Method, system, and storage device for clique based social networking and social graphing

Abstract

A method, system, and storage device for clique based social networking and social graphing allowing users to create one or more networks each containing one or more connections, create postings or other information that trickles down to other users according to a set of rules wherein certain connections must be present to be in-network to a primary user.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for clique based social networking and social graphing, the method executed on a processor and comprising:
 enrolling a plurality of users;   permitting any of said plurality of enrolled users to create a plurality of networks, each said network associated to at least one particular user;   requiring said users to associate at least one other user to each said network;   permitting said users to associate at least one other network to each said network, wherein said at least one other user associated to said network may also create a plurality of networks;   storing said users, said networks, and said user's associations to said networks on a database system, said database system implemented on a non-transitory storage medium on a computing system;   designating one said user as a primary user;   identifying said primary user's in-network users according to a set of rules, said set of rules including:
 marking in said database system as a first degree connection to said primary user all said users associated with at least one of said primary user's said networks; and 
 marking in said database system all said first degree connections as in-network connections to said primary user; 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said users are registered users. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said users are non-virtual items. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said computing system is a distributed system. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said in-network connections are visible to said primary user. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said primary user is not required to have all in-network connections in a single network. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said networks is dynamically created by said computing system. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said dynamically created network is created by said computing system in response to search criteria. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said networks is dynamically created by or in response to a third party system. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said users is suggested to said primary user by said computing system and/or a third party system. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , with the additional step of permitting said primary user to make one or more of said primary user's said networks and/or said users associated with said primary user's said networks accessible to at least another of:
 said primary user's said networks; and/or   said users associated with said primary user's said networks.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said information is a posting and additionally including the steps of:
 receiving said posting from said primary user;   storing said posting in said database system;   designating one or more of said primary user's networks and/or one or more of said users in said primary user's networks to receive said posting;   making accessible said posting to said one or more designated networks and/or one or more of said users in said primary user's networks.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said posting is one or more of a photo, a link, a video, an article, a comment, an audio recording, a message, an advertisement, a reward, a recognition, a question, or a suggestion. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said primary user receives a reward, recognition, and/or a payment for sharing the information of said users associated with one or more of said primary user's said networks or said in-network connections. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , with the additional steps of:
 receiving a request from at least one of said users to associate with at least one of said networks, said request originating from a link, a button, or a widget appearing on a third party computing system, wherein said link, said button, or said widget is linked to at least one of said primary user's said networks; and   adding said requesting user to said primary user's said network.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , with the additional steps of:
 receiving a request from at least one of said users, said request originating from a link, a button, or a widget appearing on a third party computing system; and   either:
 adding said requesting user to at least one of said existing networks; or 
 said computing system dynamically creating a new network and adding said requesting user to said new network. 
   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , with the additional steps of:
 receiving third party system content relating to said primary user, said primary user's said networks, and/or said users associated with said primary user's said networks; and/or   transmitting information and/or content relating to said primary user, said primary user's said networks, and/or said users associated with said primary user's said networks with one or more third party systems.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , additionally comprising permitting said primary user to filter information and/or content of said users and/or networks. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , additionally comprising the steps of:
 rating said primary user based on said primary user's interaction and behavior with the computing system; and/or   rating said primary user based on the interaction and behavior with the computing system of said users associated with said primary user's networks.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , additionally comprising rating one or more of said networks based on the interaction and behavior with the computing system of said users associated with said network.