# US 9,438,691 B1 · Online social referral network

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- Number: US 9,438,691 B1
- Document ID: US9438691B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 14/923,250
- Filed: 2015-10-26
- Granted: 2016-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2015-10-26
- Assignees: Supirb Technologies, LLC
- Applicants: Supirb Technologies, LLC
- Inventors: Maxwell George Andrews; Lauren Michelle Broomall; Alissa Marie Brodin Desancic; Peter Warren Moon; David Frederick Kramer
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9438691B1

## CPC

- H04L 67/306: User profiles
- H04L 51/52: for supporting social networking services
- H04L 63/20: {for managing network security; network security policies in general (filtering policies H04L63/0227)}
- H04W 4/21: for social networking applications
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)

## Abstract

Embodiments are directed to users viewing and referring cards of content to other users. A user may refer a card by endorsing the card. By friending other users, users form a social network. Thus, a user may refer a card to friends, friends of friends, and other users. Cards may include one or more card tallies that are specific to a particular user. Card tallies may refer to the number of friends, of the particular user, that have endorsed the card, the number of friends of friends that have endorsed the card, and other users that have endorsed the card. By viewing the card tallies, the particular user may determine a utility of the card based on the number of the user's friends that have endorsed the card, the number of friends of friends that have endorsed the card, and the number of other users that have endorsed the card.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for providing referrals of cards to users with a network computer that performs actions, comprising:
generating an association between the card and a first user based on a first user selection of the card and one or more privacy parameters that are provided by the first user and associated with the card; and
employing the association between the card and the first user and the one or more privacy parameters to update a card network to include the card and the first user;
employing connections in one or more social networks between the first user and a second user to provide a degree of connectivity between the second user and the first user;
determining a first card tally of the one or more card tallies based on a number of users that are included in the card network and have a 1-degree connectivity with the second user in the social network;
determining a second card tally of the one or more card tallies based on a number of users that are included in the card network and have a 2-degree connectivity with the second user in the social network; and
determining a third card tally of the one or more card tallies based on a number of users that are included in the card network and have a degree connectivity with the second user that is greater than a 2-degree connectivity;
employing the updated card network, the degree of connectivity between the second user and the first user, and one or more of the second user's privacy parameters to provide one or more card tallies that are specific to the second user;
configuring a non-transitory storage memory to store a plurality of N-tuple of scores that are based on a metric for other users that have endorsed the card, wherein each card tally includes an N-tuple that lists both an N number of other users that are friends of the first user and have endorsed the card; and
providing the card with the one or more card tallies to the second user, wherein each card tally is retrieved from the non-transitory storage memory to evaluate the card.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
receiving two or more card features from the first user;
providing one or more suggested cards to the first user based on the one or more card features; and
providing additional card features to the first user based on a selection by the first user of one or more of the suggested cards.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
receiving one or more card features from the first user;
updating one or more global card features included in a global card that is included in the card network based on the received card features; and
updating one or more user card features included in a user card that is included in the card network and associated with the second user based on the updated global features.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
receiving a beacon from a third user; and
receiving a response to the beacon from the second user, wherein the response includes the card; and
providing the response to the beacon to the third user.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
receiving a request from the second user to join a user community; and
providing the card to the user community based on a selection received from the second user.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
receiving subject content from a subject of the card;
updating a first portion of one or more card features to include the subject content;
providing a front side of a visual representation of the card to the second user, wherein the front side of the card includes a second portion of the one or more card features;
receiving a user selection from the second user; and
providing a backside of a visual representation of the card to the second user based on the second user selection, wherein the backside of the card includes the first portion of the card features.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, the method further comprising employing a geolocation signal from a hardware device to localize a display to one or more users, wherein the localized display includes one or more cards, card networks, or social networks.

### Claim 8

A system providing referrals of cards to users over a network, comprising:
a transceiver that communicates over the network;
a memory that stores at least instructions; and
a processor device that executes instructions that perform actions, comprising:
generating an association between the card and a first user based on a first user selection of the card and one or more privacy parameters that are provided by the first user and associated with the card; and
employing the association between the card and the first user and the one or more privacy parameters to update a card network to include the card and the first user;
employing connections in one or more social networks between the first user and a second user to provide a degree of connectivity between the second user and the first user;
determining a first card tally of the one or more card tallies based on a number of users that are included in the card network and have a 1-degree connectivity with the second user in the social network;
determining a second card tally of the one or more card tallies based on a number of users that are included in the card network and have a 2-degree connectivity with the second user in the social network; and
determining a third card tally of the one or more card tallies based on a number of users that are included in the card network and have a degree connectivity with the second user that is greater than a 2-degree connectivity;
employing the updated card network, the degree of connectivity between the second user and the first user, and one or more of the second user's privacy parameters to provide one or more card tallies that are specific to the second user;
configuring a non-transitory storage memory to store a plurality of N-tuple of scores that are based on a metric for other users that have endorsed the card, wherein each card tally includes an N-tuple that lists both an N number of other users that are friends of the first user and have endorsed the card; and
providing the card with the one or more card tallies to the second user, wherein each card tally is retrieved from the non-transitory storage memory to evaluate the card.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, the actions further comprising;
receiving two or more card features from the first user;
providing one or more suggested cards to the first user based on the one or more card features; and
providing additional card features to the first user based on a selection by the first user of one or more of the suggested cards.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, the actions further comprising:
receiving one or more card features from the first user;
updating one or more global card features included in a global card that is included in the card network based on the received card features; and
updating one or more user card features included in a user card that is included in the card network and associated with the second user based on the updated global features.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, the actions further comprising:
receiving a beacon from a third user; and
receiving a response to the beacon from the second user, wherein the response includes the card; and
providing the response to the beacon to the third user.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, the actions further comprising:
receiving a request from the second user to join a user community; and
providing the card to the user community based on a selection received from the second user.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, the actions further comprising:
receiving subject content from a subject of the card;
updating a first portion of one or more card features to include the subject content;
providing a front side of a visual representation of the card to the second user, wherein the front side of the card includes a second portion of the one or more card features;
receiving a user selection from the second user; and
providing a backside of a visual representation of the card to the second user based on the second user selection, wherein the backside of the card includes the first portion of the card features.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, the actions further comprising employing a geolocation signal from a hardware device to localize a display to one or more users, wherein the localized display includes one or more cards, card networks, or social networks.

### Claim 15

A processor readable non-transitory storage media that includes instructions for providing referrals of cards to users, wherein execution of the instructions by a processor device performs actions, comprising:
generating an association between the card and a first user based on a first user selection of the card and one or more privacy parameters that are provided by the first user and associated with the card; and
employing the association between the card and the first user and the one or more privacy parameters to update a card network to include the card and the first user;
employing connections in one or more social networks between the first user and a second user to provide a degree of connectivity between the second user and the first user;
determining a first card tally of the one or more card tallies based on a number of users that are included in the card network and have a 1-degree connectivity with the second user in the social network;
determining a second card tally of the one or more card tallies based on a number of users that are included in the card network and have a 2-degree connectivity with the second user in the social network; and
determining a third card tally of the one or more card tallies based on a number of users that are included in the card network and have a degree connectivity with the second user that is greater than a 2-degree connectivity;
employing the updated card network, the degree of connectivity between the second user and the first user, and one or more of the second user's privacy parameters to provide one or more card tallies that are specific to the second user;
configuring a non-transitory storage memory to store a plurality of N-tuple of scores that are based on a metric for other users that have endorsed the card, wherein each card tally includes an N-tuple that lists both an N number of other users that are friends of the first user and have endorsed the card; and
providing the card with the one or more card tallies to the second user, wherein each card tally is retrieved from the non-transitory storage memory to evaluate the card.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The processor readable non-transitory storage media of claim 15, the actions further comprising;
receiving two or more card features from the first user;
providing one or more suggested cards to the first user based on the one or more card features; and
providing additional card features to the first user based on a selection by the first user of one or more of the suggested cards.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The processor readable non-transitory storage of claim 15, the actions further comprising:
receiving one or more card features from the first user;
updating one or more global card features included in a global card that is included in the card network based on the received card features; and
updating one or more user card features included in a user card that is included in the card network and associated with the second user based on the updated global features.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The processor readable non-transitory storage of claim 15, the actions further comprising:
receiving a beacon from a third user; and
receiving a response to the beacon from the second user, wherein the response includes the card; and
providing the response to the beacon to the third user.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The processor readable non-transitory storage of claim 15, the actions further comprising:
receiving a request from the second user to join a user community; and
providing the card to the user community based on a selection received from the second user.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The processor readable non-transitory storage of claim 15, the actions further comprising:
receiving subject content from a subject of the card;
updating a first portion of one or more card features to include the subject content;
providing a front side of a visual representation of the card to the second user, wherein the front side of the card includes a second portion of the one or more card features;
receiving a user selection from the second user; and
providing a backside of a visual representation of the card to the second user based on the second user selection, wherein the backside of the card includes the first portion of the card features.

### Claim 21 (depends on 15)

The processor readable non-transitory storage of claim 15, the actions further comprising employing a geolocation signal from a hardware device to localize a display to one or more users, wherein the localized display includes one or more cards, card networks, or social networks.