CONTROLLING DEVICES BY SOCIAL NETWORKING

• US 20160021116A1
• Filed: 07/18/2014
• Published: 01/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Maguire, Yael G., Kowalewski, Damian
• Granted Patent: US 9,967,259 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• 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

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes analyzing information received from a first network-enabled device to identify instructions for a second network-enabled device associated with a second user of a social-networking system, the first network-enabled device being associated with a first user of the social-networking system. The method also includes determining (1) that the first user is connected to the second user with respect to a social graph of the social-networking system and (2) that the first user has authorization to provide instructions to the second network-enabled device, where the authorization is based on social-networking information. The method further includes providing the instructions to the second network-enabled device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

analyzing, by a computing device of a social-networking system, information received from a first network-enabled device to identify instructions for a second network-enabled device associated with a second user of the social-networking system, the first network-enabled device being associated with a first user of the social-networking system;

determining, by the computing device of the social-networking system, (1) that the first user is connected to the second user with respect to a social graph of the social-networking system and (2) that the first user has authorization to provide instructions to the second network-enabled device, wherein the authorization is based on social-networking information; and

providing, by the computing device of the social-networking system, the instructions to the second network-enabled device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first network-enabled device being associated with the first user comprises the first user being a social-graph connection of an owner of the first network-enabled device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first network-enabled device being associated with the first user comprises the first user being an owner of the first network-enabled device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the information indicates that changes to a physical environment of the first network-enabled device triggered transmission of the information to the social-networking system, wherein the changes in the environment were detected by sensors of the first network-enabled device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the information indicates that input information received at the first network-enabled device triggered transmission of the information to the social-networking system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the information indicates that user input received at the first network-enabled device triggered transmission of the information to the social-networking system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining that the first user has authorization to provide instructions to the second network-enabled device comprises:

determining that the first user is connected to the second user with respect to the social graph within a threshold degree of separation;

determining that a coefficient quantifying a strength of a relationship between the first user and the second user exceeds a specified threshold;

or

determining that the second user granted permissions to the first user.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, to the first network-enabled device, a user interface to control the second network-enabled device, wherein the first network-enabled device is capable of receiving user input and sending information associated with the user input to a network.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first network-enabled device is associated with the first user through a secure authentication process.

10. One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying software that is operable when executed to:

analyze information received from a first network-enabled device to identify instructions for a second network-enabled device associated with a second user of a social-networking system, the first network-enabled device being associated with a first user of the social-networking system;

determine (1) that the first user is connected to the second user with respect to a social graph of the social-networking system and (2) that the first user has authorization to provide instructions to the second network-enabled device, wherein the authorization is based on social-networking information; and

provide the instructions to the second network-enabled device.

11. The media of claim 10, wherein the first network-enabled device being associated with the first user comprises the first user being a social-graph connection of an owner of the first network-enabled device.

12. The media of claim 10, wherein the first network-enabled device being associated with the first user comprises the first user being an owner of the first network-enabled device.

13. The media of claim 10, wherein the information indicates that changes to a physical environment of the first network-enabled device triggered transmission of the information to the social-networking system, wherein the changes in the environment were detected by sensors of the first network-enabled device.

14. The media of claim 10, wherein the information indicates that input information received at the first network-enabled device triggered transmission of the information to the social-networking system.

15. The media of claim 10, wherein the information indicates that user input received at the first network-enabled device triggered transmission of the information to the social-networking system.

16. The media of claim 10, wherein determining that the first user has authorization to provide instructions to the second network-enabled device comprises:

determining that the first user is connected to the second user with respect to the social graph within a threshold degree of separation;

determining that a coefficient quantifying a strength of a relationship between the first user and the second user exceeds a specified threshold;

or

determining that the second user granted permissions to the first user.

17. The media of claim 10, wherein the software is further operable when executed to:

provide a user interface to control the second network-enabled device, wherein the first network-enabled device is capable of receiving user input and sending information associated with the user input to a network.

18. The media of claim 10, wherein the first network-enabled device is associated with the first user through a secure authentication process.

19. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory coupled to the processors comprising instructions executable by the processors, the processors being operable when executing the instructions to;

analyze information received from a first network-enabled device to identify instructions for a second network-enabled device associated with a second user of a social-networking system, the first network-enabled device being associated with a first user of the social-networking system;

determine (1) that the first user is connected to the second user with respect to a social graph of the social-networking system and (2) that the first user has authorization to provide instructions to the second network-enabled device, wherein the authorization is based on social-networking information; and

provide the instructions to the second network-enabled device.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the first network-enabled device being associated with the first user comprises the first user being a social-graph connection of an owner of the first network-enabled device.