Cross social network data aggregation

• US 8,549,073 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2011
• Issued: 10/01/2013
• 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): Duong, Oanh
• Application Number:
  US13/244,888
• Publication Number:
  US 20120227086A1
• Time in Patent Office: 736 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 709/206, 709/223, 715/758, 715/751, 715/753
• US Class Current: 709/204
• 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 aggregating social networking data comprising:

sending a first social networking application to a user terminal from an application service in response to a request from the user terminal, the request made at a first social networking service;

receiving first authentication information for the first social networking service, the first authentication information allowing access to information in a first user account and being received, over a communications network, from the first social networking application, the first social networking application receiving the authentication information from the first social networking service;

sending a second social networking application from the application service in response to a request made at a second social networking service, the second social networking application being different than the first social networking application;

receiving second authentication information for the second social networking service, the second authentication information allowing access to information in a second user account and being received, over the communications network, from the second social networking application, the second social networking application receiving the authentication information from the second social networking service;

requesting, over the communications network, first information regarding the first user account from the first social networking service using the first authentication information;

receiving, over the communications network, the first information regarding the first user account from the first social networking service and storing the received first information;

requesting, over the communications network, second information regarding the second user account from the second social networking service using the second authentication information;

receiving, over the communications network, the second information regarding the second user account from the second social networking service and storing the received second information;

determining that the first and second accounts belong to a common user based on one or more common information items in the first and second information;

responsive to determining that the first and second accounts belong to the common user, creating an association with the first and second information in a data-store;

receiving a request from the first social networking application for information on the common user; and

responsive to receiving the request, sending at least a portion of the first and second information to the first social networking application,

wherein the application service is a different network service than the first and second social networking services.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising:

providing a third social networking service to the common user, wherein a profile associated with the common user on the third social networking service includes the first and second information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second information includes a portion of the common user'"'"'s social graphs on the first and second social networking services, respectively.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second information includes one or more communications made by the common user to a plurality of other users on the first and second social networking services, respectively.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second information includes at least a portion of the common user'"'"'s profile on the first and second social networking services, respectively.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first social networking application is a binary executable providing a game.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the second social networking application is a binary executable providing a game.

8. A system comprising:

one or more computer processors;

an application service operating on the one or more computer processors and configured to;

send a first social networking application to a user terminal in response to a request from the user terminal, the request made at a first social networking service;

send a second social networking application from the application service in response to a request made at a second social networking service, the second social networking application being different than the first social networking application;

an authentication module operating on the one or more computer processors and configured to;

receive over a communications network first authentication information for the first social networking service, the first authentication information allowing access to information in a first user account and being received from the first social networking application; and

receive over the communications network second authentication information for the second social networking service, the second authentication information allowing access to information in the second user account and being received from the second social networking application; and

a synch module operating on the one or more computer processors and configured to;

request first information over the communications network regarding the first user account from the first social networking service using the first authentication information;

receive and store the first information over the communications network regarding the first user account from the first social networking service;

request second information over the communications network regarding the second user account from the second social networking service using the second authentication information;

receive and store the second information over the communications network regarding the second user account from the second social networking service;

determine that the first and second user accounts belong to a common user based on one or more common information items in the first and second information;

responsive to determining that the first and second users belong to the common user, creating an association with the first and second information in a data-store;

receive a request from the first social networking application for information on the common user; and

responsive to receiving the request, sending at least a portion of the first and second information to the first social networking application,

wherein the application service is a different network service than the first and second social networking services.

9. The system of claim 8, comprising:

a social networking service module configured to provide a third social networking service to the common user, wherein a profile associated with the common user on the third social networking service includes the first and second information.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the first and second information includes a portion of the common user'"'"'s social graphs on the first and second social networking services, respectively.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the first and second information includes one or more communications made by the common user to a plurality of other users on the first and second social networking services, respectively.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the first and second information includes at least a portion of the common user'"'"'s profile on the first and second social networking services, respectively.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the first social networking application is a binary executable providing a game.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the second social networking application is a binary executable providing a game.

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

sending a first social networking application to a user terminal from an application service in response to a request from the user terminal, the request made at a first social networking service;

receiving first authentication information for the first social networking service, the first authentication information allowing access to information in a first user account and being received, over a communications network, from the first social networking application;

sending a second social networking application from the application service in response to a request made at a second social networking service, the second social networking application being different than the first social networking application;

receiving second authentication information for the second social networking service, the second authentication information allowing access to information in a second user account and being received, over a communications network, from the second social networking application;

requesting, over the communications network, first information regarding the first user account from the first social networking service using the first authentication information;

receiving, over the communications network, the first information regarding the first user account from the first social networking service and storing the received first information;

requesting, over the communications network, second information regarding the second user account from the second social networking service using the second authentication information; and

receiving, over the communications network, the second information regarding the second user account from the second social networking service and storing the received second information;

determining that the first and second accounts belong to a common user based on one or more common information items in the first and second information;

responsive to determining that the first and second accounts belong to the common user, creating an association with the first and second information in a data-store;

receiving a request from the first social networking application for information on the common user; and

responsive to receiving the request, sending at least a portion of the first and second information to the first social networking application,

wherein the application service is a different network service than the first and second social networking services.

16. The machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions comprise instructions, which when performed by the machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

providing a third social networking service to the common user, wherein a profile associated with the common user on the third social networking service includes the first and second information.

17. The machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the first and second information includes a portion of the common user'"'"'s social graphs on the first and second social networking services, respectively.

18. The machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the first and second information includes one or more communications made by the common user to a plurality of other users on the first and second social networking services, respectively.

19. The machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the first and second information includes at least a portion of the common user'"'"'s profile on the first and second social networking services, respectively.

20. The machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the first social networking application is a binary executable providing a game.

21. The machine-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the second social networking application is a binary executable providing a game.