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  Content delivery in virtual social networksUSPTO Application #: 20080104172Title: Content delivery in virtual social networks Abstract: Systems and methods for content delivery in virtual social networks are provided. Content may be provided to the virtual social network by users of the virtual social network, professional content developers, etc. Any content provided to the virtual social network may be stored in a content database and tagged based on the type of content. The tags associated with the content may be compared to information concerning the various users of the virtual social network. The content may be provided to the user based on matching of the tags and user information. In various embodiments of the present invention, the content may be provided to communities based on matches between content tags and community information. (end of abstract) Agent: Carr & Ferrell LLP - Palo Alto, CA, US Inventor: Terrance Michael Craig USPTO Applicaton #: 20080104172 - Class: 709204 (USPTO) The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20080104172. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001]The present application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/855,011 filed Oct. 27, 2006 and entitled "Systems and Methods for Managing Privacy and Tracking of Community Members," U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/854,990 filed Oct. 27, 2006 and entitled "Cross-Population of Vertical Communities and Graphic User Interface for Navigating Between Vertical Communities," and U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/855,133 filed Oct. 27, 2006 and entitled "Systems and Method for Providing Content to Vertical Communities," the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND [0002]1. Field of the Invention [0003]The present invention relates generally to the field of virtual social networks. More specifically, the present invention relates to content delivery in virtual social networks. [0004]2. Description of Related Art [0005]Various virtual social networks allow a user to connect and interact with other individuals. Each user of a social network may choose to interact with certain other users of the virtual social network and form connections with those users. One type of interaction includes the user sharing information and content with other users in the virtual social network. A user may post content, including articles, blogs, pictures, video, etc. and share such content with other users. The user may also wish to share such content with a group of users. For example, if the user is a member of a community of music fans, the user may post an audio file of the user singing a cover of The Beatles' "Yesterday." The content would be available to anyone in the group to download, listen, give feedback, etc. [0006]One way for users to meet and interact is through a community in the virtual social network. Created by an administrator, an individual user, or the like, a community represents an aggregation of users within the virtual social network who typically share something in common. A community is, therefore, generally directed toward a particular subject matter. Users with an interest in the subject matter may join the community and interact with other users with a similar interest. The subject matter may be, for example, social, hobby-related, fan-related, or business-related. A user may choose to create or join various communities corresponding with any of that user's interests. A community can allow for various activities, including posting content such as articles, blogs, photos, or video. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007]The present invention provides methods for content delivery in a virtual social network. Various types of content may be provided to the virtual social network by various users of the virtual social network, various professional content developers, etc. The types of content may include articles, blogs, photos, video, advertising, etc. Any content provided to the virtual social network is stored in a content database and tagged based on the type of content. The tags associated with the content are compared to information concerning the various users of the virtual social network. If the tags match a user's interests, for example, beyond a threshold level, the content is automatically provided to the user. Content may also be delivered to a user based on the user's demographic information, geographical information, community membership information, and participation in debates, surveys, polls, and the like. In various embodiments of the present invention, the content may be filtered by author preference, target preference, community rules, etc. [0008]An exemplary method comprises receiving content that has been provided to the virtual social network. Then, information concerning relevancy flags associated with various potential targets is evaluated to determine whether to provide the content to those potential targets. Potential targets include users and communities of the virtual social network. Specifically, the relevancy flags are compared to the one or more tags associated with the content to determine whether there are any matches beyond a threshold level. The relevancy flags may include user interests designated in a user profile, community membership, community interests designated in a community profile, related communities, user activity within the virtual social network, etc. Further, the content may be filtered based on various preferences and rules. If the content passes the filters, the content may then be provided to the target. The present invention also provides a computer-readable storage medium having stored thereupon executable computing instructions for performing the method just described. [0009]The present invention also provides systems for content delivery in a virtual social network. An exemplary system comprises a content database, a target database, a relevancy module, and a content push module. In some embodiments of the present invention, the system may further comprise a content filter to prevent delivery to a target based on various preferences and rules, including author preferences, target preferences, community rules, virtual social network rules, etc. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0010]FIG. 1 is an illustration of a web-based implementation of a virtual social network, according to an exemplary embodiment. [0011]FIG. 2 is an illustration of content delivery to a user of a virtual social network, according to an exemplary embodiment. [0012]FIG. 3 is an illustration of content delivery to a community in a virtual social network, according to an exemplary embodiment. [0013]FIG. 4 is an illustration of a system for content delivery in a virtual social network, according to an exemplary embodiment. [0014]FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method for content delivery in a virtual social network, according to an exemplary embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0015]The present invention provides methods for content delivery in a virtual social network. The content may be provided to the virtual social network by users of the virtual social network, professional content developers, etc. Such content may be subscribed to, requested, or otherwise voluntarily accessed by individual users and communities of users in the virtual social network. The content may also be provided without having been requested to certain users based on relevance of the content to the users' interests. Relevance is determined by comparing tags associated with the content with the interests of the users. [0016]FIG. 1 is an illustration of a web-based implementation of a virtual social network 110, according to an exemplary embodiment. The virtual social network 110, comprising users module 120, communities module 130, and content delivery module 140, is accessible to exemplary users 160A and 160B through a network 150, such as the Internet or an intranet. Users 160A and 160B each have a respective user profile 125A and 125B, managed by users module 120. Communities module 130 manages profiles for various communities, such as community profiles 135A and 135B for exemplary communities A and B (not pictured). [0017]A module (or application), as referenced herein, should be generally understood to be a collection of routines that perform various system-level functions and may be dynamically loaded and unloaded by hardware and device drivers as required. The modular software components described herein may also be incorporated as part of a larger software platform or integrated as part of an application specific component. [0018]Virtual social network 110 is configured to allow a user to create, manage, and maintain that user's collection of relationships with other individuals in a virtual environment. Virtual social network 110 allows the user to encounter, interact with, connect, and share information with new acquaintances that also use virtual social network 110. Users may share information with each other in various ways. For example, users may post certain information, such as interests and hobbies, in their user profiles. A user may also participate in one of the various activity modules associated with the user's own profile, with another user's profile, or with various communities in the virtual social network. Activity modules may include articles, blogs, pictures, video, etc. [0019]Users module 120 stores and manages information concerning the users of virtual social network 110. Information concerning each user may be organized, stored, and managed by users through their respective user profiles. For example, information concerning exemplary users 160A and 160B may be stored in user profile 125A and user profile 125B, respectively. Such information may include information entered by the user, such as personal information, personal descriptions, interests, hobbies, etc. In some embodiments of the present invention, a user profile may further include information about the various activities and interactions involving the user within the virtual social network 110, such as membership in various communities, communities frequented by the user, and user participation in various activities in the virtual social network. Further, each user profile may include various modules which allow for the management of all of the information concerning the user within virtual social network 110. Continue reading... Full patent description for Content delivery in virtual social networks Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Content delivery in virtual social networks patent application. 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