Method of and system for determining connections between parties using private links

• US 7,606,796 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2006
• Issued: 10/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Generate Incorporated (News Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Generate Incorporated (News Corporation)
• Inventors: Macksoud, Agnes M., McGeachie, John S., Duchaine, Janet L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Corrielus; Jean M
• Application Number:
  US11/279,511
• Publication Number:
  US 20060287987A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,287 Days
• Field of Search: 707/10, 707/3, 707/102, 707/100, 707/6, 707/5, 707/4, 707/2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A system and method for determining a connection between a one or more “from” connections points and one or more “to” connections points, wherein connections between the connection points are determined as a function of intermediate connections in the path formed between the “from” and “to” connection endpoints.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of determining a pathway between a source and a target, comprising:

providing at least one database including data defining individuals, entities, or both using at least one of a host computing system and a client computing system;

defining a source list comprising one or more individuals, entities or both using at least one of the host computing system and the client computing system;

defining a target list comprising one or more individuals, entities or both using at least one of the host computing system and the client computing system; and

generating, using at least one of the host computing system and the client computing system, a set of intermediate connection points as a series of individuals, entities or both that collectively define the pathway from the source to the target, as a function of predetermined relationships among the individuals and entities comprising the pathway.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing at least one host database comprising identification data for each of a plurality of individuals and entities, wherein for each individual or entity said identification data includes relationships to at least one other individual or entity;

defining a starting point as a list of at least one individual or entity;

defining an endpoint as a list of at least one individual or entity; and

generating at least one pathway that identifies a set of intermediate individuals, entities or both, wherein the identity of each intermediate individual or entity includes;

a first set of identification data in common with a set of identification data of an individual or entity from the starting point or of a prior intermediate individual or entity; and

a second set of identification data in common with a set of identification data of a subsequent intermediate individual or entity or of an individual or entity from the endpoint.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein at least one of the starting point and the endpoint is a list comprising a plurality of individuals, entities or both.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising providing a user interface configured for entry of at least one of the starting point or endpoint.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the identification data comprises an identification of the individual or entity.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein providing comprises deriving information from at least one private or public domain source including data representing individuals, entities or both.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein deriving information comprises parsing information from at least one private or public domain source.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the at least one private or public domain source includes web sites, publications and databases.

9. The method of claim 2, further comprising, prior to generating, defining a maximum number of intermediate individuals, entities or both to comprise the at least one pathway.

10. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

for the at least one pathway, displaying the starting point, the one or more intermediate individuals, entities or both and the at least one endpoint.

11. A system for determining at least one pathway of one or more connections between at least one staffing point and at least one endpoint, wherein the system comprising:

at least one computer system including or having access to at least one database;

a host computing system module for providing including at least one host database comprising identification data for each of a plurality of individuals and entities, wherein for each individual or entity said identification data includes relationships to one or more other individual or entity;

first client computing system including a staffing point as a list of at least one individual or entity;

a second client computing system including an endpoint as a list of at least one individual or entity; and

at least one pathway that identifies a set of intermediate individuals, entities or both, the at least one pathway generated by at least one of the host computing system, the first client computing system, and the second client computing system,

wherein the identity of each intermediate individual or entity includes;

a first set of identification data in common with a set of identification data of an individual or entity from the staffing point or of a prior intermediate individual or entity; and

a second set of identification data in common with a set of identification data of a subsequent intermediate individual or entity or of an individual or entity from the endpoint.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein at least one of the starting point and the endpoint is a list comprising a plurality of individuals, entities or both.

13. The system of claim 11 further comprising a user interface configured for entry of at least one of the starting point or endpoint.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the identification data comprises an identification of the individual or entity.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein providing at least one host database includes deriving information from at least one private or public domain source including data representing individuals, entities or both.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein deriving information comprises parsing information from at least one private or public domain source.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the at least one private or public domain source includes web sites, publications and databases.

18. The system of claim 11, further comprising defining, via at least one of the computing systems, a maximum number of intermediate individuals, entities or both to comprise the at least one pathway.

19. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

displaying the at least one pathway via at least one of the computing systems, including displaying the starting point, the one or more intermediate individuals, entities or both and the at least one endpoint.

20. A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions for determining at least one pathway of one or more connections between at least one source and at least one target, said instructions when executed by a computer causes a processor to perform operations comprising:

defining a source list comprising one or more individuals, entities or both using at least one of a host computing system and a client computing system;

defining a target list comprising one or more individuals, entities or both using at least one of the host computing system and the client computing system; and

generating, via at least one of the host computing system and the client computing system, a set of intermediate connection points as a series of individuals, entities or both that collectively define the pathway from the source to the target, as a function of predetermined relationships among the individuals and entities comprising the pathway.

21. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 20 further comprising:

accessing at least one host database comprising identification data for each of a plurality of individuals and entities, wherein for each individual or entity said identification data includes relationships to at least one other individual or entity;

defining a starting point as a list of at least one individual or entity;

defining an endpoint as a list of at least one individual or entity; and

generating at least one pathway that identifies a set of intermediate individuals, entities or both, wherein the identity of each intermediate individual or entity includes;

a first set of identification data in common with a set of identification data of an individual or entity from the starting point or of a prior intermediate individual or entity; and

a second set of identification data in common with a set of identification data of a subsequent intermediate individual or entity or of an individual or entity from the endpoint.