Cross social network data aggregation

• US 8,429,277 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2011
• Issued: 04/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Inventors: Dale, Scott, Brown, Nathan
• Primary Examiner(s): WANG, LIANG CHE A
• Application Number:
  US13/244,878
• Publication Number:
  US 20120226749A1
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201, 709/202, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/223, 709/226, 709/204, 709/227
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications

Abstract

Disclosed in some examples is a method of aggregating social networking data by receiving first authentication information for a first social networking service, the first authentication information being associated with a user and being received from a first social networking application, receiving second authentication information for a second social networking service, the second authentication information being associated with the user and being received from a second social networking application, requesting first information regarding the user from the first social networking service using the first authentication information, receiving the first information regarding the user from the first social networking service and storing the received first information, requesting second information regarding the user from the second social networking service using the second authentication information; and receiving the second information regarding the user from the second social networking service and storing the received second information.

Claims

1. A method of utilizing aggregated social networking information, the method comprising:

establishing a session with a first social networking service, the first social networking service provided by a first server;

providing a social networking application for a user which is associated with the first social networking service, using a computer processor;

obtaining authentication information associated with the user and the social networking application, the authentication information obtained from the first social networking service;

requesting social networking information about the user over a communications network from a social networking aggregator, the social network aggregator provided by a second server, the request including the authentication information;

receiving a response including first social networking information about a user including information from the first social networking service and second social networking information including information from a second social networking service, the second social networking service provided by a third server, the second social networking information supplied to the social networking aggregator by a second social networking application associated with the second social networking service, the second social networking application being a different application than the social networking application; and

presenting the first and second social networking information to the user as part of the social networking application.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second social networking information includes a social graph of the user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the social networking aggregator provides a third social networking service, the first, second and third social networking services being different.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the social networking information includes a portion of a profile associated with the user on a social networking service.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the social networking application is executed inside an i-frame of the first social networking service.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second social networking application is executed inside an i-frame of the second social networking service.

7. A system comprising:

a session module configured to establish a session with a first social networking service, the first social networking service provided by a first server, and configured to obtain authentication information associated with a user and a social networking application, the authentication information obtained from the first social networking service;

a social networking data module configured to;

request networking information about the user over a communications network from a social networking aggregator, the social networking aggregator provided by a second server, the request including the authentication information; and

receive a response including first social networking information about the user including information from the first social networking service and second social networking information including information from second social networking service provided by a third server, the second social networking information supplied to the social networking aggregator by a second social networking application associated with the second social networking service, the second social networking application being a different application than the social networking application; and

an application module configured to;

provide the social networking application for the user which is associated with the first social networking service, using a computer processor; and

present the first and second social networking information to the user as part of social networking application.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the first and second social networking information includes a social graph of the user.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the social networking aggregator provides a third social networking service, the first, second and third social networking services being different.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the social networking information includes a portion of a profile associated with the user on a social networking service.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the social networking application is executed inside an i-frame of the first social networking service.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the second social networking application is executed inside an i-frame of the second social networking service.

13. A non-transitory machine readable medium that stores instructions which when performed by a machine, causes the machine to perform operations comprising:

establishing a session with a first social networking service, the first social networking service provided by a first server;

providing a social networking application for a user which is associated with the first social networking service, using a computer processor;

obtaining authentication information associated with the user and the social networking application the authentication information obtained from the first social networking service;

requesting social networking information about the user over a communications network from a social networking aggregator, the social network aggregator provided by a second server, the request including the authentication information;

receiving a response including first social networking information about a user including information from the first social networking service and second social networking information including information from a second social networking service, the second social networking service provided by a third server, the second social networking information supplied to the social networking aggregator by a second social networking application associated with the second social networking service, the second social networking application being a different application than the social networking application; and

presenting the first and second social networking information to the user as part of the social networking application.

14. The machine-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the first and second social networking information includes a social graph of the user.

15. The machine-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the social networking aggregator provides a third social networking service, the first, second and third social networking services being different.

16. The machine-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the social networking information includes a portion of profile associated with the user on a social networking service.

17. The machine-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the social networking application is executed inside an i-frame of the first social networking service.

18. The machine-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the second social networking application is executed inside an i-frame of the second social networking service.