Social network application programming interface

• US 8,352,970 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:
  US13/244,941
• Publication Number:
  US 20120254903A1
• 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 first function call in a first format from a social networking application, the social networking application being independent of a social networking service;

determining that the first function 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

based on the determination that the translation is to be handled at a local location;

translating, at the local location, the first function call from the first format into a social networking service application programming interface specific format of a 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:

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 a 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:

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

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

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the determination is made based upon at least one of:

a predefined list of social networking functions to be handled locally and a parameter sent along with the first function call.

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

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

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

at least one computer processor;

a social networking service independent social networking application; and

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

receive a first function call in a first format from a social networking application, the social networking application being independent of a social networking service;

determine that the first function 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

based on the determination that the translation is to be handled at the local location;

translate, at the local location, the first function call from the first format into a social networking service application programming interface specific format of a 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, the translation module 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 a 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 7, the translation module configured to:

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

10. The system of claim 7 wherein the translation module is further configured to determine that the first function call is to be handled at the location local to the social network application based upon at least one of:

a predefined list of social networking functions to be handled locally and a parameter sent along with the first function call.

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

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the first function call is a function call to send a message to connections associated with a user.

13. A machine readable storage medium that stores instructions which when performed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

receiving a first function call in a first format from a social networking application, the social networking application being independent of a social networking service;

determining that the first function 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

based on the determination that the translation is to be handled at the local location;

translating, at the local location, the first function call from the first format into a social networking service application programming interface specific format of a 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.

14. The machine readable storage medium of claim 13 wherein the instructions, which when performed by the machine, cause the machine to perform operations further comprising:

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 a 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.

15. The machine readable storage medium of claim 13 wherein the instructions, which when performed by the machine, cause the machine to perform operations further comprising:

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

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

16. The machine readable storage medium of claim 13 wherein the determining is made based upon at least one of:

a predefined list of social networking functions to be handled locally and a parameter sent along with the first function call.

17. The machine readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the first function call is a function call to determine the connections associated with a user.