Patent ID: 8275891

Claim:
A method for social networking in a network, comprising: broadcasting via a first device a first set comprising a keyword representing an interest of a first user in the network together with a proposed method for selecting a server in the network; receiving a response from a second device operated by a second user in the network, the response indicating an interest in the interest of the first user; and connecting, by the first device, to a server by selecting the server in the network in accordance with the proposed method for selecting the server in the network, where the server is for hosting a first group for supporting a communication between the first device and the second device, wherein the selecting the server comprises: determining whether one or more servers in the network are already hosting a second group similar to the first group; selecting one of the one or more servers already hosting the second group that has a lowest internet protocol address, if one or more servers in the network are already hosting the second group similar to the first group or otherwise offer to host communications for a group similar to the first group; and determining whether one or more servers in the network is capable of host the first group, if no servers in the network are already hosting the second group similar to the first group.