Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Damien Albert Louis Coullon

Yang Zhou

Joonhyung Lim

Michael Maczka

Brad Christopher Ciraulo

Reza Arbabi

Xin Fu

Haifeng Ji

Carrie Peng

Da Huo

Barry P Huang

Ken Soong

Vivien Sin

Ruiyun Zhou

Tob Siripak

Luis Steven Lin

Han-Tien Chang

Bhavana Chowdary Challa

An online social networking system collects data relating to members, and clusters the data into a plurality of clusters. The system identifies anomalous activity by a member in a cluster, and predicts an update to a profile of the member based on the identified anomalous activity of the member. The system presents to the member a proposed update to the profile of the member based on the prediction, receives input from the member in response to the proposed update, and updates the profile of the member based on the input received from the member.

Inferred profiles on online social networking systems using network graphs

The disclosed embodiments provide a system for propensity-based SMS (Short Message Service) invitation filtering. During operation, the system collects multiple contact numbers associated with multiple invitation requests into a total set of contact numbers. Then, for one or more of the contact numbers, the system determines a propensity for a person associated with the contact number to click on a link in an electronic invitation sent to the contact number and subsequently create an account. Clicking on the link may connect the person to a user community that he or she has been invited to join. Once the propensity has been determined, the system ranks the contact numbers in the total set of contact numbers according to the propensities. Finally, for each contact number in the total set of contact numbers that is ranked above a specified threshold, the system processes an invitation for the contact number.

Propensity-based SMS invitation filtering

A system, a machine-readable storage medium storing instructions, and a computer-implemented method are described herein are directed to an Invitation Conversion Engine that generate a first social network invitation for transmission to a first external identifier of a potential member account from a first member account of a social network service. The Invitation Conversion Engine generates a second social network invitation for transmission to the first external identifier of from a second member account. Based on receipt of an acceptance of the second social network invitation, the Invitation Conversion Engine instantiates a new member account associated with the first external identifier. The Invitation Conversion Engine converts the first social network invitation to a first social network connection request from the first member account for the new member account. The Invitation Conversion Engine provides the first social network connection request to the new member account.

Pending invitations at onboarding

A system, apparatus, and methods are provided for queuing and resending organically generated invitations by members of a user community. During operation, the system sends a first invitation organically generated by a first member of the community to an invitee. For one or more time periods after the invitee receives the first invitation, the system performs the following steps. First, the system queues all invitations organically generated by members of the community and addressed to the invitee within the time period. Next, if the invitee is not a member of the user community when the time period expires, (1) if the queue is not empty, the system de-queues and sends at least one queued invitation to the invitee; and (2) if the queue is empty, the system resends to the invitee at least one of the invitations that was previously received by the invitee.

Recurrent invitation loop

In order to invite individuals to join a social network, telephone contact information of a user of the social network is extracted, with the user's permission, from a phonebook associated with a telephone application on the user's portable electronic device. Then, the extracted telephone contact information is shared across different platforms to the user's desktop computer, and telephone numbers in the extracted telephone contact information are identified. These telephone numbers are associated with other portable electronic devices, and with individuals that are not currently members of the social network. After receiving confirmation of a telephone number from the user (e.g., via the desktop computer), the location of the associated portable electronic device is determined. Based on the telephone number and the location, an invitation to join the social network is conditionally provided to the portable electronic device, via a Short Message Service (SMS) message.

Providing invitations based on cross-platform information

Growing community of inventors

Mountain View, CA, United States of America

Damien Albert Louis Coullon