Platform for arranging services between goods manufacturers and content or service providers and users of virtual local community via authorized agents

Abstract

A social networking platform having users grouped into multiple groups of residents based on users' geographical areas, each group representing a virtual local community representing the corresponding geographical area. Each resident is identified by a resident identifier having a common local community identifier that uniquely identifies the corresponding geographical area in which the residents actually reside. Each resident is provided a three-dimensional (3D) homepage having items resembling items owned by the resident in an actual resident home. Some of the items decorated in the 3D homepage can be activate to invoke an authorized agent which will access a goods/service provider on behalf of the resident for purchasing further items. An authorized agent can be installed and available to a virtual community only if the residents allow. Based on the purchase, a resident is rewarded with credits for future purchases and ownership shares of the authorized agent.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method for managing users of a social networking community, the method comprising:
 partitioning a plurality of users registered with a social networking platform over the Internet into a plurality of groups of users based on geographical areas in which the users currently reside, each group of users being associated with a particular geographical area representing a virtual community, wherein each of the users in each virtual community is identified by a user identifier (ID) which includes a common community identifier that uniquely identifies the respective geographical area associated with the respective virtual community;   creating a three-dimensional (3D) homepage for each of the users in each of the virtual communities, the 3D homepage representing a user home associated with each user who resides in the associated geographical area, the 3D homepage including a plurality of items decorated with the 3D homepage, wherein the items represent 3D models created using a technology for creating 3D images based on photos of real objects, goods or services owned or incurred by the user in its respective user home that were purchased or acquired from a plurality of goods and service (goods/service) providers;   associating an authorized agent with at least some of the items decorated in each of the 3D homepages of each virtual community, an authorized agent being installed and associated with a particular virtual community at the social networking platform only if a majority of the users of that particular virtual community authorizes the authorized agent, wherein each authorized agent is associated with a particular virtual community and the authorized agent is identified by an authorized agent identifier having a common community identifier that is associated with that virtual community, and wherein an authorized agent is linked with a particular goods/service provider over the Internet that provides goods/service to an decorated item in a 3D homepage, wherein the authorized agent is to collectively on behalf of users of the associated virtual community to contact the associated goods/service provider for purchasing or acquiring goods/services associated with the decorated item in the 3D homepage;   storing in one or more databases information concerning decorated items in each 3D homepage of each user in each virtual community, wherein the information is anonymous information without exposing identities of the users;   providing a search interface to allow a user to search in the one or more databases to determine purchasing patterns or habits of users of a particular virtual community;   receiving a user input from a first user of the first virtual community, the user input selecting a first of a plurality of items decorated in a first 3D homepage associated with the first user of the first virtual community;   in response to the user input, identifying a first authorized agent that is associated with the first virtual community and linked with the selected item; and   activating the first authorized agent to contact a first goods/service provider over the Internet to allow the first user to acquire an additional first item from the first goods/service provider at a price that was agree upon when the first authorized agent was authorized by users and installed at the first virtual community, wherein the first authorized agent is operated by an entity that is different from the first goods/service provider.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining a list of alternative authorized agents that are also associated with the first item; and   displaying the list of alternative authorized agents concurrently displayed with the first authorized agent to allow the first user to select an alternative authorized agent from the list, wherein the first authorized agent was used by the first user to acquire the first item previously.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 determining whether there is a new update concerning the first item provided from the first authorized agent; and   in response to determining that the first authorized agent has a new update regarding the first item, displaying a graphical representation representing the first item in a blinking manner to indicate that a new update is available for the first item.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 withdrawing a credit from a first account of a credit union associated with the first user, wherein the credit union is associated with the first virtual community and owned by users of the first virtual community, wherein the first account of the credit unit was set up when the first user registered with the first virtual community; and   transmitting the credit to the first authorized agent for acquiring the additional first item from the first goods/service provider, wherein the first authorized agent in turn distribute to the first goods/service provider.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 adjusting ownership shares of the first authorized agent based on the completion of the purchasing transactions via the first authorized agent by users of the first virtual community;   updating an activity index associated with the first user based on the purchase transaction via the first authorized agent, wherein the activity index of the first user represents a participation level of the authorized agent; and   transmitting dividend of ownership shares of the first authorized agent to the first user based on the activity index of the first user, wherein the dividend received is higher when the associated activity index is higher.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 receiving a request from the first user for subscribing messages provided by an authorized message agent;   providing a user interface to the first user to allow the first user to specify message subscription settings;   storing the message subscription settings in a user database associated with the first user; and   transmitting message management software to a client machine associated with the first user, wherein the message management software is installed as a plug-in to a browser running at the client machine of the first user.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 receiving a message from the authorized message agent;   examining the message delivery settings of the first user to determine whether the first user has subscribed the received message; and   if the message delivery settings allow, transmitting the message to the message management software running within the client machine of the first user.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the message is displayed as a banner within a browser running at the client machine of the first user, wherein the banner includes a first field to allow the first user to provide a comment concerning the message, wherein the banner includes a second field to allow the first user to propose a consideration that the first user is willing to offer in exchange for an item described in the message, and wherein the comment and the proposed price are forwarded by the message management software to the authorized message agent. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 in response to a request from a third-party entity to deploy a second agent in a second virtual community, transmitting information of the second agent to each user of the second virtual community for approval;   in response to receiving an approval from at least one of the users of the second virtual community, authorizing the second agent as a second authorized agent and installing the second authorized agent in a homepage of each of the users approving the second agent; and   assigning at least one share of ownership shares of the second authorized agent to each of the users that have approved the second authorized agent, wherein each of the users in the second virtual community that approved the second authorized agent is a co-owner of the second authorized agent.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the common community identifier comprises a country code and an area code, and wherein the area code identifies a particular geographical area of a country that is identified by the country code. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein each user identifier is in a format compatible with a standard of E.164 of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), including a country code and an area code, wherein a user identifier is used by a user as a username to log into its respective 3D homepage. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein each user identifier of each user is automatically, without user intervention, generated and assigned by the social networking platform to the user based on the geographical area of the user, when the user registers with the social networking platform. 
     
     
         13 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium having instructions stored therein, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method for managing users of a social networking community, the method comprising:
 partitioning a plurality of users registered with a social networking platform over the Internet into a plurality of groups of users based on geographical areas in which the users currently reside, each group of users being associated with a particular geographical area representing a virtual community, wherein each of the users in each virtual community is identified by a user identifier (ID) which includes a common community identifier that uniquely identifies the respective geographical area associated with the respective virtual community;   creating a three-dimensional (3D) homepage for each of the users in each of the virtual communities, the 3D homepage representing a user home associated with each user who resides in the associated geographical area, the 3D homepage including a plurality of items decorated with the 3D homepage, wherein the items represent 3D models created using a technology for creating 3D images based on photos of real objects, goods or services owned or incurred by the user in its respective user home that were purchased or acquired from a plurality of goods and service (goods/service) providers;   associating an authorized agent with at least some of the items decorated in each of the 3D homepages of each virtual community, an authorized agent being installed and associated with a particular virtual community at the social networking platform only if a majority of the users of that particular virtual community authorizes the authorized agent, wherein each authorized agent is associated with a particular virtual community and the authorized agent is identified by an authorized agent identifier having a common community identifier that is associated with that virtual community, and wherein an authorized agent is linked with a particular goods/service provider over the Internet that provides goods/service to an decorated item in a 3D homepage, wherein the authorized agent is to collectively on behalf of users of the associated virtual community to contact the associated goods/service provider for purchasing or acquiring goods/services associated with the decorated item in the 3D homepage;   storing in one or more databases information concerning decorated items in each 3D homepage of each user in each virtual community, wherein the information is anonymous information without exposing identities of the users;   providing a search interface to allow a user to search in the one or more databases to determine purchasing patterns or habits of users of a particular virtual community;   receiving a user input from a first user of the first virtual community, the user input selecting a first of a plurality of items decorated in a first 3D homepage associated with the first user of the first virtual community;   in response to the user input, identifying a first authorized agent that is associated with the first virtual community and linked with the selected item; and   activating the first authorized agent to contact a first goods/service provider over the Internet to allow the first user to acquire an additional first item from the first goods/service provider at a price that was agree upon when the first authorized agent was authorized by users and installed at the first virtual community, wherein the first authorized agent is operated by an entity that is different from the first goods/service provider.   
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises:
 determining a list of alternative authorized agents that are also associated with the first item; and   displaying the list of alternative authorized agents concurrently displayed with the first authorized agent to allow the first user to select an alternative authorized agent from the list, wherein the first authorized agent was used by the first user to acquire the first item previously.   
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the method further comprises:
 determining whether there is a new update concerning the first item provided from the first authorized agent; and   in response to determining that the first authorized agent has a new update regarding the first item, displaying a graphical representation representing the first item in a blinking manner to indicate that a new update is available for the first item.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the method further comprises:
 withdrawing a credit from a first account of a credit union associated with the first user, wherein the credit union is associated with the first virtual community and owned by users of the first virtual community, wherein the first account of the credit unit was set up when the first user registered with the first virtual community; and   transmitting the credit to the first authorized agent for acquiring the additional first item from the first goods/service provider, wherein the first authorized agent in turn distribute to the first goods/service provider.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the method further comprises:
 adjusting ownership shares of the first authorized agent based on the completion of the purchasing transactions via the first authorized agent by users of the first virtual community;   updating an activity index associated with the first user based on the purchase transaction via the first authorized agent, wherein the activity index of the first user represents a participation level of the authorized agent; and   transmitting dividend of ownership shares of the first authorized agent to the first user based on the activity index of the first user, wherein the dividend received is higher when the associated activity index is higher.   
     
     
         18 . A data processing system, the system comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory coupled to the processor for storing instructions, which when executed from the memory by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations of managing users of a social networking community, the operations including
 partitioning a plurality of users registered with a social networking platform over the Internet into a plurality of groups of users based on geographical areas in which the users currently reside, each group of users being associated with a particular geographical area representing a virtual community, wherein each of the users in each virtual community is identified by a user identifier (ID) which includes a common community identifier that uniquely identifies the respective geographical area associated with the respective virtual community, 
 creating a three-dimensional (3D) homepage for each of the users in each of the virtual communities, the 3D homepage representing a user home associated with each user who resides in the associated geographical area, the 3D homepage including a plurality of items decorated with the 3D homepage, wherein the items represent 3D models created using a technology for creating 3D images based on photos of real objects, goods or services owned or incurred by the user in its respective user home that were purchased or acquired from a plurality of goods and service (goods/service) providers, 
 associating an authorized agent with at least some of the items decorated in each of the 3D homepages of each virtual community, an authorized agent being installed and associated with a particular virtual community at the social networking platform only if a majority of the users of that particular virtual community authorizes the authorized agent, wherein each authorized agent is associated with a particular virtual community and the authorized agent is identified by an authorized agent identifier having a common community identifier that is associated with that virtual community, and wherein an authorized agent is linked with a particular goods/service provider over the Internet that provides goods/service to an decorated item in a 3D homepage, wherein the authorized agent is to collectively on behalf of users of the associated virtual community to contact the associated goods/service provider for purchasing or acquiring goods/services associated with the decorated item in the 3D homepage, 
 storing in one or more databases information concerning decorated items in each 3D homepage of each user in each virtual community, wherein the information is anonymous information without exposing identities of the users, 
 providing a search interface to allow a user to search in the one or more databases to determine purchasing patterns or habits of users of a particular virtual community, 
 receiving a user input from a first user of the first virtual community, the user input selecting a first of a plurality of items decorated in a first 3D homepage associated with the first user of the first virtual community, 
 in response to the user input, identifying a first authorized agent that is associated with the first virtual community and linked with the selected item, and 
 activating the first authorized agent to contact a first goods/service provider over the Internet to allow the first user to acquire an additional first item from the first goods/service provider at a price that was agree upon when the first authorized agent was authorized by users and installed at the first virtual community, wherein the first authorized agent is operated by an entity that is different from the first goods/service provider. 
   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 determining a list of alternative authorized agents that are also associated with the first item; and   displaying the list of alternative authorized agents concurrently displayed with the first authorized agent to allow the first user to select an alternative authorized agent from the list, wherein the first authorized agent was used by the first user to acquire the first item previously.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 determining whether there is a new update concerning the first item provided from the first authorized agent; and   in response to determining that the first authorized agent has a new update regarding the first item, displaying a graphical representation representing the first item in a blinking manner to indicate that a new update is available for the first item.   
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 withdrawing a credit from a first account of a credit union associated with the first user, wherein the credit union is associated with the first virtual community and owned by users of the first virtual community, wherein the first account of the credit unit was set up when the first user registered with the first virtual community; and   transmitting the credit to the first authorized agent for acquiring the additional first item from the first goods/service provider, wherein the first authorized agent in turn distribute to the first goods/service provider.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 adjusting ownership shares of the first authorized agent based on the completion of the purchasing transactions via the first authorized agent by users of the first virtual community;   updating an activity index associated with the first user based on the purchase transaction via the first authorized agent, wherein the activity index of the first user represents a participation level of the authorized agent; and   transmitting dividend of ownership shares of the first authorized agent to the first user based on the activity index of the first user, wherein the dividend received is higher when the associated activity index is higher.