(19) United States
`(12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. N0.2 US 2008/0140650 A1
`Stackpole
`(43) Pub. Date:
`Jun. 12, 2008
`
`US 20080140650A1
`
`(54) DYNAMIC GEOSOCIAL NETWORKING
`
`Publication Classi?cation
`
`(76) Inventor:
`
`David Stackpole, Charlottesville,
`vA (Us)
`
`Correspondence Address:
`Ashok Tankha
`Counsel of Lipton, Weinberger & Husick
`36 Greenleigh Drive
`SeWell, NJ 08080
`
`(21) App1.No.:
`
`11/998,107
`
`(22) Filed:
`
`Nov. 28, 2007
`
`Related US. Application Data
`
`(60) Provisional application No. 60/861,653, ?led on Nov.
`29, 2006, provisional application No. 60/873,934,
`?led on Dec. 8, 2006.
`
`(51) Int. CI.
`(2006.01)
`G06F 15/16
`(2006.01)
`G06F 7/10
`(2006.01)
`G06F 17/30
`(52) us. CI. ........ .. 707/5; 709/204; 707/3; 707/E17.014;
`707/E17.017
`
`ABSTRACT
`(57)
`Disclosed herein is a method and system for establishing a
`geosocial network. A client application is provided on a com
`munications device of a user seeking to establish the geoso
`cial network. The user creates a personal pro?le and a pref
`erence pro?le using the client application. The preference
`pro?le refers to characteristics the user seeks in potential
`members of the geosocial network. The user transfers the
`personal and preference pro?les to the social networking
`server. The social networking server registers a location and
`range selected by the user for the geosocial network. The
`social networking server identi?es potential members within
`the registered location and range by matching the personal
`pro?le of each of the potential members with the preference
`and personal pro?les of the user. The social networking server
`provides communications link between the user and the iden
`ti?ed potential members upon mutual con?rmation between
`the user and the identi?ed potential members.
`
`203
`
`/
`
`CLIENT APPLICATION
`
`GRAPHICAL
`
`USER
`
`INTRFACE
`
`203a
`_/
`
`204
`
`201
`
`203
`
`COMMUNICATIONS
`NETWORK
`
`201b
`
`2012
`'/
`GEOCODING
`MODULE
`
`CLIENT / APPLICATION
`
`DATABASE
`
`SOCIAL NETWORKING SERVER
`
`1
`
`Google Inc., Nest Labs, Inc., and Dropcam, Inc.
`GOOG 1013
`IPR of US Pat. No. 8,315,618
`
`

`
`Patent Application Publication
`
`Jun. 12, 2008 Sheet 1 0f 11
`
`US 2008/0140650 A1
`
`101
`PROVIDE A CLIENT APPLICATION ON A J
`COMUNICATIONS DEVICE OF A USER
`
`102
`l
`CREATE A PERSONAL PROFILE AND A J
`PREFERENCE PROFILE BY THE USER USING THE
`CLIENT APPLICATION
`
`103
`1
`TRANSFER THE PERSONAL AND PREFERENCE j
`PROFILES TO A SOCIAL NETWORKING SERVER
`
`104
`l
`REGISTER A LOCATION AND RANGE FOR A j
`GEOSOCIAL NETWORK BY THE SOCIAL
`NETWORKING SERVER
`
`l
`
`ms
`
`
`
`IDENTIFY POTENTIAL MEMBERS WITHIN THE REGISTERED LOCATION AND RANGE
`
`I06
`1,
`PROVIDE A COMMUNICATIONS LINK BETWEEN J
`THE USER AND THE IDENTIFIED POTENTIAL
`MEMBERS UPON MUTUAL CONFIRMATION
`
`FIGURE 1
`
`2
`
`

`
`Patent Application Publication
`
`Jun. 12, 2008 Sheet 2 0f 11
`
`US 2008/0140650 A1
`
`3
`
`

`
`Patent Application Publication
`
`Jun. 12, 2008 Sheet 3 of 11
`
`US 2008/0140650 A1
`
`201
`
`Pro?le 1
`
`STEP 7
`
`STEP 5
`
`201
`
`
`
`82 2421457 714
`
`STEP 3
`
`202b
`
`STEP 1
`
`FIGURE 3
`
`4
`
`

`
`Patent Application Publication
`
`Jun. 12, 2008 Sheet 4 0f 11
`
`US 2008/0140650 A1
`
`Preferences Pro?le
`
`Preferences Pro?le
`
`Enter list title
`Create social list? El
`Delete social list? I] 3:“
`Send request to join
`
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`e 8 ms ans
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`
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`Patent Application Publication
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`Jun. 12, 2008 Sheet 6 0f 11
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`
`Patent Application Publication
`
`Jun. 12, 2008 Sheet 9 0f 11
`
`US 2008/0140650 A1
`
`Favorites
`
`Beanery Q E]
`Nexus
`9 El
`Mojo’s
`U
`
`Range
`:1
`E33 4;.
`I:
`
`Where to
`(7
`Network-
`
`‘
`
`Other ?
`
`-
`
`Range
`E e
`
`9' C II]
`
`\
`
`FIGURE 8A
`
`\
`
`WEB SEARCH
`
`,
`
`JUMPER
`
`_,~_ I
`
`I
`
`General
`
`Where to
`‘Network?
`
`Professionals.
`Date
`New friends
`Friends
`Your Grouns
`Student volunteers
`VA Thespians
`SCA
`
`[I
`E]
`[3 ‘
`[1
`
`El 4
`% ‘
`'
`
`FIGURE 8B
`
`10
`
`

`
`Patent Application Publication
`
`Jun. 12, 2008 Sheet 10 of 11
`
`US 2008/0140650 A1
`
`FOR EACH SELECTION, THE SERVER LOCATES USERS IN DETERMINED
`RANGE AND CONNECTS TO TARGET USERS.
`
`FIGURE 8C
`
`New friends
`4 Friends meet your
`compatibility and security
`thresholds.
`Send and request images?
`YES El
`
`Student Volunteers
`Invite to connect ?
`
`YES [3
`
`FIGURE 8D
`
`11
`
`

`
`Patent Application Publication
`
`Jun. 12, 2008 Sheet 11 0f 11
`
`US 2008/0140650 A1
`
`Subject (click)
`
`Where
`
`When
`
`Add cdjact infoEl
`
`Latinos, Let’s meet
`
`X-Lounge
`
`8/27/07
`
`Yes
`
`No
`
`FIGURE 9A
`
`Latinos!
`Meet us at Me Voy! This Friday, 8/27. Sign up here so we know
`you'll be there.
`http:llreachr0cket.c0m/LatExPUitO/
`
`FIGURE 9B
`
`User E
`User F
`User G
`
`User B
`
`/
`User A — User C
`
`User D
`
`FIGURE 9C
`
`12
`
`

`
`US 2008/0140650 A1
`
`Jun. 12, 2008
`
`DYNAMIC GEOSOCIAL NETWORKING
`
`CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED
`APPLICATIONS
`
`[0001] This application claims the bene?t of provisional
`patent application numberU.S. 60/861 ,653 titled “System for
`Dynamic Social Networking Using a Communications
`Device”, ?led Nov. 29, 2006 in the United States Patent and
`Trademark O?ice (US. PTO), and also the bene?t of provi
`sional application number US. 60/873,934 titled “Method
`for Dynamic Social Networking Based on Location Data”
`?led Dec. 8, 2006 in the US. PTO.
`
`BACKGROUND
`
`[0002] This invention, in general, relates to social netWork
`ing and more speci?cally relates to location based dynamic
`social netWorking.
`[0003] Social netWorking services alloW users to create and
`join social groups With common interests and activities. Most
`of the social netWorking services are Web based, Where users
`form virtual communities make friends, and look for other
`users With common interests. Social netWorking Websites
`alloW users to create personal pro?les, upload pictures, post
`messages, etc.
`[0004] Typically, a subscriber creates a general pro?le on a
`social netWorking Website. The general pro?le created by the
`subscriber may be accessed and vieWed by other subscribers
`of the Website. Although, the subscriber may join multiple
`virtual communities, the same general pro?le is associated
`With each of the user’s virtual communities. The single gen
`eral pro?le does not alloW the subscriber to project speci?c
`pro?les focused on the social context or the interest of a social
`community. Moreover, in order to attract multiple subscribers
`to vieW the general pro?le, the subscriber may have to include
`a large amount of personal information in the general pro?le.
`[0005] Even if a comprehensive personal pro?le of the sub
`scriber is made accessible to other subscribers, the other
`subscribers may not be able to assess the true personality of
`the subscriber. Web based social netWorking services indeed
`enable geographically remote users to establish contacts With
`each other. HoWever, Web based social netWorking may not
`provide a satisfactory social interaction platform, and do not
`take into account factors determining the social compatibility
`among potential contacts or friends.
`[0006] Hence, there is a need for a method and system for
`location based dynamic social netWorking. The system dis
`closed herein integrates the existing features of Web based
`social netWorking and enable existing social netWorks to be
`tailored to enhance communications in different social con
`texts and locations.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`[0007] Disclosed herein is a method and system for estab
`lishing a social netWork de?ned by geographic location and
`range, herein referred to as a geosocial netWork. A client
`application is provided on a communications device of a user
`seeking to establish a geosocial netWork. The user creates a
`personal pro?le and a preference pro?le using the client
`application. The preference pro?le refers to the characteris
`tics the user seeks in potential members of the geosocial
`netWork. The user transfers the personal pro?le and the pref
`erence pro?le to the social netWorking server using the client
`application. The social netWorking server registers a location
`
`and range selected by the user for the geosocial netWork. The
`personal pro?le and the preference pro?le may also be stored
`on the communications device using the client application.
`The social netWorking server or the client application may
`determine the location and range by extracting information
`from the personal pro?le of the user. The social netWorking
`server may also determine the location and range by periodic
`feeds to the social netWorking server from the communica
`tions device of the user. The communications device may
`employ Global Positioning System (GPS) to generate the
`information regarding location and range to be fed to the
`social netWorking server.
`[0008] The social netWorking server identi?es potential
`members Within the registered location and range by match
`ing the personal pro?le of each of the potential members With
`the preference pro?le and/ or the personal pro?le of the user,
`and/or from the pro?les created by the friends or other rela
`tions of the user. The social netWorking server may notify the
`user about the identi?ed potential members through the com
`munications device of the user. The social netWorking server
`may notify each of the identi?ed potential members of the
`geosocial netWork about the interest of the user seeking to
`establish the geosocial netWork. The social netWorking server
`provides a communications link betWeen the user and the
`identi?ed potential members of the geosocial netWork upon
`mutual con?rmation betWeen the user and the identi?ed
`potential members.
`[0009] The method and system disclosed herein enables
`dynamic social netWorking based on location preferences,
`member pro?le preferences, etc. of the user. The user may
`register a neW location or select an existing location of social
`interest such as a city, campus, night club, etc., to create a
`geosocial netWork or to be part of an existing geosocial net
`Work. The method and system disclosed herein also alloWs
`the user to select a preferred geographic location in order to
`build a more personaliZed geosocial netWork on the preferred
`geographic location. The user may select the range of the
`geosocial netWork based on the selected location and may
`expand the range of the geosocial netWork beyond the
`selected range. The user may change the selections When
`desired in order for the user to carry out timely in-person
`meetings With the members of the geosocial netWork.
`[0010] The user may create one or more functions after
`registering With the social netWorking server. A function is an
`input or automated query de?ned by the user from the com
`munications device that calls a response from the social net
`Working server or from an application residing on another
`communications device. For example, the user may use a
`function to determine the range for the localiZed geosocial
`netWork of the user, or as a query to the social netWorking
`server to ?nd the best places to go for an evening based on the
`favorite venues of the user along With other determining
`criteria. The users may create and use the functions, single or
`combined, to search for one or more locations and other
`geosocial netWorks With the most interesting or greatest num
`ber of friends and potential contacts. The user uses the func
`tions to access and process data relating to a variety of social
`categories. The user may combine a series of search criteria to
`?ne tune the searches, for example, by selecting context
`speci?c preference pro?les or selecting speci?c social
`groups. In response to a search, the user may receive ranked
`personal pro?les of neW contacts orpotential members Within
`the range of the registered geosocial netWork.
`
`13
`
`

`
`US 2008/0140650 A1
`
`Jun. 12, 2008
`
`[0011] The user may create and activate a variety of per
`sonal and preference pro?les including social and profes
`sional pro?les to emphasize and de-emphasiZe characteristics
`presented to and sought in potential contacts or members
`according to different social contexts.
`[0012] The user dynamically creates personal and prefer
`ence pro?les based on the social context and the location. The
`user may provide limited information in each personal pro
`?le, optionally requiring only surface information suitable for
`a particular social context and location. The ability to create
`several personal pro?les speci?c to social contexts keeps the
`user from creating in-depth personal pro?les, thus saving
`time and effort of the user, avoiding the risk of exposing
`personal information, and alloWing the user to meet the con
`text of the user’s surroundings. For example, the user may
`supercede the normal “dating preference pro?le”, indicating
`or implying user’s preference for a long term relationship, to
`create a preference pro?le for an evening romance contrary to
`the dating pro?le of the user.
`[0013] The user has the option to initiate social contact With
`each of the potential members after physically meeting the
`potential members. The user may initially hide the contact
`information from the potential members. When the social
`networking server determines and noti?es the user about the
`identi?ed potential members, the user may physically meet
`the identi?ed potential members since the communication
`link is localiZed. The user may thus ensure the true appear
`ance of the potential members before establishing a social
`contact via the communications device or before alloWing
`membership to the geosocial netWork.
`[0014] The user may also create and maintain a variety of
`a?inity groups such as groups for friends, family, Work
`friends, football team, sorority sisters, etc. The user may use
`the functions represented by user recogniZable codes associ
`ated With the a?inity groups, in part to access the a?inity
`groups. For example, the user may “connect With friends”,
`“connect With neW contacts”, “connect With sorority sisters”,
`“connect With soccer fans in and around the geosocial net
`Wor ”, etc. using the user recogniZable codes and functions.
`The user may map pro?les to functions or other selections to
`?ne tune searches.
`[0015] The user may identify locations or “hot spots”
`Where friends or neW contacts providing the greatest social
`value are gathered. Social value may be determined by factors
`comprising the total concentration of existing and potential
`members ?tting the preference pro?le created by the user, the
`likelihood of pro?le matches in a location, the estimate of the
`user’s degree of interest based on each potential member’s
`personal pro?le Within a location, and on the characteristics
`of the venue. By combining a number of these determining
`factors, the user may ensure better search results. For
`example, the user may Weigh social value not only based on
`the concentration of compatible members but also on the level
`of compatibility. The user may ?nd a location With greater
`social value Where there are feWer compatible potential mem
`bers, generally, but the level of compatibility of the potential
`members is collectively higher.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`[0016] The foregoing summary, as Well as the folloWing
`detailed description of the embodiments, is better understood
`When read in conjunction With the appended draWings. For
`the purpose of illustrating the invention, exemplary construc
`
`tions of the invention are shoWn in the draWings. HoWever, the
`invention is not limited to the speci?c methods and instru
`mentalities disclosed herein.
`[0017] FIG. 1 illustrates a method of establishing a geoso
`cial netWork.
`[0018] FIG. 2 illustrates a system for establishing a geoso
`cial netWork.
`[0019] FIG. 3 exemplarily illustrates the steps involved in
`creating a geosocial netWork.
`[0020] FIG. 4 exemplarily illustrates the menu-driven
`graphical user interface for creating a?inity groups.
`[0021] FIG. 5 exemplarily illustrates the “hot spots” feature
`of the social netWorking server.
`[0022] FIG. 6 exemplarily illustrates registration of a loca
`tion With the social netWorking server by the user.
`[0023] FIGS. 7A-7C exemplarily illustrate a method of
`geosocial netWorking With a target user.
`[0024] FIGS. 8A-8B exemplarily illustrate the graphical
`user interface for social netWorking using the “hot spots”
`feature.
`[0025] FIG. 8C exemplarily illustrates the step of identify
`ing target users by determining range overlaps of user created
`geosocial netWorks.
`[0026] FIG. 8D exemplarily illustrates the graphical user
`interface for the “hot spots” feature.
`[0027] FIG. 9A exemplarily
`illustrates a meeting
`announcement posted on a Website.
`[0028] FIG. 9B exemplarily illustrates an advertisement
`post on a Website by local venues.
`[0029] FIG. 9C exemplarily illustrates the enhancement of
`security in social netWorking by a user-veri?cation feature.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
`
`[0030] FIG. 1 illustrates a method of establishing a geoso
`cial netWork. A client application 203 is provided 101 on a
`communications device 20211 or 20219 of a user seeking to
`establish a geosocial netWork. The user creates 102 a personal
`pro?le and a preference pro?le using the client application
`203. The user may also import the personal pro?le and the
`preference pro?le by choosing one of a plurality of personal
`and preference pro?les stored at the social netWorking server
`201. The preference pro?le refers to the characteristics the
`user seeks in potential members of the geosocial netWork.
`The user transfers 103 the personal pro?le and the preference
`pro?le to the social netWorking server 201 using the client
`application 203. The social netWorking server 201 registers
`104 a location and range selected by the user for the geosocial
`netWork. The personal pro?le and the preference pro?le may
`also be stored on the communications device 20211 or 2021)
`using the client application 203. The social netWorking server
`201 or the client application 203 may determine the location
`and range by extracting information from the personal pro?le
`of the user. Alternatively, the user may send the information
`on the location and range to the social netWorking server 201
`in terms of either the name of the location or the coordinates
`of the location.
`[0031] The social netWorking server 201 identi?es 105
`potential members Within the registered location and range by
`matching the personal pro?le of each of the potential mem
`bers With the preference pro?le and the personal pro?le of the
`user. The personal pro?le of the user may also be created or
`supplemented With pro?le information by social contacts of
`the user such as friends of the user. The pro?le created by the
`user may be augmented through input by friends and rela
`
`14
`
`

`
`US 2008/0140650 A1
`
`Jun. 12, 2008
`
`tions. Another user or a potential member seeking a compat
`ible user may weight the importance of inputs to the user’s
`pro?le from friends and relations when determining a com
`patible pro?le threshold. The potential members are identi
`?ed based on overlaps found between the registered location
`and range of the user and the registered location and range of
`the potential members. As illustrated in FIG. 8D, the user may
`also register multiple virtual locations. Potential members
`may be then identi?ed as “virtual potential members”, i.e.,
`potential members outside the registered range of the user or
`“actual potential members”, i.e., potential members within
`the registered range of the user. Networking in virtual prox
`imity with “virtual potential members” allows users to check
`in on activities surrounding speci?c venues, singularly or
`collectively, from a single location. The social networking
`server 201 may then notify the user about the identi?ed poten
`tial members through the communications device 20211 or
`20219 of the user. The social networking server 201 may also
`notify each of the identi?ed potential members about the
`interest of the user seeking to establish the geosocial network.
`The social networking server 201 provides 106 a communi
`cations link between the user and the identi?ed potential
`members upon mutual con?rmation between the user and the
`identi?ed potential members. Thus, a geosocial network is
`con?rmed and registered with the social networking server
`201, converting identi?ed potential members to members of
`the user’s geosocial network upon mutual acceptance. The
`geosocial network may be established based on the prefer
`ence pro?le of the user and/or relationship criteria of the user.
`The relationship criteria de?ne the type of relationship sought
`by the user with potential members such as friend, family,
`club based relationship, etc.
`[0032] The user may access the social networking server
`201 via any mobile or stationary communications device
`having connectivity to the social networking server 201 such
`as a cell phone 202b, a laptop computer 202a, etc. FIG. 3
`exemplarily illustrates the steps involved in creating a geoso
`cial network. When the user connects to the social networking
`server 201 using a communications device 20211 or 202b, the
`personal pro?le, the preference pro?le, and other user data are
`entered by the user, or automatically transmitted by the com
`munications device 20211 or 202b, for example, to establish a
`location and range for the geosocial network (step 1 and step
`2). The user may alternatively enter a function designated to
`access and activate the preference pro?le and the personal
`pro?le. For example, the user may access a function to acti
`vate preference pro?le 1 by entering the alphanumeric code
`“PPl ”. Data may be entered into the social networking server
`201 in many ways including, but not restricted to, a menu, a
`voice, or an alphanumeric entry. For example, an alphanu
`meric code is entered to determine the state “82” (VA), the
`city “2427” (CHAR, for Charlottesville), the venue “427”
`(?rst letters of the venue name), a user recogniZable code for
`a function associated with the geosocial network “G4”, and
`the desired range of the geosocial network in miles “1” or
`some other measure of distance (step 3). The previous codes
`may convey to the social networking server that the user is at
`an indicated venue in Charlottesville, Va. and would like to
`establish a 1 mile radius around the venue to set up a localiZed
`geosocial network. Default settings in an alphanumeric entry
`may also apply, making parts of the entry not necessary.
`Alternatively, the device may send the GPS coordinates of the
`location, the address of the location, or information in other
`forms to determine the location. The social networking server
`
`201 registers the user, the location, optional functions asso
`ciated with the geosocial network, and the range of the geoso
`cial network (step 4). FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrate menu based
`data entry, where the user accesses a GUI menu via a web
`browser or through a rich application on the communications
`device 20211 or 20219.
`[0033] Other users around the geosocial network of the
`seeking user may, simultaneously or successively, register
`their locations and ranges with the social networking server
`201 (step 5). The social networking server 201 then uses the
`user data from the registered users and calculates the dis
`tances and determines range overlaps between the registered
`users. The social networking server 201 then creates an
`incipient network among the registered users with overlap
`ping range (step 6). The social networking server 201 then
`matches the pro?les of the registered users within the incipi
`ent network to identify social matches. The social matches are
`conveyed through the communications device 20211 or 20219
`to each of the registered users, potentially by rank order of
`user interest (step 7). The matching users may then accept or
`decline a query for continued contact possibly after sharing
`their personal pro?les (step 8). Upon mutual acceptance, a
`real-time communications link is provided between the
`matching users, thus con?rming members of the user’s geoso
`cial network and registering the geosocial network.
`[0034] The user may similarly register multiple preferred
`locations to build the geosocial network based on one or more
`preference pro?les. The social networking server 201 allows
`the user to create and join a?inity groups through a menu
`driven graphical user interface (GUI) provided on the com
`munications device 20211 or 20219 of the user. Each of the
`a?inity groups may include members of a user speci?c social
`category.
`[0035] The user may register a location where the user
`intends to be prior to arrival at the location. Members who are
`expected to share a localiZed geosocial network may be intro
`duced to each other prior to arrival and establishing the geoso
`cial localiZed network. For example, the user may decide to
`go to a venue at a particular time and enter a function to ?nd
`pro?les, images, or other information on persons intending to
`visit the venue at or around the same time, thus helping the
`user make a decision on whether to go to a certain venue. For
`example, a virtual member of a geosocial network may access
`limited pro?le information about members at a speci?c loca
`tion and members within the virtual user’s localiZed geosocial
`network prior to visiting the location.
`[0036] The user may also query mutual friends of a com
`mon friend to pool guesses on the common friend’s present or
`future location. The user and the queried friends may stay
`anonymous and must be recogniZed by the social networking
`server 201 as mutual friends. The common friend being
`sought must also agree to such a search.
`[0037] FIG. 2 illustrates a system for establishing a geoso
`cial network. The client application 203 provides a graphical
`user interface (GUI) 20311 for creating and entering the per
`sonal pro?le and the preference pro?le into the social net
`working server 201. The client application 203 also transfers
`the personal pro?le and the preference pro?le to the social
`networking server 201. The social networking server 201
`comprises a geocoding module 201a and a database 20119.
`The geocoding module 20111 is used to register a location and
`range of a potential geosocial network for the user. The geoc
`oding module may establish the location and range for the
`user in terms of geographical coordinates. The database 20119
`
`15
`
`

`
`US 2008/0140650 A1
`
`Jun. 12, 2008
`
`comprises a user registry used for identifying potential mem
`bers Within the location and range selected by the user. The
`user registry may be used to match the personal pro?le of each
`of the potential members against the preference pro?le of the
`user. A communications netWork 204 is used to establish real
`time communications betWeen the user, the potential mem
`bers, and the social netWorking server 201.
`[0038] The GUI 203a enables the user to create or join one
`or more a?inity groups. The GUI 20311 is used to search the
`locations of members of the af?nity groups using the func
`tions and the user recogniZable codes associated With the
`a?inity groups. When the user registers data requiring a func
`tion, an alphanumeric code is designated to the function. For
`example, a universal element “g” in the alphanumeric code
`may specify a function associated With “group”. An element
`“4” in an alphanumeric code may identify a speci?c a?inity
`group such as a fraternity. An alternate to the alphanumeric
`codes is to use a GUI in Which, for example, the user may
`select alphabetic entries such as GzPO for group “Phi
`Omega,” or plainly select the Words “Phi Omega”.
`[0039] In an embodiment, the user may search for potential
`members based on the preference pro?le speci?ed by the user.
`In another embodiment, the user may search for potential
`members based on common topics of interest betWeen the
`user and potential members. The GUI 203a may also be used
`to search for a target user by providing visual data and
`descriptive data of the target user. The user may access a drop
`doWn menu from the GUI 203a and may select a speci?c
`preference pro?le and social group to establish contact With.
`The user may have multiple personal and preference pro?les
`including professional, social, context speci?c, time and loca
`tion speci?c pro?les. For example, if the user is visiting a neW
`city and is at a professional event, the user may use the
`communications device 20211 or 20219 to change a social
`preference pro?le into a professional preference pro?le using
`the GUI menu, or alphanumeric codes associated With the
`functions, etc. The user may enter simple user recogniZable
`alphanumeric codes assigned by the social netWorking server
`201 to use the functions. For example, the user may enter the
`alphanumeric code “P:IND:4”. The social netWorking server
`201 recogniZes “P” as the code for professional pro?le,
`“IND” as a preference inside or outside the pro?le, but knoWn
`to the user and the social netWorking server 201, indicating
`“Indian” ethnicity, and “4” indicating the range by some
`measurable unit, such as kilometers or miles. The social net
`Working server 201 reads the user’s entry as “Find a profes
`sional” compatible With pro?le of the user indicating Indian
`ethnicity and Within a four mile radius. In another embodi
`ment, the range may be replaced by a location or venue name,
`or combined With the location or venue name. For example,
`the user may replace the range or radius With the recogniZable
`code “STAl”referring to a location Starbucks on 14th street in
`the user’s toWn. Alphanumeric codes for functions may be
`replaced by a GUI composed of drop doWn menus or other
`forms for selection.
`[0040] The social networking server determines the loca
`tion and the range of the user from information generated by
`the global positioning system on the communications device
`20211 or 202b, by scanning the personal pro?les, and by inputs
`of the user. The geocoding module 201a extracts location
`information from the personal pro?le of the user and deter
`mines the geographic coordinates. The geocoding module
`201a may also receive location information in terms of geo
`graphical coordinates directly from the communications
`
`device 20211 or 20219 of the user. As an alternative, based on
`the name of a common venue or district entered by several
`registered users, a geosocial netWork may be established
`Within the venue. Establishing a geosocial netWork by using
`the name of the registered location removes the need for
`geocoding.
`[0041] FIG. 4 exemplarily illustrates a menu-driven graphi
`cal user interface for creating a?inity groups. The user may
`create a title for the af?nity group and then send a request 401
`and 402 to other registeredusers to join the a