Digital data processing systems and methods for searching and communicating via a social network
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A digital data processing system for searching and/or communicating on a social network, comprising:
- A. a server digital data processor that executes a social networking site that includes a plurality of members and that supports searching for and/or communicating with members based on degrees of connectedness therewith vis-a-vis the social networking site,B. where the social networking site includes an interface supporting such searching and/or communicating in response to requests on behalf of members,C. a client digital data processor including a processor coupled to a memory and programmed to provide collective search functionality that responds to a request from a first member by applying to the interface on behalf of a second member using login credentials of the second member an automated request to any of (i) search for one or more third members and (ii) to establish communications between the first member and one or more third members, where a degree of connectedness between the second and third members and between the first and third members is such that such search and/or communications would not be supported by the social networking site absent a request on behalf of the second member, said login credentials being stored in a repository of the client digital data processor,wherein the collective search functionality aggregates, prioritizes, and schedules any of search and communication requests from a plurality of members of a common group, the first and second members being members of the common group,wherein the collective search functionality generates a search queue that defines an order in which any of search and communication requests are applied to the interface on behalf of the common group, andwherein the collective search functionality prioritizes search and communication requests of members of the common group with the fewest matches already found and prioritizes searching within social networks of members of the common group that have provided the fewest matches.
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Abstract
A method for querying the collective social network on behalf of a limited group of users is described. The method consists of a system that schedules and executes searches according to a set of search objectives specified by the users. The system searches each member'"'"'s social network for a connection that matches any search objective.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A digital data processing system for searching and/or communicating on a social network, comprising:
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A. a server digital data processor that executes a social networking site that includes a plurality of members and that supports searching for and/or communicating with members based on degrees of connectedness therewith vis-a-vis the social networking site, B. where the social networking site includes an interface supporting such searching and/or communicating in response to requests on behalf of members, C. a client digital data processor including a processor coupled to a memory and programmed to provide collective search functionality that responds to a request from a first member by applying to the interface on behalf of a second member using login credentials of the second member an automated request to any of (i) search for one or more third members and (ii) to establish communications between the first member and one or more third members, where a degree of connectedness between the second and third members and between the first and third members is such that such search and/or communications would not be supported by the social networking site absent a request on behalf of the second member, said login credentials being stored in a repository of the client digital data processor, wherein the collective search functionality aggregates, prioritizes, and schedules any of search and communication requests from a plurality of members of a common group, the first and second members being members of the common group, wherein the collective search functionality generates a search queue that defines an order in which any of search and communication requests are applied to the interface on behalf of the common group, and wherein the collective search functionality prioritizes search and communication requests of members of the common group with the fewest matches already found and prioritizes searching within social networks of members of the common group that have provided the fewest matches. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A digital data processing system for searching a social network, comprising:
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A. a server digital data processor that executes a social networking site that includes a plurality of members and that supports searching for and/or communicating with members based on degrees of connectedness therewith vis-a-vis the social networking site, B. where the social networking site includes an interface providing such searching and communicating in response to automated requests on behalf of members, C. a store that contains one or more search objectives, D. a client digital data processor including a processor coupled to a memory and programmed to provide collective search functionality that is coupled to the store and that responds to a search objective by or on behalf of a first member by applying to the interface on behalf of a second member using login credentials of the second member an automated request to search for one or more third members, where a degree of connectedness between the second and third members and between the first and third members is such that a search would not be supported by the social networking site absent a request on behalf of the second member, said login credentials being stored in a repository of the client digital data processor, wherein the collective search functionality aggregates, prioritizes, and schedules search objectives from a plurality of members of a common group, the first and second members being members of the common group, wherein the collective search functionality generates a search queue that defines an order in which search objectives are applied to the interface on behalf of the common group, and wherein the collective search functionality prioritizes search objectives of members of the common group with the fewest matches already found and prioritizes searching within social networks of members of the common group that have provided the fewest matches. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for searching and/or communicating with a social networking tool, the method being executed on one or more microprocessors coupled to memory, the method comprising:
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receiving and storing login credentials, each login credential corresponding to one of a plurality of users of the social networking tool and permitting said user to access their account with the social networking tool; receiving search objectives from one or more of said plurality of users; logging into the social networking tool using the stored login credentials for each of the plurality of users and executing the received search objectives on behalf of each of the plurality of users to generate a results list; and presenting the results list to the one or more of said plurality of users from which a search objective is received; wherein the received search objectives are aggregated, prioritized, and scheduled, wherein the received search objectives are queued in a search queue that defines an order in which the search objectives are executed on behalf of each of the plurality of users, and wherein search objectives of users with the fewest matches already found are prioritized and searches within social networks users that have provided the fewest matches are prioritized.
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21. A digital data processing system for searching and/or communicating on a social network, comprising:
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A. a server digital data processor that executes a social networking site that includes a plurality of members and that supports searching for and/or communicating with members based on degrees of connectedness therewith vis-a-vis the social networking site, B. where the social networking site includes an interface supporting such searching and/or communicating in response to requests on behalf of members, C. a client digital data processor including a processor coupled to a memory and programmed to provide collective search functionality that responds to a request from a first entity by applying to the interface on behalf of a second entity using login credentials of the second entity an automated request to any of (i) search for one or more third entities and (ii) to establish communications between the first entity and one or more third entities, where the second and the one or more third entities are members of the social networking site, and where a degree of connectedness between the second and third entities and between the first and third entities is such that such search and/or communications would not be supported by the social networking site absent a request on behalf of the second entity, said login credentials being stored in a repository of the client digital data processor, wherein the collective search functionality aggregates, prioritizes, and schedules any of search and communication requests from a plurality of members of a common group, the first and second entities being members of the common group, wherein the collective search functionality generates a search queue that defines an order in which any of search and communication requests are applied to the interface on behalf of the common group, and wherein the collective search functionality prioritizes search objectives and communication requests of members of the common group with the fewest matches already found and prioritizes searching within social networks of members of the common group that have provided the fewest matches.
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22. A digital data processing system for searching and/or communicating on a social network, comprising:
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a client digital data processor including a processor coupled to a memory and programmed to provide collective search functionality that responds to a request from a first member of a social networking site by applying to an interface to that social networking site on behalf of a second member using login credentials of the second member an automated request to any of (i) search for one or more third members and (ii) to establish communications between the first member and one or more third members, where a degree of connectedness between the second and third members and between the first and third members is such that such search and/or communications would not be supported by the social networking site absent a request on behalf of the second member, said login credentials being stored in a repository of the client digital data processor, where the social networking site supports searching for and/or communicating with members based on degrees of connectedness therewith vis-a-vis the social networking site, wherein the collective search functionality aggregates, prioritizes, and schedules any of search and communication requests from a plurality of members of a common group, the first and second members being members of the common group, wherein the collective search functionality generates a search queue that defines an order in which any of search and communication requests are applied to the interface on behalf of the common group, and wherein the collective search functionality prioritizes search objectives and communication requests of members of the common group with the fewest matches already found and prioritizes searching within social networks of members of the common group that have provided the fewest matches. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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26. A digital data processing system for searching a social network, comprising:
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A. a store that contains one or more search objectives, and B. a client digital data processor including a processor coupled to a memory and programmed to provide collective search functionality that is coupled to the store and that responds to a search objective by or on behalf of a first member of a social networking site by applying to an interface to that social networking site on behalf of a second member using login credentials of the second member an automated request to search for one or more third members, where a degree of connectedness between the second and third members and between the first and third members is such that a search would not be supported by the social networking site absent a request on behalf of the second member, said login credentials being stored in a repository of the client digital data processor, where the social networking site supports searching for and/or communicating with members based on degrees of connectedness therewith vis-a-vis the social networking site; wherein the collective search functionality aggregates, prioritizes, and schedules search objectives from a plurality of members of a common group, the first and second members being members of the common group, wherein the collective search functionality generates a search queue that defines an order in which search objectives are applied to the interface on behalf of the common group, and wherein the collective search functionality prioritizes search objectives of members of the common group with the fewest matches already found and prioritizes searching within social networks of members of the common group that have provided the fewest matches. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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Specification