Personal contact network

• US 7,904,511 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2004
• Issued: 03/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zoom Video Communications, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Realcontacts Limited
• Inventors: Ryan, Grant James, Franklin, Gary Lee, Cone, Julian Malcolm, Stalker, William Ferguson, Robinson, Derick Ian
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng, David Y
• Application Number:
  US10/812,789
• Publication Number:
  US 20040215793A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,535 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223, 709/227, 709/230, 709/217, 709/204, 709/225, 709/219, 707/10
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1053 Employment or hiring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0214 Referral reward systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/554 Data synchronization
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/557 Portable profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6009 Personal information, e.g. profiles or personal directories being only provided to authorised persons

Abstract

A method of forming unique, private, personal, virtual social networks on a social network system that includes a database storing data relating to corresponding user entities. The method includes: a first user entity sending an invitation to a second user entity, recording in the database the second user entity as a direct contact of the first user entity and determining that third user entities, directly connected to the second user entity, are indirect contacts. A unique, personal, social network formed from direct and indirect contacts is thereby created for each user entity. Each user entity is able to control privacy of its data with respect to other user entities depending on the connection factor to that other entity and/or that other entity'"'"'s attributes. Each user entity is able to take the role of provider or participant in applications where the provider provides an item or service to the participant.

Claims

1. A method performed by a social network system accessible over a data network with a plurality of data input devices connectable to said data network, said social network system including at least one host computer and a database of entity data records each relating to a corresponding user entity and containing one or more entity attributes including at least one identifying characteristic of said corresponding user entity,

said method providing a given user entity with a virtual, unique, private, personal, social network (hereinafter ‘

social network’

) formed from connections between contacts, said contacts being other user entities connected directly or indirectly to said first user entity;

said method including;

communicating an invitation from a first user entity to one or more other user entities selected by said first user entity for inclusion in the first user entity'"'"'s social network as a contact;

recording, in said database, each user entity accepting said invitation as being a direct contact directly connected to the first user entity by a first degree of separation;

determining that for;

any second user entity directly connected to the first user entity and

any third user entity directly connected to the second user entity but not directly connected to the first user entity,

the first and third user entities are determined as being indirect contacts, indirectly connected to each other with a second degree of separation;

repeating the above steps for a given user entity having a corresponding entity data record in said database, wherein said given user entity is equivalent to said first user entity in said repeated steps to create, for each said given user entity, a corresponding individual, unique, personal, virtual social network, thereby collectively forming a plurality of social networks on said social network system, inter-connected by mutually connected contacts; and

providing a given user entity with searchable access to at least part of the entity data records stored in said database;

providing a given user entity with at least partial control of privacy of their individual, unique, personal, virtual social network with respect to a user entity seeking access to the given user entity'"'"'s data record by permitting the given user entity to specify;

a connection factor between the given user entity and said seeking user entity and/or

one or more entity attributes of said seeking user entity,

required to allow the seeking user entity access to said given user entity'"'"'s data record;

permitting a given user entity to take a role of provider or participant in a predetermined activity and/or application via said data network, wherein

a provider is a user entity providing an item or service to at least one other user entity; and

a participant is a user entity utilising said provider'"'"'s item or service.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 further including the step of automatically updating the entity data record with changes in the identifying characteristics and/or entity attributes, and any other data associated with and/or inputted by a contact and/or said first user entity and recording said changes in the corresponding entity data record associated with said contact and/or first user entity.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2 further including the steps of automatically maintaining connectivity between said first user entity and said contacts following changes in a contact'"'"'s or said first user entity'"'"'s contact details and/or the integrity of any aspect of a predetermined activity dependant on the contents of said entity data records of the contacts and/or first user entity involved by virtue of said automatic updating.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3 further including the steps of auto-synchronising the contact details of said contacts with contact details stored in an electronic or data storage media connected by the first user entity to the system.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 including the further steps of allowing a user entity to selectively receive alerts from Mobile Notification Services, said alerts being in the form of a Short-Message (SMS), Enhanced SMS (EMS), Multi-Media Message (MMS), email, a paging message, or other message format sent to a -mobile communication device.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, further including the steps of enabling the user entities to optionally and selectively initiate or receive data communications related to their social networks from Data-Application-Services communicating via SMS, EMS, MMS, email, WAP, paging, or other wireless application communication data format.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, further including the steps of enabling the user entities to augment interaction with their social network by using Location-Based Services using user entity location data from position location systems including one or more of:

mobile-phone cell-site location, GPS location, manual or menu-driven location selection, and/or any combination of same.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said application is instigated from an entity or organised network external to said social network system.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a said user entity may further take a facilitator role, being an entity providing a link or facilitating interaction between a provider and a participant.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the extent to which a participant utilises said provider'"'"'s item or service is at least partially definable by said participant.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data network includes the Internet, an intranet;

wide and local area networks;

a telephone or pager networks, telephone-based text-messaging or facsimiles;

automated mail-server systems;

power transmission networks, wireless networks;

networks comprised of other telecommunication links;

postal or courier services.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said item or service is selectively made available by said provider to other user entities with predetermined entity attributes, said entity attributes including at least one identifying characteristic, information regarding personal details, contact details, factors or interests;

friends;

relations;

school alumni;

employment factors;

business colleagues;

professional acquaintances;

sexual preferences, persuasions, or proclivities;

sporting interests;

entertainment, artistic, creative or leisure interests;

travel interests, commercial, religious, political, theological or ideological belief or opinions;

academic, scientific, or engineering disciplines;

humanitarian, social, security/military or economic fields; and

any combination of same.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said applications include consumer decisions, buying, selling, trading, loaning;

finding flatmates/roommates, tenants;

organising activities and events, recommendations/opinions including those related to films, plays, books, employment, services, tradesmen, accommodation, restaurants, comparison and explorations of common interests;

sharing peer-to-peer personal or business creative work or content, including photos, art-work, literature, music;

managing a club or society;

locating/supplying/“

blacklisting”

providers of goods or services;

business or technological advice unsuitable for publication;

recruitment, job-seeking;

estate agents;

venture capital;

collaborative ventures;

referrals;

police/security information gathering/informants;

event manager;

address book manager;

search engines;

headhunting;

book mark service;

spam filtering;

car sharing;

sales leads;

market entry advice;

real-estate;

sharing files;

company knowledge management;

medical advice;

travel organiser, lending/borrowing;

house-sitting;

baby-sitting;

classified advertisements;

finding musicians.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising Location-Based Services enabling the user entity to augment implementations of said applications or activity with their social network using user entity location data from position location systems including one or more of mobile-phone cell-site location, GPS location, manual or menu-driven location selection, and/or any combination of same, wherein information generated by said applications for communication between a user entity and their contacts is at least partially derived from and/or designated by said location data.

15. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said predetermined application or activity may be performed with networks external to the social network system.

16. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein communication between user entities may be restricted according to the degree of separation between the user entities.

17. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a user entity may selectively control access to its entity attributes to contacts within a selected degree of separation from the user entity.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein a said user entity may selectively control access to its contacts within a selected degree of separation from the user entity.

19. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said predetermined activity includes instigating, continuing, terminating or responding to an application, search, and/or communication.

20. A social network system including at least one host computer and a database of entity data records each relating to a corresponding user entity, said entity data records containing one or more entity attributes including at least one identifying characteristic of said corresponding user entity, said social network system accessible over a data network with a plurality of data input devices connectable to said data network,

said social network system providing a given said user entity with a virtual, unique, private, personal, social network (hereinafter ‘

social network’

) formed from connections between contacts, said contacts being other user entities connected directly or indirectly to said first user entity, said social network system;

sending an invitation from a first user entity to one or more other user entities selected by said first user entity for inclusion in the first user entity'"'"'s social network as a contact;

recording, in said database, each user entity accepting said invitation as being a direct contact directly connected to the first user entity by a first degree of separation;

determining that for;

any second user entity directly connected to the first user entity and

any third user entity directly connected to the second user entity but not directly connected to the first user entity,

the first and third user entities are determined as being indirect contacts, indirectly connected to each other with a second degree of separation;

repeating the above steps for a given user entity having a corresponding entity data record in said database, wherein said given user entity is equivalent to said first user entity in said repeated steps to create, for each said given user entity, a corresponding individual, unique, personal, virtual social network, thereby collectively forming a plurality of social networks on said system, inter-connected by mutually connected contacts;

providing a given user entity with searchable access to at least part of the entity data records stored in said database;

providing a given user entity with at least partial control of privacy of their unique, personal, virtual social network with respect to a user entity seeking access to the given user entity'"'"'s data record by permitting the given user entity to specify;

a connection factor between the given user entity and said seeking user entity and/or

one or more entity attributes of said seeking user entity,

required to allow the seeking user entity access to said given user entity'"'"'s data record, said network control system allowing access to the given user entity'"'"'s data record according to said specified connection factor and/or entity attribute(s);

permitting a given user entity to take a role of provider or participant in a predetermined activity and/or application via said data network and specify said role in said network control system, wherein

a provider is a user entity providing an item or service to at least one other user entity; and

a participant is a user entity utilising said provider'"'"'s item or service.