Identity management for open overlay for social networks and online services

US7792903B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Red Hat, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Donald Fischer · Westford, US
• Havoc Pennington · Westford, US
• Bryan Clark · Westford, US
• Owen Taylor · Waltham, US
• Colin Walters · Westford, US

Key dates

• Filing date: May 31, 2006
• Grant date: Sep 7, 2010
• Expiry date: May 8, 2029

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06Q10/10
• WIPO field: IT methods for management
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and systems for managing the multiple identities used by a user. The user's existing contact lists, website accounts, buddy lists, and the like are analyzed to determine the identities used by the user. A graph is then constructed in order to track and integrate the multiple identities of the user in a social network. The social network graph may then be used by a social network overlay so that the user can share information across their different identities with different users that only know some of the user's multiple identities.