Method and computer program product for operating a social networking site

• US 8,874,572 B1
• Filed: 07/28/2008
• Issued: 10/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Megree, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Megree, Inc.
• Inventors: Broyles, Eric C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel, Jr., Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROMELL, ALEXANDRIA Y
• Application Number:
  US12/219,767
• Time in Patent Office: 2,283 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/201, 707/732, 705/319, 706/45
• US Class Current: 707/732
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/337 Profile generation, learning or modification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

Methods and computer program products for facilitating the operation of Internet-based (i.e., online) social networking sites are disclosed. Such methods and computer program products allow people to discover, explore and maintain relationship paths (i.e., links) with any other person in the world by utilizing the fact that every person has one or more “relationship paths” to everyone else through varying degrees of separation. The power of the Internet, via online social networking sites, is leveraged to build a comprehensive database revealing how each person is connected to everyone by designating certain users of the site as “hubs,” “gateways” and/or “connectors.”

Claims

1. A method of operating an Internet-based social networking website for a first social network, comprising:

(a) receiving registration information from a plurality of users in order to allow each of said plurality of users to access information stored in a database associated with the website;

(b) storing in said database, for each of said plurality of users, a plurality of contacts;

(c) designating a plurality of hubs from among said plurality of users, wherein each of said plurality of hubs is assigned a designated page within the website, and wherein said plurality of hubs is a subset of said plurality of users, each hub having a plurality of relationship paths to other users of the first social network and to users of a second, different social network;

(d) receiving, from one of said plurality of users, a search string indicative of an individual of interest, wherein said search string comprises at least one of;

a first name;

a last name; and

a city;

(e) searching at least said database in order to create a relationship path from said one of said plurality of users via said hub to said individual of interest of one of said first social network and said second, different social network; and

(f) displaying said relationship path to said one of said plurality of users;

wherein said relationship path includes a link to at least one of said plurality of hubs; and

wherein said individual of interest need not be one of said plurality of users of said first social network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) comprises:

storing, in said database, an indication of degree of strength of the relationship between each of said plurality of users and their respective said plurality of contacts.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein each link of said relationship path is labeled with an indication of degree of relationship strength.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said indication of degree of relationship strength is a numerical weight.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said indication of degree of relationship strength is one of the following labels:

weak;

medium; and

strong.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein each link of said relationship path is labeled with an indication of relationship category.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said indication of relationship category is one of the following labels:

business partner;

relative;

friend;

co-worker;

associate; and

classmate.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said registration information received from each of said plurality of users in step (a) includes at least one of:

name;

email address; and

city of residence; and

profession.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein each link of said relationship path displayed to said one of said plurality of users is labeled with at least the name, city of residence and profession of the individuals comprising the link.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said relationship path displayed to said one of said plurality of users includes a hyperlink to the designated page corresponding to said at least one of said plurality of hubs.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein each designated page associated with each of said plurality of hubs contains at least one advertisement related to the registration information received from the corresponding one of said plurality of hubs.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said at least one of said plurality of hubs is compensated when said one of said plurality of users visits the designated page corresponding to said at least one of said plurality of hubs.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said at least one of said plurality of hubs receives additional compensation when said one of said plurality of users responds to said at least one advertisement on the designated page corresponding to said at least one of said plurality of hubs.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of hubs is one of:

a movie star;

a prominent business leader;

a celebrity;

an entertainer;

a professional athlete;

an elected official; and

a local community leader.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) comprises:

determining, for each of said plurality of users, whether their corresponding plurality of contacts stored in said database exceeds a predetermined threshold number.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein step (e) comprises:

utilizing an Internet search engine in order to create said relationship path from said one of said plurality of users to said individual of interest.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein step (e) comprises:

searching a third-party social networking site in order to create said relationship path from said one of said plurality of users to said individual of interest.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein step (f) is accomplished via a graphical user interface.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the individuals that comprise said relationship path are not all members of the set consisting of said plurality of users.

20. A method of operating an Internet-based social networking website for a first social network, comprising:

(a) receiving registration information from a plurality of users in order to allow each of said plurality of users to access information stored in a database associated with the website;

(b) storing in said database, for each of said plurality of users, a plurality of contacts;

(c) receiving registration information from a plurality of hubs, wherein each of said plurality of hubs is assigned a designated page within the website, each hub having a plurality of relationship paths to other users of the first social network and to users of a second, different social network;

(d) receiving, from one of said plurality of users, a search string indicative of one of said plurality of hubs;

(e) searching at least said database in order to create a relationship path from said one of said plurality of users to said one of said plurality of hubs and, via said hub, to an individual of interest in one of said first social network and said second, different social network; and

(f) displaying said relationship path to said one of said plurality of users;

wherein the individuals shown in said relationship path need not be one of said plurality of users of said first social network.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein each of said plurality of hubs is one of:

a movie star;

a prominent business leader;

a celebrity;

an entertainer;

a professional athlete;

an elected official; and

a local community leader.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the designated page associated with said one of said plurality of hubs contains at least one advertisement related to the registration information received from said one of said plurality of hubs.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said one of said plurality of hubs is compensated when said one of said plurality of users visits the designated page corresponding to said one of said plurality of hubs.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said one of said plurality of hubs receives additional compensation when said one of said plurality of users responds to said at least one advertisement on the designated page corresponding to said one of said plurality of hubs.

25. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer usable medium encoded in a computer having control logic stored therein for causing the computer to provide an Internet-based social networking website for a first social network, said control logic comprising:

first computer readable program code means for causing the computer to receive registration information from a plurality of users in order to allow each of said plurality of users to access information stored in a database associated with the website;

second computer readable program code means for causing the computer to store in said database, for each of said plurality of users, a plurality of contacts;

third computer readable program code means for causing the computer to designate a plurality of hubs from among said plurality of users, wherein each of said plurality of hubs is assigned a designated page within the website, each hub having a plurality of relationship paths to other users of the first social network and to users of a second, different social network;

fourth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to receive, from one of said plurality of users, a search string indicative of an individual of interest, wherein said search string comprises at least one of;

a first name;

a last name; and

a city;

fifth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to search at least said database in order to create a relationship path from said one of said plurality of users via said hub to said individual of interest of one of said first social network and said second, different social network; and

sixth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to display said relationship path to said one of said plurality of users;

wherein said relationship path includes a link to at least one of said plurality of hubs; and

wherein said individual of interest need not be one of said plurality of users of said first social network.

26. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein said second computer readable program code means comprises:

seventh computer readable program code means for causing the computer to store, in said database, an indication of degree of strength of the relationship between each of said plurality of users and their respective said plurality of contacts.

27. The computer program product of claim 26, wherein each designated page associated with each of said plurality of hubs contains at least one advertisement related to the registration information received from the corresponding one of said plurality of hubs.

28. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein each of said plurality of hubs is one of:

a movie star;

a prominent business leader;

a celebrity;

an entertainer;

a professional athlete;

an elected official; and

a local community leader.

29. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein said fifth computer readable program code means comprises:

seventh computer readable program code means for causing the computer to utilize an Internet search engine in order to create said relationship path from said one of said plurality of users to said individual of interest.

30. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein said fifth computer readable program code means comprises:

seventh computer readable program code means for causing the computer to search a third-party social networking site in order to create said relationship path from said one of said plurality of users to said individual of interest.

31. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer usable medium encoded in a computer having control logic stored therein for causing the computer to provide an Internet-based social networking website for a first social network, said control logic comprising:

first computer readable program code means for causing the computer to receive registration information from a plurality of users in order to allow each of said plurality of users to access information stored in a database associated with the website;

second computer readable program code means for causing the computer to store in said database, for each of said plurality of users, a plurality of contacts;

third computer readable program code means for causing the computer to receive registration information from a plurality of hubs, wherein each of said plurality of hubs is assigned a designated page within the website, each hub having a plurality of relationship paths to other users of the first social network and to users of a second, different social network;

fourth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to receive, from one of said plurality of users, a search string indicative of one of said plurality of hubs;

fifth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to search at least said database in order to create a relationship path from said one of said plurality of users to said one of said plurality of hubs and, via said hub, to an individual of interest in one of said first social network and said second, different social network; and

sixth computer readable program code means for causing the computer to display said relationship path to said one of said plurality of users;

wherein the individuals shown in said relationship path need not be one of said plurality of users of said first social network.

32. The computer program product of claim 31, wherein each of said plurality of hubs is one of:

a movie star;

a prominent business leader;

a celebrity;

an entertainer;

a professional athlete;

an elected official; and

a local community leader.

33. The computer program product of claim 32, wherein the designated page associated with said one of said plurality of hubs contains at least one advertisement related to the registration information received from said one of said plurality of hubs.

34. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein said one of said plurality of hubs is compensated when said one of said plurality of users visits the designated page corresponding to said one of said plurality of hubs.

35. The computer program product of claim 34, wherein said one of said plurality of hubs receives additional compensation when said one of said plurality of users responds to said at least one advertisement on the designated page corresponding to said one of said plurality of hubs.