Patents by Inventor Ezra Callahan

Ezra Callahan 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: 9218496
    Abstract: A social network allows its members to regulate what data is accessible to other members using one or more privacy settings. A particular member of the social network can modify the one or privacy settings to grant or deny different users access to different data. When a member modifies a privacy setting, the social network determines which information pathways communicating data between members are affected. The affected information pathways are then modified responsive to the privacy setting to communicate data identified by the modified privacy setting and enforce the new privacy restrictions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Ezra Callahan, James H. Wang, Nicolas Vera
  • Patent number: 8949948
    Abstract: A system and method for determining a trust level for a non-approved user in a social network is described. The method includes monitoring requests for social network interactions between an approved user and the non-approved user and determining if each interaction requested is of a first type or a second type. The method further includes increasing a first trust value when the interaction requested is of the first type and increasing a second trust value when the interaction requested is of the second type. The method further includes determining the trust level based on the first trust value and the second trust value. The method further includes changing the status of the non-approved user to an approved user based on the trust level, the first trust value and/or the second trust value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Ezra Callahan, Aditya Agarwal, Charles Duplain Cheever, Christopher W. Putnam, Bob Trahan
  • Publication number: 20140196157
    Abstract: A social network allows its members to regulate what data is accessible to other members using one or more privacy settings. A particular member of the social network can modify the one or privacy settings to grant or deny different users access to different data. When a member modifies a privacy setting, the social network determines which information pathways communicating data between members are affected. The affected information pathways are then modified responsive to the privacy setting to communicate data identified by the modified privacy setting and enforce the new privacy restrictions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Ezra Callahan, James H. Wang, Nicolas Vera
  • Publication number: 20140137201
    Abstract: A system and method for determining a trust level for a non-approved user in a social network is described. The method includes monitoring requests for social network interactions between an approved user and the non-approved user and determining if each interaction requested is of a first type or a second type. The method further includes increasing a first trust value when the interaction requested is of the first type and increasing a second trust value when the interaction requested is of the second type. The method further includes determining the trust level based on the first trust value and the second trust value. The method further includes changing the status of the non-approved user to an approved user based on the trust level, the first trust value and/or the second trust value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2014
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Ezra Callahan, Aditya Agarwal, Charles Duplain Cheever, Christopher W. Putnam, Bob Trahan
  • Patent number: 8713055
    Abstract: A social network allows its members to regulate what data is accessible to other members using one or more privacy settings. A particular member of the social network can modify the one or privacy settings to grant or deny different users access to different data. When a member modifies a privacy setting, the social network determines which information pathways communicating data between members are affected. The affected information pathways are then modified responsive to the privacy setting to communicate data identified by the modified privacy setting and enforce the new privacy restrictions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Inventors: Ezra Callahan, James H. Wang, Nicolas Vera
  • Patent number: 8656463
    Abstract: A system and method for determining a trust level for a non-approved user in a social network is described. The method includes monitoring requests for social network interactions between an approved user and the non-approved user and determining if each interaction requested is of a first type or a second type. The method further includes increasing a first trust value when the interaction requested is of the first type and increasing a second trust value when the interaction requested is of the second type. The method further includes determining the trust level based on the first trust value and the second trust value. The method further includes changing the status of the non-approved user to an approved user based on the trust level, the first trust value and/or the second trust value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Ezra Callahan, Aditya Agarwal, Charlie Cheever, Chris Putnam, Bob Trahan
  • Patent number: 8549651
    Abstract: A system and method for determining a trust level for a non-approved user in a social network is described. The method includes monitoring requests for social network interactions between an approved user and the non-approved user and determining if each interaction requested is of a first type or a second type. The method further includes increasing a first trust value when the interaction requested is of the first type and increasing a second trust value when the interaction requested is of the second type. The method further includes determining the trust level based on the first trust value and the second trust value. The method further includes changing the status of the non-approved user to an approved user based on the trust level, the first trust value and/or the second trust value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Ezra Callahan, Aditya Agarwal, Charlie Cheever, Chris Putnam, Bob Trahan
  • Publication number: 20110035789
    Abstract: A system and method for determining a trust level for a non-approved user in a social network is described. The method includes monitoring requests for social network interactions between an approved user and the non-approved user and determining if each interaction requested is of a first type or a second type. The method further includes increasing a first trust value when the interaction requested is of the first type and increasing a second trust value when the interaction requested is of the second type. The method further includes determining the trust level based on the first trust value and the second trust value. The method further includes changing the status of the non-approved user to an approved user based on the trust level, the first trust value and/or the second trust value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2010
    Publication date: February 10, 2011
    Inventors: Ezra Callahan, Aditya Agarwal, Charlie Cheever, Chris Putnam, Bob Trahan
  • Patent number: 7827265
    Abstract: A method for confirming a request for an association with an organization by a user of a web-based social network is disclosed. In one embodiment, the request includes an e-mail address not controlled by the organization. The request may also be part of an application for membership with the web-based social network. A determination is made whether the request is accepted based at least partially on a specified number of prior requests for association with the organization or being identified as a member of the organization by another user already a member of the organization. The organization may be a high school, a college, a university, a business, a non-profit company, or any other group of people who may desire to associate with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Charlie Cheever, Chris Putnam, Aditya Agarwal, Ezra Callahan, Bob Trahan
  • Publication number: 20090070334
    Abstract: A social network allows its members to regulate what data is accessible to other members using one or more privacy settings. A particular member of the social network can modify the one or privacy settings to grant or deny different users access to different data. When a member modifies a privacy setting, the social network determines which information pathways communicating data between members are affected. The affected information pathways are then modified responsive to the privacy setting to communicate data identified by the modified privacy setting and enforce the new privacy restrictions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2008
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Inventors: Ezra Callahan, James Wang, Nicolas Vera
  • Publication number: 20080235353
    Abstract: A method for confirming a request for an association with an organization by a user of a web-based social network is disclosed. In one embodiment, the request includes an e-mail address not controlled by the organization. The request may also be part of an application for membership with the web-based social network. A determination is made whether the request is accepted based at least partially on a specified number of prior requests for association with the organization or being identified as a member of the organization by another user already a member of the organization. The organization may be a high school, a college, a university, a business, a non-profit company, or any other group of people who may desire to associate with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventors: Charlie Cheever, Chris Putnam, Aditya Agarwal, Ezra Callahan, Bob Trahan
  • Publication number: 20080189768
    Abstract: A system and method for determining a trust level for a non-approved user in a social network is described. The method includes monitoring requests for social network interactions between an approved user and the non-approved user and determining if each interaction requested is of a first type or a second type. The method further includes increasing a first trust value when the interaction requested is of the first type and increasing a second trust value when the interaction requested is of the second type. The method further includes determining the trust level based on the first trust value and the second trust value. The method further includes changing the status of the non-approved user to an approved user based on the trust level, the first trust value and/or the second trust value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2007
    Publication date: August 7, 2008
    Inventors: Ezra Callahan, Aditya Agarwal, Charlie Cheever, Chris Puntnam, Bob Trahan