Patent Document ID: 9015597
Application ID: 12533523
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. A method for generating a social utility grid, the method comprising: gathering, by a computer comprising a processor, information regarding a first party, wherein the information comprises location information associated with the first party; determining, by the computer based on the information, a social relationship between the first party and a second party; determining, by the computer based on the information, a relationship type of the social relationship between the first party and the second party; correlating, by the computer, an address book entry associated with the second party with the location information associated with the first party to determine a proximity frequency between the first party and the second party; determining, by the computer based at least in part on the proximity frequency between the first party and the second party, a relationship strength of the social relationship between the first party and the second party; generating, by the computer, the social utility grid, the social utility grid identifying the social relationship, the relationship type of the social relationship, and the relationship strength of the social relationship; receiving, by the computer, a first communication rule identifying a date when a party associated with a first type of relationship is allowed to contact the first party and identifying a proximity to the first party required by the party associated with the first type of relationship to contact the first party; receiving, by the computer, a first request from the second party to contact the first party; determining, by the computer, whether a current date meets the date identified by the first communication rule, whether the second party is within the proximity to the first party identified by the first communication rule, and whether the relationship type of the social relationship between the first party and the second party meets the first type of relationship identified by the first communication rule; and in response to determining that the current date meets the date identified by the first communication rule, that the second party is within the proximity to the first party identified by the first communication rule, and that the relationship type of the social relationship between the first party and the second party meets the first type of relationship identified by the first communication rule, granting, by the computer, the first request from the second party to contact the first party.