System, method, and computer program product for providing an association between a first participant and a second participant in a social network

• US 8,090,666 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2009
• Issued: 01/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Your Net Works Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Your Net Works Incorporated
• Inventors: Sarbaev, Miro, Beregovaya, Olga, Lerner, Alex, Nikulina, Anya
• Primary Examiner(s): OBEID, FAHD A
• Application Number:
  US12/372,584
• Publication Number:
  US 20090254456A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,050 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/319
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

A system, method, and computer program product are provided for associating a first participant and a second participant in a social network. In one embodiment, payment is received from a first participant. Additionally, an association between the first participant and a second participant in a social network is provided, in exchange for the payment.

Claims

1. A social networking system, comprising:

memory for storing information associated with followers of one of a plurality of participants of a social network, the participants including at least one of a person, a group of persons, and a project; and

a processor for;

displaying to the participant a first one of a plurality of web pages associated with an account of the participant with the social network, the first web page graphically representing a social hierarchy utilizing a plurality of circles, each circle including followers of a different level of closeness to the participant, wherein each of the circles is associated with a different set of content provided to the followers, such that for each circle, followers included in the circle are provided a different set of content than followers included in the other circles;

receiving a selection from the participant of one of the circles via the first web page, and in response to the selection;

displaying to the participant the followers included in the selected circle; and

presenting at least one option to the participant for configuring a membership price associated with the selected circle;

wherein the system is operable such that in response to an indication by one of the followers of a desire to join another one of the circles associated with a set of content larger than one of the circles associated with a most limited set of content, the follower is elevated to the other one of the circles associated with the larger set of content, based on payment of a membership price associated with the other one of the circles associated with the larger set of content.

2. The social networking system of claim 1, wherein the processor is coupled to the memory via a bus.

3. The social networking system of claim 1, wherein the system is operable such that each of the followers is associated with the participant in the social network, based on an initiative of the follower, including joining the follower to one of the circles having an associated set of content, based on criteria for entry into the one of the circles.

4. The social networking system of claim 3, wherein the initiative includes an exchange for a payment from the follower.

5. The social networking system of claim 3, wherein the initiative includes a registration of the follower.

6. The social networking system of claim 3, wherein the system is operable such that each of the followers is automatically joined to the one of the circles associated with the most limited set of content, in response to the initiative of the follower.

7. The social networking system of claim 1, wherein the system is operable such that the follower is elevated to the other one of the circles associated with a larger set of content in response to acceptance of an invite from the participant.

8. The social networking system of claim 1, wherein the system is operable such that a first one of the circles is associated with a first level of opportunities that is different from a second level of opportunities associated with a second one the circles.

9. The social networking system of claim 5, wherein the first level is lower than the second level such that opportunities included in the first level of opportunities are fewer than opportunities included in the second level of opportunities.

10. The social networking system of claim 1, wherein the participant includes the person.

11. The social networking system of claim 1, wherein the participant includes the group of persons.

12. The social networking system of claim 1, wherein the group of persons includes a content provider.

13. The social networking system of claim 1, wherein the participant includes the project.

14. The social networking system of claim 1, wherein the followers and the participant are subscribers to the social network.

15. The social networking system of claim 1, wherein the system is operable such that each of the circles is associated with a threshold number of followers.

16. The social networking system of claim 15, wherein the system is operable such that in response to a determination that the threshold number of followers for one of the circles has been reached, the participant is invited to define a new circle of followers.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the followers is included in at least one of the circles based on an invitation from the participant.

20. The system of claim 1, further comprising presenting to the participant an option for configuring a name of the selected circle.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the circles is defined by the participant utilizing the account of the participant with the social network.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the at least one of the circles is defined by the participant providing a name for the at least one of the circles.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the at least one of the circles is defined by the participant indicating content accessible to the followers included in the at least one of the circles.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the web pages associated with the account of the participant with the social network includes an invite option for use by the participant to invite new participants to the social network.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the web pages associated with the account of the participant displays a total number of participants who are followers of the participant.

26. The system of claim 1, further in response to the selection, displaying a number indicator of a total number of followers included in the selected circle.

27. The system of claim 1, further in response to the selection, providing an option selectable by the participant to remove at least one of the followers included in the selected circle.

17. A method, comprising:

storing in memory information associated with followers of one of a plurality of participants of a social network, the participants including at least one of a person, a group of persons, and a project;

displaying to the participant, utilizing a processor, a first one of a plurality of web pages associated with an account of the participant with the social network, the first web page graphically representing a social hierarchy utilizing a plurality of circles, each circle including followers of a different level of closeness to the participant, wherein each of the circles is associated with a different set of content provided to the followers, such that for each circle, followers included in the circle are provided a different set of content than followers included in the other circles;

receiving a selection from the participant of one of the circles via the first web page, and in response to the selection;

displaying to the participant the followers included in the selected circle; and

presenting at least one option to the participant for configuring a membership price associated with the selected circle;

wherein in response to an indication by one of the followers of a desire to join another one of the circles associated with a set of content larger than one of the circles associated with a most limited set of content, the follower is elevated to the other one of the circles associated with the larger set of content, based on payment of a membership price associated with the other one of the circles associated with the larger set of content.

18. A computer program product embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising:

computer code for storing information associated with followers of one of a plurality of participants of a social network, the participants including at least one of a person, a group of persons, and a project;

computer code for displaying to the participant a first one of a plurality of web pages associated with an account of the participant with the social network, the first web page graphically representing a social hierarchy utilizing a plurality of circles, each circle including followers of a different level of closeness to the participant, wherein the computer program product is operable such that each of the circles is associated with a different set of content provided to the followers, such that for each circle, followers included in the circle are provided a different set of content than followers included in the other circles;

computer code for receiving a selection from the participant of one of the circles via the first web page, and in response to the selection;

displaying to the participant the followers included in the selected circle; and

presenting at least one option to the participant for configuring a membership price associated with the selected circle;

wherein the computer program product is operable such that in response to an indication by one of the followers of a desire to join another one of the circles associated with a set of content larger than one of the circles associated with a most limited set of content, the follower is elevated to the other one of the circles associated with the larger set of content, based on payment of a membership price associated with the other one of the circles associated with the larger set of content.