SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR INTEGRATING INFORMATION FROM VOICE OVER INTERNET PROTOCOL SYSTEMS AND SOCIAL NETWORKING SYSTEMS
Systems and methods of recommending that two people form a link on a social networking system use information for a first person that is obtained from a contact list or an address book that is maintained for the first person on a telephony system. The information drawn from the first person's contact list or address book is used to determine if any individuals or businesses listed in the first person's contact list or address book are members of a social networking system. If so, a recommendation that the first person form a link on the social networking system with those individuals or businesses is issued to one or both parties.
1 . A method of recommending that a first member of a social networking system establish a link with another member of the social networking system, comprising:
reviewing a contact list or address book for a first member of a social networking system that is maintained on a telephony system to create a list of identifiers associated with entries on the first member's contact list or address book;
determining if any individuals or businesses associated with the identifiers on the list are members of the social networking system; and
recommending that the first member establish a link on the social networking system with an individual or business associated with an identifier on the list if the individual or business is also a member of the social networking system.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining step comprises:
identifying names of individuals or businesses associated with the identifiers on the list; and
using the identified names to determine if any of the individuals or businesses associated with the identifiers on the list are members of the social networking system.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the identifying step comprises consulting an identifier cross-reference database maintained by the telephony system to obtain names of individuals and businesses that are associated with the identifiers on the list.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the reviewing step comprises reviewing a contact list or address book for the first member that is stored in a central database facility of the telephony system.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the reviewing step comprises reviewing a contact list or address book for the first member that is stored on a telephony device that is provided with service by the telephony system.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the reviewing step comprises reviewing a contact list or address book for the first member that is stored on a mobile telephony device that is provided with service by the telephony system.
7 . A system for recommending that a first member of a social networking system establish a link with another member of the social networking system, comprising:
means for reviewing a contact list or address book for a first member of a social networking system that is maintained on a telephony system to create a list of identifiers associated with entries on the first member's contact list or address book;
means for determining if any individuals or businesses associated with the identifiers on the list are members of the social networking system; and
means for recommending that the first member establish a link on the social networking system with an individual or business associated with an identifier on the list if the individual or business is also a member of the social networking system.
8 . A system for recommending that a first member of a social networking system establish a link with another member of the social networking system, comprising:
a reviewing unit that reviews a contact list or address book for a first member of a social networking system that is maintained on a telephony system to create a list of identifiers associated with entries on the first member's contact list or address book;
a determining unit that determines if any individuals or businesses associated with the identifiers on the list are members of the social networking system; and
a link recommendation unit that recommends that the first member establish a link on the social networking system with an individual or business associated with an identifier on the list if the individual or business is also a member of the social networking system.
9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the determining unit identifies names of individuals or businesses associated with the identifiers on the list, and uses the identified names to determine if any of the individuals or businesses associated with the identifiers on the list are members of the social networking system.
10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the determining unit consults an identifier cross-reference database maintained by the telephony system to obtain names of individuals and businesses that are associated with the identifiers on the list.
11 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the reviewing unit reviews a contact list or address book for the first member that is stored in a central database of the telephony system.
12 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the reviewing unit reviews a contact list or address book for the first member that is stored on a telephony device that is provided with service by the telephony system.
13 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the reviewing unit reviews a contact list or address book for the first member that is stored on a mobile telephony device that is provided with service by the telephony system.