Method and apparatus for creating relationships over a network
First Claim
1. A method of initiating introductions between a first and second individual comprising:
- Providing a database of contact information of individuals including a first and second individual;
In a computer system, selecting said first and second individuals from said database by a first user;
Automatically sending a message to said first and second individuals to facilitate an introduction between said individuals.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention include an information sharing system that provides an online business service from a provider that uses the Internet to enable individuals and organizations to link together contact databases that reside in multiple desktop applications and create a unified meta-database. This database can be searched by individual subscribers in order to locate a specific entity (such as an organization or a person, by name, title or organization, such as an executive in a target organization), identify if a path to the executive exists through a chain of contacts across the linked contact databases, and request a referral based introduction to the specific executive.
92 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method of initiating introductions between a first and second individual comprising:
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Providing a database of contact information of individuals including a first and second individual;
In a computer system, selecting said first and second individuals from said database by a first user;
Automatically sending a message to said first and second individuals to facilitate an introduction between said individuals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method of maintaining a network of contacts wherein the network includes a number of relationships between contacts the method comprising:
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Collecting personal information data associated with each of the contacts in said network;
Determining whether multiple contacts in said network represent a single individual;
When said multiple contacts represent the single individual, associating a unique identifier with each of said multiple contacts; and
Creating a relationship graph between each contact in said network based on said associating operation. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
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8. A method of generating a network of contacts comprising:
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Collecting personal data associated with each of the contacts in a database; and
Creating a relationship graph between each contact in said database based on similarities of the personal data of each contact. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A server system, comprising:
A server to store a database of contact information of individuals including a first and second individuals, selecting said first and second individuals from said database, based on input by a user, automatically sending a message to said first and second individuals to facilitate an introduction between said individuals.
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14. A server system, comprising:
A server to store a network of contacts wherein the network includes a number of relationships between contacts, said server collecting personal information data associated with each of the contacts in said network, determining whether multiple contacts in said network represent a single individual, when such a determination is made, associating a unique identifier with each of said multiple contacts, creating a relationship graph between each contact in said network based on said associating operation.
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15. A server system, comprising:
A server to store a database of contacts, said server collecting personal data associated with each contact in said database, and creating a relationship graph between each contact in said database based on similarities of the personal data of each contact. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. A computer system, comprising:
A computer to access a storage of electronic mail messages corresponding to a user and collect a plurality of contacts and data objects associated with said plurality of contacts from said stored electronic mail messages.
Specification