System and method of managing community based and content based information networks

• US 7,983,927 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2008
• Issued: 07/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shazzle LLC
• Original Assignee: Peer Fusion LLC
• Inventors: McGill, Robert E., Bhomick, Kunal, Boyle, Clifford F., Mazur, Jamie, Berkov, Eugene, Mazur, Jason, Gerus, Alex
• Primary Examiner(s): OUELLETTE, JONATHAN P
• Application Number:
  US12/176,747
• Publication Number:
  US 20090037211A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,093 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1.1, 705/319
• US Class Current: 705/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/234 for tracking messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services

Abstract

A system for storing, managing, and accessing information on a network by providing an interface between a social network and a content network includes an applications platform. The system provides messaging and social networking facility incorporating enhanced instant messaging, file synchronization, network presence, interactive chat capabilities, text messaging, voice and video messaging, blogging, and email. The system includes a viewer, an indexing facility, and a storage facility. The viewer enables users to traverse content and provides services based upon context of time, place, structure, node, and observed user behavior. The viewer provides a means for users to interact with information on the network and services to manipulate information and transact activities. The indexing facility manages the structure of the network and tracks attributes and controlled vocabularies. The indexing facility supports navigation across the structure and resolves the logical index to a physical storage location. The storage facility provides physical persistence for an information component.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of managing an information network by providing an interface between a social network and a content network, the method comprising:

creating a community of users across network devices;

defining an interaction record structure including a tagged grid;

storing an interaction record of content in the community of users based upon the interaction record structure;

creating a community index of content of the interaction record;

tagging the interaction record with a user-generated description of content;

synchronizing the community of users based upon the community index by providing an updated content component in the stored interaction record to users such that the users have the same interaction record; and

updating the community index of the interaction record.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the creating a community of users includes:

requesting, by individual users, membership in the community of users;

accepting or rejecting requests for membership based on criteria established by the community of users.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying presence information characterizing an individual user based on a community of users that the characterized individual user views.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying presence information characterizing an individual user in the community of users based upon the interaction record that the individual user is viewing.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the community index is characterized by a version number, and wherein the synchronizing the community of users includes acquiring the interaction record at the direction of a peer user based upon the version number of the community index.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein acquiring the interaction record includes retrieving the community index for a user joining the community of users.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein acquiring the interaction record includes updating the community index for a user that previously joined the community of users.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the peer user is a community keeper that locates a community user who has a current version of the community index.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein acquiring the interaction record includes:

selecting the community user;

sending a delivery request to the selected community user for the interaction record;

comparing the delivery request to the community index of the selected community

comparing the delivery request to the interaction record of the selected community user; and

receiving the interaction record from the selected community user when the delivery request matches the community index of the selected community user and the delivery request matches the interaction record of the selected community user.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein acquiring the interaction record includes:

synchronizing the community index including;

selecting the community user;

sending a delivery request to the selected community user for the current version of the community index;

comparing the delivery request to the community index of the selected community user; and

receiving the current version of the community index from the selected community user if the delivery request matches the community index of the selected community user.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

synchronizing, the interaction record including;

sending a delivery request to the selected community user for a current version of the interaction record;

comparing the delivery request to the version of the interaction record of the selected community user;

receiving the current version of the interaction record from the selected community user when the delivery request matches the interaction record of the selected community user.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

saving the interaction record with a local filename;

saving the interaction record as a source version record with a version number designation;

verifying the viability of the saved interaction record with the local filename; and

removing the source version record when the saved interaction record is viable, and overwriting the saved interaction record with the source version record when the saved interaction record is not viable.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein tagging the interaction record with user-generated descriptions of content includes:

labeling the interaction record with a first classification scheme; and

rating the first classification scheme.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first classification scheme includes a tag set definition.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising sending a message to a user based upon the label of the interaction record.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

labeling the interaction record with a second classification scheme;

rating the second classification scheme; and

determining a community classification scheme based upon the rating of the first classification scheme and the rating of the second classification scheme.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising providing an inventory of tag set definitions from which a user may choose to classify the interaction record.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein storing an interaction record in the community of users includes:

creating a smart folder, wherein the smart folder houses the interaction record with at least one tag set definition; and

indexing the interaction record and the tag set definition.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the interaction record to be housed in the smart folder conforms to a predetermined tag set definition to impose structure upon the interaction record before it is added to the community.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising rating the interaction record to establish a user-rated value of content in the interaction record.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising rating the user within the community of users based upon an aggregate rating of interaction records that the user rated.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising weighing the user-rated value of content in the interaction record based upon the rating of the user within the community of users.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

performing a direct community rating, wherein an individual user rates the community of users in which the individual user participates;

determining a collective member score of the community of users, wherein the collective member score includes a sum of the ratings of the individual users in the community of users;

determining an average resource rating, wherein the average resource rating includes an average rating of interaction records within the community of users; and

rating the community of users based upon the direct community rating, the collective member score, and the average resource rating.

24. The method of claim 8, wherein the community keeper is determined by a keeper failover process, the keeper failover process comprising:

detecting failure of a user in the information network; and

electing a best-fit successor node to the failed user from a dynamic group of available users, wherein the dynamic group of available users includes all active nodes in the information network,

wherein the best-fit successor node assumes the role of the community keeper and coordinates operations including community membership, presence, and content distribution.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein electing the best-fit successor node includes:

delivering presence information and a community index to users in the information network;

receiving a keeper failure message;

validating that the community keeper is inaccessible;

noting the community keeper position is vacant;

holding existing users within the information network and preventing additional users from accessing the information network until the best-fit successor node is elected;

broadcasting the keeper failure message to users in the information network;

halting current activity on the information network;

acknowledging the keeper failure message and providing a state of the acknowledging user, wherein the acknowledgment includes the acknowledging user'"'"'s current index version, uptime statistics, and topology;

scoring the acknowledging users with a fitness heuristic to evaluate the users'"'"' readiness to assume the role of keeper based on their reported state;

selecting the best-fit successor node based upon the scores of the acknowledging users; and

sending a keeper handoff request to the selected best-fit successor node.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein selected best-fit successor node sends a keeper handoff accept message to the users on the information network.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising broadcasting the identity of the best-fit successor node as the keeper.