System and method for creating relationships among users of an instant messaging service
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method of introducing users of a service, performed by a server system having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors, the method comprising:
- at the server system;
identifying, by the server system, among contacts of a first user in a contact list of the first user, second and third users who are not in each other'"'"'s contact lists and who satisfy predefined selection criteria with respect to one or more shared contacts other than the first user, wherein;
(i) the one or more shared contacts comprise one or more users identified in contact lists of both the second and third users, and(ii) the predefined selection criteria are based, at least in part, on a score corresponding to a count of other users who each have both the second and third users in their contact lists and a threshold for the score to satisfy in order to identify the second and third users;
sending, by the server system, a server-generated suggestion to the first user of the service, suggesting an introduction of the second user to the third user of the service;
receiving from the first user a response to the suggestion; and
upon receiving a positive response to the suggestion from the first user, sending, by the server system, the introduction to one of the second and third users.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A computer-implemented method of introducing users of a service includes sending a suggestion to a first user of a service and suggesting an introduction of a second user to a third user of the service. The second and third users are both identified as contacts of the first user in a contact list of the first user and the second and third users satisfy predefined selection criteria with respect to shared contacts, comprising users identified in contact lists of both the second and third users. The method also includes receiving, from the first user, a response to the suggestion; and upon receiving a positive response to the suggestion from the first user, sending the introduction to at least one of the second and third users.
24 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method of introducing users of a service, performed by a server system having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors, the method comprising:
at the server system; identifying, by the server system, among contacts of a first user in a contact list of the first user, second and third users who are not in each other'"'"'s contact lists and who satisfy predefined selection criteria with respect to one or more shared contacts other than the first user, wherein; (i) the one or more shared contacts comprise one or more users identified in contact lists of both the second and third users, and (ii) the predefined selection criteria are based, at least in part, on a score corresponding to a count of other users who each have both the second and third users in their contact lists and a threshold for the score to satisfy in order to identify the second and third users; sending, by the server system, a server-generated suggestion to the first user of the service, suggesting an introduction of the second user to the third user of the service; receiving from the first user a response to the suggestion; and upon receiving a positive response to the suggestion from the first user, sending, by the server system, the introduction to one of the second and third users. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A computer-implemented method of identifying pairs of users to introduce, performed by a server system having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors, the method comprising:
at the server system; accessing contact lists of multiple users of a service; identifying, by the server system, from the accessed contact lists, pairs of users who are not in each other'"'"'s contact lists but who have common contacts in their contact lists, each identified pair of users having respective first and second users; generating a score for each identified pair of users, wherein the score is determined, at least in part, based on; (i) metrics associated with the common contacts of the pair of users, and (ii) a count of other users who each have both the first and second users of the identified pair of users in their contact lists; selecting, by the server system, a subset of the identified pairs of users in accordance with selection criteria, the selection criteria including a threshold for the score for each respective pair of users; after selecting the subset of the identified pairs of users, identifying, by the server system, a potential sponsor for each pair of users in the selected subset, wherein the potential sponsor is a user of the service distinct from the first and second users; with respect to a pair of users in the selected subset, sending, by the server system, a server-generated suggestion to the potential sponsor, suggesting an introduction of the respective first and second users of the pair of users; and upon receiving a positive response to the suggestion from the potential sponsor, sending, by the server system, the introduction to one of the first and second users of the pair of users. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A computer server system, comprising:
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memory, the memory storing programs and data, including contact lists of multiple users of a service, and one or more programs; one or more processors, wherein the one or more programs are executable by the one or more processors; the one or more programs including instructions executable by the one or more processors, including; instructions for identifying, by the computer server system, among contacts of a first user in a contact list of the first user, second and third users who are not in each other'"'"'s contact lists and who satisfy predefined selection criteria with respect to one or more shared contacts other than the first user, wherein; (i) the one or more shared contacts comprise one or more users identified in the contact lists of both the second and third users, and (ii) the predefined selection criteria are based, at least in part, on a score corresponding to a count of other users who each have both the second and third users in their contact lists and a threshold for the score to satisfy in order to identify the second and third users; instructions for sending, by the computer server system, a server-generated suggestion to the first user of the service, suggesting an introduction of the second user to the third user of the service; instructions for receiving from the first user a response to the suggestion; and instructions for sending, by the computer server system, the introduction to one of the second and third users upon receiving a positive response to the suggestion from the first user.
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22. A computer server system, comprising:
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memory, the memory storing programs and data, including contact lists of multiple users of a service, and one or more programs; one or more processors, wherein the one or more programs are executable by the one or more processors; the one or more programs including instructions executable by the one or more processors, including; instructions for accessing contact lists of multiple users of a service; instructions for identifying, by the computer server system, from the accessed contact lists, pairs of users who are not in each other'"'"'s contact lists but who have common contacts in their contact lists, each identified pair of users having respective first and second users; instructions for generating a score for each identified pair of users, wherein the score is determined, at least in part, based on; (i) metrics associated with the common contacts of the pair of users, and (ii) a count of other users who each have both the first and second users of the identified pair of users in their contact lists; instructions for selecting, by the computer server system, a subset of the identified pairs of users in accordance with selection criteria, the selection criteria including a threshold for the score for each respective pair of users; instructions, for execution after selecting the subset of the identified pairs of users, for identifying, by the computer server system, a potential sponsor for each pair of users in the selected subset, wherein the potential sponsor is a user of the service distinct from the first and second users; instructions for sending, by the computer server system, a server-generated suggestion to the identified potential sponsor of a respective pair of users in the selected subset, suggesting an introduction of the respective first and second users of the pair of users; and instructions for receiving from the potential sponsor a response to the suggestion; and instructions for sending, by the computer server system, the introduction to one of the first and second users of the pair of users upon receiving from the potential sponsor a positive response to the suggestion. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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24. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, storing one or more programs for execution by one or more processors of a computer server system, the one or more programs including instructions for:
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identifying, by the computer server system, among contacts of a first user in a contact list of the first user, second and third users who are not in each other'"'"'s contact lists and who satisfy predefined selection criteria with respect to one or more shared contacts other than the first user, wherein; (i) the one or more shared contacts comprise one or more users identified in contact lists of both the second and third users, and (ii) the predefined selection criteria are based, at least in part, on a score corresponding to a count of other users who each have both the second and third users in their contact lists and a threshold for the score to satisfy in order to identify the second and third users; sending, by the computer server system, a server-generated suggestion to the first user of the service, suggesting an introduction of the second user to the third user of the service; receiving from the first user a response to the suggestion; and upon receiving a positive response to the suggestion from the first user, sending, by the computer server system, the introduction to one of the second and third users.
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25. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, storing one or more programs for execution by one or more processors of a computer server system, the one or more programs including instructions for:
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accessing contact lists of multiple users of a service; identifying, by the computer server system, from the accessed contact lists, pairs of users who are not in each other'"'"'s contact lists but who have common contacts in their contact lists, each identified pair of users having respective first and second users; generating a score for each identified pair of users, wherein the score is determined, at least in part, based on; (i) metrics associated with the common contacts of the pair of users, and (ii) a count of other users who each have both the first and second users of the identified pair of users in their contact lists; selecting, by the computer server system, a subset of the identified pairs of users in accordance with selection criteria, the selection criteria including a threshold for the score for each respective pair of users; after selecting the subset of the identified pairs of users, identifying, by the computer server system, a potential sponsor for each pair of users in the selected subset, wherein the potential sponsor is a user of the service distinct from the first and second users; with respect to a pair of users in the selected subset, sending, by the computer server system, a server-generated suggestion to the potential sponsor, suggesting an introduction of the respective first and second users of the pair of users; and upon receiving a positive response to the suggestion from the potential sponsor, sending, by the computer server system, the introduction to one of the first and second users of the pair of users. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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Specification