Method and apparatus for improved referral to resources and a related social network

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for a user to construct a payload comprising content, such as multimedia, or references to content. The payload may be provided with further elements, such as a title or initial comments. The payload may be sent to any immediate contact of the user. Upon receipt by other users, the payload may be forwarded to any of the others' immediate contacts. Additionally, comments can be made by anyone in receipt of the payload for others in receipt of the payload to view. A social networking mechanism is provided, wherein a record is made for each forwarding of a payload and introductions can be made between individuals lying in the same forwarding chain of a payload. Immediate contacts can be collected into groups for ease in addressing. Teams of users can send and forward messages among themselves or to others outside of the team, according to predetermined rules and individuals' standing within the team. Users are provided with a sortable, filterable list of payloads sent to them. A thumbnail of each payload is provided to allow a user the opportunity to quickly assess the nature of the content. Payloads and invitations to join may be sent to people outside the system via email or as an instant message.

1 . A method for providing a social introduction comprising the steps of:
 a) providing a system for tracking a payload sent among users;   b) sending said payload from a first user to a second user;   c) creating a first record in said system representing the performance of step b);   d) sending said payload from the second user to a third user;   e) creating a second record in said system representing the performance of step d); and,   f) introducing the first and third users with said system on the basis of the first and second records.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein introducing step f) is performed by said system in response to a selection made by one of the first and third users. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein introducing step f) is performed by said system in response to a first selection made by the first user and a second selection made by the third user. 
   
   
       4 . A method for providing a social introduction comprising the steps of:
 a) providing a system for tracking a payload sent among users;   b) sending said payload from a first user to at least a second user, whereby recipients of the payload comprise at least the second user and not a third user;   c) creating a record in said system corresponding to each recipient of the payload resulting from step b)   d) sending said payload from at least one of the recipients to at least one additional recipient;   e) creating an additional record in said system corresponding to each additional recipient to whom the payload is sent in step d)   f) repeating steps d) and e) at least until the recipients comprise the third user; and,   g) introducing the first and third users by said system on the basis of the records tracking the payload from the first user to the third user.   
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein introducing step g) is performed by said system in response to a selection made by one of the first and third users. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 4  wherein introducing step g) is performed by said system in response to a first selection by the first user and a second selection made by the third user. 
   
   
       7 . A method for providing a social introduction comprising the steps of:
 a) providing a system for tracking payloads sent among users;   b) sending a first payload from a first user to a third user through at least a second user;   c) creating a first set of records in said system corresponding to each transfer of said first payload from the first user to the third user;   d) sending a second payload from the third user to the first user through at least one selected from the second user and a fourth user;   e) creating a second set of records in said system corresponding to each transfer of said second payload from the third user to the first user;   f) introducing said first and third users on the basis of the first and second set of records.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein introducing step g) is performed by said system in response to a first selection by the first user, and a second selection made by the third user, said first selection being enabled by said second set of records, said second selection being enabled by said first set of records. 
   
   
       9 . A system for providing a social introduction comprising:
 a server having communication with a plurality of users;   a database having a connection to said server;   said server having software configured to create a record in said database corresponding to each sending of a payload among at least two of the users,   said software further able to make an introduction of a first one of the users to a second one of the users when the database has at least two records corresponding to the payload having been sent by the first user and forwarded until received by the second user.   
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 9  wherein said software makes said introduction when one of the first and second users communicates with the server and requests the introduction. 
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 9  wherein said software makes said introduction when the first user requests the introduction and the second user requests the introduction. 
   
   
       12 . A method for electronic messaging comprising the steps of:
 a) providing a system for tracking relationships between users;   b) forming a group, said system further tracking said group, said group comprising at least a first user;   c) joining adding an additional user to the group, said additional user having a relationship tracked by the system to at least one user already in the group;   d) addressing a payload to the group; and,   e) delivering the payload to each user in the group.   
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising the step of:
 f) inviting the additional user with an invitation from a user in the group, said invitation provided through the system.   
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising the step of:
 g) accepting the invitation through the system.   
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 12  wherein in forming step b), said group comprises users who join without a relationship restriction. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein forming step b) concludes when the group comprises a predetermined number of the users. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15  wherein forming step b) concludes after a predetermined amount of time. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising the steps of:
 f) associating a rank in the group with at least one of the users in the group;   h) performing a command from a commanding user in the group, provided the commanding user has an associated rank in the group that matches a predetermined rank for the command.   
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the command is to send a payload outside the group. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the command is to send at least a portion of the payload outside the group. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the command is to send an invitation to join the group. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the command is to remove a user from the group.