US 11,671,504 B2
Systems and methods for distributing published content among users of a social network
Christopher Armstrong, Sterling, VA (US); Alan Keister, Oakton, VA (US); Lark Dunham, Boulder, CO (US); Jennifer Granito, San Francisco, CA (US); Steven Greenberg, Frederick, MD (US); Rakesh Agrawal, Arlington, VA (US); Michael Sommers, Montebello, NY (US); and Carol A. Glover, Fairfax, VA (US)
Assigned to Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc., Basking Ridge, NJ (US)
Filed by Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc., Basking Ridge, NJ (US)
Filed on May 10, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/409,100.
Application 16/409,100 is a continuation of application No. 14/735,053, filed on Jun. 9, 2015, granted, now 10,334,071.
Application 14/735,053 is a continuation of application No. 13/453,650, filed on Apr. 23, 2012, abandoned.
Application 13/453,650 is a continuation of application No. 11/621,924, filed on Jan. 10, 2007, granted, now 8,166,061, issued on Apr. 24, 2012.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/757,397, filed on Jan. 10, 2006.
Prior Publication US 2019/0335014 A1, Oct. 31, 2019
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G06F 16/00 (2019.01); H04L 67/306 (2022.01); G06F 16/958 (2019.01); G06F 16/9535 (2019.01); G06Q 10/107 (2023.01); G06Q 50/00 (2012.01); H04L 67/02 (2022.01); H04L 51/52 (2022.01); H04L 67/55 (2022.01); G06F 3/0482 (2013.01); H04L 65/403 (2022.01); H04L 51/04 (2022.01)
CPC H04L 67/306 (2013.01) [G06F 3/0482 (2013.01); G06F 16/958 (2019.01); G06F 16/9535 (2019.01); G06Q 10/107 (2013.01); G06Q 50/01 (2013.01); H04L 51/52 (2022.05); H04L 65/403 (2013.01); H04L 67/02 (2013.01); H04L 67/55 (2022.05); H04L 51/04 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A computer-implemented method for distributing published content among users of a social network, the method comprising:
identifying, by at least one processor, a first electronic content item published by a first user via a first user device, the first user being linked to one or more user devices associated with a plurality of second users within a social network;
accessing permission data associated with the first user, the permission data comprising a publication permission established by the first user, to identify at least one content type permitted for presentation to at least one second user;
receiving, by the at least one processor, a second electronic content item published by the first user via the first user device, the second electronic content item being published subsequent to the first electronic content item;
determining, by the at least one processor, a content type associated with the second electronic content item, the determined content type being associated with a corresponding indicator selected by the first user, the corresponding indicator comprising at least one of a digital image, animated content, or a hyperlink associated with the second electronic content item; and
generating, by the at least one processor, an electronic command to transmit information identifying the first user and the corresponding indicator selected by the first user to one or more devices of the at least one of the second users, the information instructing the one or more user devices to present a graphic representing the corresponding indicator to the at least one of the second users on a portion of a graphical user interface of the one or more user devices, wherein the graphic representing the corresponding indicator displays information when selected or hovered over by a pointing device and is modified after the at least one of the second users views the content item published by the first user.