Abstract:
A machine-controlled method may include creating a tile profile including multiple tiles, visually presenting the tile profile using a display, and storing the tile profile. The method may further include adding, removing, and editing the tiles and utilizing tile stacks. The method may further include any of a number of tile scrolling mechanisms.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/424,600, titled “SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM” and filed on Dec. 17, 2010, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The disclosed technology pertains to tools and techniques for generating and managing tile profiles in connection with social media technologies. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Human beings are visually-oriented creatures and many consider communication through images to be the most powerful form of communication for humans. While websites such as www.facebook.com, for example, allow users to post images to their personal pages, the images are generally not central to the user&#39;s presence. For example, the user&#39;s profile is typically dominated by text, lists of identified friends, public conversations with friends or others, links to friends and/or other websites, and various types of media and other content. 
         [0004]    Other websites such as www.pinterest.com, for example, allow for user-posted images to be more dominant in the user&#39;s pages. However, the images displayed in such sites are typically confined to a certain layout, and each image tends to be associated with a number of comments that are associated with and visually displayed with the image. This additional visual data presented with each image tends to draw attention away from the image itself. 
         [0005]    Thus, there remains a need for a way to address these and other problems associated with the prior art. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  illustrates an example of a tile profile in accordance with certain embodiments of the disclosed technology. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  illustrates a first example of a tile profile station in accordance with certain embodiments of the disclosed technology. 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  illustrates a second example of a tile profile station in accordance with certain embodiments of the disclosed technology. 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  illustrates a third example of a tile profile station in accordance with certain embodiments of the disclosed technology. 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  illustrates a fourth example of a tile profile station in accordance with certain embodiments of the disclosed technology. 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  illustrates an example of a first scrolling mechanism in accordance with certain embodiments of the disclosed technology. 
           [0012]      FIG. 7  illustrates an example of a second scrolling mechanism in accordance with certain embodiments of the disclosed technology. 
           [0013]      FIG. 8  illustrates an example of a tile having multiple motion points in accordance with certain embodiments of the disclosed technology. 
           [0014]      FIG. 9  illustrates an example of a tile stack in accordance with certain embodiments of the disclosed technology. 
           [0015]      FIG. 10  illustrates an example of presenting image/video data corresponding to a tile in accordance with certain embodiments of the disclosed technology. 
           [0016]      FIG. 11  illustrates an example of presenting contextual data corresponding to a tile in accordance with certain embodiments of the disclosed technology. 
           [0017]      FIG. 12  illustrates an example of presenting locational data corresponding to a tile in accordance with certain embodiments of the disclosed technology. 
           [0018]      FIG. 13  illustrates an example of presenting temporal data corresponding to a tile in accordance with certain embodiments of the disclosed technology. 
           [0019]      FIG. 14  illustrates an example of presenting brand data corresponding to a tile in accordance with certain embodiments of the disclosed technology. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0020]    Embodiments of the disclosed technology may include a social media platform that involves the publishing and sharing of text, images, video, and/or virtually any other type of shareable media. Certain embodiments may include the gathering of a user&#39;s personal preferences using images and allowing for the addition of any of a number of different types of data, such as contextual descriptions and keywords, for example, to be added to those preferences. Certain implementations include the pairing of particular images, videos, or other visually displayable items, referred to herein as tiles, with corresponding contextual data. As used herein, a tile profile refers to an arrangement of multiple tiles corresponding to a particular user or entity. For example, a user who enjoys steak may have in his or her tile profile a tile, e.g., image, of a steak along with a brief description, e.g., 140 words or less, describing his or her preference for steak. 
         [0021]      FIG. 1  illustrates an example of a tile profile  100  in accordance with certain embodiments of the disclosed technology. The tile profile  100  includes a number of tiles, such as tiles  102 ,  104 ,  106 , and  108 . In the example, all of the tiles within the tile profile  100  are of a substantially square shape with rounded corners. However, other embodiments may include tiles that are of any of a number of different shapes, orientations, etc. For example, certain embodiments may include tiles that are of a substantially diamond shape, a substantially rectangular shape, a substantially circular shape, a substantially oval shape, or any combination thereof. 
         [0022]    Each tile may correspond to an item of personal interest to the user such as a person, place, or thing that the user enjoys or of which the user has fond memories, for example. Each tile as displayed may be a photograph, a drawing, a painting, a video clip, or virtually anything that can be visually presented as a tile within the tile profile  100 . Some tiles, such as tile  108 , may be a collection or montage of multiple sub-tiles where each sub-tile is of a type that can be the same as or different from the type of each other sub-tile. 
         [0023]    The tiles of the tile profile  100  may be in a particular arrangement that is automatically generated by the system or individually crafted or formed by the user. Regardless of how the arrangement was initially created, the arrangement may be subsequently edited by the user. For example, the user may change the number of tiles displayed in the tile profile  100  or edit an individual tile by moving it to a different position within the tile profile  100 , resizing the tile, etc. In certain embodiments, a setting may allow people other than the user to edit individually tiles or even the tile profile  100  itself. The tiles may be sorted in any of a number of different ways, such as by type, by label, by date created, by date last edited, etc. 
         [0024]    Embodiments of the disclosed technology may include the tile profile  100  being of a particular digital file format that can be shared with anyone on any computer without needing to be connected to the web. In certain embodiments, for example, a user may keep a copy of the tile profile  100  on a USB thumb drive. The tile profile  100  may also be locked such that, so long as it remains locked, it is not to be edited by anyone, including the user. 
         [0025]      FIG. 2  illustrates a first example of a tile profile station  200  in accordance with certain embodiments of the disclosed technology. The tile profile station  200  includes a tile profile  202 , such as the tile profile  100  of  FIG. 1 . The tile profile station  200  may include one or more menus. In the example, a vertical menu  204  includes links to a number of actions that are available to the user such as viewing a listing of other users&#39; tile profiles, viewing a news feed, sharing his or her tile profile  202  with another user, viewing a listing of popular tile profiles, adding tiles to his or her tile profile  202 , and contacting another user. In the example, a link to a help page is also provided by the vertical menu  204 . 
         [0026]    The tile profile station  200  of  FIG. 2  also includes a horizontal menu  206  that includes a listing of the user&#39;s other tile profiles, each of which is indicated by a corresponding tile title. A current tile title  208  is used to indicate which of the user&#39;s tiles is currently presented within the tile profile station  200 . As used herein, a tile portfolio refers to a collection or sub-collection of a user&#39;s tile profiles. In the example, the tile portfolio would be said to include the currently displayed tile profile  202  as well as the other tile profiles that are accessible to the user or others by way of the tile titles listed in the horizontal menu  206 . 
         [0027]    By selecting one of the tile titles listed in the horizontal menu  206 , the tile profile station  200  will replace the currently displayed tile profile  202  with another tile profile that corresponds to the tile title in the horizontal menu  206  that is selected by the user. For example, selection of the “travel” tile title in the horizontal menu  206  would cause the tile profile station  200  to display the user&#39;s travel-oriented tile profile instead of the currently displayed tile profile  202 . In the example, a user indicator  210  is presented to visually display a name of the user of the tile portfolio and a tile portfolio header  214  is presented to visually display a name of the tile portfolio itself. Any of a number of different indicators and headers, whether referring to the user, the tile profile station, or any particular tile profile or individual tile, may be implemented as part of the tile profile station  200 . 
         [0028]      FIG. 3  illustrates a second example of a tile profile station  300  in accordance with certain embodiments of the disclosed technology. In the example, contextual information  302  corresponding to a particular tile within the tile profile  202  of  FIG. 2 , for example, is visually presented. Presentation of the contextual information  302  may result from the user or other person selecting, e.g., clicking on or hovering a pointer over, the corresponding tile. Other types of data may be presented in place of or in addition to the contextual information  302  in the example as discussed in detail below. 
         [0029]      FIG. 4  illustrates a third example of a tile profile station  400  in accordance with certain embodiments of the disclosed technology. In the example, there is within the tile profile station  400  a currently displayed tile profile  402 , such as the tile profile  202  of  FIG. 2 . A tile collection tool  404  may be presented to allow the user to add, e.g., by dragging and dropping, one of the tiles  410 ,  412 , and  414  listed by the tile collection tool  404  into the currently displayed tile profile  402 . Alternatively or in addition thereto, the user may be able to remove a tile within the currently presented tile profile  402  by dragging and dropping the tile into the tile collection tool  404 , for example. 
         [0030]    In the example, a link to a tile creation tool  406  is also presented as well a tile search tool  408 . A user may use the tile search tool  408  to search for a particular tile or set of tiles within his or her own tile repository. Alternatively or in addition thereto, the user may search for a particular tile or set of tiles within other users&#39; repositories, such as those of his or her friends or other people or entities with whom the user has established some type of online connection. 
         [0031]      FIG. 5  illustrates a fourth example of a tile profile station  500  in accordance with certain embodiments of the disclosed technology. In the example, a tile creation tool  506 , such as the tile creation tool  406  of  FIG. 4 , is presented to allow the user or other authorized individual to create an individual tile, e.g., to be added to the currently displayed tile profile  502  within the tile profile station  500 . 
         [0032]    The example also includes a link to a tile collection tool  504  and a tile search tool  508 , such as the link to the tile collection tool  404  and tile search tool  408  of  FIG. 4 , respectively, presented in connection with the tile profile station  500 . By selecting either  504  or  508 , the user causes the corresponding tool to activate. 
         [0033]      FIG. 6  illustrates an example of a first scrolling mechanism  600  in accordance with certain embodiments of the disclosed technology. The example includes a currently displayed tile profile  602 , such as the tile profile  502  of  FIG. 5 . In the example, a tile  604 , such as the tile  510  of  FIG. 5 , selected by the user has some connection to a number of other tiles  606 - 614 . For example, if the selected tile  604  is an image of a user&#39;s favorite food, e.g., steak, then the related tiles  606 - 614  may each pertain to a particular restaurant, a certain cookbook, the user&#39;s favorite meat market, etc. 
         [0034]    As the user swipes his or her finger along multiple tiles within the tile profile  602  displayed on a touch-sensitive device such as an Apple iPad device, for example, the selected tile  604  is changed accordingly along with the related tiles  606 - 614  that are displayed. Depending on how many related tiles there are for each of the tiles within the tile profile  602 , the number of related tiles displayed may change as the user shifts the selected tile  604  from one to another. 
         [0035]    In the example, selection of the tile  604  caused the selected tile  604  and related tiles  606 - 614  to be displayed more prominently than the other tiles of the tile profile  602 . For example, the selected tile  604  is now displayed larger than before selection and the related tiles  606 - 614  are made to appear to hover over the other tiles within the tile profile  602 . In certain embodiments, some or all of the related tiles  606 - 614  are not displayed within the currently displayed tile profile  602 ; rather, they are pulled from somewhere else such as the user&#39;s personal tile repository. Alternatively or in addition thereto, the other tiles within the tile profile  602  are sent further the background. For example, the tiles may be made to appear dimmed or at least partially ghosted out of view. 
         [0036]    In the example, a menu bar  616  including a listing of links is presented as part of the scrolling mechanism  600 . Each link may represent another hierarchical layer of organization for the user&#39;s tiles. For example, selection of “FOOD” by the user may prompt the scrolling mechanism  600  to display tiles that have some type of food-related connection as previously established by the user. A virtual switch  618  may be used to allow the user to switch between the current scrolling mechanism  600  and another scrolling mechanism such as the scrolling mechanism  700  of  FIG. 7 , discussed below. 
         [0037]      FIG. 7  illustrates an example of a second scrolling mechanism  700  in accordance with certain embodiments of the disclosed technology. In the example, a horizontal presentation of the alphabet  701  is displayed such that, upon selection of a certain letter, a set of tiles  706  is presented in a vertical manner. The set of tiles  706  displayed by the scrolling mechanism  700  depends on which letter is selected. In the example, the letter R is currently selected, so each tile in the set of tiles  706  likely has a label or other indicator that starts with the letter R. 
         [0038]    A certain tile  704  is presented more prominently than the other tiles within the set of tiles  706 . The prominent tile  704  may be the first tile in the list alphabetically, for example, or it may have an interest indicator that is higher than the others. Regardless, as the user shifts focus along the set  706  vertically, e.g., by swiping his or her finger along the set  706  if the scrolling mechanism  700  is being displayed by a touch-sensitive machine such as an Apple iPad device, the prominent tile  704  changes accordingly such that the tile that currently has the focus is the tile that is being presented most prominently. As the user shifts focus along the alphabet  701  horizontally, the set of tiles  706 , including the prominent tile  704 , moves accordingly, e.g., horizontally in the same direction as that of the shift in focus. 
         [0039]      FIG. 8  illustrates an example of a tile  800  having eight multiple motion points  802 - 816  in accordance with certain embodiments of the disclosed technology. Other embodiments may include a tile having fewer or more motion points. In the example, selection of a motion point causes the tile  800  to appear to rotate about a particular axis to reveal a certain type of information. Consider an example in which a user selects motion point  802  by clicking on it using a traditional input device such as a mouse or, in the case of a touch-sensitive device such as an Apple iPad, touching the motion point  802  using a finger, stylus, etc. 
         [0040]    Selection of motion point  802  causes the tile  800  to appear to rotate 180 degrees about an axis defined by motion points  806  and  814 , resulting in the appearance of the “backside” of the tile  800  which presents any of a number of types of data, such as contextual data, as discussed in detail below. A subsequent selection of the motion point  802  causes the tile  800  to appear to rotate 180 degrees about the same axis, i.e., as defined by motion points  806  and  814 , in either the same direction as before or counter to the original direction. 
         [0041]    Selection of motion point  804  causes the tile  800  to appear to rotate 180 degrees about an axis defined by motion points  808  and  816 , again resulting in the appearance of the “backside” of the tile  800  except that the data presented is of a different type than when another motion point, e.g., motion point  802 , is selected. Indeed, each of the motion points  802 - 816  may correspond to a distinct data type. Alternatively or in addition to these embodiments, repeated selection of the same motion point may cause the tile  800  to switch between the “backside” and the “frontside” or to cycle through multiple types of data before returning to either of the “backside” or “frontside.” 
         [0042]    Tiles may be transferrable between users, entities, or both. For example, a user may send one or more tiles to other users that he or she thinks may want to add to their tile profile(s). Entities, such as businesses, may send tiles as a promotion or other sales-related activity or event. For example, in certain embodiments, a tile may serve as an invitation for reservation, advertisement, promotional offer, discount, coupon, or gift card. In such embodiments, selection of a certain motion point on the tile may result in visual presentation of details pertaining to a particular offer made available to the user. For example, a hotel may send a tile to a certain user in order to advertise a discounted offer for an extended stay at the hotel. The user may select a motion point on the tile to review details of the offer, select another motion point to view the pertinent dates, and select another motion point to access a link that, when selected, results in the sending of a reservation request for the user to the hotel. 
         [0043]    In certain embodiments, a tile profile may include tiles, tile stacks, or a combination thereof.  FIG. 9  illustrates an example of a tile stack  900  including multiple tiles  902 A- 902   n  in accordance with certain embodiments of the disclosed technology. Tiles  902 A- 902   n  may be selected by the user or the system. For example, the user may select a number of tiles within a tile profile using a tile profile station and select a “Make Stack” feature, causing the system to associate the tiles together and visually present the tiles as a stack. Selection of a tile  902   n  other than the tile  902 A at the “top” of the tile stack  900  will result in the “moving” of the selected tile  902   n  to the “top” of the stack. In certain embodiments, tiles within the tile stack  900  can be “removed” from the stack by way of conventional selecting and dragging operations, for example. 
         [0044]      FIG. 10  illustrates an example of presenting image/video data  1000  corresponding to a tile in accordance with certain embodiments of the disclosed technology. This is one of the types of data that may be presented by the “backside” of a tile responsive to selection of a motion point of the tile as described above with regard to  FIG. 8 , for example. Image/video data  1000  may include information pertaining to when the tile was created, when the image or video of the tile was created, what device was used to capture the image/video, who captured the image/video, etc. 
         [0045]      FIG. 11  illustrates an example of presenting contextual data  1100  corresponding to a tile in accordance with certain embodiments of the disclosed technology. This is a second type of data that may be presented by the “backside” of a tile responsive to selection of a motion point of the tile as described above with regard to  FIG. 8 , for example. Contextual data  1100  may include comments added by the user and may be limited to a particular number of characters, e.g., 140 characters. Consider an example in which the tile is an image of one of the user&#39;s favorite hotels. In such a case, the user may wish to add a description of the hotel to be able to be visually presented in connection with the tile. 
         [0046]      FIG. 12  illustrates an example of presenting locational data  1200  corresponding to a tile in accordance with certain embodiments of the disclosed technology. This is a third type of data that may be presented by the “backside” of a tile responsive to selection of a motion point of the tile as described above with regard to  FIG. 8 , for example. Locational data  1200  may include information pertaining to a geographical location of the subject of the tile. For example, if the tile is a picture of the user&#39;s favorite restaurant, the locational data  1200  may include a map showing a dropped pin at the location of the restaurant. 
         [0047]      FIG. 13  illustrates an example of presenting temporal data  1300  corresponding to a tile in accordance with certain embodiments of the disclosed technology. This is a fourth type of data that may be presented by the “backside” of a tile responsive to selection of a motion point of the tile as described above with regard to  FIG. 8 , for example. Temporal data  1300  may include information pertaining to date and/or time of interest with regard to the tile. For example, if the tile is a photograph of a football stadium, the temporal data  1300  may include a calendar in which certain dates, e.g., dates corresponding to upcoming football games to be played at the stadium, are visually distinguishable from the other dates, e.g., highlighted. 
         [0048]      FIG. 14  illustrates an example of presenting brand data  1400  corresponding to a tile in accordance with certain embodiments of the disclosed technology. This is a fifth type of data that may be presented by the “backside” of a tile responsive to selection of a motion point of the tile as described above with regard to  FIG. 8 , for example. Brand data  1400  may include commercial/marketing information pertaining to the subject of the tile. For example, if the tile is an image of the user&#39;s favorite spa, the brand data  1400  may include a brief description of the spa. Alternatively or in addition thereto, the brand data  1400  may include a Quick Response (QR) code. 
         [0049]    The following discussion is intended to provide a brief, general description of a suitable machine in which embodiments of the disclosed technology can be implemented. As used herein, the term “machine” is intended to broadly encompass a single machine or a system of communicatively coupled machines or devices operating together. Exemplary machines can include computing devices such as personal computers, workstations, servers, portable computers, handheld devices, tablet devices, communications devices such as cellular phones and smart phones, and the like. These machines may be implemented as part of a cloud computing arrangement. 
         [0050]    Typically, a machine includes a system bus to which processors, memory (e.g., random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), and other state-preserving medium), storage devices, a video interface, and input/output interface ports can be attached. The machine can also include embedded controllers such as programmable or non-programmable logic devices or arrays, Application Specific Integrated Circuits, embedded computers, smart cards, and the like. The machine can be controlled, at least in part, by input from conventional input devices, e.g., keyboards, touch screens, mice, and audio devices such as a microphone, as well as by directives received from another machine, interaction with a virtual reality (VR) environment, biometric feedback, or other input signal. 
         [0051]    The machine can utilize one or more connections to one or more remote machines, such as through a network interface, modem, or other communicative coupling. Machines can be interconnected by way of a physical and/or logical network, such as an intranet, the Internet, local area networks, wide area networks, etc. One having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that network communication can utilize various wired and/or wireless short range or long range carriers and protocols, including radio frequency (RF), satellite, microwave, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 545.11, Bluetooth, optical, infrared, cable, laser, etc. 
         [0052]    Embodiments of the disclosed technology can be described by reference to or in conjunction with associated data including functions, procedures, data structures, application programs, instructions, etc. that, when accessed by a machine, can result in the machine performing tasks or defining abstract data types or low-level hardware contexts. Associated data can be stored in, for example, volatile and/or non-volatile memory (e.g., RAM and ROM) or in other storage devices and their associated storage media, which can include hard-drives, floppy-disks, optical storage, tapes, flash memory, memory sticks, digital video disks, biological storage, and other tangible, non-transitory physical storage media. Certain outputs may be in any of a number of different output types such as audio or text-to-speech, for example. 
         [0053]    Associated data can be delivered over transmission environments, including the physical and/or logical network, in the form of packets, serial data, parallel data, propagated signals, etc., and can be used in a compressed or encrypted format. Associated data can be used in a distributed environment, and stored locally and/or remotely for machine access. 
         [0054]    Having described and illustrated the principles of the invention with reference to illustrated embodiments, it will be recognized that the illustrated embodiments may be modified in arrangement and detail without departing from such principles, and may be combined in any desired manner. And although the foregoing discussion has focused on particular embodiments, other configurations are contemplated. In particular, even though expressions such as “according to an embodiment of the invention” or the like are used herein, these phrases are meant to generally reference embodiment possibilities, and are not intended to limit the invention to particular embodiment configurations. As used herein, these terms may reference the same or different embodiments that are combinable into other embodiments. 
         [0055]    Consequently, in view of the wide variety of permutations to the embodiments described herein, this detailed description and accompanying material is intended to be illustrative only, and should not be taken as limiting the scope of the invention. What is claimed as the invention, therefore, is all such modifications as may come within the scope and spirit of the following claims and equivalents thereto.