COMMUNITY-DEFINED AND MANAGED COMMUNICATION NETWORK
First Claim
1. A method for implementing a community-defined and managed communication network among a community of users each operating a computer processor, and each computer processor in communication with a host system computer over the communication network, the method comprising:
- creating, via a user interface of a networking application executing on the host system computer, a profile for a user of the communication network that includes at least one attribute selected by the user, the attribute representing at least one characteristic that describes the user;
storing the profile in a profile record within a storage device communicatively coupled to the host system computer;
identifying, via the networking application, a relationship between the attribute in the profile record and data external to the profile record, the identification including analyzing user community-generated descriptors of the attribute and searching the external data for common descriptors; and
initiating, via the networking application, an activity responsive to the analysis, the activity including at least one of;
prompting the user, via the user interface, to invite a second user who is not a registered member of the communication network to join the communication network, the external data including data from a communication between the user and the second user over the communication network;
prompting a third user, via the user interface, to evaluate the user with respect to the attribute, the external data including data from a communication between the user and the third user; and
prompting the user, via the user interface, to initiate a communication with a fourth user who is a registered member of the communication network, the external data including at least one attribute or descriptor of the attribute in a profile record of the fourth user that is found in the profile record of the user.
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Abstract
A method, system, and computer program product for implementing a community-defined and managed communication network are provided. The method includes creating a profile for a user of the network that includes a user-selected attribute. The method also includes identifying a relationship between the attribute in the profile and data external to the profile. The identification includes analyzing user community-generated descriptors of the attribute and searching the external data for common descriptors. The method further includes initiating an activity responsive to the analysis, which includes one or more of: prompting the user to invite a second user who is not a registered member of the communication network to join the communication network; prompting a third user to evaluate the user with respect to the attribute; and prompting the user to initiate a communication with a fourth user who is a registered member of the communication network.
35 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method for implementing a community-defined and managed communication network among a community of users each operating a computer processor, and each computer processor in communication with a host system computer over the communication network, the method comprising:
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creating, via a user interface of a networking application executing on the host system computer, a profile for a user of the communication network that includes at least one attribute selected by the user, the attribute representing at least one characteristic that describes the user; storing the profile in a profile record within a storage device communicatively coupled to the host system computer; identifying, via the networking application, a relationship between the attribute in the profile record and data external to the profile record, the identification including analyzing user community-generated descriptors of the attribute and searching the external data for common descriptors; and initiating, via the networking application, an activity responsive to the analysis, the activity including at least one of; prompting the user, via the user interface, to invite a second user who is not a registered member of the communication network to join the communication network, the external data including data from a communication between the user and the second user over the communication network; prompting a third user, via the user interface, to evaluate the user with respect to the attribute, the external data including data from a communication between the user and the third user; and prompting the user, via the user interface, to initiate a communication with a fourth user who is a registered member of the communication network, the external data including at least one attribute or descriptor of the attribute in a profile record of the fourth user that is found in the profile record of the user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A system for implementing a community-defined and managed communication network among a community of users each operating a computer processor, and each computer processor in communication with a host system computer over the communication network, the method comprising:
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a host system computer in communication with the computer processors; and a networking application including a user interface executing on the host system computer, the networking application performing a method, the method comprising; creating, via the user interface, a profile for a user of the communication network that includes at least one attribute selected by the user, the attribute representing at least one characteristic that describes the user; storing the profile in a profile record within a storage device communicatively coupled to the host system computer; identifying a relationship between the attribute in the profile record and data external to the profile record, the identification including analyzing user community-generated descriptors of the attribute and searching the external data for common descriptors; and initiating an activity responsive to the analysis, the activity including at least one of; prompting the user, via the user interface, to invite a second user who is not a registered member of the communication network to join the communication network, the external data including data from a communication between the user and the second user over the communication network; prompting a third user, via the user interface, to evaluate the user with respect to the attribute, the external data including data from a communication between the user and the third user; and prompting the user, via the user interface, to initiate a communication with a fourth user who is a registered member of the communication network, the external data including at least one attribute or descriptor of the attribute in a profile record of the fourth user that is found in the profile record of the user. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. The system of claim 16, wherein prompting the third user to evaluate the user with respect to the attribute comprises:
- refining the value assigned by the user based upon observations made by the third user with respect to activities conducted by the user over the communication network.
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17. A computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium for implementing a community-defined and managed communication network among a community of users each operating a computer processor, and each computer processor in communication with a host system computer over the communication network, the computer-readable storage medium including instructions for causing the host system computer to implement a method, the method comprising:
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creating a profile for a user of the communication network that includes at least one attribute selected by the user, the attribute representing at least one characteristic that describes the user; storing the profile in a profile record within a storage device communicatively coupled to the host system computer; identifying a relationship between the attribute in the profile record and data external to the profile record, the identification including analyzing user community-generated descriptors of the attribute and searching the external data for common descriptors; and initiating an activity responsive to the analysis, the activity including at least one of; prompting the user to invite a second user who is not a registered member of the communication network to join the communication network, the external data including data from a communication between the user and the second user over the communication network; prompting a third user to evaluate the user with respect to the attribute, the external data including data from a communication between the user and the third user; and prompting the user to initiate a communication with a fourth user who is a registered member of the communication network, the external data including at least one attribute or descriptor of the attribute in a profile record of the fourth user that is found in the profile record of the user. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification