Activity-Based Discoverable Mode

• US 20140122612A1
• Filed: 10/26/2012
• Published: 05/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Deng, Peter Xiu, Mason, Robert, Wu, Xiaomu
• Application Number:
  US13/661,823
• Publication Number:
  US 20140122612A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes identifying a plurality of users that are each currently associated with a second computing device that is currently in a discoverable mode; have a commonality among them based at least in part on social-graph information associated with the users; and are currently at or near a common geo-location. The method also includes sending to each of the users a suggestion to interact with the other users based at least in part on their commonality and the users currently being at or near the common geo-location.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

by a first computing device, identifying a plurality of users that;

are each currently associated with a second computing device that is currently in a discoverable mode;

have a commonality among them based at least in part on social-graph information associated with the users; and

are currently at or near a common geo-location; and

by the first computing device, sending to each of the users a suggestion to interact with one or more other ones of the users based at least in part on their commonality and them currently being at or near the common geo-location.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising initiating a search for one or more other ones of the users in the discoverable mode in response to receiving a signal from the second computing device based on activity performed by one or more of the users on the second computing device, entering a code on the second computing device, or performing a motion with the second computing device at a pre-determined time.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving a signal from the second computing device based on activity performed by one or more of the users on the second computing device comprising determining whether each of the users are performing substantially the same activity on the second computing device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the determination comprises determining whether each of the users are using a particular application executed on the second computing device at substantially the same time.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the social-graph information comprises an interest common to the plurality of users or a relationship between the plurality of users.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the common geo-location comprises a pre-determined area encompassing the common geo-location, a building associated with the common geo-location, or a site associated with the common geo-location.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the interaction comprises organizing an event or communicating a message to the plurality of users.

8. One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying logic configured when executed to:

identify a plurality of users that;

are each currently associated with a second computing device that is currently in a discoverable mode;

have a commonality among them based at least in part on social-graph information associated with the users; and

are currently at or near a common geo-location; and

send to each of the users a suggestion to interact with one or more other ones of the users based at least in part on their commonality and them currently being at or near the common geo-location.

9. The media of claim 8, wherein the logic is further configured to initiate a search for one or more other ones of the users in the discoverable mode in response to receiving a signal from the second computing device based on activity performed by one or more of the users on the second computing device, entering a code on the second computing device, or performing a motion with the second computing device at a pre-determined time.

10. The media of claim 9, wherein the logic is further configured to determine whether each of the users are performing substantially the same activity on the second computing device.

11. The media of claim 10, wherein the logic is further configured to determine whether each of the users are using a particular application executed on the second computing device at substantially the same time.

12. The media of claim 8, wherein the social-graph information comprises an interest common to the plurality of users or a relationship between the plurality of users.

13. The media of claim 8, wherein the common geo-location comprises a pre-determined area encompassing the common geo-location, a building associated with the common geo-location, or a site associated with the common geo-location.

14. The media of claim 8, wherein the interaction comprises organizing an event or communicating a message to the plurality of users.

15. A method comprising:

placing a second computing device associated with a user into a discoverable mode, the placement of the second computing device into the discoverable mode initiating a search by a first computing device for one or more other second computing devices associated with one or more other users currently in the discoverable mode; and

by the second computing device, receiving a suggestion to interact with one or more other users, the other users being identified by the first computing device based at least in part on a commonality among each of the users based at least in part on social-graph information associated with the users and each of the users currently being at or near the common geo-location.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising sending a signal based on activity performed by each of the users on the associated second computing device, entering a code on the associated second computing device, or performing a motion with the associated second computing device at a pre-determined time, the sending of the signal initiating the search by the first computing device for one or more other ones of the users in the discoverable mode.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein sending the signal based on activity performed by each of the users on the associated second computing device comprising determining whether each of the users are performing substantially the same activity on the associated second computing device.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the social-graph information comprises an interest common to the plurality of users or a relationship between the plurality of users.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the common geo-location comprises a pre-determined area encompassing the common geo-location, a building associated with the common geo-location, or a site associated with the common geo-location.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the interaction comprises organizing an event or communicating a message to the plurality of users.