Social network application programming interface

• US 8,296,784 B1
• Filed: 09/26/2011
• Issued: 10/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Inventors: Brown, Nathan, Graham, M. Ian, Talapatra, Shantanu, Dale, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Qing
• Application Number:
  US13/244,942
• Publication Number:
  US 20120254904A1
• Time in Patent Office: 393 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 719/328
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/541 via adapters, e.g. between incompatible applications

Abstract

Disclosed in one example is a method for interfacing with multiple social networks. The method includes receiving a call from a social networking service agnostic social networking application for one of a plurality of social networking functions in a first format, translating the call in the first format to a call in a second format, the second format being one of a plurality of heterogeneous social networking service application programming interface formats, and passing the call in the second format to a first social networking service by utilizing a first social networking service application programming interface.

Claims

1. A method for interfacing with multiple social networks, the method comprising:

authenticating a social networking application with a first social networking service, the social networking application being independent of a social networking service;

receiving authentication information from the first social networking service in response to the authenticating, the authentication information including session information that identifies a session with the first social networking service; and

passing the authentication information including the session information to a social networking application service, the social networking application service serving the social networking application;

receiving a first function call in a first format from the social networking application;

translating the first function call from the first format into a social networking service application programming interface specific format of the first social networking service, the translating being done using at least one computer processor; and

passing the translated first function call to the first social networking service by utilizing a social networking service application programming interface of the first social networking service.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

authenticating the social networking application with a second social networking service;

receiving a second function call in the first format from the social networking application;

translating the second function call from the first format into a social networking service application programming interface specific format of the second social networking service, the translating being done using at least one computer processor; and

passing the translated second function call to the second social networking service by utilizing a social networking service application programming interface of the second social networking service.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining that the authentication information has not expired before passing the authentication information to the social networking application service.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second function call in the first format from the social networking independent social networking application;

determining that the second function call is to be handled remotely;

sending the second function call over a network to a remote translation module of the social networking application service, the remote translation module translating the second function call from the first format into a social networking service application programming interface specific format of a second social networking service; and

passing the translated second function call to the second social networking service by utilizing the second social networking service application programming interface.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first function call is a call to determine the connections associated with a user in the first social networking service.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first function call is a call to send a message to connections associated with a user in the first social networking service.

7. A system for interfacing with multiple social networks comprising:

at least one computer processor;

a social networking application, the social networking application being independent of a social networking service;

a client authentication module to;

authenticate the social networking application with a first social networking service;

receive authentication information from the first social networking service in response to the authenticating, the authentication information including session information that identifies a session with the first social networking service; and

pass the authentication information including the session information to a social networking application service, the social networking application service serving the social networking application;

a translation module implemented on at least one computer processor and configured to;

receive a first function call in a first format from the social networking application;

translate the first function call from the first format into a social networking service application programming interface specific format of the first social networking service; and

pass the translated first function call to the first social networking service by utilizing a social networking service application programming interface of the first social networking service.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the client authentication module is further configured to:

authenticate the social networking application with a second social networking service;

and the translation module is further configured to;

receive a second function call in the first format from the social networking application;

translate the second function call from the first format into a social networking service application programming interface specific format of the second social networking service; and

pass the translated second function call to the second social networking service by utilizing a social networking service application programming interface of the second social networking service.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the client authentication module is further configured to determine that the authentication information has not expired before passing the authentication information to the social networking application service.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the social networking application is configured to:

receive a second function call in the first format from the social networking application;

determine that the second function call is to be handled remotely;

send the second function call over a network to a remote translation module of the social networking application service, the remote translation module translating the second function call from the first format into a social networking service application programming interface specific format of a second social networking service; and

pass the translated second function call to the second social networking service by utilizing the second social networking service application programming interface.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the first function call is a function call to determine the connections associated with a user in the first social networking service.

12. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium that stores instructions which when performed by a computer cause the computer to perform operations comprising:

authenticating a social networking application with a first social networking service, the social networking application being independent of a social networking service;

receiving authentication information from the first social networking service in response to the authenticating, the authentication information including session information that identifies a session with the first social networking service; and

passing the authentication information including the session information to a social networking application service, the social networking application service serving the social networking application;

receiving a first function call in a first format from the social networking application;

translating the first function call from the first format into a social networking service application programming interface specific format of the first social networking service; and

passing the translated first function call to the first social networking service by utilizing a social networking service application programming interface of the first social networking service.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the operations comprise:

authenticating the social networking application with a second social networking service;

receiving a second function call in the first format from the social networking application;

translating the second function call from the first format into a social networking service application programming interface specific format of the second social networking service, the translating being done using at least one computer processor; and

passing the translated second function call to the second social networking service by utilizing a social networking service application programming interface of the second social networking service.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 12 wherein the operations comprise:

determining that the authentication information has not expired before passing the authentication information to the social networking application service.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the operations comprise:

receiving a second function call in the first format from the social networking application;

determining that the second function call is to be handled remotely;

sending the second function call over a network to a remote translation module of the social networking application service, the remote translation module translating the second function call from the first format into a social networking service application programming interface specific format of a second social networking service; and

passing the translated second function call to the second social networking service by utilizing the second social networking service application programming interface.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the first function call is a call to determine the connections associated with a user in the first social networking service.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the first function call is a call to send a message to connections associated with a user in the first social networking service.