SOCIAL MODE FOR MANAGING COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN A MOBILE DEVICE AND A SOCIAL NETWORKING SYSTEM

• US 20180146055A1
• Filed: 01/19/2018
• Published: 05/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Graham, Mary, Tseng, Erick, Palihapitiya, Chamath M.
• Granted Patent: US 10,827,018 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

The automatic transmission of communications between a mobile device and a social networking system is regulated based on the communication mode of the mobile device. A communication for transmission between the mobile device and the social networking system is detected. A communication switch setting, such as a switch position, is determined for the mobile device. A communication mode for the mobile device is determined based on the communication switch setting. For example, if the switch is in a first position, the mobile device is determined to be in a social mode. Likewise, if the switch is in a second position, the mobile device is determined to be a manual mode. If the mobile device is in the social mode, the communication is automatically transmitted. If the mobile device is in the manual mode, the communication is transmitted only in response to authorization from the user of the mobile device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting a location by a mobile device associated with a user account maintained by a social networking system, the detected location comprising a set of geographic coordinates obtained by the mobile device, the user account associated with a user of the social networking system;

determining a presence of the mobile device within fixed geographic ranges corresponding to a plurality of location entities by cross-referencing the geographic coordinates obtained by the mobile device with the fixed geographic ranges;

receiving a selection of one of the plurality of location entities; and

in response to the mobile device being configured to operate in a social communication mode, transmitting the selected location entity and an identity of the user account to the social networking system, the social networking system configured to automatically check in the user to the selected location entity and to generate a post indicating the check in for display within a social networking system page.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting an action performed by the user;

wherein the generated post further contains information about the detected action.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the performed action comprises a capturing of an image by the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the post comprises a story within a newsfeed or timeline associated with the user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the post comprises a story within a page corresponding to the selected location entity.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is configured to operate in the social communication mode in response to a physical switch of the mobile device being configured in a position corresponding to the social communication mode.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is configured to operate in the social communication mode in response to a selection of a configuration setting by the user within an application running on the mobile device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the post includes text identifying the selected location entity.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the post identifies one or more other social networking system users associated with the user.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the identified one or more other social networking system users are within a proximity of the user.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the post identifies one or more other social networking system users that have been checked in to the selected location entity.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the post includes a link to a social networking system page associated with the selected location entity.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the post indicates that the mobile device is configured to operate in the social communication mode.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device, prior to being configured to operate in the social communication mode, prompts a user to confirm an intention for the mobile device to operate in the social communication mode.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the social networking system checks the user in to the selected location entity without receiving authorization from the user.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the social networking system displays the post within the social networking system page without receiving authorization from the user.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a selection of one of the plurality of location entities comprises prompting a user to select from a list of location entities.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the list is organized by proximity of the location entities to the user.

19. A system, comprising:

a processor;

a non-transitory memory including instructions, which when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform steps including;

detecting a location by a mobile device associated with a user account maintained by a social networking system, the detected location comprising a set of geographic coordinates obtained by the mobile device, the user account associated with a user of the social networking system;

determining a presence of the mobile device within fixed geographic ranges corresponding to a plurality of location entities by cross-referencing the geographic coordinates obtained by the mobile device with the fixed geographic ranges;

receiving a selection of one of the plurality of location entities; and

in response to the mobile device being configured to operate in a social communication mode, transmitting the selected location entity and an identity of the user account to the social networking system, the social networking system configured to automatically check in the user to the selected location entity and to generate a post indicating the check in for display within a social networking system page.

20. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions encoded thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

detecting a location by a mobile device associated with a user account maintained by a social networking system, the detected location comprising a set of geographic coordinates obtained by the mobile device, the user account associated with a user of the social networking system;

determining a presence of the mobile device within fixed geographic ranges corresponding to a plurality of location entities by cross-referencing the geographic coordinates obtained by the mobile device with the fixed geographic ranges;

receiving a selection of one of the plurality of location entities; and

in response to the mobile device being configured to operate in a social communication mode, transmitting the selected location entity and an identity of the user account to the social networking system, the social networking system configured to automatically check in the user to the selected location entity and to generate a post indicating the check in for display within a social networking system page.