Enabling participation in an online community using visual machine-readable symbols

• US 9,519,405 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2015
• Issued: 12/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: George, John-Alistair, Connelly, Adam
• Primary Examiner(s): BAUTISTA, XIOMARA L
• Application Number:
  US14/973,619
• Publication Number:
  US 20160103571A1
• Time in Patent Office: 362 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/169 Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06028 using bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services
• 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

Abstract

A facility for coordinating an online discussion is described. The facility receives an indication that a user has captured a machine-readable symbol encoding an identifier that identifies a particular online discussion. In response, the facility incorporates into an online forum that hosts this online discussion an indication that this user captured a symbol encoding an identifier that identifies this online discussion.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

configuring a user interface for presenting information describing one or more online interactions;

receiving a selection of an online interaction;

generating a machine-readable symbol for capture by client devices;

associating the machine-readable symbol with the online interaction, wherein a client device capturing the machine-readable symbol performs an action associated with the online interaction; and

storing the machine-readable symbol.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the selected online interaction is an interaction between users of an online community.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the selected online interaction is a group discussion.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the machine-readable symbol is a two dimensional bar code.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

maintaining information describing users associated with client devices that have captured the machine-readable symbol.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

sending a capture program for installation on a client device, the capture program configured to perform the action associated with the online interaction in response to the client device capturing the machine-readable symbol.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the machine-readable symbol encodes a telephone number, wherein the capture program causes the client device to call the encoded telephone number.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the machine-readable symbol encodes an email address, wherein the capture program causes the client device to send an email message to the encoded email address.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the machine-readable symbol encodes data, wherein the capture program causes the encoded data to be decoded for presentation via the client device.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the online interaction is associated with a website maintaining user profiles, wherein the client device is associated with a user profile maintained by the website, and wherein the machine- readable symbol encodes data, wherein the capture program is configured to:

decode the encoded data; and

send a request to the website to associate the decoded data with the user.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions for:

configuring a user interface for presenting information describing one or more online interactions;

receiving a selection of an online interaction;

generating a machine-readable symbol for capture by client devices;

associating the machine-readable symbol with the online interaction, wherein a client device capturing the machine-readable symbol performs an action associated with the online interaction; and

storing the machine-readable symbol.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the selected online interaction is an interaction between users of an online community.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the selected online interaction is a group discussion.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the machine-readable symbol is a two dimensional bar code.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, further storing instructions for:

maintaining information describing users associated with client devices that have captured the machine-readable symbol.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, further storing instructions for:

sending a capture program for installation on a client device, the capture program configured to perform the action associated with the online interaction in response to the client device capturing the machine-readable symbol.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the machine-readable symbol encodes a telephone number, wherein the capture program causes the client device to call the encoded telephone number.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the machine-readable symbol encodes an email address, wherein the capture program causes the client device to send an email message to the encoded email address.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the machine-readable symbol encodes data, wherein the capture program causes the encoded data to be decoded for presentation via the client device.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the online interaction is associated with a website maintaining user profiles, wherein the client device is associated with a user profile maintained by the website, and wherein the machine-readable symbol encodes data, wherein the capture program is configured to:

decode the encoded data; and

send a request to the website to associate the decoded data with the user.