Patents by Inventor Facebook, Inc.

Facebook, Inc. 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).

  • Publication number: 20140244406
    Abstract: An advertisement (ad) proxy server acts as a proxy for serving content of third-party ads to users of an online system, reducing data leakage from users to advertisers. The ad proxy server acts as an intermediate storage and access point for content included in advertisement, such as images and videos. When an advertisement from an advertiser is selected for presentation by the online system, an ad tag identifying the location of the content for the selected ad is retrieved and used to retrieve a copy of the advertisement content. The ad proxy server stores the copy of the advertisement content and generates a modified ad tag identifying the ad proxy server. The modified ad tag is sent to a client device, which retrieves the copy of the advertisement content from the ad proxy server rather than directly from the advertiser.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventor: Facebook, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130311541
    Abstract: Processing a browser request that specifies a destination network resource generally includes intercepting a browser request that specifies a selected destination network resource and redirecting the browser request to a network server that differs from the destination resource specified by the browser request. Processing a browser request also may include intercepting a browser request received from a client computer at a proxy server when the browser request specifies a selected destination network resource and performing instructions associated with and in addition to instructions performed to download the selected destination network resource.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: FACEBOOK, INC.
    Inventor: Facebook, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130311542
    Abstract: Processing a browser request that specifies a destination network resource generally includes intercepting a browser request that specifies a selected destination network resource and redirecting the browser request to a network server that differs from the destination resource specified by the browser request. Processing a browser request also may include intercepting a browser request received from a client computer at a proxy server when the browser request specifies a selected destination network resource and performing instructions associated with and in addition to instructions performed to download the selected destination network resource.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: FACEBOOK, INC.
    Inventor: Facebook, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130208714
    Abstract: A first device may communicate by joining a wireless mesh network that includes at least one wireless device configured to operate a wireless routing protocol, discovering a group of other wireless devices configured to participate in the wireless mesh network, and accessing an interest metric for a second wireless device in the group of other wireless devices. The interest metric is based in part on a network topology from the wireless mesh network. The interest metric is related to an interest threshold and it is determined whether relating the interest metric to the interest threshold supports enabling messaging communications. If so, messaging communications may be enabled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Applicant: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventor: Facebook, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130204873
    Abstract: Content that is significant to a user may be determined. An indication that a user finds content within a document significant may be received. In response to the received indication, the document may be analyzed to identify a set of topics associated with the content of the document. From the set of topics, a subset of topics responsible for the user finding the document significant may be identified. A user profile associated with the user may be updated based on the subset of topics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicant: FACEBOOK, INC.
    Inventor: Facebook, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130205231
    Abstract: Content that is significant to a user may be determined. An indication that a user finds content within a document significant may be received. In response to the received indication, the document may be analyzed to identify a set of topics associated with the content of the document. From the set of topics, a subset of topics responsible for the user finding the document significant may be identified. A user profile associated with the user may be updated based on the subset of topics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicant: FACEBOOK, INC.
    Inventor: Facebook, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130204870
    Abstract: Information may be presented to a user by receiving a selection of one or more terms passively displayed in a document, loading the terms to a search configuration, generating first results responsive to a user's predicted interest as expressed in the search configuration, and enabling display of the first results.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicant: FACEBOOK, INC.
    Inventor: FACEBOOK, INC.
  • Publication number: 20130205232
    Abstract: Content that is significant to a user may be determined. An indication that a user finds content within a document significant may be received. In response to the received indication, the document may be analyzed to identify a set of topics associated with the content of the document. From the set of topics, a subset of topics responsible for the user finding the document significant may be identified. A user profile associated with the user may be updated based on the subset of topics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicant: FACEBOOK, INC.
    Inventor: Facebook, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130204679
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed that provides an Internet wish list for deferred purchasing. A user clicks on an add to wish list button located on locations, such as, a product page, a banner ad, or search results to add an item to the wish list. A reminder system is used to remind a user to purchase an item at a future time. The shopping list service may be integrated at a high level of integration and a low level of integration. On a low level of integration a proxy platform is used to add functionality to a website.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicant: FACEBOOK, INC.
    Inventor: Facebook, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130194970
    Abstract: A first device may communicate by joining a wireless mesh network that includes at least one wireless device configured to operate a wireless routing protocol, discovering a group of other wireless devices configured to participate in the wireless mesh network, and accessing an interest metric for a second wireless device in the group of other wireless devices. The interest metric is based in part on a network topology from the wireless mesh network. The interest metric is related to an interest threshold and it is determined whether relating the interest metric to the interest threshold supports enabling messaging communications. If so, messaging communications may be enabled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Applicant: FACEBOOK, INC.
    Inventor: Facebook, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130198033
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed that provides an Internet wish list for deferred purchasing. A user clicks on an add to wish list button located on locations, such as, a product page, a banner ad, or search results to add an item to the wish list. A reminder system is used to remind a user to purchase an item at a future time. The shopping list service may be integrated at a high level of integration and a low level of integration. On a low level of integration a proxy platform is used to add functionality to a website.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Applicant: FACEBOOK, INC.
    Inventor: Facebook, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130198160
    Abstract: Information may be presented to a user by receiving a selection of one or more terms passively displayed in a document, loading the terms to a search configuration, generating first results responsive to a user's predicted interest as expressed in the search configuration, and enabling display of the first results.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Applicant: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventor: Facebook, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130198648
    Abstract: A communications system including one or more alert gates and an alert controller. Each alert gate is configured to detect a different type of alert feed corresponding to a particular kind of alert. The alert controller is connected to the alert gates and operable to receive detected alerts from the alert gates and to deliver the detected alerts to a user of the communications system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Applicant: FACEBOOK, INC.
    Inventor: FACEBOOK, INC.
  • Publication number: 20130198344
    Abstract: A first collection of content that includes digital assets is maintained on a host computer. Based on a determination that a portable media device becomes connected to a client computer that is separate from the host computer and that interacts with the host computer, initiation of a synchronization of the first collection of content resident on the host computer with a second collection of content on the portable media device is automatically triggered. The synchronization of the first collection with the second collection includes a transfer of at least one of the digital assets from the host computer to the client computer to the portable media device and is triggered and conditioned upon the determination that the portable media device has become connected to the client computer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Applicant: FACEBOOK, INC.
    Inventor: FACEBOOK, INC.
  • Publication number: 20130198649
    Abstract: A communications system including one or more alert gates and an alert controller. Each alert gate is configured to detect a different type of alert feed corresponding to a particular kind of alert. The alert controller is connected to the alert gates and operable to receive detected alerts from the alert gates and to deliver the detected alerts to a user of the communications system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Applicant: FACEBOOK, INC.
    Inventor: Facebook, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130195095
    Abstract: A first device may communicate by joining a wireless mesh network that includes at least one wireless device configured to operate a wireless routing protocol, discovering a group of other wireless devices configured to participate in the wireless mesh network, and accessing an interest metric for a second wireless device in the group of other wireless devices. The interest metric is based in part on a network topology from the wireless mesh network. The interest metric is related to an interest threshold and it is determined whether relating the interest metric to the interest threshold supports enabling messaging communications. If so, messaging communications may be enabled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Applicant: FACEBOOK, INC.
    Inventor: FACEBOOK, INC.
  • Publication number: 20130191382
    Abstract: Information may be presented to a user by receiving a selection of one or more terms passively displayed in a document, loading the terms to a search configuration, generating first results responsive to a user's predicted interest as expressed in the search configuration, and enabling display of the first results.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Applicant: FACEBOOK, INC.
    Inventor: FACEBOOK, INC.
  • Publication number: 20130191367
    Abstract: A method and search engine for classifying a source publishing a document on a portion of a network, includes steps of electronically receiving a document, based on the document, determining a source which published the document, and assigning a code to the document based on whether data associated with the document published by the source matches with data contained in a database. An intelligent geographic- and business topic-specific resource discovery system facilitates local commerce on the World-Wide Web and also reduces search time by accurately isolating information for end-users. Distinguishing and classifying business pages on the Web by business categories using Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes is achieved through an automatic iterative process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2013
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Applicant: FACEBOOK, INC.
    Inventor: Facebook, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130191024
    Abstract: Techniques are provided for presenting a route in a manner that emphasizes the route and provides context information. For example, a vivid color or vivid colors may be used to display the route, and pastel colors or other desaturated colors may be used for non-route context information. This may result in a map in which the vivid colors of the route stand out over the faded style of the non-route context information to emphasize the route. In this manner, the map may both emphasize the route and provide context information for the route.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Applicant: FACEBOOK, INC.
    Inventor: Facebook, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130190019
    Abstract: Providing location information on a mobile device includes receiving signals from external devices. Each signal includes information that specifies a geographic location for the external device that has provided the signal. A geographic location for the mobile device is calculated by using the information contained in each of the received signals. A representation of the geographic location of the mobile device is generated. The representation of the geographic location is included within an electronic message that provides information describing a user of the mobile device to other users of an electronic communications system. The electronic message is transmitted to another device to provide an indication of the geographic location for the user to one of the other users of the electronic communications system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Applicant: FACEBOOK, INC.
    Inventor: FACEBOOK, INC.