Relationship security in online social and professional networks and communities

Abstract

A method for evolving a defined online existing relationship between two members, the online existing relationship defined by a plurality of existing relationship features to manage network interaction on a communications network between the two members. The method includes receiving a new online relationship having new relationship features different from existing relationship features and characteristic of the new relationship; aggregating the existing and new relationship features as aggregate relationship features to define an aggregate relationship; storing the aggregate relationship features as relationship data; and accessing the relationship data to determine whether a selected network interaction from one of the members is permitted in view of at least one of the corresponding aggregate relationship features, and facilitating the selected network interaction when permitted; wherein the corresponding aggregate relationship features include at least one of the network interaction type, the network interaction content, or the network interaction format.

1 . A method for evolving a defined online existing relationship between a first member and a second member, the online existing relationship defined by a plurality of existing relationship features for use in managing network interaction on a communications network between the first member and the second member, the method comprising:
 receiving a new online relationship having new relationship features such that the new features are different from the existing relationship features, the new relationship features being characteristic of the new relationship;   aggregating the existing relationship features and the new relationship features as aggregate relationship features a combination of the existing relationship features and the new relationship features in order to define an aggregate relationship;   storing the aggregate relationship features in a storage as relationship data representing the aggregate relationship defined by the relationship features; and   accessing the relationship data in order to determine whether a selected network interaction from one of the members is permitted in view of at least one of the corresponding aggregate relationship features of the aggregate relationship, and facilitating the selected network interaction between the members when determined as permitted;   wherein said at least one of the corresponding aggregate relationship features of the aggregate relationship is used to define as permitted at least one of the network interaction type, the network interaction content, or the network interaction format.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the aggregate relationship features are shared between the first member and the second member. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein a first portion of the aggregate relationship features is assigned to an aggregate first relationship role of the aggregate relationship for the first member and a second portion of the aggregate relationship features is assigned to an aggregate second relationship role of the aggregate relationship for the second member. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the aggregate first relationship role and the second aggregate relationship role are different, such that the first portion of the aggregate relationship features characterizes the aggregate first relationship role and the second portion of the aggregate relationship features characterizes the aggregate second relationship role, such that the aggregate first relationship role and the aggregate second relationship role are part of the aggregate relationship defined as an aggregate relationship pair between the first and second members. 
     
     
         5 . A method for evolving a defined online existing relationship pair between a first member and a second member, the online existing relationship pair defined by a first existing relationship role assigned to the first member having a plurality of first existing role features for use in managing network interaction on a conununications network between the first member and the second member, and a second existing relationship role assigned to the second member having a plurality of second existing role features for use in managing the network interaction between the first member and the second member, the method comprising:
 receiving a new online relationship pair having a new first relationship role and a second new relationship role, such that the corresponding first new role features and the second new role features are different from the first existing role features and the second existing role features, the first new role features and second new role features being characteristic of the new relationship pair;   aggregating the first existing role features and the first new role features as aggregate first role features being a combination of the first existing role features and the first new role features in order to define an aggregate first role;   aggregating the second existing role features and the second new role features as aggregate second role features being a combination of the second existing role features and the second new role features in order to define an aggregate second role;   storing the aggregate first role and the aggregate second role with their associated aggregate features in a storage as relationship data representing an aggregate relationship pair defined by the aggregate roles and their corresponding aggregate role features; and   accessing the relationship data in order to determine whether a selected network interaction from one of the members is permitted in view of at least one of the corresponding aggregate role or aggregate role features of at least one of the aggregate first role or aggregate second role of the aggregate relationship pair, and facilitating the selected network interaction between the members when determined as permitted;   wherein said at least one of the corresponding aggregate role or aggregate role features of at least one of the aggregate first role or aggregate second role of the aggregate relationship pair is used to define as permitted at least one of the network interaction type, the network interaction content, or the network interaction format.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the step of aggregating the first existing and first new role features involves the addition of a new feature from the first new role features to the first existing role features. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the step of aggregating the first existing and first new role features involves the deletion of an existing feature from the existing role features. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the step of aggregating the first existing and first new role features involves the substitution of a new feature from the first new role features exchange an existing feature of the existing role features. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the network interaction is selected from the group comprising: a network message and a network action associated with a profile of one of the members. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising the step of defining a minimum number of the existing first role features to remain as part of the aggregate first role features. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising the step of defining a minimum number of the new first role features to become part of the aggregate first role features. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising the step of defining in the relationship data that the aggregate relationship pair is an active relationship pair that requires formal acceptance by the second member of the new second relationship role. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising the step of defining in the relationship data that the aggregate relationship pair is a passive relationship pair that does not require formal acceptance by the second member of the new second relationship role. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising the step of defining the first new relationship role and the second new relationship role as directional roles, such that the first member must assume the first new relationship role in order for the second member to assume the second new relationship role. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the first new role features and the second new role features are different from one another 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising the step of defining in the relationship data that the aggregate relationship pair is an active relationship pair that requires formal acceptance by the second member of the new second relationship role. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising the step of defining in the relationship data that the aggregate relationship pair is a passive relationship pair that does not require formal acceptance by the second member of the new second relationship role. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising the step of defining the first new relationship role and the second new relationship role as directional roles, such that the first member must assume the first new relationship role in order for the second member to assume the second new relationship role. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the first new role features and the second new role features are different from one another 
     
     
         20 . A method for evolving a defined online existing relationship pair between a first member and a second member, the online existing relationship pair defined by a plurality of existing relationship features for use in managing network interaction on a communications network between the first member and the second member, the method comprising:
 receiving a new online relationship pair having corresponding new relationship features different from the existing relationship features, the new relationship features being characteristic of the new relationship pair;   combining the existing relationship features and the new relationship features to generate combined relationship features by adding a new feature from the new relationship features to the existing relationship features, such that a minimum number of the existing relationship features remain as part of the combined relationship features;   storing the combined relationship features in a storage as relationship data representing the new relationship pair for the members defined by the corresponding respective combined relationship features; and   accessing the relationship data in order to determine whether a selected network interaction from one of the members is permitted in view of at least one of the corresponding combined relationship features, and facilitating the selected network interaction between the members when determined as permitted;
 wherein at least one of the corresponding combined relationship features of the new relationship pair is used to define as permitted at least one of the network interaction type, the network interaction content, or the network interaction format. 
   
     
     
         21 . A method for evolving a defined online existing relationship pair between a first member and a second member, the online existing relationship pair defined by a first existing relationship role assigned to the first member having a plurality of first existing role features for use in managing network interaction on a communications network between the first member and the second member, and a second existing relationship role assigned to the second member having a plurality of second existing role features for use in managing the network interaction between the first member and the second member, the method comprising:
 receiving a new online relationship pair having corresponding first new role features and the second new role features different from the first existing role features and the second existing role features, the first new role features and second new role features being characteristic of the new relationship pair;   combining the first existing role features and the first new role features to generate combined first role features by adding a new feature from the first new role features to the first existing role features, such that a minimum number of the existing first role features remain as part of the combined first role features;   combining the second existing role features and the second new role features to generate combined second role features by adding a new feature from the second new role features to the second existing role features, such that a minimum number of the existing second role features remain as part of the combined second role features;   storing the combined role features in a storage as relationship data representing the new relationship pair for the members defined by the corresponding respective combined role features; and   accessing the relationship data in order to determine whether a selected network interaction from one of the members is permitted in view of at least one of the corresponding combined role features, and facilitating the selected network interaction between the members when determined as permitted;
 wherein at least one of the corresponding combined role features of the new relationship pair is used to define as permitted at least one of the network interaction type, the network interaction content, or the network interaction format. 
   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising the step of defining a minimum number of the new first role features to become part of the combined first role features. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising the step of defining a minimum number of the new second role features to become part of the combined second role features. 
     
     
         24 . A method for defining an online relationship pair between a first member and a second member, the relationship pair including a first relationship role assigned to the first member having a plurality of first role features for use in managing network interaction on a communications network between the first member and the second member, and a second relationship role assigned to the second member having a plurality of second role features for use in managing the network interaction between the first member and the second member, the method comprising:
 assigning the first relationship role to the first member such that the first role features are characteristic of the first relationship role;   assigning the second relationship role to the second member such that the second role features are characteristic of the second relationship role, such that the second member must confirm the second relationship role in order for the first member to be able to use the first relationship role in the network interaction between the first and second members;   storing the first role and the second role with their associated role features in a storage as relationship data representing the relationship pair; and   accessing the relationship data in order to determine whether a selected network interaction from one of the members is permitted in view of at least one of the corresponding relationship roles or role features of at least one of the first role or second role of the relationship pair, and facilitating the selected network interaction between the members when determined as permitted;   wherein said at least one of the corresponding relationship roles or role features of at least one of the first role or second role of the relationship pair is used to define as permitted at least one of the network interaction type, the network interaction content, or the network interaction format.