Method and system for sharing portal subscriber information in an online social network

• US 8,612,359 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2004
• Issued: 12/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2004
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Slack Technologies LLC (Salesforce.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hull, Mark E., Perelman, Ellen S., Farmer, F. Randall
• Primary Examiner(s): Sterrett, Jonathan G
• Application Number:
  US10/866,954
• Publication Number:
  US 20050171832A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,473 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7, 705/10, 705/319
• US Class Current: 705/319
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and system are directed towards making a user'"'"'s online portal information available to members of an online social network. Portal information can include information entered by the user and information determined based on the user'"'"'s online behaviors, such as frequenting a Web site, sending spam messages, and the like. The online social network enables multiple degrees of relationships among members of the online social network. At least a portion of the portal information is made accessible to at least some of the members of the online social network who have a relationship to the user. The relationship can be through a public activity available to all members and/or through a user-defined category of members, such as family, friends, business contacts, and the like. The portal information can be used to determine which relationships will be established and/or which information will be available to members.

Claims

1. A method for communicating in an online social network with a processing device that enables actions, comprising:

employing the processing device to determine information about a subscriber registered with an online portal, wherein the information includes a portal assessment made by at least one of a plurality of other subscribers of the online portal about the subscriber, and the portal assessment information is related to at least one behavior of the subscriber and at least a portion of the other subscribers of the online portal that make the portal assessment are separate from a plurality of members of the online social network, and wherein the portal assessment information is related to an online action by the subscriber that is separate from and not performed by the subscriber while using the online social network, which is configured to determine multiple degree indirect relationships between members of the online social network based at least in part on first degree direct contact between members of the online social network; and

if the subscriber is also registered as a member of the online social network,

importing at least a portion of the information from the online portal to a social network profile maintained by at least one social network server on which the online social network is implemented; and

sharing at least the portion of the information with at least one other member of the online social network, wherein the at least one other member is invited to establish direct communication with the subscriber based at least in part on the shared information, which is determined at least in part on at least a second degree indirect relationship between the subscriber and the at least one other member, wherein the at least second degree indirect relationship includes;

a first direct relationship between the subscriber and an intermediary member of the online social network, wherein the first direct relationship is established by at least one direct communication between the subscriber and the intermediary member; and

a second direct relationship between the intermediary member and the at least one other member, wherein the second direct relationship is established by at least one direct communication between the intermediary member and the at least one other member, and wherein a

direct relationship does not exist between the subscriber and the at least one other member prior to establishing direct communication between the subscriber and the at least one other member.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the online social network includes at least one of:

multiple degrees of separation in relationships among members of the online social network;

and

a shared interest among members of the online social network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the information comprises tracking at least one of:

a frequency with which the subscriber accessed at least one of a portal service and a non-portal Web site;

a duration over which the subscriber accessed at least one of the portal service and the non-portal Web site;

a content type accessed by the subscriber through at least one of the portal service and the non-portal Web site; and

an online purchase made by the subscriber through at least one of the portal service and the non-portal Web site.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the behavior of the subscriber comprises participating in at least one of an online friend matching service, an online dating service, an online job searching service, an online classmate searching service, an online military colleague searching service, an online club, an online financial service, an online auction, and a online purchase.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the subscriber has engaged in spamming; and

indicating in the information that the subscriber has engaged in spamming.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein sharing at least the portion of the information to be shared comprises at least one of:

creating the social network profile from at least the portion of the information;

creating a vertical profile from at least the portion of the information; and

mapping a portal profile to a social network profile.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising revising the information based on a current online action of the subscriber, wherein the current online action includes at least one of playing a media file, receiving a streaming media, viewing a Web page, and participating in an instant message session.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing the information to membership criteria of at least one social network activity, wherein the at least one social network activity comprises an online activity that is available to any member of the online social network; and

determining the at least one social network activity for which the information indicates a level of possible interest in the online activity, wherein the level of possible interest corresponds to a degree of matching between the information and the membership criteria of the at least one social network activity.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling the subscriber to select a public activity in which to participate.

10. A server for communicating in an online social network, comprising:

a transceiver for receiving and sending information to a computing device;

a processor in communication with the transceiver; and

a memory in communication with the processor and storing data and machine instructions that cause the processor to perform a plurality of operations, including;

determining information about a subscriber registered with an online portal, wherein the information includes a portal assessment made by at least one of a plurality of other subscribers of the online portal about the subscriber, and the portal assessment information is related to at least one behavior of the subscriber and at least a portion of the other subscribers of the online portal that make the portal assessment are separate from a plurality of members of the online social network, and wherein the portal assessment information is related to an online action by the subscriber that is separate from and not performed by the subscriber while using the online social network, which is configured to determine multiple degree indirect relationships between members of the online social network based at least in part on first degree direct contact between members of the online social network; and

if the subscriber is also registered as a member of the online social network, sharing at least a portion of the information with at least one other member of the online social network, wherein the at least one other member is invited to establish communication with the subscriber based at least in part on the shared information.

11. The server of claim 10, wherein the online social network includes at least one of:

multiple degrees of separation in relationships among members of the online social network;

and

a shared interest among members of the online social network.

12. The server of claim 10, wherein the machine instructions further cause the processor to perform the operation of tracking at least one of:

a frequency with which the subscriber accessed at least one of a portal service and a non-portal Web site;

a duration over which the subscriber accessed at least one of the portal service and the non-portal Web site;

a content type accessed by the subscriber through at least one of the portal service and the non-portal Web site; and

an online purchase made by the subscriber through at least one of the portal service and the non-portal Web site.

13. The server of claim 10, wherein the behavior of the subscriber comprises participating in at least one of an online friend matching service, an online dating service, an online job searching service, an online classmate searching service, an online military colleague searching service, an online club, an online financial service, an online auction, and a online purchase.

14. The server of claim 10, wherein the machine instructions further cause the processor to perform the operations of:

determining that the subscriber has engaged in spamming; and

indicating in the information that the subscriber has engaged in spamming.

15. The server of claim 10, wherein the machine instructions further cause the processor to perform at least one of the operations of

creating a social network profile from at least the portion of the information;

creating a vertical profile from at least the portion of the information; and

mapping a portal profile to a social network profile.

16. The server of claim 10, wherein the machine instructions further cause the processor to perform the operation of revising the information based on a current online action of the subscriber, wherein the current online action includes at least one of playing a media file, receiving a streaming media, viewing a Web page, and participating in an instant message session.

17. A method for sharing information in an online social network with a processing device that enables actions, comprising:

employing the processing device to access portal subscriber information that includes a characteristic of an online portal subscriber registered with the online portal and wherein the portal subscriber information includes a portal assessment made by at least one of a plurality of other subscribers of the online portal about the online portal subscriber, and the portal subscriber'"'"'s portal assessment information is based at least in part on an online-behavior of the online portal subscriber and at least a portion of the other subscribers of the online portal that make the portal assessment are separate from a plurality of members of the online social network, and, wherein the online behavior includes an online action by the online portal subscriber that is separate from and not performed by the subscriber while using the online social network, which is configured to determine multiple degree indirect relationships between members of the online social network based at least in part on first degree direct communication between members of the online social network; and

employing the processing device to provide an existing member of the online social network with at least a portion of the portal subscriber information if the online portal subscriber also registers to become a member of the online social network, if the subscriber is also registered as a member of the online social network, wherein the provision of the portion of the portal subscriber information comprises importing the portion from the online portal to a social network profile maintained by at least one social network server on which the online social network is implemented, and wherein the provided information is determined at least in part on at least a second degree indirect relationship between the subscriber and the existing member, and wherein the at least second degree indirect relationship includes;

a first direct relationship between the subscriber and an intermediary member of the online social network, wherein the first direct relationship is established by at least one direct communication between the subscriber and the intermediary member; and

a second direct relationship between the intermediary member and the existing member, wherein the second direct relationship is established by at least one direct communication between the intermediary member and the existing member, and wherein a direct relationship does not exist between the subscriber and the existing member prior to providing the provided information to the existing member.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the online social network includes multiple degrees of separation in relationships among at least some members of the online social network.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the portal subscriber information is determined from tracking at least one of:

a frequency of accessing at least one of a portal service and a non-portal Web site;

a duration of accessing at least one of the portal service and the non-portal Web site;

a content type accessed through at least one of the portal service and the non-portal Web site; and

an online purchase made through at least one of the portal service and the non-portal Web site.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the online behavior comprises interacting with at least one of an online friend matching service, an online dating service, an online job service, an online classmate communication service, an online military colleague communication service, an online club, an online financial service, an online auction, and a product retailer.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising limiting access to the online social network if the portal subscriber information indicates that the online portal subscriber has engaged in spamming.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein accessing the portal subscriber information comprises at least one of:

creating the social network profile from at least the portion of the information;

creating a vertical profile from at least the portion of the information; and

mapping a portal profile to a social network profile.

23. The method of claim 18, further comprising enabling the online portal subscriber to edit the portal subscriber information.

24. The method of claim 18, further comprising revising the portal subscriber information based on a current online action of the online portal subscriber, wherein the current online action includes at least one of playing a media file, receiving a streaming media, viewing a Web page, and participating in an instant message session.

25. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

comparing the portal subscriber information to membership criteria of at least one social network activity, wherein the at least one social network activity comprises an online activity that is available to any member of the online social network; and

determining the at least one social network activity for which the portal subscriber information indicates a possible interest in participating, wherein a level of possible interest

corresponds to a degree of matching between the portal subscriber information and the membership criteria of the at least one social network activity.

26. The method of claim 18, further comprising enabling the online portal subscriber to select a public activity in which to participate.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the existing member of the online social network expresses an interest in the public activity, and enabling the existing member of the online social network to view at least a portion of the portal subscriber information, comprises making available to the existing member, a predefined subset of the portal subscriber information related to the public activity.

28. The method of claim 18, further comprising enabling the online portal subscriber to create a subscriber-definable category of online social network members, each with a first degree relationship with the online portal subscriber through the online social network.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the existing member is invited to join the user subscriber-definable category, and enabling the existing member of the online social network to view at least a portion of the portal subscriber information, comprises making available to the user subscriber-definable category of online social network members, a selectable subset of the portal subscriber information.

30. The method of claim 18, further comprising

determining that the online portal subscriber has engaged in spamming behavior while interacting with the online social network;

and

indicating to the online portal that the online portal subscriber has engaged in spamming behavior while interacting with the online social network.

31. The method of claim 20, further comprising imposing a sanction on the online portal subscriber when the online portal subscriber attempts to interact with one of the online portal and the online social network.

32. A client device for sharing portal subscriber information in an online

social network, comprising:

a display;

a transceiver for receiving and sending information to a computing device;

a processor in communication with the display and the transceiver; and

a memory in communication with the processor and storing data and machine instructions that cause the processor to perform a plurality of operations, including;

accessing portal subscriber information that includes a characteristic of an online portal subscriber registered with the online portal and wherein the portal subscriber information includes a portal assessment made by the at least one of a plurality of other subscribers of the online portal about the online portal subscriber, and the portal subscriber'"'"'s portal assessment information is based at least in part on an online-behavior of the online portal subscriber and at least a portion of the other subscribers of the online portal that make the portal assessment are separate from a plurality of members of the online social network, and, wherein the online behavior includes an online action by the online portal subscriber that is separate from and not performed by the subscriber while using the online social network, which is configured to determine multiple degree indirect relationships between members of the online social network based at least in part on first degree direct communication between members of the online social network; and

providing an existing member of the online social network with at least a portion of the portal subscriber information if the online portal subscriber also becomes a registered member of the online social network, wherein the provided information is determined at least in part on at least a second degree indirect relationship between the subscriber and the existing member, wherein the at least second degree indirect relationship includes;

a first direct relationship between the subscriber and an intermediary member of the online social network, wherein the first direct relationship is established by at least one direct communication between the subscriber and the intermediary member; and

a second direct relationship between the intermediary member and the existing member, wherein the second direct relationship is established by at least one direct communication between the intermediary member and the existing member, and wherein a direct relationship does not exist between the subscriber and the existing member prior to providing the provided information to the existing member.

33. The client device of claim 32, wherein the online social network enables multiple degrees of separation in relationships among members of the online social network.

34. The client device of claim 33, wherein the machine instructions further cause the processor to perform the operation of limiting access to the online social network if the portal subscriber information indicates that the online portal subscriber has engaged in spamming.

35. The client device of claim 33, wherein the machine instructions further cause the processor to perform at least one of the operations of:

creating a social network profile from at least the portion of the information;

creating a vertical profile from at least the portion of the information; and

mapping a portal profile to a social network profile.

36. The client device of claim 33, wherein the machine instructions further cause the processor to perform the operations of:

comparing the portal subscriber information to membership criteria of at least one social network activity, wherein the at least one social network activity comprises an online activity that is available to any member of the online social network; and

determining the at least one social network activity for which the portal subscriber information indicates a possible interest in participating, wherein a level of possible interest corresponds to a degree of matching between the portal subscriber information and the membership criteria of the at least one social network activity.

37. The client device of claim 33, wherein the machine instructions further cause the processor to perform the operation of enabling the online portal subscriber to select a public activity in which to participate.

38. The client device of claim 37, wherein the existing member of the online social network has expressed an interest in the public activity, and the machine instructions further cause the processor to perform the operation of making available to the existing member, a predefined subset of the portal subscriber information related to the public activity.

39. The client device of claim 33, wherein the machine instructions further cause the processor to perform the operation of enabling the online portal subscriber to create a subscriber-definable category of online social network members, each with a first degree relationship with the online portal subscriber through the online social network.

40. The client device of claim 39, wherein the machine instructions further cause the processor to perform the operation of:

inviting the existing member to join the subscriber-definable category; and

making available to the subscriber-definable category of online social network members, a selectable subset of the portal subscriber information.

41. The client device of claim 33, wherein the machine instructions further cause the processor to perform the operations of:

determining that the online portal subscriber has engaged in spamming behavior while interacting with the online social network; and

indicating to the online portal that the online portal subscriber has engaged in spamming behavior while interacting with the online social network.

42. The client device of claim 41, wherein the machine instructions further cause the processor to perform the operation of imposing a sanction on the online portal subscriber when the online portal subscriber attempts to interact with one of the online portal and the online social network.

43. The client device of claim 33, wherein the client device further comprises a mobile device.

44. An electronic data storage medium for accessing portal subscriber information in an online social network, the electronic data storage medium comprising instructions that enable a computing device to perform the actions of:

accessing portal subscriber information that includes a characteristic of an online portal subscriber registered with the online portal and wherein the portal subscriber information includes a portal assessment made by at least one of a plurality of other subscribers of the online portal about the online portal subscriber, and the portal subscriber'"'"'s portal assessment information is based at least in part on an online-behavior of the online portal subscriber and at least a portion of the other subscribers of the online portal that make the portal assessment are separate from a plurality of members of the online social network, and, wherein the online behavior includes an online action by the online portal subscriber that is separate from and not performed by the subscriber while using the online social network, which is configured to determine multiple degree indirect relationships between members of the online social network based at least in part on first degree direct communication between members of the online social network; and

providing a member of the online social network with at least a portion of the portal subscriber information if the online portal subscriber also becomes a registered member of the online social network, wherein the provided information is determined at least in part on at least a second degree indirect relationship between the subscriber and the existing member, wherein the at least second degree indirect relationship includes;

a first direct relationship between the subscriber and an intermediary member of the online social network, wherein the first direct relationship is established by at least one direct communication between the subscriber and the intermediary member; and

a second direct relationship between the intermediary member and the existing member, wherein the second direct relationship is established by at least one direct communication between the intermediary member and the existing member, and wherein a direct relationship does not exist between the subscriber and the existing member prior to providing the provided information to the existing member.

45. An apparatus for sharing, via at least one processor associated with the apparatus, a registered online portal subscriber'"'"'s portal subscriber information in an online social network, comprising:

accessing, via the at least one processor, the registered portal subscriber'"'"'s portal subscriber information, which includes a portal assessment made by at least one of a plurality of other registered subscribers of the online portal about the registered online portal subscriber, and the portal subscriber'"'"'s portal assessment information is determined based on at least in part an online behavior of the registered online portal subscriber and at least a portion of the other registered subscribers of the online portal that make the portal assessment are separate from a plurality of members of the online social network, and, wherein the online behavior is separate from and not performed by the registered online portal subscriber while using the online social network, which is configured to determine multiple degree indirect relationships between members of the online social network based at least in part on first degree direct communication between members of the online social network; and

providing, via the at least one processor, a member of the online social network with at least a portion of the portal subscriber information if the registered online portal subscriber also becomes a registered member of the online social network, wherein the online social network enables more than first degree of separation in relationships among members of the online social network.