Social mode for managing communications between a mobile device and a social networking system

• US 9,912,772 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2014
• Issued: 03/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Graham, Mary, Tseng, Erick, Palihapitiya, Chamath M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Salad, Abdullahi E
• Application Number:
  US14/506,604
• Publication Number:
  US 20150026234A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,249 Days
• 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 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• 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 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

The automatic transmission of communications between a mobile device and a social networking system is regulated based on the communication mode of the mobile device. A communication for transmission between the mobile device and the social networking system is detected. A communication switch setting, such as a switch position, is determined for the mobile device. A communication mode for the mobile device is determined based on the communication switch setting. For example, if the switch is in a first position, the mobile device is determined to be in a social mode. Likewise, if the switch is in a second position, the mobile device is determined to be a manual mode. If the mobile device is in the social mode, the communication is automatically transmitted. If the mobile device is in the manual mode, the communication is transmitted only in response to authorization from the user of the mobile device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting a location by a mobile device associated with a user account maintained by a social networking system, the detected location comprising a set of geographic coordinates obtained by the mobile device;

determining a presence of the mobile device within fixed geographic ranges corresponding to a plurality of location entities by cross-referencing the geographic coordinates obtained by the mobile device with the fixed geographic ranges;

receiving a selection of one of the plurality of location entities;

generating a communication for transmission from the mobile device to the social networking system, the communication containing information about the selected location entity;

sensing a mobile device communication switch position;

determining the communication mode of the mobile device based on the communication switch position of the mobile device, wherein the mobile device is in a social communication mode if the communication switch is in a first position and wherein the mobile device is in a manual communication mode if the communication switch is in a second position;

responsive to a determination that the mobile device is in the social communication mode;

transmitting the generated communication from the mobile device to the social networking system without receiving additional authorization from a user of the mobile device; and

responsive to a determination that the mobile device is in the manual communication mode;

receiving an authorization for the transmission of the generated communication from the user of the mobile device, and

transmitting the generated communication from the mobile device to the social networking system based on the received authorization,

wherein the social networking system is configured to store the detected communication received from the mobile device in connection with the user account.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting an action performed by the user of the mobile device;

wherein the generated communication further contains information about the detected action.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the performed action comprises a capturing of an image by the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the generated communication comprises one of:

an email message, a text message, an SMS message, or an instant message.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the generated communication comprises a phone call.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the generated communication comprises one of:

a wall post, a comment, an endorsement, a recommendation, a shared content item, or a tag.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the generated communication comprises a notification of a social networking system activity related to or involving the user of the mobile device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the generated communication comprises a check-in at the selected location entity.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the information about the selected location entity comprises the location of one or more social networking system users associated with the user of the mobile device in proximity with the user of the mobile device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the information about the selected location entity comprises advertisements for businesses in proximity with the user of the mobile device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the generated communication further comprises information related to an application on the mobile device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the generated communication comprises one or more images captured by the mobile device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the generated communication comprises one or more videos recorded by the mobile device.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication switch of the mobile device can be in one of three or more positions.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication switch of the mobile device is a hardware switch protruding from the mobile device.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is in an intermediate communication mode if the communication switch is in a third position, and further comprising:

generating a second communication for transmission between the mobile device and a social networking system; and

responsive to a determination that the mobile device is in the intermediate communication mode;

transmitting the generated communication between the mobile device and the social networking system,

receiving an authorization for the transmission of the generated second communication from a user of the mobile device, and

transmitting the generated second communication between the mobile device and the social networking system based on the received authorization.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitted communication is displayed on a user profile of the user of the mobile device.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication mode of the mobile device of the user is displayed to other social networking system users within the context of the social networking system.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitted communication is displayed on a user profile of the user of the mobile device.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an input from the user to configure the transmission of communications between a mobile device and a social networking system based on the communication mode of the mobile device.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein configuring the transmission of communications comprises preventing the transmission of the generated communication when the mobile device is in the social mode.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein configuring the transmission of communications comprises allowing the transmission of the generated communication without receiving authorization for the transmission when the mobile device is in the manual mode.

23. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an input from the user to configure the transmission of communications between a mobile device and a social networking system based on communication type.

24. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an input from the user to configure the transmission of communications between a mobile device and a social networking system based on the identity of social networking system users associated with each communication.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving an authorization comprises receiving a selection of an authorization option within an interface of the mobile device from the user of the mobile device.

26. A method for regulating the transmission of communications with a mobile device, the method comprising:

detecting a location by the mobile device associated with a user account maintained by a social networking system, the detected location comprising a set of geographic coordinates obtained by the mobile device;

determining a presence of the mobile device within fixed geographic ranges corresponding to a plurality of location entities by cross-referencing the geographic coordinates obtained by the mobile device with the fixed geographic ranges;

receiving a selection of one of the plurality of location entities;

generating a communication for transmission from the mobile device to the social networking system, the communication containing information about the selected location entity;

determining a communication mode of the mobile device based on a communication switch setting;

a step for determining whether to automatically transmit the generated communication based on the determined communication mode of the mobile device; and

responsive to a determination to automatically transmit the generated communication;

transmitting the generated communication from the mobile device to the social networking system without receiving additional authorization from a user of the mobile device.

27. A system, comprising:

a processor;

a non-transitory memory including instructions, which when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform steps including;

detecting a location by a mobile device associated with a user account maintained by a social networking system, the detected location comprising a set of geographic coordinates obtained by the mobile device;

determining a presence of the mobile device within fixed geographic ranges corresponding to a plurality of location entities by cross-referencing the geographic coordinates obtained by the mobile device with the fixed geographic ranges;

receiving a selection of one of the plurality of location entities;

generating a communication for transmission from the mobile device to the social networking system, the communication containing information about the selected location entity;

sensing a mobile device communication switch position;

determining the communication mode of the mobile device based on the communication switch position of the mobile device, wherein the mobile device is in a social communication mode if the communication switch is in a first position and wherein the mobile device is in a manual communication mode if the communication switch is in a second position;

responsive to a determination that the mobile device is in the social communication mode;

transmitting the generated communication from the mobile device to the social networking system without receiving additional authorization from a user of the mobile device; and

responsive to a determination that the mobile device is in the manual communication mode;

receiving an authorization for the transmission of the generated communication from the user of the mobile device, and

transmitting the generated communication from the mobile device to the social networking system based on the received authorization,

wherein the social networking system is configured to store the detected communication received from the mobile device in connection with the user account.

28. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions encoded thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

detect a location by a mobile device associated with a user account maintained by a social networking system, the detected location comprising a set of geographic coordinates obtained by the mobile device;

determining a presence of the mobile device within fixed geographic ranges corresponding to a plurality of location entities by cross-referencing the geographic coordinates obtained by the mobile device with the fixed geographic ranges;

receiving a selection of one of the plurality of location entities;

generate a communication for transmission from the mobile device to the social networking system, the communication containing information about the selected location entity;

sense a mobile device communication switch position;

determine the communication mode of the mobile device based on the communication switch position of the mobile device, wherein the mobile device is in a social communication mode if the communication switch is in a first position and wherein the mobile device is in a manual communication mode if the communication switch is in a second position;

responsive to a determination that the mobile device is in the social communication mode;

transmit the generated communication from the mobile device to the social networking system without receiving additional authorization from a user of the mobile device; and

responsive to a determination that the mobile device is in the manual communication mode;

receive an authorization for the transmission of the generated communication from the user of the mobile device, and

transmit the generated communication from the mobile device to the social networking system based on the received authorization,

wherein the social networking system is configured to store the detected communication received from the mobile device in connection with the user account.