"'"'s social network;

store, in data records of the at least one database corresponding to the first user, one or more attributes of each of the friends accepting the friend request from the first user, wherein each of the friends comprises a direct connection to the first user;

wherein each of the friends of the first user having their own social network, each social network collectively forming a plurality of social networks on the social network system, each of the plurality of social networks comprised of their friends, wherein said their friends representing friends of the friend directly connected to the first user, each of the friends of the friend comprising an indirect connection to the first user;

provide the one or more other users searchable access to at least part of the data records for the first user'"'"'s data records stored in the at least one database;

provide the one or more other users with at least partial control of privacy of their social network with respect to a user seeking access to the one or more other users'"'"' data records by permitting the one or more other users to specify a connection factor between the one or more other users and the user seeking access and/or one or more attributes of the user seeking access required to allow access by the user seeking access to the one or more other users'"'"' data records; and

permit the one or more other users to take a role of provider or participant in an activity and/or application via the data network, wherein a provider provides an item or service to another user and the participant utilizes the item or service.

33. The social network system of claim 32, wherein causing the at least one host computer to store in the data records of the at least one database one or more attributes of each of the friends comprises causing the at least one host computer to store at least one or more identifying characteristics of each of the friends, wherein an identifying characteristic comprises a name of the friend and a means of contacting the friend.

34. The social network system of claim 32, wherein the plurality of social networks comprise connections between contacts, the contacts comprising one or more other users connected directly or indirectly to the first user, wherein each of the users connects to the social network system via a plurality of data input devices over the data network.

35. The social network system of claim 32, wherein a provider service comprises a location-based service to cause the at least one host computer to determine the location of another user via a GPS location.

36. A method performed by a social network system, comprising:

sending, by a host computer over a data network, one or more friend requests from a first user of the social network system to one or more other users of the social network system, an accepted friend request to result in a second user to be included in a first user'"'"'s social network as a friend of the first user;

storing, in data records of the at least one database corresponding to the first user, one or more attributes of the second user having accepted the friend request from the first user;

provide the one or more other users access to at least part of the data records for the first user'"'"'s data records stored in the at least one database; and

permit the one or more other users to take a role of provider or participant in an activity and/or application via the data network, wherein a provider provides an item or service to another and a participant utilizes the item or service.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein a provider service comprises a location-based service to cause the at least one host computer to determine the location of another user via a GPS location.

38. A method performed by a social network system, comprising:

sending, by a host computer over a data network, one or more friend requests from a first user of the social network system to one or more other users of the social network system to be included as a friend of the first user in a first user'"'"'s social network;

storing, in data records of at least one database corresponding to the first user, one or more attributes of each of said friends accepting said friend request from the first user, wherein each of said friends comprises a direct connection to the first user;

wherein each of said friends of the first user having their own social network, each social network collectively forming a plurality of social networks on said social network system, each of said plurality of social networks comprised of their friends, wherein said their friends representing friends of said friend directly connected to the first user, each of said friends of said friend comprising an indirect connection to the first user;

providing, by said host computer, said one or more other users searchable access to at least part of the data records for said first user'"'"'s data records stored in said at least one database;

providing, by said host computer, said one or more other users with at least partial control of privacy of their social network with respect to a user seeking access to said one or more other users'"'"' data records by permitting said one or more other users to specify a connection factor between said one or more other users and said user seeking access and/or one or more attributes of said user seeking access required to allow access by said user seeking access to said one or more other users'"'"' data records; and

permitting, by said host computer, said one or more other users to take a role of provider or participant in an activity and/or application via said data network, wherein a provider provides an item or service to another and a participant utilizes the item or service.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein storing in said data records of the at least one database one or more attributes of each of said friends comprises causing the at least one host computer to store at least one or more identifying characteristics of each of said friends, wherein an identifying characteristic comprises a name of said friend and a means of contacting said friend.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein said plurality of social networks comprises connections between contacts, said contacts comprising one or more other users connected directly or indirectly to said first user, wherein each of said users connects to said social network system via a plurality of data input devices over said data network.

41. The method of claim 38, wherein a provider service comprises a location-based service to cause the at least one host computer to determine the location of another user via a GPS location.