# US 10,373,272 B2 · Social network systems and methods of operation

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- Number: US 10,373,272 B2
- Document ID: US10373272B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/640,065
- Filed: 2017-06-30
- Published: 2017-10-19
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2002-04-29
- Assignees: Intel Corporation
- Applicants: Intel Corporation
- Inventors: Grant James Ryan; Gary Lee Franklin; Julian Malcom Cone; William Ferguson Stalker; Derick Ian Robinson
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10373272B2

## CPC

- G06Q 99/00: Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
- G06Q 10/1053: Employment or hiring
- G06Q 10/42: Determination of affinities or common interests between users
- G06Q 10/48: using social graphs
- G06Q 30/0214: Referral reward systems
- H04L 51/222: using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
- H04L 51/52: for supporting social networking services
- H04L 63/08: {for authentication of entities (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32)}
- H04M 1/2757: by data transmission, e.g. downloading
- H04M 2203/554: Data synchronization
- H04M 2203/557: Portable profiles
- H04M 2203/6009: Personal information, e.g. profiles or personal directories being only provided to authorised persons
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08)

## 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

### Claim 1

A system comprising:
at least one database containing records, the records respectively corresponding to users, the records respectively including profile information and a tag associated with corresponding ones of the users; and
at least one server including a hardware processor, the at least one server to generate a profile for a first user of the users based on the profile information for the first user, the profile for the first user to include the tag corresponding to the first user; the at least one server responsive to a first request from a first user device of the first user to execute a query of the profile information corresponding to other ones of the users in the database and to return a first search result to the first user device of the first user, the first request obtained from a first internet protocol communication via a data network the at least one server responsive to a second request from the first user to execute a query of the tags corresponding to the other ones of the users in the database and to return a second search result to the first user device of the first user, the second request obtained from a second internet protocol communication via the data network the at least one server to identify a second user to the first user device of the first user, the second user indirectly connected to the first user, the at least one server to enable the first user to invite the second user to directly connect with the first user, the at least one server to, initiate a third internet protocol communication via the data network to a second device of the second user to request permission to share user contact information associated with the second user with the first user, and, responsive to a fourth internet protocol communication via the data network indicating that permission is granted, make the user contact information of the second user viewable to the first user device, the at least one server to enable the first user to initiate an instant message to at least one of the second user or a third user to whom the first user is indirectly or directly connected, and the at least one server to deliver an alert message to the first user device, the alert message to notify the first user device of at least one of an addition of a user, an addition of a tag of one of the users whom is directly connected to the first user, or a change in the profile information of one of the users whom is directly connected to the first user.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the profile information for the first user includes background information about the first user.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2, wherein the profile is to display information concerning activities.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The system of claim 3, wherein the at least one server is to generate the profile to include a representation reflecting an employment relationship between the first user and at least one of the other users.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The system of claim 4, wherein the at least one server is to generate the profile for the first user to include a representation of the third user to whom the first user is indirectly or directly connected.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the instant message is transmitted via the at least one server to a mobile device of the at least one of the second user or the third user.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6, wherein the profile information is to enable the first user to initiate a video communication with at least one of the second user or the third user via the at least one server.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, wherein the profile information is to enable the first user to initiate electronic communication via the at least one server with a fourth one of the users.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the profile information is to enable the first user to share a file via the at least one server with the second or the third user involved in the video communication.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one server is to receive and store a file from the first user, the file to be shared via the at least one server with at least one of the second or the third user identified by the first user, the at least one server to enable the first user to view the stored file via the profile information.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one server is to enable the at least one of the second user or the third user to view and edit the stored file.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one server is to synchronize data for the stored file uploaded by the users.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one server is to send an alert to a mobile device of the at least one of the second user or the third user, the first user to access a file from the at least one server via the mobile device.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one server is to display an indication of the alert message on the profile of the first user.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one server is to electronically transmit the alert message to a device of the first user.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one server is to electronically transmit the alert message to the device of the first user via at least one of email or SMS messaging.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one server is to receive GPS information from a device of the first user and to share a geographic location of the first user with a third one of the users whom is connected to the first user.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, wherein the third user is indirectly connected with the first user.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the data network is a private network.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the data network includes a public network.

### Claim 21 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first internet protocol communication, the second internet protocol communication, the third internet protocol communication, or the fourth internet protocol communication is at least one of a web protocol message, a Short-Message (SMS) message, an Enhanced SMS (EMS) message, a Multi-Media Message (MMS) message, a plain email message, or a paging message.

### Claim 22 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the first user device is at least one of a computer terminal, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a telephone, a mobile phone, a laptop, a notebook, or a portable personal computing device connectable to the data network.

### Claim 23 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the third internet protocol communication to request permission includes a request to accept a link from the second user to the first user in the database.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The system of claim 23, wherein the at least one server is to store a link between the second user and the first user in the profile of the first user to make the user contact information viewable to the first user.

### Claim 25

A method comprising:
generating, by executing an instruction with at least one server, a profile for a first user of a plurality of users based on first profile information corresponding to the first user, the first profile information contained in a database, the profile for the first user including a tag corresponding to the first user;
in response to a first request from a first user device of the first user sent over a data network via a first internet protocol communication:
executing a query of second profile information with the at least one server, the second profile information corresponding to other ones of the users and the first and second profile information contained in records in the database; and
returning a first search result to the first user device of the first user;
in response to a second request from the first user device of the first user sent over the data network via a second internet protocol communication:
executing a query of tags with the at least one server, the tags corresponding to the other ones of the users with corresponding ones of the records in the database;
returning a second search result to the first user device of the first user;
transmitting a third internet protocol communication from the at least one server to identify a second user to the first user device of the first user, the second user indirectly connected to the first user;
enabling, via the at least one server, the first user to invite the second user to directly connect with the first user;
transmitting a fourth internet protocol communication over the data network to a second device of the second user to request permission to share user contact information associated with the second user with the first user;
responsive to a fifth internet protocol communication indicating that permission is granted, making the user contact information of the second user viewable to the first user device via the at least one server;
enabling the first user to initiate an instant message via the at least one server to at least one of the second user or a third user to whom the first user is indirectly or directly connected; and
delivering an alert message from the at least one server to the first user device, the alert message to notify the first user device of at least one of an addition of a user, an addition of a tag of one of the users whom is directly connected to the first user, or a change in the profile information of one of the users whom is directly connected to the first user.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The method of claim 25, wherein the profile information for the first user includes background information about the first user.

### Claim 27 (depends on 26)

The method of claim 26, wherein the generating of the profile includes generating the profile to display information concerning activities.

### Claim 28 (depends on 27)

The method of claim 27, wherein the generating of the profile includes generating a representation reflecting an employment relationship between the first user and at least one of the other users.

### Claim 29 (depends on 28)

The method of claim 28, wherein the generating of the profile includes generating the profile of the first user to include a representation of the third user to whom the first user is indirectly or directly connected.

### Claim 30 (depends on 25)

The method of claim 25, further including transmitting the instant message via the at least one server to a mobile device of the at least one of the second user or the third user.

### Claim 31 (depends on 30)

The method of claim 30, further including enabling the first user to initiate a video communication via the at least one server with at least one of the second user or the third user.

### Claim 32 (depends on 31)

The method of claim 31, further including enabling the first user to initiate electronic communication via the at least one server with a fourth one of the users.

### Claim 33 (depends on 31)

The method of claim 31, further including enabling the first user to share a file via the at least one server with the second or the third user involved in the video communication.

### Claim 34 (depends on 31)

The method of claim 31, further including:
storing a file received from the first user, the file to be shared via the at least one server with at least one of the second or the third user identified by the first user; and
enabling the first user to view the stored file via the profile information.

### Claim 35 (depends on 34)

The method of claim 34, further including enabling the at least one of the second user or the third user to view and edit the stored file.

### Claim 36 (depends on 35)

The method of claim 35, further including synchronizing data for the stored file with data uploaded to the at least one server by the users.

### Claim 37 (depends on 36)

The method of claim 36, further including sending an alert to a mobile device of the at least one of the second user or the third user, the first user to access a file from the at least one server via the mobile device.

### Claim 38 (depends on 25)

The method of claim 25, further including displaying an indication of the alert message on the profile of the first user.

### Claim 39 (depends on 25)

The method of claim 25, further including electronically transmitting the alert message from the at least one server to the first user device of the first user.

### Claim 40 (depends on 39)

The method of claim 39, further including electronically transmitting the alert message from the at least one server to the first user device of the first user via at least one of email or SMS messaging.

### Claim 41 (depends on 25)

The method of claim 25, further including:
accessing GPS information from the first user device of the first user; and
sharing a geographic location of the first user via the at least one server with a third user connected to the first user.

### Claim 42 (depends on 41)

The method of claim 41, wherein the third user is indirectly connected with the first user.

### Claim 43 (depends on 25)

The method of claim 25, wherein the data network is a private network.

### Claim 44 (depends on 25)

The method of claim 25, wherein the data network includes a public network.

### Claim 45 (depends on 25)

The method of claim 25, wherein at least one of the first internet protocol communication, the second internet protocol communication, the third internet protocol communication, the fourth internet protocol communication, or the fifth internet protocol communication is at least one of a web protocol message, a SMS message, an EMS message, a MMS message, a plain email message, or a paging message.

### Claim 46 (depends on 25)

The method of claim 25, wherein the first user device is at least one of a computer terminal, a PDA, a telephone, a mobile phone, a laptop, a notebook, or a portable personal computing device connectable to the data network.

### Claim 47 (depends on 25)

The method of claim 25, wherein the fourth internet protocol communication to request permission includes a request to accept a link from the second user to the first user in the database.

### Claim 48 (depends on 47)

The method of claim 47, wherein the at least one server is to store a link between the second user and the first user in the profile of the first user to make the user contact information viewable to the first user.

### Claim 49

A computer readable storage disk or storage device comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to at least:
generate a profile for a first user of a plurality of users based on first profile information corresponding to the first user, the first profile information contained in a database, the profile for the first user including a tag corresponding to the first user;
in response to a first request from a first user device of the first user sent over a data network via a first internet protocol communication:
execute a query of second profile information, the second profile information corresponding to other ones of the users and the first and second profile information contained in records in the database; and
return a first search result to the first user device of the first user;
in response to a second request from the first user device of the first user sent over the data network via a second internet protocol communication:
execute a query of tags, the tags corresponding to the other ones of the users with corresponding ones of the records in the database;
return a second search result to the first user device of the first user;
transmit a third internet protocol communication to identify a second user to the first user device of the first user, the second user indirectly connected to the first user;
enable the first user to invite the second user to directly connect with the first user;
transmit a fourth internet protocol communication over the data network to a second device of the second user to request permission to share user contact information associated with the second user with the first user;
responsive to a fifth internet protocol communication indicating that permission is granted, make the user contact information of the second user viewable to the first user device;
enable the first user to initiate an instant message to at least one of the second user or a third user to whom the first user is indirectly or directly connected; and
deliver an alert message to the first user device, the alert message to notify the first user device of at least one of an addition of a user, an addition of a tag of one of the users whom is directly connected to the first user, or a change in the profile information of one of the users whom is directly connected to the first user.

### Claim 50 (depends on 49)

The computer readable storage disk or storage device of claim 49, wherein the profile information for the first user includes background information about the first user.

### Claim 51 (depends on 50)

The computer readable storage disk or storage device of claim 50, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to generate the profile by generating the profile to display information concerning activities.

### Claim 52 (depends on 51)

The computer readable storage disk or storage device of claim 51, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to generate the profile by generating a representation reflecting an employment relationship between the first user and at least one of the other users.

### Claim 53 (depends on 52)

The computer readable storage disk or storage device of claim 52, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to generate the profile by generating the profile of the first user to include a representation of the third user to whom the first user is indirectly or directly connected.

### Claim 54 (depends on 49)

The computer readable storage disk or storage device of claim 49, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to transmit the instant message to a mobile device of the at least one of the second user or the third user.

### Claim 55 (depends on 54)

The computer readable storage disk or storage device of claim 54, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to enable the first user to initiate a video communication with at least one of the second user or the third user.

### Claim 56 (depends on 55)

The computer readable storage disk or storage device of claim 55, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to enable the first user to initiate electronic communication with a fourth one of the users.

### Claim 57 (depends on 55)

The computer readable storage disk or storage device of claim 55, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to enable the first user to share a file with the second or the third user involved in the video communication.

### Claim 58 (depends on 55)

The computer readable storage disk or storage device of claim 55, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to:
store a file received from the first user, the file to be shared with at least one of the second or the third user identified by the first user; and
enable the first user to view the stored file via the profile information.

### Claim 59 (depends on 58)

The computer readable storage disk or storage device of claim 58, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to enable the at least one of the second user or the third user to view and edit the stored file.

### Claim 60 (depends on 59)

The computer readable storage disk or storage device of claim 59, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to synchronize data for the stored file with data uploaded by the users.

### Claim 61 (depends on 60)

The computer readable storage disk or storage device of claim 60, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to send an alert to a mobile device of the at least one of the second user or the third user, the first user to access a file via the mobile device.

### Claim 62 (depends on 49)

The computer readable storage disk or storage device of claim 49, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to display an indication of the alert message on the profile of the first user.

### Claim 63 (depends on 49)

The computer readable storage disk or storage device of claim 49, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to electronically transmit the alert message to the first user device of the first user.

### Claim 64 (depends on 63)

The computer readable storage disk or storage device of claim 63, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to electronically transmit the alert message to the first user device of the first user via at least one of email or SMS messaging.

### Claim 65 (depends on 49)

The computer readable storage disk or storage device of claim 49, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to:
access GPS information from the first user device of the first user; and
share a geographic location of the first user with a third user connected to the first user.

### Claim 66 (depends on 65)

The computer readable storage disk or storage device of claim 65, wherein the third user is indirectly connected with the user.

### Claim 67 (depends on 49)

The computer readable storage disk or storage device of claim 49, wherein the data network is a private network.

### Claim 68 (depends on 49)

The computer readable storage disk or storage device of claim 49, wherein the data network includes a public network.

### Claim 69 (depends on 49)

The computer readable storage disk or storage device of claim 49, wherein at least one of the first internet protocol communication, the second internet protocol communication, the third internet protocol communication, the fourth internet protocol communication, or the fifth internet protocol communication is at least one of a web protocol message, a SMS message, an EMS message, a MMS message, a plain email message, or a paging message.

### Claim 70 (depends on 49)

The computer readable storage disk or storage device of claim 49, wherein the first user device is at least one of a computer terminal, a PDA, a telephone, a mobile phone, a laptop, a notebook, or a portable personal computing device connectable to the data network.

### Claim 71 (depends on 49)

The computer readable storage disk or storage device of claim 49, wherein the fourth internet protocol communication to request permission includes a request to accept a link from the second user to the first user in the database.

### Claim 72 (depends on 71)

The computer readable storage disk or storage device of claim 71, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to store a link between the second user and the first user in the profile of the first user to make the user contact information viewable to the first user.