Dynamic social network system

• US 9,324,078 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2008
• Issued: 04/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bonev
• Original Assignee: Smooth Productions Inc.
• Inventors: Palahnuk, Samuel Louis
• Primary Examiner(s): HARPER, ELIYAH STONE
• Application Number:
  US12/141,101
• Publication Number:
  US 20090157693A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,869 Days
• Field of Search: 707/706, 707/687, 707/791, 707/609
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4393 Multimedia presentations, e.g. slide shows, multimedia albums
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0252 based on events or environment, e.g. weather or festivals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/963 Calendar or scheduling

Abstract

The system service provider automatically spawns a custom website for any group created using the system. The group may be created from a user interface and a groups lozenge provided by the interface. Messages may be sent between group members using a multi-user chat provided by the custom website. In addition, video and images and other digital media and content may be shared with group members. The website associated with the group stores any messages sent to the group, any multi-user chat between group members, any shared videos or images, and any shared files. As a result, group members may access this information at any time; however, others people beyond the group are unable to access this information.

Claims

1. An automated method implemented by one or more processing devices of an online dynamic user social network system, the method comprising:

storing, in one or more storage devices, a database of the online dynamic user social network system including contact data associated with a first user of the online dynamic user social network system, the contact data of the first user indicating contact information identifying a plurality of individuals or contacts of the first user of the online dynamic user social network system including contact information identifying a second user who is one of a plurality of users of the online dynamic social network and contact information identifying a third user who is not one of the plurality of users of the online dynamic social network system, the contact data also including an identifier or name associated with each of the plurality of individuals or contacts of the first user, the identifier or name configured in the database to populate a contact list of a user interface accessed by the first user of the online dynamic user social network system;

transmitting, from the online dynamic user social network system, data operative to populate the contact list of the user interface accessed by the first user of the online dynamic user social network system;

receiving data in response to the first user interacting with the user interface accessed by the first user, the received data including data indicating a selection of an identifier of the second user who is one of the plurality of users of the online dynamic social network system populated in the contact list of the user interface from the transmitted data, a selection of an identifier of the third user who is not one of the plurality of users of the dynamic social network system populated in the contact list of the user interface from the transmitted data, and a group name generated in response to interaction with the user interface by the first user;

automatically creating, by at least one of the one or more processing devices, and storing, in at least one of the one or more storage devices, of the online dynamic social network system, a group data structure in response to receiving the received data, the data structure including the group name identifying the group data structure, data indicating members of a group derived by the online dynamic social network system from a subset of the names or identifiers associated with the plurality of individuals or contacts previously stored in association with the user in the database of the online dynamic user social network system including the identifier of the second user who is one of the plurality of users of the online dynamic social network system populated in the contact list of the user interface and the identifier of the third user who is not one of the plurality of users of the dynamic social network system populated in the contact list of the user interface;

receiving, by the online dynamic social network system, data input from a user device communicating with the online dynamic user social network system indicating selection of the group name by the first user interacting with the user interface;

creating, by the online dynamic social network system, the online dynamic social network for the group including;

automatically spawning, by at least one of the one or more processing devices of the online dynamic social network system, a new unique instance of an online social network web page customized specifically for the members of the group, indicated by the group data structure, hosted on a web server directly in response to receiving the data input received from the user device communicating with the online dynamic user social network system indicating selection of the group name;

creating, by at least one of the one or more processing devices of the online dynamic social network system, a dynamic link providing a user device access to the newly spawned instance of the online social network web page customized specifically for the group on the web server;

providing the dynamic link providing access to the newly spawned instance of the online social network web page specifically customized for the group directed to a location associated with each member of the group stored by the database including a location accessible by a user device associated with the second user who is one of the plurality of users of the online dynamic social network system and a location accessible by a user device associated with the third user who is not one of the plurality of users of the dynamic social network system; and

providing, by at least one processing device implementing the web server, at least initial access to the instance of the online social network web page customized for the group on the web server in response to activation of the dynamic link by a user device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving data input from a user device to create an online social network only for the group and its members comprises receiving data indicating selection of the group name identifying the group data structure from one or more group names presented by the user interface in conjunction with a user input to create the online social network.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein automatically creating the group data structure by the online dynamic user social network system includes receiving data indicating the group name has been selected by a user input device from the one or more group names presented by the user interface;

providing data to the user interface configured to present the group name within a first area of the user interface presenting group names, providing data to the user interface configured to present a list of names or identifiers identifying contacts from the plurality of contacts of the user of the dynamical social network stored in the database within second area of the user interface presenting a contact list, and receiving an indication generated by the user input device to add names or identifiers selected by the input device from the names or identifiers presented in the contact list to the group, wherein the indication to add includes receiving data generated from a user input device by dragging of one or more names or identifiers presented in the list of names in the second area of the user interface to the group name presented in the first area of the user interface.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

automatically storing an association by the online dynamic user social network system between the contact data corresponding to the names or identifiers presented in the contact list and selected by the input device for adding to the group with the group data structure in the database of the online dynamic user social network system in response to receiving the indication to add the names or identifiers selected by the input device.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

creating a message including the dynamic link for a member of the group and providing an indication of the message configured for presentation in an area of the user interface of a user device operated by the member.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

notifying each member of the group who is a user of the online dynamic user social network system of the creation of the custom online social network web page by providing an indication of a message including the dynamic link in an area of their user interface.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

automatically generating an electronic communication directed to each member of the group who is not a user of the online dynamic user social network system that includes the dynamic link providing access to the web server hosting the instance of the online social network web page; and

sending the electronic communication directed to each member of the group who is not a user of the online dynamic user social network system.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising maintaining the instance of the online social network web page as long as the group exists.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

maintaining access to the instance of the online social network web page for each member of the group;

monitoring access of the instance of the online social network web page;

determining whether to maintain the instance of the online social network web page based on the monitoring; and

eliminating the instance after a predetermined period of time without access of the instance of the online social network web page by any member of the group.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving digital content from a member of the group;

storing the digital content;

granting any member of the group access to the instance of the online social network web page; and

providing access to the digital content via the granted access to the instance of the online social network web page.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

granting any member of the group access to the instance of the online social network web page; and

providing a forum style messaging window for any member to engage in a chat session with other members of the group via the instance of the online social network web page.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

granting any member of the group access to the instance of the online social network web page; and

providing access to a group calendar presented by the instance of the online social network web page.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, by the online dynamic social network system data generated by a user input device indicating activation of a matching service provided by the social network system for the group;

automatically determining by the online dynamic social network system a social interest associated with the group or its members by examining data associated with the group or contact data associated with members of the group stored by the database;

searching a profile database of the users of the online dynamic social network system to identify one or more users with a social interest associated with their profile that matches or is similar to the determined social interest associated with the group and;

introducing an identified user of the online dynamic social network system who is not a member of the group to the group via a notification provided to the user interface or an electronic message directed to the identified user.

14. An online dynamic user social network system, the system comprising:

one or more storage devices storing a database including contact data associated with a first user of the online dynamic social network system, the contact data of the first user indicating contact information identifying a plurality of individuals or contacts of the first user of the online dynamic user social network system including contact information identifying a second user who is one of a plurality of users of the online dynamic social network and contact information identifying a third user who is not one of the plurality of users of the online dynamic social network system, the contact data also including an identifier or name associated with each of the plurality of individuals or contacts of the first user, the identifier or name configured in the database to populate a contact list of a user interface accessed by the first user of the online dynamic user social network system; and

a service provider system including one or more processing devices, the one or more processing devices;

transmitting from the online dynamic user social network system data operative to populate the contact list of the user interface accessed by the first user of the online dynamic user social network system;

receiving data in response to the first user interacting with the user interface accessed by the first user, the received data including data indicating a selection of an identifier of the second user who is one of the plurality of users of the online dynamic social network system populated in the contact list of the user interface from the transmitted data, a selection of an identifier of the third user who is not one of the plurality of users of the dynamic social network system populated in the contact list of the user interface from the transmitted data, and a group name generated in response to interaction with the user interface by the first user;

automatically creating and storing a group data structure in the database in response to receiving the received data, the data structure including the group name identifying the group data structure, data indicating members of a group derived by the service provider system from a subset of the names or identifiers associated with the plurality of individuals or contacts previously stored in association the user of the online dynamic user social network system including the identifier of the second user who is one of the plurality of users of the online dynamic social network system populated in the contact list of the user interface and the identifier of the third user who is not one of the plurality of users of the dynamic social network system populated in the contact list of the user interface;

receiving data input from a user device communicating with the service provider system indicating selection of the group name by the first user interacting with the user interface; and

creating the online dynamic social network for the group including;

automatically spawning, by at least one of the one or more processing devices of the service provider system, a new unique instance of an online social network web page customized specifically for the members of the group, indicated by the group data structure, hosted on a web server directly in response to receiving the data input received from the user device communicating with the online dynamic user social network system indicating selection of the group name;

creating, by at least one of the one or processing devices of the service provider system, a dynamic link providing access via a user device to the newly spawned instance of the online social network web page customized specifically for the group on the web server;

providing the dynamic link providing access to the newly spawned instance of the online social network web page specifically customized for the group directed to a location associated with each member of the group stored by the database including a location accessible by a user device associated with the second user who is one of the plurality of users of the online dynamic social network system and a location accessible by a user device associated with the third user who is not one of the plurality of users of the dynamic social network system; and

providing at least initial access to the instance of the online social network web page customized for the group on the web server in response to activation of the dynamic link by a user device associated with a user who is a member of the group.

15. The network of claim 14 further comprising:

a user device communicating with the service provider system providing the user interface to the first user and transmitting the indicating selection of the group name for creation of the online dynamic social network.

16. The network of claim 14 further comprising:

a user device receiving the dynamic link, activating the dynamic link, accessing the web server via activation of the dynamic link, and presenting the instance of the spawned online social network web page customized specifically for the group.

17. An automated method implemented by one or more processing devices of an online dynamic user social network system, the method comprising:

storing, in one or more storage devices of the online dynamic user social network system, a database including contact data associated with a first user of the online dynamic user social network system, the contact data indicating contact information identifying a plurality of individuals or contacts of the first user of the online dynamic user social network system, including an identifier or name associated with each of the plurality of individuals or contacts, the identifier or name configured in the database to populate a contact list of a user interface accessed by the first user of the online dynamic user social network system;

storing, in at least one of the one or more storage devices of the online dynamic user social network system, a group data structure including a group name identifying the group data structure, the group data structure indicating members of a group derived by the online dynamic user social network system from a subset of the names or identifiers associated with the plurality of individuals or contacts previously stored in association with the user in the database of the online dynamic user social network system including the identifier of a second user who is one of the plurality of users of the online dynamic social network system populated in the contact list of the user interface and the identifier of a third user who is not one of the plurality of users of the dynamic social network system populated in the contact list of the user interface;

receiving, by the online dynamic social network system, data input from a user device communicating with the online dynamic user social network system indicating selection of the group name by the first user interacting with the user interface;

creating, by the online dynamic social network system, the online dynamic social network for the group including;

automatically spawning, by at least one of the one or processing devices the online dynamic social network system, a new unique instance of an online social network web page customized specifically for the members of the group, indicated by the group data structure, hosted on a web server directly in response to receiving the data input received from the user device communicating with the online dynamic user social network system indicating selection of the group name;

creating, by at least one of the one or more processing devices of the online dynamic social network system, a dynamic link providing a user device access to the newly spawned instance of the online social network web page customized specifically for the group on the web server;

providing the dynamic link providing access to the newly spawned instance of the online social network web page specifically customized for the group to a location associated with each member of the group including a location associated with the second user and a location associated with the third user; and

providing, by at least one processing device implementing the web server, at least initial access to the instance of the online social network web page customized for the group on the web server in response to activation of the dynamic link by a user device.