Generating user notifications using beacons on online social networks

• US 9,729,667 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2014
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kalinowski, Caitlin E., LeBeau, Michael James, Barillari, Joseph David, Shimoni, Amir, Murillo, Arlene Gabriana, Niewczas, Mateusz Marek, Modi, Manish, Lessin, Samuel Wharton
• Primary Examiner(s): WON, MICHAEL YOUNG
• Application Number:
  US14/565,371
• Publication Number:
  US 20160165002A1
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• Field of Search: 709203, 709223, 709224, 709217
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/141 Setup of application sessions admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications
• 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

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, from a beacon associated with a third-party content provider (e.g., a business), session information of the first user of an online social network. The first user'"'"'s mobile device may be proximate to and in a wireless communication session with the beacon, which may be located at the third-party content provider. One or more second users, who are each connected to the first user in a social graph, may be selected. A communication session is not active between the beacon and the mobile devices of the second users. The selection may be based on selected second users being located within a predefined distance of the beacon (e.g., in the same neighborhood). A notification referencing selected second users (e.g., a prompt to invite the selected second users to the beacon location) may be sent to the first user'"'"'s mobile device.

Claims

1. A method comprising, by one or more computing devices of an online social network:

accessing a social graph comprising a plurality of nodes and a plurality of edges connecting the nodes, each of the edges between two of the nodes representing a single degree of separation between them, the nodes comprising;

a first node corresponding to a first user of the online social network, and

a plurality of second nodes respectively corresponding to a plurality of second users associated with the online social network, each second node being connected to the first node in the social graph by a threshold degree of separation;

receiving, from a beacon associated with a third-party content provider, session information associated with the first user, wherein;

the beacon is further associated with;

the online social network; and

a particular geographic location within a place associated with the third-party content provider, and

the session information indicates that a first client system of the first user is within wireless range of and proximate to the beacon, a wireless communication session being active between the beacon and the first client system, wherein the wireless communication session allows the third-party content provider to request social-networking information about the first user from the online social network;

selecting one or more of the second users, wherein the selecting is based on a second geographic location of a second client system associated with the second user, the second geographic location being within a threshold distance of the particular geographic location of the beacon, and wherein a wireless communication session is not active between the beacon and each of second client systems associated with the selected second users; and

sending, to the first client system of the first user, a notification referencing one or more of the selected second users.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold degree of separation is one, two, three, or all.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from the first client system, a request to invite at least one of the selected second users referenced in the notification to the place associated with the third-party content provider; and

sending, in response to the request, a message to the second client system of the at least one selected second user.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

sending, to the first client system, updated geographic location information for the at least one selected second user when a wireless communication system is established between the second client system of the at least one second user and the beacon.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the message comprises:

an invitation to join the first user at the place associated with the third-party content provider; and

a prompt to respond to the invitation.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the message further comprises geographic location information of the place associated with the third-party content provider.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the message further comprises an identifier of at least one third user of an online social network, the at least one third user being associated with a respective third client system, wherein a wireless communication session is active between the beacon and the third client system.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, from the beacon, session information associated with at least one second user.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the selecting of one or more second users is further based on the received session information associated with the at least one second user.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the session information associated with the at least one second user comprises a history of one or more prior wireless communication sessions established between the beacon and the second client system of the at least one second user.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting of one or more second users is further based on user preferences of at least one second user.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the user preferences of the at least one second user indicate a preference for a type of good or service, and wherein the third-party content provider comprises the preferred type of good or service.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting of one or more second users is further based on an affinity coefficient of at least one second node with respect to a third node in the social graph, the third node corresponding to the third-party content provider.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the affinity coefficient is based on one or more edges connecting the at least one second node to the third node.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the beacon is capable of wirelessly communicating with a client system via one or more of radio-frequency identification, near-field communication, ultrasonic waves, Bluetooth, or IBEACON.

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

access a social graph comprising a plurality of nodes and a plurality of edges connecting the nodes, each of the edges between two of the nodes representing a single degree of separation between them, the nodes comprising;

a first node corresponding to a first user of the online social network, and

a plurality of second nodes respectively corresponding to a plurality of second users associated with the online social network, each second node being connected to the first node in the social graph by a threshold degree of separation;

receive, from a beacon associated with a third-party content provider, session information associated with the first user, wherein;

the beacon is associated with;

the online social network; and

a particular geographic location within a place associated with the third-party content provider, and

the session information indicates that a first client system of the first user is within wireless range of and proximate to the beacon, a wireless communication session being active between the beacon and the first client system, wherein the wireless communication session allows the third-party content provider to request social-networking information about the first user from the online social network;

select one or more of the second users, wherein the selecting is based on a second geographic location of a second client system associated with the second user, the second geographic location being within a threshold distance of the particular geographic location of the beacon, and wherein a wireless communication session is not active between the beacon and each of second client systems associated with the selected second users; and

send, to the first client system of the first user, a notification referencing one or more of the selected second users.

16. The media of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving, from the first client system, a request to invite at least one of the selected second users referenced in the notification to the place associated with the third-party content provider; and

sending, in response to the request, a message to the second client system of the at least one selected second user.

17. The media of claim 16, further comprising:

sending, to the first client system, updated geographic location information for the at least one selected second user when a wireless communication system is established between the second client system of the at least one second user and the beacon.

18. 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;

access a social graph comprising a plurality of nodes and a plurality of edges connecting the nodes, each of the edges between two of the nodes representing a single degree of separation between them, the nodes comprising;

a first node corresponding to a first user of the online social network, and

a plurality of second nodes respectively corresponding to a plurality of second users associated with the online social network, each second node being connected to the first node in the social graph by a threshold degree of separation;

receive, from a beacon associated with a third-party content provider, session information associated with the first user, wherein;

the beacon is;

associated with the online social network; and

associated with a particular geographic location within a place associated with the third-party content provider, and

the session information indicates that a first client system of the first user is within wireless range of and proximate to the beacon, a wireless communication session being active between the beacon and the first client system, wherein the wireless communication session allows the third-party content provider to request social-networking information about the first user from the online social network;

select one or more of the second users, wherein the selecting is based on a second geographic location of a second client system associated with the second user, the second geographic location being within a threshold distance of the particular geographic location of the beacon, and wherein a wireless communication session is not active between the beacon and each of second client systems associated with the selected second users; and

send, to the first client system of the first user, a notification referencing one or more of the selected second users.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving, from the first client system, a request to invite at least one of the selected second users referenced in the notification to the place associated with the third-party content provider; and

sending, in response to the request, a message to the second client system of the at least one selected second user.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

sending, to the first client system, updated geographic location information for the at least one selected second user when a wireless communication system is established between the second client system of the at least one second user and the beacon.