Patent ID: 9547876
Date: 2017-01-17
CPC Classifications: G06Q

Claim:
1. A digital data processing system for searching and/or communicating on a social network, comprising: A. a server digital data processor that executes a social networking site that includes a plurality of members and that supports searching for and/or communicating with members based on degrees of connectedness therewith vis-a-vis the social networking site, B. where the social networking site includes an interface supporting such searching and/or communicating in response to requests on behalf of members, C. a client digital data processor including a processor coupled to a memory and programmed to provide collective search functionality that responds to a request from a first member by applying to the interface on behalf of a second member using login credentials of the second member an automated request to any of (i) search for one or more third members and (ii) to establish communications between the first member and one or more third members, where a degree of connectedness between the second and third members and between the first and third members is such that such search and/or communications would not be supported by the social networking site absent a request on behalf of the second member, said login credentials being stored in a repository of the client digital data processor, wherein the collective search functionality aggregates, prioritizes, and schedules any of search and communication requests from a plurality of members of a common group, the first and second members being members of the common group, wherein the collective search functionality generates a search queue that defines an order in which any of search and communication requests are applied to the interface on behalf of the common group, and wherein the collective search functionality prioritizes search and communication requests of members of the common group with the fewest matches already found and prioritizes searching within social networks of members of the common group that have provided the fewest matches.