System for optimizing social networking

• US 8,874,674 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2012
• Issued: 10/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Original Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Inventors: Bendel, Timothy J., Joa, David, Shao, Yanghong, Joffe, David Neil, Yeri, Naveen G., Allison, Thayer S
• Primary Examiner(s): Osman, Ramy M
• Application Number:
  US13/486,816
• Publication Number:
  US 20130325946A1
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/204, 709/206, 709/224, 709/217, 709/223, 705/14.1, 705/14.17
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0204 Market segmentation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

Systems, methods and computer program products are provided for optimizing social networks. In the systems and methods, account data associated with a user account is received and the account data is stored in a storage device. Pluralities of networking opportunities are identified based on the account data. Furthermore, based on the account data triggers may be detected indicating a user'"'"'s interest in one or more social networking opportunities. The system then offers the user, based at least partially on the detected trigger, the one or more social networking opportunities.

Claims

1. An apparatus configured to optimize social networking by offering to users social networking opportunities determined based on a review of user financial account data and social networking opportunity data, the apparatus comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including computer-readable program code stored therein;

a processor operatively coupled to the computer readable storage medium and configured to execute the computer readable program code to;

receive financial account data associated with a plurality of users'"'"' financial institution accounts;

receive social networking account data associated with a plurality of users'"'"' social networking accounts;

identify, based on the financial account data and the social networking account data, social networking opportunities for one or more of the users, wherein identifying the social networking opportunities comprises;

monitoring transaction information associated with the users financial accounts and social network opportunities from the users social networking accounts, wherein the social network opportunities are associated with an individual or organization; and

detecting a trigger indicating one or more user'"'"'s interest in the social network opportunity by determining at least one transaction in a user'"'"'s account that is associated with the individual or organization associated with the social network opportunity; and

offer the user, based at least partially on the detected trigger, the identified social networking opportunities.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to analyze, based on the financial account data, demographic information associated with the plurality of user'"'"'s.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to offer the user, based at least partially on the detected trigger and the demographic information, one or more networking opportunities.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to create, based at least partially on the one or more identified social networking opportunities, a social networking site, wherein the social networking site facilitates the exchange of user contact information.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the processor is further configured to offer the user an invitation to the social networking site.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, where the processor is further configured to receive, from the user, consent to post user contact information on the social networking site.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, where the processor is further configured to receive one or more requirements from a social network such that the plurality of users may not be offered the social networking opportunity until the one or more requirements have been met.

8. A method for optimizing a social networking, the method comprising:

providing a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including computer-readable program code stored therein;

providing a processor operatively coupled to the computer readable storage medium and configured to execute the computer readable program code to;

receiving financial account data associated with a plurality of users'"'"' financial institution accounts;

receiving social networking account data associated with a plurality of users'"'"' social networking accounts;

identifying, based on the financial account data and the social networking account data, social networking opportunities for one or more of the users, wherein identifying the social networking opportunities comprises;

monitoring transaction information associated with the users financial accounts and social network opportunities from the users social networking accounts, wherein the social network opportunities are associated with an individual or organization; and

detecting a trigger indicating one or more user'"'"'s interest in the social network opportunity by determining at least one transaction in a user'"'"'s account that is associated with the individual or organization associated with the social network opportunity; and

offering the user, based at least partially on the detected trigger, the identified social networking opportunities.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising analyzing, based on the financial account data, demographic information associated with the plurality of user'"'"'s.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising offering the user, based at least partially on the detected trigger and the demographic information, one or more networking opportunities.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising creating, based at least partially on the one or more identified social networking opportunities, a social networking site, wherein the social networking site facilitates the exchange of user contact information.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising offering the user an invitation to the social networking site.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving, from the user, consent to post user contact information on the social networking site.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving one or more requirements from a social network such that the plurality of users may not be offered the social networking opportunity until the one or more requirements have been met.

15. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium, wherein the computer-readable medium comprises computer-executable program code portions stored therein, and wherein the computer-executable program code portions comprise:

a first program code portion operable to receive financial account data associated with a plurality of users'"'"' financial institution accounts;

a second program code portion operable to receive social networking account data associated with a plurality of users'"'"' social networking accounts;

a third program code portion operable to identify, based on the financial account data and the social networking account data, social networking opportunities for one or more of the users, wherein identifying the social networking opportunities comprises;

monitoring transaction information associated with the users financial accounts and social network opportunities from the users social networking accounts, wherein the social network opportunities are associated with an individual or organization; and

detecting a trigger indicating one or more user'"'"'s interest in the social network opportunity by determining at least one transaction in a user'"'"'s account that is associated with the individual or organization associated with the social network opportunity; and

a fourth program code portion operable to offer the user, based at least partially on the detected trigger, the identified social networking opportunities.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising:

a fifth program code portion operable to analyze, based on the financial account data, demographic information associated with the plurality of user'"'"'s.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the fifth program code portion is further operable to:

offer the user, based at least partially on the detected trigger and the demographic information, one or more networking opportunities.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising:

a fifth program code portion operable to create, based at least partially on the one or more identified social networking opportunities, a social networking site, wherein the social networking site facilitates the exchange of user contact information.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the fifth program code portion is further operable to:

offer the user an invitation to the social networking site.

20. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the fifth program code portion is further operable to:

receive, from the user, consent to post user contact information on the social networking site.

21. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising:

a fifth program code portion operable to receive one or more requirements from a social network such that the plurality of users may not be offered the social networking opportunity until the one or more requirements have been met.