Systems and methods for delivering content to a mobile device based on geo-location

• US 9,009,249 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2012
• Issued: 04/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LinkedIn Corporation (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Redfern, Joff, Sai, Jayant
• Primary Examiner(s): HOANG, HIEU T
• Application Number:
  US13/689,612
• Publication Number:
  US 20140149507A1
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/207
• US Class Current: 709/207
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for supporting real-time applications in data packet communication real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM] H04L51/04; selective video distribution H04N21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

Described herein are a system and method for delivering content to a mobile computing device, where the content is selected for presentation to a member of a social network service based on the current geo-location of the member (device) and one or more associations and/or relationships between entities represented in a social graph of the social network service. A particular embodiment includes providing, by use of a data processor, a user interface to notify a member of a social network service of his or her proximity to another entity that is represented in the social graph of the social network service. In some embodiments, in response to determining that a member is in geographical proximity of a company that has a presence in the social graph of the social network service, a job recommendation/matching engine may cause information to be presented relating to a job listing posted to a job listing service by an authorized representative of the company.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a member identifier of a member of a social network service and information specifying a current geo-location of a mobile computing device of the member of the social network service;

using the current geo-location, analyzing a social graph of the social network service to determine that the mobile computing device is in geographical proximity of an organization that is represented in the social graph of the social network service and that the member associated with the member identifier has a connection or association with the organization, as indicated in the social graph of the social network service, and that a strength of the connection or association meets or exceeds a predefined threshold for an entity type of the organization; and

communicating a notification to the member of the social network service to notify the member of the member'"'"'s geographical proximity with the entity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the mobile computing device is in geographical proximity of the organization that is represented in the social graph of the social network service includes comparing the information specifying the current geo-location of the mobile computing device with geo-location information of the organization stored as part of the profile of the organization.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined threshold is configurable by the member.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined threshold is configurable on a per entity type basis.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the organization is a company and determining that the member associated with the member identifier has a connection or association with the organization and that the strength of the connection or association meets or exceeds a predefined threshold includes determining that the member is following the company or has otherwise subscribed to receive messages published on behalf of the company.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the organization is a company and determining that the member associated with the member identifier has a connection or association with the organization and that the strength of the connection or association meets or exceeds a predefined threshold level includes determining that the member is directly connected with at least a predetermined number of other members of the social network service who, based on information in their member profiles, are currently employed at the company.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the organization is a company and determining that the member associated with the member identifier has a connection or association with the organization and that the strength of the connection or association meets or exceeds a predefined threshold includes determining that at least a predetermined number of other members of the social network service who, based on information in their member profiles, are currently employed at the company are alumni of a school of which the member is also an alumnus.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the organization is a company and determining that the member associated with the member identifier has a connection or association with the organization and that the strength of the connection or association meets or exceeds a predefined threshold includes determining that at least a predetermined number of other members of the social network service who, based on information in their member profiles, are currently employed at the company are members of an online group or community of which the member is also a member.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the organization is a company and determining that the member associated with the member identifier has a connection or association with the organization and that the strength of the connection or association meets or exceeds a predefined threshold includes determining that the member is following or is directly connected to one or more other members of the social network service who, based on information in their member profiles, are currently employed at the company and have a specific job title.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the organization is a company, the method further comprising:

causing profile information of the company to be presented via the mobile computing device, the profile information including any one or more of the following;

a textual summary or overview describing the company;

financial information of the company;

a current stock price of the company;

a campus map of the company; and

, information describing a product or service of the company.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the organization is a company, the method further comprising:

causing social graph information of the member to be presented via the mobile computing device, the social graph information including any one or more of the following;

member profile information of one or more members of the social network service whom, based on their member profile information, are currently or were previously employed at the company and with whom the member is directly connected or with whom the member is following;

member profile information of one or more members of the social network service whom, based on member profile information, are currently employed at the company and are alumni of the same school of which the member is an alumnus; and

, member profile information of one or more members of the social network service whom, based on member profile information, are currently employed at the company and are members of the same online group or community of which the member is also a member.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the organization is a company, the method further comprising:

causing a news article about the company to be presented via the mobile computing device, the news article selected for presentation based on a news recommendation engine identifying that the news article has been shared by a number of members of the social network service that exceeds a threshold, commented on by a number of other members of the social network service that exceeds a threshold, or some combination thereof.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a message or status update that relates to the organization and that has been published to an activity stream by another member of the social network service with whom the member is associated or has a relationship, as indicated in the social graph of the social network service; and

causing the message or status update to be presented via the mobile computing device.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a message or status update that relates to the organization and on which another member with whom the member is associated or has a relationship, as indicated in the social graph of the social network service, has commented; and

causing the message or status update to be presented via the mobile computing device.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a message or status update that relates to the organization and for which another member with whom the member is associated or has a relationship, as indicated in the social graph of the social network service, has selected a member-interest button to express an interest in, or, favorable opinion about; and

causing the message or status update to be presented via the mobile computing device.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

with a job recommendation engine, determining that the member has member profile attributes that satisfy requirements of a job listing posted to a job listing service by an authorized representative of the organization; and

causing the job listing to be presented via the mobile computing device.