Patent ID: 8140519

Claim:
An apparatus including a server coupled to a communication network configured to establish and update relationships between members registered to a relationships registering system coupled to the communication network, the apparatus comprising: a database configured to store identification information and relationships of the members; a data receiver configured to receive, from a first member, identification information of a second member that has a direct relationship with the first member; a data retriever configured to retrieve from the database, in response to the received identification information of the second member, identification information of direct relationships of the second member; and a data sender configured to communicate to the first member via the communication network the retrieved identification information of a third member that is directly related to the second member, wherein the data receiver is further configured to receive a first search request from the first member that includes identification information of the third member, the data retriever is further configured, in response to the first search request, to search the database specifically for one or more fourth members directly related to both the first member and the third member, and the data sender is further configured to communicate to the first member via the communication network the identification information of said one or more fourth members.