Method and system for establishing and using a social network to facilitate people in life issues

• US 7,567,977 B1
• Filed: 03/21/2006
• Issued: 07/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NetSoc, LLC
• Original Assignee: Emily J. White
• Inventors: White, Emily J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): HO, BINH VAN
• Application Number:
  US11/386,444
• Time in Patent Office: 1,225 Days
• Field of Search: 707/102
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users

Abstract

Embodiments described herein provide numerous applications and implementations of a social network to facilitate individuals to resolve various life issues. These issues may include issues that arise when individuals or families relocate, including logistic problems, assimilation of family members in a community, and roommate pairings. As will be described, embodiments described herein greatly facilitate corporations in relocating their employees logistically, and also assist employees and their families with life issues that may determine whether the employees'"'"' relocation will be a success.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for establishing a social network, the computer-implemented method being performed by a social networking service using one or more processors, the method comprising maintaining a list comprising a plurality of participants, wherein each participant in the plurality of participants corresponds to one or more individuals, wherein the list also includes information associated with at least one of each participant or the one or more individuals that correspond to each participant;

presenting a user with a plurality of categories from which the user may make a selection of a category from the plurality of categories;

receiving the selection of the category by the user;

in conjunction with the selection of the category, receiving an electronic communication from the user for an unidentified respondent, wherein the electronic communication contains an inquiry of the user, and wherein the electronic communication does not identify the user;

after receiving the selection of the category by the user, programmatically selecting, based at least in part on the selection of the category on the information associated with at least one of each participant or the one or more individuals that correspond to each participant, one or more participants from the list to receive the electronic communication;

sending a second electronic communication that contains the inquiry to the one or more participants without identifying the one or more participants to the user;

detecting a communication from a referred party, other than the one or more participants, as being (i) a recipient of a forwarded communication that corresponds to the second electronic communication sent to one of the participants, and (ii) a reply to the inquiry of the electronic communication from the user, wherein the referred party is selected by at least one of the one or more participants and not programmatically selected by the social networking service to receive the electronic communication, so that the forwarded inquiry originates from the one or more participants and corresponds to the inquiry of the user;

presenting information about the referred party to the user without revealing the referred party'"'"'s identity, wherein the presented information includes profile information about the referred party; and

enabling the user to select what further information, if any, the referred party is to receive regarding at least one of the user or the inquiry.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein enabling the user to select includes enabling the user to determine whether the referred party is to learn of the user'"'"'s identity.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein enabling the user to select includes enabling the user to determine whether the referred party is to handle the inquiry.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting information about the referred party to the user includes presenting profile information known about the referred party before the user sent the inquiry.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting information about the referred party to the user includes presenting profile information entered by the referred party upon receiving an invitation from the one or more participants.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting information about the referred party to the user includes presenting a proposed response from the referred party to the user'"'"'s inquiry.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising revealing the identity of the referred party upon the user'"'"'s selection to have the referred party handle the inquiry.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising revealing the identity of the referred party upon the user'"'"'s selection to reveal the user'"'"'s own identity.

9. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions for establishing a social network, wherein the instructions include instructions, that when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform steps comprising maintaining a list comprising a plurality of participants, wherein each participant in the plurality of participants corresponds to one or more individuals, wherein the list also includes information associated with at least one of each participant or the one or more individuals that correspond to each participant;

presenting a user with a plurality of categories from which the user may make a selection of a category from the plurality of categories;

receiving the selection of the category by the user;

in conjunction with the selection of the category, receiving an electronic communication from the user for an unidentified respondent, wherein the electronic communication contains an inquiry of the user, and wherein the electronic communication does not identify the user;

after receiving the selection of the category by the user, selecting, based at least in part on the selection of the category on the information associated with at least one of each participant or the one or more individuals that correspond to each participant, one or more participants from the list to receive the electronic communication;

sending a second electronic communication that contains the inquiry to the one or more participants;

detecting a communication from a referred party, other than the one or more participants, as being (i) a recipient of a forwarded communication that corresponds to the second electronic communication sent to one of the participants, and (ii) a reply to the inquiry of the electronic communication from the user, wherein the referred party is selected by at least one of the one or more participants and not programmatically selected by the social networking service to receive the electronic communication, so that the forwarded inquiry originates from the one or more participants and corresponds to the inquiry of the user; and

presenting information about the referred party to the user without revealing at least one of the referred party'"'"'s identity or contact information, wherein the presented information includes profile information about the referred party; and

enabling the user to select what further information, if any, the referred party is to receive regarding at least one of the user or the inquiry.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising instructions that when executed, cause the one or more processors to perform the step of enabling the user to determine whether the referred party is to learn of the user'"'"'s identity.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising instructions that when executed, cause the one or more processors to perform the step of enabling the user to determine whether the referred party is to handle the inquiry.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising instructions that when executed, cause the one or more processors to perform the step of presenting profile information known about the referred party before the user sent the inquiry.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising instructions that when executed, cause the one or more processors to perform the step of presenting profile information entered by the referred party upon receiving an invitation from the one or more participants.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising instructions that when executed, cause the one or more processors to perform the step of presenting a proposed response from the referred party to the user'"'"'s inquiry.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising instructions that when executed, cause the one or more processors to perform the step of presenting the information without revealing the referred party'"'"'s identity.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, further comprising instructions that when executed, cause the one or more processors to perform the step of revealing the identity of the referred party upon the user'"'"'s selection to have the referred party handle the inquiry.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, further comprising instructions that when executed, cause the one or more processors to perform the step of revealing the identity of the referred party upon the user'"'"'s selection to reveal the user'"'"'s own identity.

18. A computer-implemented method for establishing a social network service, the computer-implemented method being performed by a social networking service using one or more processors, the method comprising maintaining a list comprising a plurality of participants, wherein each participant in the plurality of participants corresponds to one or more individuals, wherein the list also includes information associated with at least one of each participant or the one or more individuals that correspond to each participant;

presenting a user with a plurality of categories from which the user may make a selection of a category from the plurality of categories;

receiving the selection of the category by the user;

in conjunction with the selection of the category, receiving an electronic communication from the user for an unidentified respondent, wherein the electronic communication contains an inquiry of the user, and wherein the electronic communication does not identify the user;

after receiving the selection of the category by the user, programmatically selecting, based at least in part on the selection of the category on the information associated with at least one of each participant or the one or more individuals that correspond to each participant, one or more participants from the list to receive the electronic communication;

sending a corresponding electronic communication that includes the inquiry to the one or more participants without identifying the one or more participants to the user;

detecting a communication from a referred party, other than the one or more participants, as being (i) a recipient of a forwarded communication that corresponds to the corresponding electronic communication sent to one of the participants, and (ii) a reply to the inquiry of the electronic communication from the user, wherein the referred party is selected by at least one of the one or more participants and not programmatically selected by the social networking service to receive the electronic communication, so that the forwarded inquiry originates from the one or more participants and corresponds to the inquiry of the user; and

presenting information about the referred party to the user without revealing at least one of the referred party'"'"'s identity or contact information, wherein the presented information includes profile information about the referred party; and

enabling the user and the referred party to exchange electronic communications.