Computer-implemented method for posting messages about future events to users of a social network, computer system and computer-readable medium thereof

• US 9,191,355 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2012
• Issued: 11/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CryTek GmbH
• Original Assignee: CryTek GmbH
• Inventors: Yerli, Cevat
• Primary Examiner(s): Gillis, Brian J
• Assistant Examiner(s): GRIJALVA LOBOS, BORIS D
• Application Number:
  US13/612,773
• Publication Number:
  US 20130212192A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,161 Days
• Field of Search: 707/769, 707/E17.108, 715/753, 709204-206, 709/250
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/14 Handling requests for interconnection or transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/0266 for time management, e.g. calendars, diaries
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 7/00 Arrangements for synchronising receiver with transmitter synchronisation of generators of electric oscillations or pulses H03L7/00

Abstract

The present disclosure relates in general to social networks run in a computer environment and in particular to methods and systems for posting messages about future events to users of a social network who are registered users of the social network, preferably in accordance with selectable, pre-selectable or adjustable settings for individual users. The method and system allows a user to post a message about a future plan or event that is taking place at a specified time rather than the time that the message is sent. The approach according to the present disclosure is directed to a unique way of social networking via an ordered list of events, such as a timeline or calendar, that shows when future plans will take place, and to a ‘matchmaking’ service between people organizing or taking part in such an event and other users who may also be interested in that event.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for posting messages about future events to users of a social network, comprising:

maintaining in a computer system, for each user of the social network, data on individual preferences and/or interests of a user;

obtaining input data including data on an event taking place in the future;

attributing a time-tag indicating a date of the future event to the future event corresponding to the input data, including obtaining, by the computer system, time information based on at least one other information source if the input data does not include a time-tag, and using the time information as the time-tag;

attributing at least one keyword to the future event, wherein the keyword indicates preferences and/or interests of users that might be interested in receiving information about the future event, wherein the at least one keyword is input by a first user inputting the input data and is automatically attributed for said event based on said input data and a contextual search relating to said input data;

generating a message to users of the social network, including at least the data on the future event and the time-tag;

determining, based on the data on individual preferences and/or interests maintained in the computer system and on the at least one keyword, one or more target users having individual preferences and/or interests matching the at least one keyword;

sending the message to the one or more target users via the social network; and

automatically entering the future event in a list of events of each of the target users based on the message, wherein the events in the list of events are sorted in their chronological order based on respective time-tags such that posted messages about said future events can be seen to take place at a specific time rather than a time that said message was sent.

2. The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising weighting the at least one keyword with a keyword significance value, wherein the target users are determined based on the at least one keyword and in accordance with the respective keyword significance value of the at least one keyword.

3. The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the time-tag comprises information on the start of the future event and the time duration and/or end of the future event.

4. The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

at least one target user interacts with the message and/or with the future event entered into the list of events of the at least one target user, and

a result of the interaction of the at least one target user with the message and/or the future event in the list of events is detected by other target users receiving the message via the social network and/or by a social network engine running the social network.

5. The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the interaction comprises at least one of:

creating a secondary message in response to the message, clicking on a link to a website, responding to a request for further data input, and/or taking an action prompted in the message.

6. The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 1, wherein entering the future event in the list of events of each of the target users based on the message comprises:

determining a graphical representation of the future event in accordance with the individual preferences and/or interests of a respective target user; and

displaying the future event in accordance with the determined graphical representation.

7. The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the graphical representation is further determined in accordance with a keyword significance value used for weighting at least one keyword attributed to the input data.

8. The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 6, wherein:

the computer system further maintains a plurality of relationships among members of the social network, each relationship comprising a connection between at least two members of the social network and being associated with a relationship significance; and

the graphical representation of the future event in the list of events of a first target user is further determined in accordance with the relationship significance of at least one second target user of the social network connected to the first target user.

9. The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 6, wherein:

the computer system further maintains a community significance, which is attributed to all members of a community of the social network and represents a global significance of events; and

the graphical representation of the future event in the list of events of a first target user is further determined in accordance with the community significance.

10. The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 9, wherein:

the community significance is dynamically adjusted; and

a difference between the present graphical representation of a selected event and a previous graphical representation of the selected event is displayed in the list of events.

11. The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the list of events of a respective target user is an individual timeline, and wherein the graphical representation of each event displayed in the timeline is dependent on the individual preferences and/or interests of the respective target user.

12. The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 11, wherein a scale of the timeline, or of at least one subsection of the timeline, is varied in accordance with a user command.

13. The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the graphical representation of each event in the timeline consists of a two-dimensional or three-dimensional geometrical object and visual information about said event.

14. The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the graphical representation is configured to establish a connection to a website or resource containing information.

15. The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the step of obtaining input data comprises at least one of:

monitoring and analyzing a user'"'"'s interaction with an electronic device;

receiving and analyzing data provided by an external database, external service provider, or a data feed from a source external to the social network; and

monitoring and analyzing the user interaction of at least one other user of the social network.

16. The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the step of monitoring and analyzing the user interaction of at least one other user of the social network comprises:

monitoring and analyzing the user interaction of at least one member of the social network who is connected to the user via the settings of the user'"'"'s profile or of a friend'"'"'s profile.

17. The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the step of monitoring and analyzing the user interaction of at least one other user of the social network comprises:

monitoring and analyzing the user interactions of all members of the social network or of all members of the social network having identical or similar preferences and/or interests; and

displaying at least one selected event in the individual timeline of the user, wherein said displaying includes;

displaying a candidate event;

prompting or waiting for an interaction of the user with the candidate event confirming that the candidate event shall be displayed differently; and

displaying the candidate event differently to thereby enter the event in the individual timeline of the user.

18. The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

prompting a target user to perform a search for an event matching at least one search criterion among the events displayed in the list of events of the target user;

performing the search for the event matching the at least one search criterion among the events entered in the list of events of the target user in accordance with a response of the target user to the step of prompting; and

selecting one or more events in the list of events of the target user matching the at least one search criterion of the response by the target user.

19. The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the step of prompting the target user to perform a search for an event matching at least one search criterion comprises at least one of:

prompting the target user to enter the at least one search criterion;

or

prompting the target user to enable an access to at least one search criterion pre-defined by the target user and stored in the computer system.

20. A computer system configured to operate a social network comprising a plurality of members, wherein the computer system is configured to perform a method for posting messages about future events to users of the social network by:

maintaining in the computer system, for each user of the social network, data on individual preferences and/or interests of a user;

obtaining input data including data on an event taking place in the future;

attributing a time-tag indicating a date of the future event to the future event corresponding to the input data, including obtaining, by the computer system, time information based on at least one other information source if the input data does not include a time-tag, and using the time information as the time-tag;

attributing at least one keyword to the future event, wherein the keyword indicates preferences and/or interests of users that might be interested in receiving information about the future event, wherein the at least one keyword is input by a first user inputting the input data and is automatically attributed for said event based on said input data and a contextual search relating to said input data;

generating a message to users of the social network, including at least the data on the future event and the time-tag;

determining, based on the data on individual preferences and/or interests maintained in the computer system and on the at least one keyword, one or more target users having individual preferences and/or interests matching to the at least one keyword;

sending the message to the target users via the social network; and

automatically entering the future event in a list of events of each of the target users based on the message, wherein the events in the list of events are sorted in their chronological order based on respective time-tags such that posted messages about said future events can be seen to take place at a specific time rather than a time that said message was sent.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon executable instructions, wherein the instructions, in response to execution by a processor, cause the processor to:

maintain in a computer system, for each user of the social network, data on individual preferences and/or interests of a user;

obtain input data including data on an event taking place in the future;

attribute a time-tag indicating a date of the future event to the future event corresponding to the input data, including obtaining, by the computer system, time information based on at least one other information source if the input data does not include a time-tag, and using the time information as the time-tag;

attribute at least one keyword to the future event, wherein the keyword indicates preferences and/or interests of users that might be interested in receiving information about the future event, wherein the at least one keyword is input by a first user inputting the input data and is automatically attributed for said event based on said input data and a contextual search relating to said input data;

generate a message to users of the social network, including at least the data on the future event and the time-tag;

determine, based on the data on individual preferences and/or interests maintained in the computer system and on the at least one keyword, one or more target users having individual preferences and/or interests matching the at least one keyword;

send the message to the target users via the social network; and

automatically enter the future event in a list of events of each of the target users based on the message, wherein the events in the list of events are sorted in their chronological order based on respective time-tags such that posted messages about said future events can be seen to take place at a specific time rather than a time that said message was sent.