Automated location check-in for geo-social networking system

• US 9,083,747 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2011
• Issued: 07/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Braginsky, David Edward, Papakipos, Matthew Nicholas, Popov, Lev
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THU NGUYET T
• Application Number:
  US13/042,357
• Publication Number:
  US 20120233158A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,590 Days
• Field of Search: 707722-724, 707/E17.018, 707/609, 707705-706, 707/751, 707918-921
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal

Abstract

In one embodiment, a geo-social networking system determines a user'"'"'s current location, generate a list of places near the user'"'"'s current location, rank the list of places based on distance, relevancy and a configurable rule set, and automatically checks in the user at the top ranked place.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

by one or more computing devices, determining a current location of a first user of a social-networking system;

by one or more computing devices, accessing one or more data stores of places associated with the current location of the first user;

by one or more computing devices, selecting a place from the data stores of places based at least in part on the current location and check-in activity of at least one second user of the social-networking system, wherein the at least one second user is associated with the current location;

by one or more computing devices, determining whether to automatically check in the first user at the selected place based at least in part on an indication that the first user has checked in to the selected place a threshold number of times; and

by one or more computing devices, when it is determined by the social-networking system that the first user has checked in to the selected place the threshold number of times,

automatically checking in the first user at the selected place, wherein automatically checking in the user at the selected place comprises automatically notifying at least one second user that the first user is currently at the selected place, and

automatically configuring the selected place for future automatic check-ins for the first user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting a place from the data stores of places based at least in part on the current location comprises:

generating a list of places near the first user'"'"'s current location;

ranking a plurality of places from the list of places based on distance, relevancy and a configurable rule set; and

selecting one of the ranked places,

wherein places that are configured for future automatic check-ins are ranked at the top of the list of places.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein selecting one of the ranked places comprises selecting the top ranked place.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising creating an automatic check in configuration for at least one of the ranked places.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

by one or more computing devices, presenting the selected place to the first user;

by one or more computing devices, receiving input from the first user; and

by one or more computing devices, configuring the selected place for future automatic check in based on the first user'"'"'s input.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether to check in the first user at the selected place comprises determining whether the first user has set automatic check-ins to private.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether to check in the first user at the selected place comprises:

determining a number of times the first user has previously checked in at the selected place; and

when the number of times is greater than a pre-determined number, determining that the first user is to be checked in at the selected place.

8. 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 executed to;

determine a current location of a first user of a social-networking system;

access one or more data stores of places associated with the current location of the first user;

select a place from the data stores of places based at least in part on the current location and check-in activity of at least one second user of the social-networking system, wherein the at least one second user is associated with the current location;

determine whether to automatically check in the first user at the selected place based at least in part on an indication that the first user has checked in to the selected place a threshold number of times; and

when it is determined by the social-networking system that the first user has checked in to the selected place the threshold number of times,

automatically check in the first user at the selected place, wherein automatically checking in the user at the selected place comprises automatically notifying at least one second user that the first user is currently at the selected place, and

automatically configure the selected place for future automatic check-ins for the first user.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein processors operable when executed to select a place from the data stores of places based at least in part on the current location comprise processors operable when executed to:

generate a list of places near the first user'"'"'s current location;

rank a plurality of places from the list of places based on distance, relevancy and a configurable rule set; and

select one of the ranked places,

wherein places that are configured for future automatic check-ins are ranked at the top of the list of places.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein processors operable when executed to select one of the ranked places comprise processors operable when executed to select the top ranked place.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the processors are further operable when executing the instructions to create an automatic check in configuration for at least one of the ranked places.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the processors are further operable when executing the instructions to:

present the selected place to the first user;

receive input from the first user; and

configure the selected place for future automatic check in based on the input.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein processors operable when execute to determine whether to check in the first user at the selected place comprise processors operable when executed to determine whether the first user has set automatic check-ins to private.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein processors operable when execute to determine whether to check in the first user at the selected place comprise processors operable when executed to:

determine a number of times the first user has previously checked in at the selected place; and

when the number of times is greater than a pre-determined number, determine that the first user is to be checked in at the selected place.

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

determine a current location of a first user of a social-networking system;

access one or more data stores of places associated with the current location of the first user;

select a place from the data stores of places based at least in part on the current location and check-in activity of at least one second user of the social-networking system, wherein the at least one second user is associated with the current location;

determine whether to automatically check in the first user at the selected place based at least in part on an indication that the first user has checked in to the selected place a threshold number of times; and

when it is determined by the social-networking system that the first user has checked in to the selected place the threshold number of times,

automatically check in the first user at the selected place, wherein automatically checking in the user at the selected place comprises automatically notifying at least one second user that the first user is currently at the selected place, and

automatically configure the selected place for future automatic check-ins for the first user.

16. The media of claim 15, wherein software that is operable when executed to select a place from the data stores of places based at least in part on the current location comprises software that is operable when executed to:

generate a list of places near the first user'"'"'s current location;

rank a plurality of places from the list of places based on distance, relevancy and a configurable rule set; and

select one of the ranked places,

wherein places that are configured for future automatic check-ins are ranked at the top of the list of places.

17. The media of claim 16, wherein software that is operable when executed to select one of the ranked places comprises software that is operable when executed to select the top ranked place.

18. The media of claim 15, wherein the software is further operable when executed to:

present the selected place to the first user;

receive input from the first user; and

configure the selected place for future automatic check in based on the input.

19. The media of claim 15, wherein software that is operable when execute to determine whether to check in the first user at the selected place comprises software that is operable when executed to determine whether the first user has set automatic check-ins to private.

20. The media of claim 15, wherein software that is operable when execute to determine whether to check in the first user at the selected place comprises software that is operable when executed to:

determine a number of times the first user has previously checked in at the selected place; and

when the number of times is greater than a pre-determined number, determine that the first user is to be checked in at the selected place.