Social network application programming interface

• US 8,352,969 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2011
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• 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:
  US13/244,938
• Publication Number:
  US 20120254902A1
• Time in Patent Office: 470 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:

receiving a call in a first format from a social networking application for one of a plurality of social networking functions, the social networking application being independent of a social networking service;

loading a first translation module of a plurality of translation modules, the first translation module selected from the plurality of translation modules based on a user having an active session with a first social networking service;

determining that the call is to be translated at a location local to the social networking application as opposed to a location remote from the social networking application;

using the first translation module to translate, at the local location, the call in the first format to a call in a second format, the second format being one of a plurality of social networking service application programming interface formats, the translating being done using at least one computer processor; and

passing the call in the second format to the first social networking service by utilizing a first social networking service application programming interface.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a second call from the social networking application for another of the plurality of social networking functions, the second call being in the first format.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

using the first translation module to translate the second call in the first format to a call in a third format, the third format being one of the plurality social networking service application programming interface formats, the translating being done using the at least one computer processor; and

passing the second call in the third format to a second social networking service by utilizing a second social networking service application programming interface.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

loading a second translation module of the plurality of translation modules;

using the second translation module to translate the second call in the first format to a call in a third format, the third format being one of the plurality social networking service application programming interface formats, the translating being done using the at least one computer processor; and

passing the second call in the third format to a second social networking service by utilizing a second social networking service application programming interface.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

loading a second translation module of the plurality of translation modules;

using the second translation module to translate the second call in the first format to a call in a third format, the third format being one of the plurality social networking service application programming interface formats, the translating done using the at least one computer processor; and

passing the call in the third format to the first social networking service by utilizing the first social networking service application programming interface.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting the first translation module to load from the plurality of translation modules based on the social networking application being associated with the first social networking service.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting the first translation module to load based on a selection of the first translation module by a user.

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

at least one computer processor;

a social networking application configured to utilize a plurality of social networking functions, the social networking application being independent of a social networking service; and

a first translation module, loaded from a plurality of translation modules, the first translation module selected from the plurality of translation modules based on a user having an active session with the social networking service and the first translation module implemented on the at least one computer processor and configured to;

receive a call in a first format from a first social networking service independent social networking application for one of a plurality of social networking functions;

translate the call in the first format to a call in a second format, the second format being one of a plurality of social networking service application programming interface formats; and

pass the call in the second format to the first social networking service by utilizing a first social networking service application programming interface; and

wherein the at least one computer processor is configured to determine that the call is to be translated at a location local to the social networking application as opposed to a location remote from the social networking application and wherein the first translation module is configured to translate the call at the local location.

9. The system of claim 8, the first translation module further configured to:

receive a second call from the social networking service independent social networking application for another of the plurality of social networking functions, the second call being in the first format;

translate the second call in the first format to a call in a third format, the third format being one of the plurality social networking service application programming interface formats; and

pass the call in the third format to a second social networking service by utilizing a second social networking service application programming interface.

10. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a second translation module, loaded from the plurality of translation modules, implemented on at least one computer processor and configured to;

receive a second call from the social networking service independent social networking application for another of the plurality of social networking functions in the first format;

translate the second call in the first format to a call in a third format, the third format being one of the plurality social networking service application programming interface formats; and

pass the call in the third format to a second social networking service by utilizing a second social networking service application programming interface.

11. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a second translation module, loaded from the plurality of translation modules, implemented on at least one computer processor and configured to;

receive a second call from the social networking service independent social networking application for another of the plurality of social networking functions in the first format;

translate the second call in the first format to a call in a third format, the third format being one of the plurality social networking service application programming interface formats; and

pass the call in the third format to the first social networking service by utilizing the first social networking service application programming interface.

12. The system of claim 8, the first translation module loaded from the plurality of translation modules based on the social networking application being associated with the first social networking service.

13. The system of claim 8, further comprising selecting the first translation module based on a selection of the first translation module by a user.

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

receiving a call in a first format from a social networking application for one of a plurality of social networking functions, the social networking application being independent of a social networking service;

determining that the call is to be translated at a location local to the social networking application as opposed to a location remote from the social networking application;

loading a first translation module of a plurality of translation modules, the first translation module selected from the plurality of translation modules based on a user having an active session with a first social networking service;

using the first translation module to translate, at the local location, the call in the first format to a call in a second format, the second format being one of a plurality of social networking service application programming interface formats, the translating being done using at least one computer processor; and

passing the call in the second format to the first social networking service by utilizing a first social networking service application programming interface.

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

receiving a second call from the social networking application for another of the plurality of social networking functions, the second call being in the first format.

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

using the first translation module to translate the second call in the first format to a call in a third format, the third format being one of the plurality social networking service application programming interface formats; and

passing the call in the third format to a second social networking service by utilizing a second social networking service application programming interface.

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

loading a second translation module of the plurality of translation modules;

using the second translation module to translate the second call in the first format to a call in a third format, the third format being one of the plurality social networking service application programming interface formats, the translating being done using the at least one computer processor; and

passing the call in the third format to a second social networking service by utilizing a second social networking service application programming interface.

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

loading a second translation module of the plurality of translation modules;

using the second translation module to translate the second call in the first format to a call in a third format, the third format being one of the plurality social networking service application programming interface formats, the translating done using the at least one computer processor; and

passing the call in the third format to the first social networking service by utilizing the first social networking service application programming interface.

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

selecting the first translation module to load from the plurality of translation modules based on the social networking application being associated with the first social networking service.

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

selecting the first translation module to load based on a selection of the first translation module by a user.