Patents by Inventor Michael Steven Vernal

Michael Steven Vernal has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10666694
    Abstract: A social networking system contains information describing information about users of the social networking system and about various connections among the users. When a user of the social networking system accesses an external website, the external website may send the user a web page containing markup language with instructions to retrieve information associated with a user from a social networking system. The client device processes the annotations and sends a request for social information related to the user to a social networking system, subject perhaps to privacy settings in the social networking system. The user's browser uses the information obtained from the social networking system in response to the request to render the markup language document for display on the user's computer system. This process allows the external website to use information from the social networking system to enhance the user's experience on the external website.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Wei Zhu, David Brookes Morin, James M. Leszczenski, Michael Steven Vernal, Joshua E. Elman, Luke Jonathan Shepard
  • Patent number: 10218752
    Abstract: A social networking system contains information describing information about users of the social networking system and about various connections among the users. When a user of the social networking system accesses an external website, the external website may send the user a web page containing markup language with instructions to retrieve information associated with a user from a social networking system. The client device processes the annotations and sends a request for social information related to the user to a social networking system, subject perhaps to privacy settings in the social networking system. The user's browser uses the information obtained from the social networking system in response to the request to render the markup language document for display on the user's computer system. This process allows the external website to use information from the social networking system to enhance the user's experience on the external website.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Wei Zhu, David Brookes Morin, James M. Leszczenski, Michael Steven Vernal, Joshua E. Elman, Luke Jonathan Shepard
  • Patent number: 9930137
    Abstract: A user device requests a web page from a web server of a third-party website, which is separate from a social networking system. The web server from the third-party website sends a markup language document for the requested web page to the user device which includes an instruction for a browser application running on the user device to incorporate information obtained from the social networking system within the web page. Based on the instruction in the received markup language document, the user device requests personalized content from the social networking system, which generates the requested personalized content based on social information about the user. The user device then renders the web page with the personalized content contained in a frame and displays the rendered web page and the frame to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark E. Zuckerberg, Ray C. He, Spencer Ahrens, Yofay Kari Lee, Chaitanya Mishra, Austin Daniel Haugen, Xin Liu, Michael Steven Vernal
  • Publication number: 20180046826
    Abstract: An external system (such as a website) that interacts with users communicates with a social networking system to access information about the users, who may also be users of the social networking system. If a privacy setting is changed in the social networking system, and the change applies to information that has been shared with an external system, the change is enforced at the external system. For example, the external system may be notified that the information is invalid and must be deleted, or the external system may periodically request the information so that changes to the privacy settings are eventually experienced at the external systems. When an external system again needs the information, whether expired naturally or actively invalidated by the social network, the external system sends a new request for the information, which is subject to the (possibly revised) privacy settings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2017
    Publication date: February 15, 2018
    Inventors: Michael Steven Vernal, Wei Zhu, James M. Leszczenski, Joshua E. Elman, David Brookes Morin, Charles Duplain Cheever, Ruchi Sanghvi
  • Patent number: 9832181
    Abstract: A social networking system contains information describing users of the social network and various connections among the users. A user can access multiple external systems that communicate with the social networking system to access information about the users of the social networking system. Login status of the user account on the social networking system is maintained. If the login status of the user account on the social networking system indicates that the user is not logged in, the user is required to provide authentication information. If the login status of the user account indicates that the user is logged in, social network information is provided to the user via an external system, subject to the privacy settings of users of the social networking system. If the user logs out from an external system, the user is also logged out from the social networking system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Steven Vernal, Wei Zhu, James M. Leszczenski, Joshua E. Elman, David Brookes Morin, Charles Duplain Cheever, Ruchi Sanghvi
  • Publication number: 20170257354
    Abstract: A social networking system contains information describing users of the social network and various connections among the users. A user can access multiple external systems that communicate with the social networking system to access information about the users of the social networking system. Login status of the user account on the social networking system is maintained. If the login status of the user account on the social networking system indicates that the user is not logged in, the user is required to provide authentication information. If the login status of the user account indicates that the user is logged in, social network information is provided to the user via an external system, subject to the privacy settings of users of the social networking system. If the user logs out from an external system, the user is also logged out from the social networking system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Inventors: Michael Steven Vernal, Wei Zhu, James M. Leszczenski, Joshua E. Elman, David Brookes Morin, Charles Duplain Cheever, Ruchi Sanghvi
  • Patent number: 9754125
    Abstract: An external system (such as a website) that interacts with users communicates with a social networking system to access information about the users, who may also be users of the social networking system. If a privacy setting is changed in the social networking system, and the change applies to information that has been shared with an external system, the change is enforced at the external system. For example, the external system may be notified that the information is invalid and must be deleted, or the external system may periodically request the information so that changes to the privacy settings are eventually experienced at the external systems. When an external system again needs the information, whether expired naturally or actively invalidated by the social network, the external system sends a new request for the information, which is subject to the (possibly revised) privacy settings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Steven Vernal, Wei Zhu, James M. Leszczenski, Joshua E. Elman, David Brookes Morin, Charles Duplain Cheever, Ruchi Sanghvi
  • Publication number: 20170068744
    Abstract: A social networking system includes a mechanism for incorporating nodes in the social graph, where the nodes are associated with a web page. Each web page includes one or more tags, which contain meta-information for defining the node in the social networking system, such as the type of the node. The social networking system retrieves the tags from the markup language document and stores their information in connection with the node for the web page. The web page may be outside of the social networking system's domain and may be operated by an entity other than the social networking operator; thus, third parties can define, create, and maintain nodes that are then used by the social networking system. Users may then interact with the nodes on websites outside of the social networking system, and these interactions are tracked by and reflected back within the social networking system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Publication date: March 9, 2017
    Inventors: Bret Steven Taylor, Michael Steven Vernal, Gerald Richard Cain, Mark William Kinsey
  • Patent number: 9530166
    Abstract: A social networking system includes a mechanism for incorporating nodes in the social graph, where the nodes are associated with a web page. Each web page includes one or more tags, which contain meta-information for defining the node in the social networking system, such as the type of the node. The social networking system retrieves the tags from the markup language document and stores their information in connection with the node for the web page. The web page may be outside of the social networking system's domain and may be operated by an entity other than the social networking operator; thus, third parties can define, create, and maintain nodes that are then used by the social networking system. Users may then interact with the nodes on websites outside of the social networking system, and these interactions are tracked by and reflected back within the social networking system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Bret Steven Taylor, Michael Steven Vernal, Gerald Richard Cain, Mark William Kinsey
  • Publication number: 20160191491
    Abstract: A social networking system contains information describing users of the social network and various connections among the users. A user can access multiple external systems that communicate with the social networking system to access information about the users of the social networking system. Login status of the user account on the social networking system is maintained. If the login status of the user account on the social networking system indicates that the user is not logged in, the user is required to provide authentication information. If the login status of the user account indicates that the user is logged in, social network information is provided to the user via an external system, subject to the privacy settings of users of the social networking system. If the user logs out from an external system, the user is also logged out from the social networking system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Publication date: June 30, 2016
    Inventors: Michael Steven Vernal, Wei Zhu, James M. Leszczenski, Joshua E. Elman, David Brookes Morin, Charles Duplain Cheever, Ruchi Sanghvi
  • Patent number: 9306927
    Abstract: A social networking system contains information describing users of the social network and various connections among the users. A user can access multiple external systems that communicate with the social networking system to access information about the users of the social networking system. Login status of the user account on the social networking system is maintained. If the login status of the user account on the social networking system indicates that the user is not logged in, the user is required to provide authentication information. If the login status of the user account indicates that the user is logged in, social network information is provided to the user via an external system, subject to the privacy settings of users of the social networking system. If the user logs out from an external system, the user is also logged out from the social networking system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Steven Vernal, Wei Zhu, James M. Leszczenski, Joshua E. Elman, David Brookes Morin, Charles Duplain Cheever, Ruchi Sanghvi
  • Publication number: 20150256644
    Abstract: A user device requests a web page from a web server of a third-party website, which is separate from a social networking system. The web server from the third-party website sends a markup language document for the requested web page to the user device which includes an instruction for a browser application running on the user device to incorporate information obtained from the social networking system within the web page. Based on the instruction in the received markup language document, the user device requests personalized content from the social networking system, which generates the requested personalized content based on social information about the user. The user device then renders the web page with the personalized content contained in a frame and displays the rendered web page and the frame to the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2015
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Inventors: Mark E. Zuckerberg, Ray C. He, Spencer Ahrens, Yofay Kari Lee, Chaitanya Mishra, Austin Daniel Haugen, Xin Liu, Michael Steven Vernal
  • Patent number: 9065798
    Abstract: A user device requests a web page from a web server of a third-party website, which is separate from a social networking system. The web server from the third-party website sends a markup language document for the requested web page to the user device which includes an instruction for a browser application running on the user device to incorporate information obtained from the social networking system within the web page. Based on the instruction in the received markup language document, the user device requests personalized content from the social networking system, which generates the requested personalized content based on social information about the user. The user device then renders the web page with the personalized content contained in a frame and displays the rendered web page and the frame to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark E. Zuckerberg, Ray C. He, Spencer Ahrens, Yofay Kari Lee, Chaitanya Mishra, Austin Daniel Haugen, Xin Liu, Michael Steven Vernal
  • Patent number: 9032290
    Abstract: A social networking system includes a mechanism for integrating user actions on objects outside of the social networking system in the social graph. External system operators include widgets that, when executed by user devices, record user interactions that correspond to a defined structure of actions and objects. Third party operators utilize a tool provided by the social networking system to define the structure of actions and objects. External actions are recorded by the social networking system for publishing to the social graph.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Brynn Shepherd, Carl Philip Sjogreen, Vladimir Fedorov, Naitik Shah, Edward Kenneth O'Neil, Lars Eilstrup Rasmussen, Paul Tarjan, Michael Steven Vernal, Arthur George Rudolph
  • Publication number: 20150113590
    Abstract: An external system (such as a website) that interacts with users communicates with a social networking system to access information about the users, who may also be users of the social networking system. If a privacy setting is changed in the social networking system, and the change applies to information that has been shared with an external system, the change is enforced at the external system. For example, the external system may be notified that the information is invalid and must be deleted, or the external system may periodically request the information so that changes to the privacy settings are eventually experienced at the external systems. When an external system again needs the information, whether expired naturally or actively invalidated by the social network, the external system sends a new request for the information, which is subject to the (possibly revised) privacy settings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Inventors: Michael Steven Vernal, Wei Zhu, James M. Leszczenski, Joshua E. Elman, David Brookes Morin, Charles Duplain Cheever, Ruchi Sanghvi
  • Patent number: 8955145
    Abstract: An external system (such as a website) that interacts with users communicates with a social networking system to access information about the users, who may also be users of the social networking system. If a privacy setting is changed in the social networking system, and the change applies to information that has been shared with an external system, the change is enforced at the external system. For example, the external system may be notified that the information is invalid and must be deleted, or the external system may periodically request the information so that changes to the privacy settings are eventually experienced at the external systems. When an external system again needs the information, whether expired naturally or actively invalidated by the social network, the external system sends a new request for the information, which is subject to the (possibly revised) privacy settings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Steven Vernal, Wei Zhu, James M. Leszczenski, Joshua E. Elman, David Brookes Morin, Charles Duplain Cheever, Ruchi Sanghvi
  • Patent number: 8909515
    Abstract: A social networking system includes a mechanism for integrating user actions on objects outside of the social networking system in the social graph. External system operators include widgets that, when executed by user devices, record user interactions that correspond to a defined structure of actions and objects. Third party operators utilize a tool provided by the social networking system to define the structure of actions and objects, verb tenses of action types, and noun forms object types. External actions are recorded by the social networking system for publishing to the social graph in dynamically generated sentences formed using the structure of the actions and objects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward Kenneth O'Neil, Vladimir Fedorov, Paul Tarjan, Brynn Shepherd, Lars Eilstrup Rasmussen, Michael Steven Vernal, Carl Philip Sjogreen
  • Patent number: 8849721
    Abstract: A social networking system includes a mechanism for integrating user actions on objects outside of the social networking system in the social graph. External system operators include widgets that, when executed by user devices, record user interactions that correspond to a defined structure of actions and objects. Third party operators utilize a tool provided by the social networking system to define the structure of actions and objects. External actions are recorded by the social networking system for publishing to the social graph.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Vladimir Fedorov, Naitik Shah, Edward Kenneth O'Neil, Lars Eilstrup Rasmussen, Paul Tarjan, Michael Steven Vernal, Carl Philip Sjogreen
  • Publication number: 20140245407
    Abstract: A social networking system contains information describing users of the social network and various connections among the users. A user can access multiple external systems that communicate with the social networking system to access information about the users of the social networking system. Login status of the user account on the social networking system is maintained. If the login status of the user account on the social networking system indicates that the user is not logged in, the user is required to provide authentication information. If the login status of the user account indicates that the user is logged in, social network information is provided to the user via an external system, subject to the privacy settings of users of the social networking system. If the user logs out from an external system, the user is also logged out from the social networking system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2014
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Steven Vernal, Wei Zhu, James M. Leszczenski, Joshua E. Elman, David Brookes Morin, Charles Duplain Cheever, Ruchi Sanghvi
  • Publication number: 20140237618
    Abstract: An external system (such as a website) that interacts with users communicates with a social networking system to access information about the users, who may also be users of the social networking system. If a privacy setting is changed in the social networking system, and the change applies to information that has been shared with an external system, the change is enforced at the external system. For example, the external system may be notified that the information is invalid and must be deleted, or the external system may periodically request the information so that changes to the privacy settings are eventually experienced at the external systems. When an external system again needs the information, whether expired naturally or actively invalidated by the social network, the external system sends a new request for the information, which is subject to the (possibly revised) privacy settings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2014
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Steven Vernal, Wei Zhu, James M. Leszczenski, Joshua E. Elman, David Brookes Morin, Charles Duplain Cheever, Ruchi Sanghvi