CROSS PLATFORM SOCIAL NETWORKING AUTHENTICATION SYSTEM

• US 20120227087A1
• Filed: 09/26/2011
• Published: 09/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Inventors: Brown, Nathan, Sommer, Henry Joseph, Haugsnes, Andreas Selp
• Granted Patent: US 9,003,505 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications

Abstract

Disclosed in one example is a method of authenticating with multiple social network services. The method may include storing first authentication information associated with a user for a first social networking service using at least one computer processor, receiving second authentication information associated with the user for a second social networking service from a social networking application, and sending to the social networking application the first authentication information. The first authentication information may enable the social networking application to utilize a protected application programming interface call for the first social networking service and the second authentication information may enable the social networking application to utilize a protected application programming interface call for the second social networking service.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving first authentication information associated with a user and a social networking service from a social networking application associated with the social networking service, the first authentication information indicating that the user is authenticated with the social networking service;

associating the authentication information with a user account, using one or more processors, based upon one or more association factors, the user account including second authentication information associated with the user and a networking service, the networking service and the social networking service being distinct services, and the first and second authentication information being different, the second authentication information indicating that the user is authenticated on the networking service; and

storing the authentication information as part of the user account;

sending both the first authentication information and the second authentication information to a second social networking application in response to a request from the second social networking application.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the association factors include a name of the user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the association factors include a phone number of the user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the association factors include one or more social graphs.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the network service is a second social networking service, the method further comprising retrieving a social graph of the user from the social networking service, associating the authentication information with the user account including determining that common connections are included in the retrieved social graph and a social graph stored in the user account which was retrieved from the second social networking service.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the association factors include an input of the user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second authentication information is received from a third social networking application, the third social networking application being different from the social networking application.

8. A system comprising:

an input module configured to receive first authentication information associated with a user and a social networking service from a social networking application associated with the social networking service, the first authentication information indicating that the user is authenticated with the social networking service;

an association module configured to operate on a computer processor and associate the authentication information with a user account based upon one or more association factors, the user account including a second authentication information associated with the user and a networking service, the networking service and the social networking service being distinct services, and the first and second authentication information being different, the second authentication information indicating that the user is authenticated on the networking service;

a storage module configured to store the authentication information as part of the user account; and

an output module configured to send both the first authentication information and the second authentication information to a second social networking application in response to a request.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the association factors include a name of the user.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the association factors include a phone number of the user.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the association factors include one or more social graphs.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the networking service is a second social networking service, the system further comprises a retrieval module configured to retrieve a social graph of the user from the social networking service, the association module is configured to associate the authentication information with the user account at least in part by determining that common connections are included in the retrieved social graph and a social graph stored in the user account which was retrieved from the second social networking service.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the association factors include an input of the user.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein second authentication information is received from a third social networking application, the third social networking application being different from the social networking application.

15. A non-transitory machine-readable medium that stores instructions which when performed by a machine, causes the machine to perform operations comprising:

receiving first authentication information associated with a user and a social networking service from a social networking application associated with the social networking service, the first authentication information indicating that the user is authenticated with the social networking service;

associating the authentication information with a user account based upon one or more association factors, the user account including second authentication information associated with the user and a networking service, the networking service and the social networking service being distinct services, and the first and second authentication information being different, the second authentication information indicating that the user is authenticated on the networking service;

storing the authentication information as part of the user account;

sending both the first authentication information and the second authentication information to a second social networking application in response to a request from the social networking application.

16. The machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the association factors include a name of the user.

17. The machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the association factors include a phone number of the user.

18. The machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the association factors include one or more social graphs.

19. The machine-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the network service is a second social networking service, the instructions further comprising retrieving a social graph of the user from the social networking service, associating the authentication information with the user account including determining that common connections are included in the retrieved social graph and a social graph stored in the user account which was retrieved from the second social networking service.

20. The machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the association factors include an input of the user.

21. The machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the second authentication information is received from a third social networking application, the third social networking application being different from the social networking application.