Determining gift suggestions for users of a social networking system using an auction model
First Claim
1. A computer implemented method comprising:
- storing user profiles of each of a plurality of users of a social networking system;
identifying by the social networking system, a life event of a target user of the social networking system;
selecting by the social networking system, a plurality of candidate users connected to the target user via the social networking system;
receiving, by the social networking system, a plurality of messages from the plurality of candidate users, the plurality of messages associated with the life event of the target user, the plurality of messages sent to the target user via one or more communication channels of the social networking system;
for each of the plurality of candidate users, providing access to the plurality of messages, comprising;
receiving, via a user interface, a first request to view social information from the target user, andresponsive to receiving the first request to access social network information, providing information describing the plurality of messages for display via the user interface as specified by privacy settings of the target user;
withholding access to the plurality of messages until a delivery time, comprising;
receiving a request from the target user via a user interface, the request to access messages received by the target user, wherein the request provides authentication information, andwithholding information describing the plurality of messages from being displayed to the target user via the user interface in spite of the request providing successful authentication; and
responsive to reaching the delivery time, sending, via the one or more communication channels of the social networking system, the plurality of messages for display via a user interface to a client device of the target user.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A social networking system provides suggestions of gifts to users for presentation to a target user for a life event of the target user. Merchants provide bids for their products. The social networking system selects products as gift suggestions based on the merchants'"'"' bids, recipient'"'"'s interests, and the candidate user to whom the gift is suggested. The selected gift and any messages relating to the life event are held until a specified time and then delivered to the target user. At the time of delivery, the target user may be provided with alternative products that the target user can select instead of the gift. The social networking system can earn revenue based on promotion of products as gift suggestions, promotion of products as gift alternatives, and for any financial transaction related to the gift.
30 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A computer implemented method comprising:
-
storing user profiles of each of a plurality of users of a social networking system; identifying by the social networking system, a life event of a target user of the social networking system; selecting by the social networking system, a plurality of candidate users connected to the target user via the social networking system; receiving, by the social networking system, a plurality of messages from the plurality of candidate users, the plurality of messages associated with the life event of the target user, the plurality of messages sent to the target user via one or more communication channels of the social networking system; for each of the plurality of candidate users, providing access to the plurality of messages, comprising; receiving, via a user interface, a first request to view social information from the target user, and responsive to receiving the first request to access social network information, providing information describing the plurality of messages for display via the user interface as specified by privacy settings of the target user; withholding access to the plurality of messages until a delivery time, comprising; receiving a request from the target user via a user interface, the request to access messages received by the target user, wherein the request provides authentication information, and withholding information describing the plurality of messages from being displayed to the target user via the user interface in spite of the request providing successful authentication; and responsive to reaching the delivery time, sending, via the one or more communication channels of the social networking system, the plurality of messages for display via a user interface to a client device of the target user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing executable computer program instructions, the computer program instructions comprising instructions for:
-
storing user profiles of each of a plurality of users of a social networking system; identifying by the social networking system, a life event of a target user of the social networking system; selecting by the social networking system, a plurality of candidate users connected to the target user via the social networking system; receiving, by the social networking system, a plurality of messages from the plurality of candidate users, the plurality of messages associated with the life event of the target user, the plurality of messages sent to the target user via one or more communication channels of the social networking system; for each of the plurality of candidate users, providing access to the plurality of messages, comprising; receiving, via a user interface, a first request to view social information from the target user, and responsive to receiving the first request to access social network information, providing information describing the plurality of messages for display via the user interface as specified by privacy settings of the target user; withholding access to the plurality of messages until a delivery time, comprising; receiving a request from the target user via a user interface, the request to access messages received by the target user, wherein the request provides authentication information, and withholding information describing the plurality of messages from being displayed to the target user via the user interface in spite of the request providing successful authentication; and responsive to reaching the delivery time, sending, via the one or more communication channels of the social networking system, the plurality of messages for display via a user interface to a client device of the target user. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification