Cross platform social networking authentication system

• US 9,003,505 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2011
• Issued: 04/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Zynga Incorporated
• Inventors: Brown, Nathan, Sommer, Henry Joseph, Haugsnes, Andreas Selp
• Primary Examiner(s): Pwu, Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Salehi, Helai
• Application Number:
  US13/244,894
• Publication Number:
  US 20120227087A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,289 Days
• Field of Search: 726/7, 709/227, 709/229
• US Class Current: 726/7
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications

Abstract

Disclosed in one example is a method of authenticating with multiple social network services. The method may include storing first authentication information associated with a user for a first social networking service using at least one computer processor, receiving second authentication information associated with the user for a second social networking service from a social networking application, and sending to the social networking application the first authentication information. The first authentication information may enable the social networking application to utilize a protected application programming interface call for the first social networking service and the second authentication information may enable the social networking application to utilize a protected application programming interface call for the second social networking service.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

at an application server;

receiving from a social networking application first authentication information associated with a user and a social networking service, the social networking application provided to the user by the application server in response to a selection of the user made on the social networking service, the first authentication information indicating that the user is authenticated with the social networking service, the authentication information is configured to be used in a protected application programming interface call to the social networking service;

associating the first authentication information with a user account, using one or more processors configured to perform the associating, based upon determining that at least one common connection is included in both a social graph of the user retrieved from the social networking service, and in a previously retrieved social graph linked to the user account, the previously retrieved social graph retrieved from a second social networking service that is distinct from the social networking service, the user account including second authentication information that is different from the first authentication information and is associated with the user and with the second social networking service, the second authentication information indicating that the user is authenticated on the second social networking service, the second authentication information is configured to be used in a protected application programming interface call to the second social networking service;

storing the authentication information as part of the user account; and

sending both the first authentication information and the second authentication information to a second social networking application in response to a request from the second social networking application, the second social networking application provided to the user by the application server in response to a selection of the user made on the second social networking service.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein associating the first authentication information with a user account is also based upon determining that a name of the user from the social networking service matches a previously retrieved name from the second social networking service linked to the user account.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein associating the first authentication information with a user account is also based upon determining that a phone number of the user from the social networking service matches a previously retrieved phone number from the second social networking service linked to the user account.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising:

receiving an input of the user; and

wherein associating the first authentication information with a user account is also based upon the input of the user.

5. A system comprising:

an application server comprising one or more processors configured to include;

a server authentication module configured to;

receive from a social networking application first authentication information associated with a user and a social networking service, the social networking application provided to the user by the application server in response to a selection of the user made on the social networking service, the first authentication information indicating that the user is authenticated with the social networking service, the authentication information configured to be used in a protected application programming interface call to the social networking service;

associate the first authentication information with a user account based upon a determination that at least one common connection is included in both a social graph of the user retrieved from the social networking service, and in a previously retrieved social graph linked to the user account, the previously retrieved social graph retrieved from a second social networking service that is distinct from the social networking service, the user account including a second authentication information that is different from the first authentication information and is associated with the user and with the second social networking service, the second authentication information indicating that the user is authenticated on the second social networking service, the second authentication information is configured to be used in a protected application programming interface call to the second social networking service;

store the authentication information as part of the user account; and

send both the first authentication information and the second authentication information to a second social networking application, the second social networking application sent by the application server in response to a selection made on the second social networking service, in response to a request.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the server authentication module is configured to associate the first authentication information with a user account also based upon a determination that a name of the user from the social networking service matches a previously retrieved name from the second social networking service linked to the user account.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the server authentication module is configured to associate the first authentication information with a user account also based upon a determination that a phone number of the user from the social networking service matches a previously retrieved phone number from the second social networking service linked to the user account.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the server authentication module is configured to associate the first authentication information with a user account also based upon an input of the user.

9. A non-transitory machine-readable medium that stores instructions which when performed by a machine, causes the machine to perform operations comprising:

at an application server;

receiving from a social networking application first authentication information associated with a user and a social networking service, the social networking application provided to the user by the application server in response to a selection of the user made on the social networking service, the first authentication information indicating that the user is authenticated with the social networking service, the authentication information is configured to be used in a protected application programming interface call to the social networking service;

associating the first authentication information with a user account, using one or more processors configured to perform the associating, based upon determining that at least one common connection is included in both a social graph of the user retrieved from the social networking service, and in a previously retrieved social graph linked to the user account, the previously retrieved social graph retrieved from a second social networking service that is distinct from the social networking service, the user account including second authentication information that is different from the first authentication information and is associated with the user and with the second social networking service, the second authentication information indicating that the user is authenticated on the second social networking service, the second authentication information is configured to be used in a protected application programming interface call to the second social networking service;

storing the authentication information as part of the user account; and

sending both the first authentication information and the second authentication information to a second social networking application in response to a request from the second social networking application, the second social networking application provided to the user by the application server in response to a selection of the user made on the second social networking service.

10. The machine-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the operations of associating comprise associating the first authentication information with a user account also based upon determining that a name of the user from the social networking service matches a previously retrieved name from the second social networking service linked to the user account.

11. The machine-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the operations of associating comprise associating the first authentication information with a user account also based upon determining that a phone number of the user from the social networking service matches a previously retrieved phone number from the second social networking service linked to the user account.

12. The machine-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the operations of associating comprise associating the first authentication information with a user account also based upon a user input of the user.