[friendly]

"System, method and apparatus for connecting users in an online computer system based on their relationships within social networks"

It was filed in 2003 and accepted June 27, 2006. What am I missing?

Complete description here:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a system for connecting people via an online database and, more specifically, calculates, displays and allows searching of social networks. It further facilitates interaction among people connected through a social network. The system includes a user interface means, such as a graphical user interface, to obtain descriptive data and relationship data for users of the system. Descriptive data generally describes characteristics and preferences of a user, while relationship data describes other individuals in the user's social network. For example, a descriptive data element may be that a user is interested in a certain hobby, say, skiing. An example of relationship data might be that a certain user is a friend of a certain other user.

The system further includes a database means for storing the descriptive and relationship data of users of the system. A calculation process has the ability to aggregate and calculate the data to create a map of any user's social network, to any degree of separation. All, or a portion, of this social network map can be presented, along with descriptive data about the users. Further the pathway of intermediate acquaintances connecting any two users can be calculated and displayed.

An invitation system allows users to invite friends or acquaintances to join the system. Invitations may be sent, for example, by e-mail. The invited friend or acquaintance may accept the invitation, and then become a user of the system, as a `friend` of the inviting user. The new user is prompted to provide descriptive data and the relationship data for friends or acquaintances who they would like to join the system. It is a unique and important feature of the invention that the invitation system (as well as related communication systems within the invention) allows two users to confirm that they are "friends", and therefore become designated as such in the system.

Users in the system further have the ability to provide information about one another. For example, one user might write a positive comment about a second user's personality. In one implementation, the second user may accept or reject display of the comment. Further, in this implementation, any other users who are connected to the second user through any number of acquaintance pathways may see the comment as part of the "descriptive data" about the second user.

In one exemplary example of operation, a first user might access a graphical interface to view descriptive data about other users in her social network. As she discovers other users who have characteristics she finds appealing, she can view the acquaintance path that connects her to the other users. She may select a particular user, and view the acquaintance pathway or pathways that connect her to that user. She may further read comments that the users friends or acquaintance have written about him. Based on her judgment of the descriptive data, the pathway data, and the comments, she may wish to communicate with the user. She may contact the user through the communication system, or may further use the communications system to ask to be introduced by intermediate acquaintances. The communication may further send notification to the user, indicated that another user is interested in being introduced to him.

Thus, the present invention allows individuals to replicate the process of developing personal relationships through social networks, using a computer system and database. The system calculates and displays social networks allowing users to manage and utilize those networks. The user benefits from the advantages of social networking, and further improves the value of the social network, because the system simplifies, accelerates and eases the process of developing relationships through a social network. Specifically, the system first allows individuals who are connected by a social network to realize the existence of each other as well as the pathway of intermediate acquaintances that connect them. Second, it allows individuals to determine their mutual interest without requiring the active participation of the acquaintance intermediaries that connects them. Finally, the system reduces the difficulty of making introductions by eliminating or reducing the intermediate acquaintances' burden of coordinating introduction.