639 results about "Social network service" patented technology

Disclosed herein is a method and system for establishing a geosocial network. A client application is provided on a communications device of a user seeking to establish the geosocial network. The user creates a personal profile and a preference profile using the client application. The preference profile refers to characteristics the user seeks in potential members of the geosocial network. The user transfers the personal and preference profiles to the social networking server. The social networking server registers a location and range selected by the user for the geosocial network. The social networking server identifies potential members within the registered location and range by matching the personal profile of each of the potential members with the preference and personal profiles of the user. The social networking server provides communications link between the user and the identified potential members upon mutual confirmation between the user and the identified potential members.

A networked computing system capable of distributing commercial digital media content utilizing existing interpersonal resources of a social network service (SNS). The networked computing system includes a media content provider (MCP), multiple personal computing devices (PCDs), a SNS and a data communications network that facilitates data communications amongst the MCP, the PCDs, and the SNS. A registered user of the SNS at a first PCD is able to access media content emanating from a MCP based on a media content referral from a registered user of the same SNS at a second PCD. The SNS may operate as an agent for the MCP so that the MCP can use the SNS as a viral media content marketing utility.

Certain exemplary embodiments relate to entertainment systems that interact with users so as to provide for social networking and / or other services. In certain exemplary embodiments, an entertainment system is configured to provide jukebox-related and entertainment system mediated services that are accessible from within and from the outside of the location, coordinating social networking services among and between patrons within and outside of the location and also providing for advertisement opportunities. In certain exemplary embodiments, the entertainment system within a location may serve as and / or be connected to a jukebox. The entertainment system within the location may be connected to one or more client devices, one or more displays, one or more bar-top or hand-held gaming devices, etc., in certain exemplary embodiments. The jukebox-related and entertainment system mediated services may provide mechanisms for enhancing patrons' experiences, creating a sense of ownership and / or belongingness to a connected community of entertainment system users.

A system and method are disclosed for providing wireless network access to a user of a remote device at a hotspot. In general, wireless communication is established by the system with the remote device to enable wireless transmission therefrom of social networking credentials associated with a social network profile maintained by a third party social network service provider. Using these credentials, the user is authenticated with the third party social network service provider, and, upon authentication, is provided wireless access to the network.

A method and / or system allows a user of a social networking service to publish a content item tagged with location information for sharing with other users of the social networking service. The user publishing the content item performs operations on the originating device to generate the content item. The originating communication device attaches the location information to the content item, and transmits the content item to a social networking system. The social networking system may provide various location-based services based on the content item tagged with the location information.

A method of providing virtual meeting environments for user controlled avatars. Each avatar is associated with user information from at least one social network (Facebook), and the user's profile picture and sex controls the general appearance of the avatars. The avatar's appearance can also be customized according to their user's social network relationships such as friends, friends of friends, or strangers. Various online virtual events, such as virtual parties, meeting rooms and the like may be created, and other social network users invited to participate by sending their avatars to the meeting environment. There the avatars may move about and interact with one another according to real-world rules, such as the rule that only avatars that are portrayed as physically being closely associated to each other in the virtual world may chat or interact, as well as exchange social network user information. Virtual environment search engines are also provided.

The present disclosure relates to charging accessory device for the aerosol delivery device and related systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for providing interactive services for aerosol delivery devices. For example, a method may include a computing device establishing communication with a charging accessory device for an aerosol delivery device; receiving usage data for the aerosol delivery device provided by the charging accessory device; generating social data based on the usage data; and sending the social data to a social networking service including a community of aerosol delivery device users.

A method and system for customer service and support integrated with social networks includes an Internet available server application where consumers and providers can create their profiles, integrate their profiles with existing social network profiles, and collaborate with each other on resolving consumer issues using a workflow engine supported with a rule engine. Consumers may be organized into consumer groups and into federations of consumer groups. Consumer issues may be voted on thereby raising the significance of an issue and / or building a provider's reputation based in part on resolved issues, issue votes, and by reviews and comments. Consumers manage their profiles. Provider profiles are predominately affected by resolved / unresolved issues or positive / negative reviews. Notifications are handled automatically based on configured workflow and rule engine and utilize internal messaging system, emails, SMS and other available social network services (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, etc.).

A system and method for providing a social networking service to a plurality of devices. A social networking server for facilitating social information exchange among the plurality of devices through a socially aware network. A social profiles manager is coupled to the social networking server that creates and manages individual centric profiles of the plurality of devices. The individual centric profiles of the plurality of devices are social representation of individual devices within the socially aware network. The plurality of devices are identifiable by other participants and the social networking server through their social profiles.

This is directed to a system and method for providing social networking services using a portable electronic device. In some embodiments, a user may identify one or more articles of interest and transmit identifying information for the articles to mobile or other devices of the user's friends. The user's friends can review the identified articles, and provide comments for the user. For example, the user's friends can give a thumbs up / down, a star rating, a comment (e.g., text, audio or video), or any other type of comment. In some embodiments, the user can request the assistance of a salesperson using the social networking application device, for example to request recommended articles based on a particular event or need. In some embodiments, the social networking application can provide information to or from a kiosk.

Disclosed are a method and a system for providing a traffic information-based social network service, which provides traffic information between vehicles or between a vehicle and a user terminal through a social network service, wherein traffic information is shared between vehicles or between a vehicle and the mobile device of a person through a social network service.

A method and system for employing barcodes in a social network is disclosed. The method includes extracting location information from a scanned barcode, transmitting the location information to a social network server, and receiving location information of other users in a social network based on the transmitted location information.

Systems, methods and software are disclosed for capturing and / or importing and processing media items such as digital images or video (202) associated with a sporting event such as a marathon or bicycle race (FIG. 3). The media items are processed, including bib number or facial recognition if necessary (204, 206, 504), to associate them with an individual participant. Other input sources may include spectator uploads (506), external web sites and media sharing (508) or social networking (510) services. The system (500) aggregates, organizes and generates content, and distributes it (580) via various output channels, which may include event web sites (256), personal feeds (250), and other output channels (260, 254, 252, FIG. 4). Preferably, selected content is associated with at least one individual participant in the event, and that content is automatically distributed to channels that are associated with that individual participant.

Personal digital assets are collected, managed, shared and archived on a social network using a client interface for registering a user and performing tasks. User sources are defined and assets are collected and organized chronologically as eternal Time-lines. Permission level rules are associated with each asset and Time-line and a plurality of subjective groups distinguished by their relation to the user are defined. Chosen assets of the Time-line are tagged with assigned keywords recognized by the social network service, thus sharing them with the tagged entity according to the permission level rules. Authorized members are invited to contribute and share assets with the founder of an established Time-line, and data storage is optimized in a way that every tag added to an assets appears on every instance it has on other Time-lines sharing that asset, such that shared assets are saved to the data storage only once.

A method and system for establishing a location based social networking is provided. A client application is provided on a communications device of a user seeking to establish the location based social network. The user creates a personal profile and a preference profile using the client application. The preference profile refers to characteristics the user seeks in potential members of the location based social network. The user transfers the personal and preference profiles to the social networking server which registers a location and range selected by the user. The social networking server identifies potential members within the registered location and range by matching the personal profile of each of the potential members with the preference and personal profiles of the user. The social networking server provides communications link between the user and the identified potential members upon mutual confirmation between the user and the identified potential members.

Social network reward techniques are described. In an implementation, a method implemented by at least one computing device includes obtaining data that describes users' interaction with a social network service and determining influence of one or more said users on other said users via the social network service from the obtained data. A reward is computed based on the determined influence for at least one said user.

HVAC schedules may be programmed for a thermostat using a combination of pre-existing schedules or templates and automated schedule learning. For example, a pre-existing schedule may be initiated on the thermostat and the automated schedule learning may be used to update the pre-existing schedule based on users' interactions with the thermostat. The preexisting HVAC schedules may be stored on a device or received from a social networking service or another online service that includes shared HVAC schedules.

A social networking service defines a community group of cable system viewers as members, who share a common experience or interest based on viewing a common video. Various attributes define how the community group is created and how membership is defined. Members can invoke the service and join an active session thereby allowing them to view and potentially post content that is then displayed in a chat window. A software application downloaded to the set top box creates the chat window on the television screen. Content may comprise text and / or video clips identified by the member. Members can post messages by using their remote control or other device to provide text entry which is processed by the set top box application. Input is received by a social networking server which then distributes the content to the group members.

A system is described in which a user can add one or more automated agents as “friends” in a social network service. In operation, an automated agent observes an information need expressed by the user via the social network service, e.g., in the form of an original message posted to the social network service; determines whether it is appropriate to reply to the information need; uses automated functionality to generate a reply message to the information need (if it is deemed appropriate to reply to the information need); and sends the reply message to a target destination, such as a social network page associated with the user. For example, without limitation, one type of automated agent performs a question-answering function. Another type of automated agent performs a social referral service.

The invention provides system and method wherein the system collects user activity data including call log information from network equipment, handset and other context specific user activity data including time of call and location information to enable various applications to use the information collected and build social network. In accordance with the method of the invention, the user activity data collected is used to form individual social networks. The networks are formed based on clusters identified by mining the data collected. Furthermore, various applications are provided access to the clustered data to assist in individual social networking. The system of the invention comprises of an application server comprising a centralized data center providing social networking services through a plurality of networks, the networks in-turn connecting a plurality of users through their individual network terminal stations to the application server.

Described are computer-based methods and apparatuses, including computer program products, for authenticating user service requests from a social networking site. Data representing a selected message and an originator of the selected message is stored. Data representing a reply to the originator of the selected message is transmitted for posting at the social networking server, the reply including data that causes transmission of a service request to the server when actuated. Data representing the service request and a sender of the service request is received. Data representing a user profile of the sender of the service request is retrieved from the social networking server. One or more attributes of the user profile of the sender are compared against one or more attributes of the stored data representing the originator of the selected message in order to verify the one or more attributes of the user profile.

A display method and apparatus are disclosed. The display method includes selecting a broadcasting channel to display a broadcast program, accessing an outside server to receive a SNS (Social Network Service) message corresponding to at least one of the broadcasting channel and the broadcast program among SNS messages registered with the outside server, and displaying the received SNS message on a picture displaying the broadcast program. The display apparatus includes a receiving unit for selecting a broadcasting channel to receive a broadcast program; a signal processing unit for processing the received broadcast program for display, a communication unit for accessing an outside server for receiving a SNS (Social Network Service) message registered with the outside server; said SNS message corresponding to at least one of the broadcasting channel and the broadcast program among SNS messages registered with the outside server; and a control unit to control the signal processing unit to display the received SNS message on the picture displaying the broadcast program.

Embodiments of the present invention provide users in a social network with a screen saver constructed by media shared by their contacts and groups in a social network. The present invention provides a shared photo album that displays images from a user's own photo collection, and that of their social network automatically. For a user, the social network service queries its database to retrieve a list of photo sources. The sources of images may be online photo sharing services, other computers with photos on their local hard drives, and public peer-to-peer storage services. The images may be displayed to the user and optionally may be accompanied with information, such as the owner of the photo or descriptive phrases or comments about the photo. The social network service may be configured to continuously or periodically request photos to update the screen saver.

The present invention provides systems and methods for tracking obligations incurred between individuals. The method may include receiving a request from a first party, where the request includes an expense incurred by the first party for the benefit of a second party. The method may also include providing a notice of the request to the second party and receiving an acceptance from the second party to assume an obligation associated with the expense. The method may further include associating the obligation with the second party and associating a benefit with the first party. The obligation and / or benefit may be substantially equal in value to the expense. The method may additionally include interfacing with a social network service to provide the social network service with information about the obligation and / or the benefit.

A device to automatically provide differing information levels according to a predetermined social hierarchy includes a memory and a processor. The memory stores social templates corresponding to unique social signatures and being selectable to provide, for each level of the predetermined social hierarchy, a corresponding differing amount of information to each member of the predetermined social hierarchy and / or a social networking service. The processor receives sensor data from a sensor set which detects sensor data related to an environment of a communication device, creates a detected social signature from the received sensor data, determines which of the social signatures of the social templates has the greatest correspondence with the created social signature, retrieves from the memory the determined one social template having the greatest correspondence, and provides only as much information as allowed in the retrieved social template.

A system has a primary server storing search data sets (“staks”) and a linked social network server. Interaction with the server is via a client and a Web site. There is a software agent code executing on the client. The software agent component provides full integration with underlying search engines so that users can continue to search in the normal way, using their favourite search engines, while benefiting from management of search staks, automatic stak selection, and result promotion. The system allows users to manage their staks and providing a range of social networking style services to help users make contact with other like-minded searchers. In addition, it allows users to search for relevant staks. The software agent component provides browser-based access to allow users to manage and share their searchers direct from their browser, as well as providing the benefits of search promotions as they search normally. The Web site provides a wide range of additional features to users and allows them to monitor their own activity and stak activities in more detail, and includes a wide range of social networking style features based around the sharing of search information. The engine provides back-end functionality needed to drive a search service including: the management, storage and indexing of stak information; the generation of search promotions; user management; stak search and recommendations.

An information processing system for providing a social network service to clients on a computer network is augmented with the ability to authenticate users by their ability to recognize digital photograph images of other users of the system with whom the user being authenticated has an affiliation, in which the user being authenticated will be presented with a set of photographs and will be required to correctly supply to the system the names of the individuals represented in those photographs.

Information is obtained from the Internet is combined with processed and rated information from social networking services by a structured and social data aggregator providing highly relevant search results. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a product information crawler, which crawls the Internet in search of web pages relevant to a requested subject or product. The product information crawler conveys captured web pages to a structured data extractor, which extracts product information. A social networking crawler crawls social networking services in search of social network information to the requested subject or product. The processed product information and processed social network information is conveyed to an information aggregator, which merges the information and stores it in a data store that can be queried by a user. A user would then be able conduct a single search about a subject or product, and retrieve highly relevant structured product information enhanced by social networking information.