Communication between social network circles

Abstract

A social network (SNET) is divided into one or more circles having different trust levels. Communications between the different SNET circles is bridged by an SNET device capable of communicating with devices associated with the different SNET circles, even if those devices cannot communicate directly with each other. When a communication is sent between SNET circles, the SNET device verifies the trust level associated with the communication, and bridges the communication based, at least in part, on that trust level. The SNET device can be located in a demilitarized zone associated with both the first SNET circle and the second SNET circle. Where different SNET circles use different security secrets for communications between members, the SNET device can store different keys for each of those circles in separate, restricted portions of memory.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A communications system comprising:
 a social network (SNET) device including:
 at least one communications interface configured to communicate, via a communications network, with a plurality of devices configured as members of different social network (SNET) circles having different trust levels; 
 wherein the social network device has a first trust level associated with the first SNET circle and a second trust level associated with the second SNET circle; 
 processing circuitry configured to: 
   verify a trust level associated with a communication directed from the first SNET circle to the second SNET circle; and   bridge the communication between the first SNET circle and the second SNET circle based, at least in part, on the trust level associated with the communication.   
     
     
         2 . The communications system of  claim 1 , wherein the SNET device includes:
 at least one memory configured to store a first SNET key associated with the first SNET circle and a second SNET key associated with the second SNET circle.   
     
     
         3 . The communications system of  claim 2 , wherein the SNET device is configured to:
 encrypt communications within the first SNET circle using the first SNET key; and   encrypt communications within the second SNET circle using the second SNET key.   
     
     
         4 . The communications system of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a second SNET device configured to:
 generate a shared key by encoding a private key with a public key; and 
 distribute the shared key to devices having membership in at least one of the first SNET circle or the second SNET circle. 
   
     
     
         5 . The communications system of  claim 1 , wherein the SNET device is located in a demilitarized zone associated with both the first SNET circle and the second SNET circle. 
     
     
         6 . The communications system of  claim 5 , wherein the SNET device is configured as a member of both a first SNET circle and a second SNET circle. 
     
     
         7 . The communications system of  claim 1 , further comprising a firewall implemented at an intersection of the first SNET circle and the second SNET circle. 
     
     
         8 . The communications system of  claim 1 , wherein the different trust levels indicate a likelihood that communications received from a sending device can be trusted to be sent by the sending device itself. 
     
     
         9 . A social network (SNET) device comprising:
 a communications interface configured to communicate, via a communications network, with a plurality of devices configured as members of different social network (SNET) circles having different trust levels;   a memory storing first information related a first trust level of the SNET device associated with the first SNET circle and second information related to a second trust level of the SNET device associated with the second SNET circle;   processing circuitry configured to:
 verify a trust level associated with a communication directed from the first SNET circle to the second SNET circle; and 
 bridge the communication between the first SNET circle and the second SNET circle based, at least in part, on the trust level associated with the communication. 
   
     
     
         10 . The SNET device of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the first information includes a first SNET key associated with the first SNET circle; and   the second information includes a second SNET key associated with the second SNET circle.   
     
     
         11 . The SNET device of  claim 10 , wherein the SNET device is configured to:
 encrypt communications within the first SNET circle using the first SNET key; and   encrypt communications within the second SNET circle using the second SNET key.   
     
     
         12 . The SNET device of  claim 9 , wherein:
 at least one of the first trust level of the SNET device and the second trust level of the SNET device is inherited by virtue of membership of the SNET device in the first SNET circle or the second SNET circle.   
     
     
         13 . The SNET device of  claim 9 , wherein the SNET device is located in a demilitarized zone established by a firewall implemented at an intersection of the first SNET circle and the second SNET circle. 
     
     
         14 . The SNET device of  claim 9 , wherein the different trust levels indicate a likelihood that a social device associated with one of the first SNET circle and the second SNET circle can actually provide a service advertised by the social device. 
     
     
         15 . A method for use in a social network (SNET) including a plurality of devices coupled via a communications network, the method comprising:
 storing in a memory of an SNET device:
 first information related a first trust level of the SNET device, the first information being associated with a first SNET circle; 
 second information related to a second trust level of the SNET device, the second information associated with associated with a second SNET circle; 
 wherein and the second trust level is associated with associated with the second SNET circle; 
   receiving at the SNET device a communication from a first device associated with the first SNET circle, the communication directed to a second device associated with the second SNET circle;   verifying a trust level associated with the communication directed; and   bridging the communication between the first SNET circle and the second SNET circle based, at least in part, on the trust level associated with the communication.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the first information includes a first SNET key used to encrypt communications within the first SNET circle; and   the second information includes a second SNET key used to encrypt communications within the second SNET circle.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the SNET device is a member of both the first SNET circle and the second SNET circle;   the first trust level of the SNET device is inherited by virtue of membership of the SNET device in the first SNET circle; and   the second trust level of the SNET device is inherited by virtue of membership of the SNET device in the second SNET circle.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the SNET device is located behind a firewall implemented at an intersection of the first SNET circle and the second SNET circle. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein:
 at least one of the first SNET circle or the second SNET circle is an ad hoc SNET; and   the firewall is established upon creation of the ad hoc SNET.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the different trust levels indicate a likelihood that a social device associated with one of the first SNET circle and the second SNET circle will provide advertised services at a predetermined level of quality.