Resource based virtual communities

• US 8,626,804 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2010
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yongyong Xu
• Original Assignee: Yongyong Xu
• Inventors: Xu, Yongyong
• Primary Examiner(s): MORRISON, JAY A
• Application Number:
  US12/790,864
• Publication Number:
  US 20110225511A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,206 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/817
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/00 Methods or arrangements for processing data by operating upon the order or content of the data handled logic circuits H03K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

This invention disclosed a system and method for resource based virtual communities. Any resources that can be shared or used by multiple people, including Internet resources, software or other resources can be the basis for the community, whose members are users of the resource. Web resources include web sites, web pages news groups or discussion forums. Other types of resources include software products, bulletin boards, games or other products. The community composes of the current resource users such as web page readers, bulletin board posters, game players, software users. Whenever a person accesses or uses the resource, the user is automatically joined as part of the community. At the same time they are using the resource, they can access all services provided by the community, such as talking with other members, collaborating with others, publishing comments, or even adding new community services. A universal virtual community server is disclosed to support all virtual communities based on all resources in the world and all users in the Internet. There are 6 methods disclosed for individual users to connect to this resource based communities.

Claims

1. A method of connecting to a virtual community based on any web resource in the Internet being accessed by at least one user, the method comprising:

providing a browser plugin or helper object operable to;

integrate with the at least one user'"'"'s web browser;

detect the at least one user'"'"'s browsing activities;

automatically create a virtual community for users to interact and to store meta information for said web resource corresponding to any accessed web resource if said user is a first user to access said web resource and said virtual community does not yet exist, otherwise, join to an existing virtual community corresponding to said accessed web resource;

start a connection between the at least one user'"'"'s web browser and the virtual community based on the presently accessed web resource; and

retrieve information related to the virtual community;

and allow community members to communicate with users outside said virtual community using said connections.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the browser plugin or helper object is selected from the group consisting of:

browser helper objects, plugins, applets, java or flash scripts, ActiveX objects, contents, dynamic html, connection or protocol filters and any other type of software extensions.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the browser plugin or helper object is provided either manually or automatically without the at least one user'"'"'s intervention.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the browser plugin or helper object is further operable to display the information related to the virtual community to the at least one user in a non-disruptive manner.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the browser plugin or helper object is further operable to start multiple connections to multiple virtual community servers at the same time.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the browser plugin or helper object is further operable to provide authorization to allow users to access private communities based on accessed private web resources.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the accessed web resource comprises a software product and wherein a special browser plugin or helper object is associated with the software product such that the special browser plugin or helper object is started automatically when the software product is used.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the browser plugin or helper object is selected from a group consisting of:

a special component, a shared object, a dynamic library, a driver or other software extension.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the software extension comprises a generic extension that can be started and run along with the software product.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the browser plugin or helper object is further operable to provide the at least one user means for communicating and interacting with other users of the software product everywhere at the same time in the world.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the browser plugin or helper object is further operable to statically link to the software product.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the browser plugin or helper object is further operable to hook into an operating system or to monitor operating system events and to start together with the software product.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the browser plugin or helper object comprises a single browser plugin or helper object operable to be installed in one computer that can recognize all current running software and handle the virtual communities for multiple or all software in the system.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one user using the same software product at the same time can be connected to the virtual community, ask for help, look for comments, FAQs, and reviews, or chat with other expert users.

15. The method of claim 7, wherein the software product comprises a non-Internet based software product.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the software product runs on a PDA, cellular phone or any other non computer related product such as audio, video, or other commodities.

17. The method of claim 7, wherein the browser plugin or helper object is further operable to reside in a main window of the software product, seamlessly integrate with the software product for new functions and features, services and applications from or to the virtual community.

18. A method of connecting to a virtual community based on any web resource in the Internet being accessed by at least one user, the method comprising:

installing a custom toolbar or context menu inside users'"'"' browser operable to;

integrate with the at least one user'"'"'s web browser;

detect the at least one user'"'"'s browsing activities;

automatically create a virtual community for users to interact and to store meta information for said web resource corresponding to any accessed web resource if said user is a first user to access said web resource and said virtual community does not yet exist, otherwise, join to an existing virtual community corresponding to said accessed web resource;

start a connection between the at least one user'"'"'s web browser and the virtual community based on the presently accessed web resource; and

retrieve information related to the virtual community;

and allow community members to communicate with users outside said virtual community using said connections.

19. A method of connecting to a virtual community based on a same web resource being accessed by at least one user through a proxy, the method comprising:

at least one user browsing web resource through a browser;

said browser redirecting web resource to a proxy or gateway;

said proxy detecting the at least one user'"'"'s browsing activities;

said proxy automatically creating a virtual community for users to interact and to store meta information for said web resource corresponding to any accessed web resource if said user is a first user to access said web resource and said virtual community does not yet exist, otherwise, join to an existing virtual community corresponding to said accessed web resource;

said proxy starting a connection between the at least one user'"'"'s web browser and the virtual community based on the presently accessed web resource; and

said proxy retrieve information related to the virtual community;

and allow community members to communicate with users outside said virtual community using said connections.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the proxy is further operable to provide additional filtering on the contents.