Methods And Apparatus For Use In Adding Contacts Between Profiles Of Different Social Networks

1 . A method in a computer device which is configured to add one or more contacts in a first profile of a first social network to a second profile of a second social network, each one of the first and the second profiles including a plurality of stored attributes, the method comprising:

for each one of a plurality of candidate contacts in the first profile:

identifying, for a selected attribute type, whether a match exists between a stored attribute of the candidate contact in the first profile and a stored attribute of a contact in the second profile;

if the match exists, then causing the candidate contact in the first profile to be one of recommended, queued, and added as a contact in the second profile; and

otherwise, if no match exists, then excluding the candidate contact in the first profile from being one of recommended, queued, and added as a contact in the second profile.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

repeating each step of the method for one or more additional selected attribute types.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

operating in one of a recommending mode, a queuing mode, and an automatic adding mode based on user preference settings.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

operating in one of a recommending mode, a queuing mode, and an automatic adding mode based on learned settings which are set in accordance with a learning mechanism of the computer device.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

operating in a queuing mode of operation, where a candidate contact is placed in a queue;

receiving one of an acceptance and a rejection of the candidate contact in the queue; and

in response to receiving the acceptance, operating in an automatic adding mode of operation.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

identifying a predetermined condition; and

wherein the predetermined condition comprises a number of contacts in the first and the second profiles which have a common stored attribute exceeds a threshold value.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

operating in one of a queuing mode and an automatic adding mode based on a number of common stored attributes of contacts in the first and the second profiles.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

identifying whether a number of contacts in the first and the second profiles having a common stored attribute exceeds a first threshold value and, if so, then:

for each one of a subsequent plurality of candidate contacts in the first profile:

identifying whether a match exists between a stored attribute of the candidate contact in the first profile and the common stored attribute; and

if the match exists, then queuing the candidate contact for addition to the second profile.

9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

identifying whether the number of contacts in the first and the second profiles having the common stored attribute exceeds a second threshold value and, if so, then:

for each one of a subsequent plurality of candidate contacts in the first profile:

identifying whether a match exists between a stored attribute of the candidate contact in the first profile and the common stored attribute; and

if the match exists, then adding the candidate contact to the second profile.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

operating in a recommending mode of operation such that, if the match exists, the candidate contact in the first profile is recommended as a contact for addition to the second profile;

identifying whether a number of contacts in the first and the second profiles having a common stored attribute exceeds a first threshold value and, if so, then:

operating in a queuing mode of operation such that, if the match exists, the candidate contact in the first profile is queued as a contact for addition to the second profile.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

identifying whether the number of contacts in the first and the second profiles having the common stored attribute exceeds a second threshold value and, if so, then:

operating in an adding mode of operation such that, if the match exists, the candidate contact in the first profile is added as a contact in the second profile.

12 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

producing an aggregate contact list for use in the method, the aggregate contact list including the contacts in the first and the second profiles and a plurality of stored attributes for each said contact.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the selected attribute types include at least one of:

a last name;

a domain name of an electronic mail (e-mail) address;

a city of a residential address;

a city of a home town;

a school name; and

an employer name.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the selected attribute type includes at least one of:

a relationship type between the candidate contact in the first profile and the user, the relationship type being one of family, friends, coworker and classmate;

an activity or interest type; and

a group name of a group associated with a profile in the first social network.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method is triggered by a predetermined event comprising one of:

identifying that the new contact has been added to the second profile;

identifying that a stored attribute of an existing contact in the second profile has been updated;

identifying that the second social network has been joined by the user; and

detecting an expiration of a timer after a new contact has been added to the second profile.

16 . A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium;

computer instructions stored in the non-transitory computer readable medium;

the computer instructions being executable by one or more processors of a computer device for adding one or more contacts in a first profile of a first social network to a second profile of a second social network, each one of the first and the second profiles including a plurality of stored attributes, the computer instructions being further executable for:

for each one of a plurality of candidate contacts in the first profile:

identifying, for a selected attribute type, whether a match exists between a stored attribute of the candidate contact in the first profile and a stored attribute of a contact in the second profile;

if the match exists, then causing the candidate contact in the first profile to be one of recommended, queued, and added as a contact in the second profile; and

otherwise, if no match exists, then excluding the candidate contact in the first profile from being one of recommended, queued, and added as a contact in the second profile.

17 . A computer device, comprising:

one or more processors;

a transceiver coupled to the one or more processors;

the one or more processors being configured to add one or more contacts in a first profile of a first social network to a second profile of a second social network, each one of the first and the second profiles including a plurality of stored attributes, the one or more processors being further configured to, for each one of a plurality of candidate contacts in the first profile:

identify, for a selected attribute type, whether a match exists between a stored attribute of the candidate contact in the first profile and a stored attribute of a contact in the second profile;

if the match exists, then cause the candidate contact in the first profile to be one of recommended, queued, and added as a contact in the second profile; and

otherwise, if no match exists, then exclude the candidate contact in the first profile from being one of recommended, queued, and added as a contact in the second profile.

18 . The computer device of claim 17 , wherein the one or more processors are further operative to:

operate in one of a recommending mode and an automatic adding mode based on at least one of user preference settings and learned settings which are set in accordance with a learning mechanism.

19 . The computer device of claim 17 , wherein the one or more processors are further operative to:

operate in a recommending mode of operation; and

in response to detecting a predetermined condition, operate in an automatic adding mode of operation.

20 . The computer device of claim 17 , wherein the one or more processors are further operative to:

identify a predetermined condition;

wherein the predetermined condition comprises a number of contacts in the first and the second profiles which have a common stored attribute exceeds a threshold value.

21 . The computer device of claim 17 , wherein the one or more processors are further operative to:

operate in one of a queuing mode and an automatic adding mode based on a number of common stored attributes of contacts in the first and the second profiles.

22 . The computer device of claim 17 , wherein the selected attribute types include at least one of:

a last name;

a domain name of an electronic mail (e-mail) address;

a city of a residential address;

a city of a home town;

a school name; and

an employer name.

23 . The computer device of claim 17 , wherein the selected attribute types include at least one of:

a relationship type between the candidate contact in the first profile and the user, the relationship type being one of family, friends, coworker and classmate;

an activity or interest type; and

a group name of a group associated with a profile in the first social network.