Patent ID: 8086680
Filing Date: 2011-12-27
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method for implementing a community-defined and managed communication network among a community of users each operating a computer processor, and each computer processor in communication with a host system computer over the communication network, the method comprising: receiving, via a user interface of a networking application executing on the host system computer, information for creating a profile for a user of a communication network, the information including at least one attribute selected from an attribute list and a request for adding a user generated attribute to the attribute list, the request including an authorization for receiving approval for the request from the community of users, the attributes representing at least one characteristic that describes the user; creating, via the user interface, the profile that includes the user generated attribute and the at least one attribute selected by the user, the creating of the user-generated attribute responsive to the receiving of the approval for the request; storing the profile in a profile record within a storage device communicatively coupled to the host system computer; identifying, via the networking application, a relationship between the attribute in the profile record and data external to the profile record, the identification including analyzing user community-generated descriptors of the attribute and searching the external data for common descriptors; and initiating, via the networking application, an activity responsive to the analysis, the activity including at least one of: prompting the user, via the user interface, to invite a second user who is not a registered member of the communication network to join the communication network, the external data including data from a communication between the user and the second user over the communication network; prompting a third user, via the user interface, to evaluate the user with respect to the attribute, the external data including data from a communication between the user and the third user; and prompting the user, via the user interface, to initiate a communication with a fourth user who is a registered member of the communication network, the external data including at least one attribute or descriptor of the attribute in a profile record of the fourth user that is found in the profile record of the user.