Distance-dependent or user-dependent data exchange between wireless communication devices

• US 9,055,433 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2013
• Issued: 06/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Maguire, Yael
• Primary Examiner(s): Gee, Jason K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUCKNOR, OLANREWAJU J
• Application Number:
  US13/735,938
• Publication Number:
  US 20140196116A1
• Time in Patent Office: 883 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/43 wireless channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/64 using geofenced areas
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/22 Negotiating communication rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/247 where the output power of a terminal is based on a path parameter sent by another terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/283 Power depending on the position of the mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes sending, by a first wireless device associated with a first user, first data such that the first data are only available to one or more second wireless devices respectively associated with one or more second users and within a first distance from the first wireless device. The method further includes sending, by the first wireless device associated with the first user, second data such that the second data are only available to one or more third wireless devices respectively associated with one or more third users and within a second distance from the first wireless device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

by a first wireless device associated with a first user of a social-networking system, specifying a plurality of types of data;

by the first wireless device, for each type of data, specifying;

one or more users authorized to receive the type of data, wherein;

the authorized users are members of the social-networking system, wherein;

the social-networking system comprises a social graph that comprises a plurality of nodes and a plurality of edges connecting the nodes, each node corresponding to a user or concept associated with the social-networking system; and

each edge that connects two user nodes comprises an attribute corresponding to a relationship between the two user nodes; and

each authorized user is determined based on one or more attributes of one or more edges between the authorized user and the first user; and

a distance from the first wireless device, wherein an authorized user of the one or more authorized users must be located within the distance of the first wireless device in order to receive the type of data; and

by the first wireless device, sending first information of a first data type such that the first information is only available to one or more second wireless devices respectively associated with one or more second users authorized to receive the first data type and located within a first distance of the first wireless device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, at the first wireless device, a user interface that enables the first user to;

specify the plurality of types of data; and

for each type of data, specify the one or more attributes of one or more edges between the first user and the one or more users authorized to receive the type of data.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the user interface further enables the first user to:

for each type of data, specify the distance from the first wireless device that the one or more authorized users must be located within in order to receive the type of data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein

the one or more attributes of the one or more edges between the authorized user and the first user comprise one or more of:

friendship, family relationship, business relationship, employment relationship, fan relationship, follower relationship, visitor relationship, subscriber relationship, superior relationship, subordinate relationship, reciprocal relationship, or non-reciprocal relationship.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending, by the first wireless device associated with the first user, second information of a second data type such that the second information is only available to one or more third wireless devices respectively associated with one or more third users authorized to receive the second data type and located within a second distance of the first wireless device.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

encrypting the first information using a first encoding format such that the first information can only be decrypted by the second wireless devices.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

encrypting the second information using a second encoding format such that the second information can only be decrypted by the third wireless devices.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

sending, by the first wireless device associated with the first user, third information of a third data type such that the third information is only available to one or more fourth wireless devices respectively associated with one or more fourth users authorized to receive the third data type and located within a third distance from the first wireless device.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

encrypting the second information using a first encoding format such that the second information can only be decrypted by the third wireless devices.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

encrypting the third information using a second encoding format such that the third information can only be decrypted by the fourth wireless devices.

11. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

sending the first information at a first power level such that the first information can only be detected by wireless devices within the first distance from the first wireless device; and

sending the second information at a second power level such that the second information can only be detected by wireless devices within the second distance from the first wireless device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the second distance is longer than the first distance; and

the second power level is higher than the first power level.

13. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media embodying software that is operable when executed to:

specify a plurality of types of data;

for each type of data, specify;

one or more users authorized to receive the type of data, wherein;

the authorized users are members of a social-networking system, wherein;

the social-networking system comprises a social graph that comprises a plurality of nodes and a plurality of edges connecting the nodes, each node corresponding to a user or concept associated with the social-networking system; and

each edge that connects two user nodes comprises an attribute corresponding to a relationship between the two user nodes; and

each authorized user is determined based on one or more attributes of one or more edges between the authorized user and the first user; and

a distance from a first wireless device associated with a first user of the social-networking system, wherein an authorized user of the one or more authorized users must be located within the distance of the first wireless device in order to receive the type of data; and

send, by the first wireless device, first information of a first data type such that the first information is only available to one or more second wireless devices respectively associated with one or more second users authorized to receive the first data type and located within a first distance of the first wireless device.

14. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 13, wherein the software is further operable when executed to:

send, by the first wireless device associated with the first user, second information of a second data type such that the second information is only available to one or more third wireless devices respectively associated with one or more third users authorized to receive the second data type and located within a second distance of the first wireless device.

15. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein the software is further operable when executed to:

encrypt the first information using a first encoding format such that the first information can only be decrypted by the second wireless devices.

16. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein the software is further operable when executed to:

encrypt the second information using a second encoding format such that the second information can only be decrypted by the third wireless devices.

17. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein the software is further operable when executed to:

send, by the first wireless device associated with the first user, third information of a third data type such that the third information is only available to one or more fourth wireless devices respectively associated with one or more fourth users authorized to receive the third data type and located within a third distance from the first wireless device.

18. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 17, wherein the software is further operable when executed to:

encrypt the second information using a first encoding format such that the second information can only be decrypted by the third wireless devices.

19. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 18, wherein the software is further operable when executed to:

encrypt the third information using a second encoding format such that the third information can only be decrypted by the fourth wireless devices.

20. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein the software is further operable when executed to:

send the first information at a first power level such that the first information can only be detected by wireless devices within the first distance from the first wireless device; and

send the second information at a second power level such that the second information can only be detected by wireless devices within the second distance from the first wireless device.

21. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 20, wherein:

the second distance is longer than the first distance; and

the second power level is higher than the first power level.

22. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 13, wherein the software is further operable when executed to:

provide, at the first wireless device, a user interface that enables the first user to;

specify the plurality of types of data; and

for each type of data, specify the one or more attributes of one or more edges between the first user and the one or more users authorized to receive the type of data.

23. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 22, wherein the user interface further enables the first user to:

for each type of data, specify the distance from the first wireless device that the one or more authorized users must be located within in order to receive the type of data.

24. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 13, wherein the one or more attributes of the one or more edges between the authorized user and the first user comprise one or more of:

friendship, family relationship, business relationship, employment relationship, fan relationship, follower relationship, visitor relationship, subscriber relationship, superior relationship, subordinate relationship, reciprocal relationship, or non-reciprocal relationship.

25. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory coupled to the processors comprising instructions executable by the processors, the processors being operable when executing the instructions to;

specify a plurality of types of data;

for each type of data, specify;

one or more users authorized to receive the type of data, wherein;

the authorized users are members of a social-networking system, wherein;

the social-networking system comprises a social graph that comprises a plurality of nodes and a plurality of edges connecting the nodes, each node corresponding to a user or concept associated with the social-networking system; and

each edge that connects two user nodes comprises an attribute corresponding to a relationship between the two user nodes; and

each authorized user is determined based on one or more attributes of one or more edges between the authorized user and the first user; and

a distance from a first wireless device associated with a first user of the social-networking system, wherein an authorized user of the one or more authorized users must be located within the distance of the first wireless device in order to receive the type of data; and

send, by the first wireless device, first information of a first data type such that the first information is only available to one or more second wireless devices respectively associated with one or more second users authorized to receive the first data type and located within a first distance of the first wireless device.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the processors are further operable when executing the instructions to:

provide, at the first wireless device, a user interface that enables the first user to;

specify the plurality of types of data; and

for each type of data, specify the one or more attributes of one or more edges between the first user and the one or more users authorized to receive the type of data.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the user interface further enables the first user to:

for each type of data, specify the distance from the first wireless device that the one or more authorized users must be located within in order to receive the type of data.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein the one or more attributes of the one or more edges between the authorized user and the first user comprise one or more of:

friendship, family relationship, business relationship, employment relationship, fan relationship, follower relationship, visitor relationship, subscriber relationship, superior relationship, subordinate relationship, reciprocal relationship, or non-reciprocal relationship.

29. The system of claim 25, wherein the processors are further operable when executing the instructions to:

send, by the first wireless device associated with the first user, second information of a second data type such that the second information is only available to one or more third wireless devices respectively associated with one or more third users authorized to receive the second data type and located within a second distance of the first wireless device.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the processors are further operable when executing the instructions to:

encrypt the first information using a first encoding format such that the first information can only be decrypted by the second wireless devices.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the processors are further operable when executing the instructions to:

encrypt the second information using a second encoding format such that the second information can only be decrypted by the third wireless devices.

32. The system of claim 29, wherein the processors are further operable when executing the instructions to:

send, by the first wireless device associated with the first user, third information of a third data type such that the third information is only available to one or more fourth wireless devices respectively associated with one or more fourth users authorized to receive the third data type and located within a third distance from the first wireless device.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the processors are further operable when executing the instructions to:

encrypt the second information using a first encoding format such that the second information can only be decrypted by the third wireless devices.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the processors are further operable when executing the instructions to:

encrypt the third information using a second encoding format such that the third information can only be decrypted by the fourth wireless devices.

35. The system of claim 29, wherein the processors are further operable when executing the instructions to:

send the first information at a first power level such that the first information can only be detected by wireless devices within the first distance from the first wireless device; and

send the second information at a second power level such that the second information can only be detected by wireless devices within the second distance from the first wireless device.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein:

the second distance is longer than the first distance; and

the second power level is higher than the first power level.