Universal ledger

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10984459-B2
Application number	US-201816222724-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 17, 2018
Priority date	Jan 18, 2011
Publication date	Apr 20, 2021
Grant date	Apr 20, 2021

Abstract

The present invention provides systems and methods for tracking obligations incurred between individuals. The method may include receiving a request from a first party, where the request includes an expense incurred by the first party for the benefit of a second party. The method may also include providing a notice of the request to the second party and receiving an acceptance from the second party to assume an obligation associated with the expense. The method may further include associating the obligation with the second party and associating a benefit with the first party. The obligation and/or benefit may be substantially equal in value to the expense. The method may additionally include interfacing with a social network service to provide the social network service with information about the obligation and/or the benefit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a host computer system comprising one or more servers and memory comprising instructions that, when executed by the one or more servers, cause the host computer system to perform operations comprising:
processing a first message transmitted via one or more networks by a first computing device consequent to a first action performed by a first user, the first user being associated with a first profile that is displayable within a first social network service;
consequent to the first message, sending a second message to one or both of a second computing device and an account associated with a second user, the second message relating to the first action performed by the first user, the second user being associated with a second profile that is displayable within a second social network service;
processing a third message transmitted via the one or more networks by the first computing device or a third computing device, the third message indicating a second action to be performed by the second user;
consequent to the third message, updating a universal ledger to associate the second action with the second user;
consequent to the first message, updating the universal ledger to associate the first action with the first user;
determining, based on the universal ledger, a value associated with one or more actions associated with the second user;
generating a second profile update indicating the value;
establishing a communication session with the second social network service;
within the communication session, transmitting the second profile update to cause updating of one or more profiles within the second social network service;
processing an indication of a link selected via an instance of a social network application executing on the first computing device, the second computing device, or the third computing device, the indication of the link selected invoking a separate window or sub-window within the instance of the social network application;
filtering data fields of the universal ledger based on a profile identifier corresponding to the instance of the social network application to contain data associated with the profile identifier; and
transmitting data according to the filtered data fields of the universal ledger to provide access to the data via the separate window or sub-window within the instance of the social network application.

2. The system of claim 1 , the operations further comprising:
determining, based on the universal ledger, a second value associated with one or more actions associated with the first user;
generating a first profile update indicating the second value; and
transmitting to the first social network service the first profile update.

3. The system of claim 1 , the operations further comprising:
receiving an indication that the second action has been performed; and
updating the universal ledger to disassociate the second action with the second user.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first action is a purchasing one or more goods or services.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second action is transmitting monetary value to the first user.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first social network service and the second social network service are a same social network service.

7. The system of claim 1 , the operations further comprising:
receiving, from a third social network service, a first request to view a segment of the universal ledger, the first request comprising a profile identifier;
filtering, based on the profile identifier, the universal ledger to contain entries within the universal ledger associated with the profile identifier; and
transmitting the filtered universal ledger to the third social network service.

8. A method comprising:
processing a first message transmitted via one or more networks by a first computing device consequent to a first action performed by a first user, the first user being associated with a first profile that is displayable within a first social network service;
consequent to the first message, sending a second message to one or both of a second computing device and an account associated with a second user, the second message relating to the first action performed by the first user, the second user being associated with a second profile that is displayable within a second social network service;
processing a third message transmitted via the one or more networks by the first computing device or a third computing device, the third message indicating a second action to be performed by the second user;
consequent to the third message, updating a universal ledger to associate the second action with the second user;
consequent to the first message, updating the universal ledger to associate the first action with the first user;
determining, based on the universal ledger, a value associated with one or more actions associated with the second user;
generating a second profile update indicating the value;
establishing a communication session with the second social network service;
within the communication session, transmitting the second profile update to cause updating of one or more profiles within the second social network service;
processing an indication of a link selected via an instance of a social network application executing on the first computing device, the second computing device, or the third computing device, the indication of the link selected invoking a separate window or sub-window within the instance of the social network application;
filtering data fields of the universal ledger based on a profile identifier corresponding to the instance of the social network application to contain data associated with the profile identifier; and
transmitting data according to the filtered data fields of the universal ledger to provide access to the data via the separate window or sub-window within the instance of the social network application.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
determining, based on the universal ledger, a second value associated with one or more actions associated with the first user;
generating a first profile update indicating the second value; and
transmitting to the first social network service the first profile update.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
receiving an indication that the second action has been performed; and
updating the universal ledger to disassociate the second action with the second user.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first action is a purchasing one or more goods or services.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the second action is transmitting monetary value to the first user.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first social network service and the second social network service are a same social network service.

14. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
receiving, from a third social network service, a first request to view a segment of the universal ledger, the first request comprising a profile identifier;
filtering, based on the profile identifier, the universal ledger to contain entries within the universal ledger associated with the profile identifier; and
transmitting the filtered universal ledger to the third social network service.

15. A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions for causing at least one computer system to perform operations, the operations comprising:
processing a first message transmitted via one or more networks by a first computing device consequent to a first action performed by a first

Assignees

• Western Union Co

Inventors

• Demark Michele
• Michelsen Michael
• Scott Diane
• Cochran Chris

Classifications

• G06Q10/40

  Business processes related to social networking or social networking services · CPC title

• G06Q40/03

  Credit; Loans; Processing thereof · CPC title

• G06Q20/384

  using social networks · CPC title

• G06Q20/32

  using wireless devices · CPC title

• G06Q10/06

  Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling · CPC title