Social media integration for events

Automatically populating photograph effects such as avatars, filters, and stickers, based on events accepted and recognized by a user's social media platforms. Receiving an invite page with event details upon an acceptance of an invite, performing data analytics on the event details to determine attributes of the event and automatically identifying a plurality of photograph effects related to the event based on the attributes. Upon a first user capturing a photograph, determining the first user has accepted an invite to the event, analyzing the photograph to determine attributes and automatically determining the first user is attending the event based on the attributes. Supplying the photograph effects related to the event to the first user client device, receiving a selection of one or more of the photograph effects related to the event and routing the one or more selected photograph effects and the photograph to one or more second client devices.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This disclosure is directed to computers, and computer applications, and more particularly to computer-implemented methods and systems for providing social media integration for populating photograph effects related to an event.

Social media platforms are frequently used today to share events, milestones, invitations, etc. with family and friends. Parties, events, birthdays, anniversaries, promotions, etc. are all ways for people to share more information about their personal lives. Sharing these events are examples of connecting one's virtual persona to their real life persona and environment. One of the most common ways to connect with others is by sharing photographs of an event. Moreover, adding photograph effects can enhance the sharing experience. However, currently, photograph effects such as filters, stickers, and avatars do not take into consideration these events accepted and recognized from all social media platforms and are not customized to the user's personal events.

For example, on one social media platform, a user can manually choose generalized templates for filters and stickers based on location, weather and general events. The user must go through several steps to customize the filters and stickers, and the customization for a specific event is very limited. In some cases, the user must pay to manually create a geofilter for a specific event or location.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one embodiment, this disclosure is directed to automatically populating custom/detailed photograph effects such as avatars, filters, and stickers, based on events accepted and recognized by all the user's social media platforms. The embodiments of the invention disclosed herein add another element of connection between user personas, and environments by using photograph effects that are populated by events through the integration of all social media platforms.

In one embodiment, a computer implemented method for providing photograph effects related to an event includes receiving at a social networking platform a notification of an acceptance of an invite to an event, in which the notification includes an invite page for the event that includes event details. The method further includes performing data analytics on the event details to determine attributes of the event and automatically identifying a plurality of photograph effects related to the event based on the attributes. The method also includes identifying when a first user has captured a photograph on a first client device, determining whether the first user has accepted an invite to the event, analyzing the photograph to determine attributes of the photograph in response to a determination that the first user has accepted an invite to the event and automatically determining whether the first user is attending the event based on the photograph attributes. The method further includes supplying the plurality of photograph effects related to the event to the first client device in response to a determination that the first user is attending the event, receiving a selection of one or more of the plurality of photograph effects related to the event and routing the one or more selected photograph effects and the photograph to one or more second client devices.

A computer system that includes one or more processors operable to perform one or more methods described herein also may be provided.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1is a high level block diagram illustrating a system environment100for one or more social networking platforms102. The system environment100comprises one or more client devices104, a network106, one or more third-party websites108and the one or more social networking platforms102.

The client devices104comprise one or more computing devices capable of receiving user input as well as transmitting and/or receiving data via the network106. In one embodiment, a client devices104are a conventional computer system, such as a desktop or laptop computer. In another embodiment, client devices104may be a device having computer functionality, such as a mobile telephone, smartphone or similar device. The client devices104are configured to communicate via the network106. In one embodiment, client devices104execute an application allowing a user of the client device104to interact with the social networking platform102. For example, a client device104executes a browser application to enable interaction between the client device104and a social networking platform102via the network106. In another embodiment, a client device104interacts with a social networking platform102through an application programming interface (API).

FIG. 2is a block diagram of a client device104utilized in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. In one embodiment, the client device104is a smartphone with a processor110in communication with a memory112. The processor110may be a central processing unit and/or a graphics processing unit. The memory112is a combination of flash memory and random access memory. The memory112stores a photo controller114. The photo controller114includes executable instructions to coordinate the capture, display and archiving of digital photographs. The photo controller114may include photo filter processing which may be augmented by photo filter processing that is described below in connection with a social media platform photo effects module.

The processor110is also coupled to image sensors115. The image sensors115may be known digital image sensors, such as charge coupled devices. The image sensors capture visual media, which is presented on display116, as coordinated by the photo controller114.

A touch controller118is connected to the display116and the processor110. The touch controller118is responsive to haptic signals applied to the display116. In one embodiment, the photo controller114monitors signals from the touch controller118to coordinate the capture, display and archiving of digital photographs. The client device104may also include other components commonly associated with a smartphone, such as a wireless signal processor120to support wireless communications, a power control circuit122and a global positioning system processor124. The client device104may also include browser application126and social media platform API128for accessing social media platforms102. Client device104may further include one or more third party website APIs130for accessing the one or more third party websites108. Client device104may also include a social media platform sync API131, such as a social media dashboard. Client device104may also include calendar application132. Calendar application132allows the user to send calendar invitations to other users and make calendar entries for events the user plans to attend. In addition, when the client device104receives an invitation to an event from a social media platform102or from a third party website108, calendar application132will automatically make a calendar entry to the event when the user undertakes an action on the client device104to accept the invitation.

FIG. 3is an example block diagram of a system architecture of one embodiment of the social networking platform102. The social networking platform102includes a user profile store134, an object store136, a photo effects module138, an event invitation module140, a display generator144, and a web server142. In other embodiments, the social networking system102may include additional, fewer, or different modules for various applications. Conventional components such as network interfaces, security functions, load balancers, failover servers, management and network operations consoles, and the like are not shown so as to not obscure the details of the system architecture.

The object store136stores information describing objects associated with the social networking platform102. Objects may include a variety of data, such as pages associated with a user or with an entity, actions performed by users, images, videos, audio files or other data maintained by the social networking platform102.

The object store136includes events associated with the social networking platform102. An event may be defined for a real-world event, such as a birthday party. A user interested in attending the event may establish a connection with an object associated with the event (the “event object”). A user may create the event object by defining information about the event such as a name of event, time, a location and a list of users invited to the event (“a guest list”). Invitations to the event are sent to the users included on the guest list, and those users may reply to the invitation with an acceptance state. Additionally, users may comment on the event, post their own content (e.g., pictures from the event), and perform any other actions enabled by the social networking platform102. Accordingly, the user creating the event as well as the users included on the guest list for the event may perform various actions that are associated with that event. The object store136includes data describing events, including one or more pages associated with an event.

FIG. 4is an example of an event page150. The event page150may be generated by a social network platform102or from a third party website. The event page150is associated with an event created via the social networking platform102or third party website108. In some embodiments, the event page150is presented to a user of the social networking platform102when the user accesses an invitation to an event or when the user accesses a link to the event, such as through a newsfeed story. An event page150typically provides event information152, such as the name, location, time, and a description of the event. The event page may also include sponsor information154from a third party sponsor. The sponsor information may include general brand information of the sponsor and/or specific brand information for the event. The event page150may also include visual content156related to the event such as a design frame and/or background, a photo or a video specific to the event. Event page150may further include an event wall158where comments or other content received from users is posted for viewing by additional users. Users invited to an event receive an invitation to the event from the social networking platform102or third party website108. When an invited user provides a response to the invitation, the social networking platform102or third party website associates an acceptance state with the invited user that is based on the response. The various acceptance states160of the invitees may be shown on the event page150. The event page150may also include a section162for the user to notify one or more of the user's social media platforms that the user has accepted the invitation. For each social media platform checked in section162, the event page will be sent to that social media platform. The event page may be sent via a sync function within the current social media platform or third party website that sent the invitation of via the social media platform sync API131.

FIG. 5illustrates the processing operations associated with an embodiment of the invention. In one embodiment, the operations of a computer implemented method for providing photograph effects related to an event are performed by the photo effects module138of the social networking platform102.

The method begins at step S100of the photo effects module138receiving from a client device104a notification of an acceptance of an invite to an event. The acceptance notification may be sent by the social media platform API128or the social media platform sync module131. The acceptance notification will include the invite page150for the event, which includes the event details such as event info152, sponsor info154and visual content156. The event page may have been sent to the client device104by event invitation module140or from a third party website108. In one embodiment, the event page may be a calendar entry in calendar application132of the client device104. The calendar application will have an option upon the acceptance of a calendar invitation for the user to send the calendar event page to the user's social media platforms as described above.

In step S102data analytics are performed on the event details to determine attributes of the event. In one embodiment, data analytics module146is located on the social media platform102. In another embodiment, data analytics module146is located on a third party website, which may optionally be accessed through a cloud service.

In step S102, the data analytics module146will recognize the type of event, such as birthdays, concerts, sporting events, fundraisers, holiday parties, conferences, local meet-ups, etc. The data analytics module146will analyze the event content taken from the event page150, such as event title, event description, event location, event time, sponsor name, etc. The analysis may include photo and/or video analytics if photographs, videos or other graphics are included on the event page. The data analytics module146will extract terms from the event page150in order to determine attributes of the event that can be used to identify types of photo effects that are relevant. In one embodiment, data analytics module146uses keyword extraction and taxonomy extraction. In one embodiment, data analytics module146uses the Watson Natural Language Classifier that applies cognitive computing techniques and machine learning to extract terms from the event page150in order to determine attributes of the event that can be used to identify types of photo effects that are relevant.

In step S104, the photo effects module138automatically identifies a plurality of photograph effects from the object store136that are related to the event based on the attributes determined by the data analytic module146. These relevant photo effects are tagged or otherwise marked in the object store136as being related to the event. In one embodiment, the photo effects in object store136are tagged with certain topics, for example an image of a birthday cake can be tagged “Cake”, “Birthday”, etc. When new photo effects are added to the object store136they are tagged for relevant topics.

In one embodiment, step S104includes automatically generating one or more photograph effects related to the event based on the attributes, which optionally may include using information on the event available from a sponsor of the event. In one embodiment of step S104, for a given topic, the photo effects module138selects relevant image filters, avatars, and stickers in object store136based on the recognized attributes. In one example, a person may have just accepted a new job and has posted an invitation for a local meet-up to celebrate. The photo effects module138will identify filters, avatars, and stickers related to the new job, such as a Bitmoji in a suit carrying a briefcase, and a filter with the new job title.

Step S104may also include in one embodiment automatically modifying one or more of the plurality of photograph effects based on information on the event available from the event page150. For example, a photo effect stored in object store136may be modified by adding sponsor information such as brand indicia or a specific logo of the event. In one optional embodiment, the photo effects module138can modify the photo effects based on various event factors such as the number of people accepted/invited, how much time is left until the event, a location change of the event, etc.

As described above, the event page150may be sent via a sync function within a social media platform API128or the social media platform sync API131to all or selected ones of the user's social media platforms. Each of these social media platforms having a photo effects module138and data analytics module146performs step S100and S102. Therefore, all of these social media platforms will have photo effects related to the event ready to be populated to any users that accepts an invitation to the event. Therefore, no matter which social media platform the user thereafter accesses to share a photo of the event, event related photo effects will populated to the user for selection and adding to their photo.

At the time of the event, a user takes a photograph using a photo sharing function of a social media platform128. The photo effects module138performs step S106of identifying when a first user has captured a photograph on a first client device104. The photo effects module138performs step S108of determining whether the first user has accepted an invite to the event. The photo effects module138then performs step S110of analyzing the photograph to determine attributes of the photograph in response to a determination that the first user has accepted an invite to the event and step S112of automatically determining whether the first user is attending the event based on the photograph attributes.

The photo effects module138then performs step S114of supplying the plurality of photograph effects related to the event stored in object store136to the first client device in response to a determination that the first user is attending the event. The photo effects module138then performs step S116of receiving a selection of one or more of the plurality of photograph effects related to the event and step S118of routing the combined one or more selected photograph effects and the photograph to one or more second client devices104selected by the user of the first client device104.

In one embodiment, upon a person joining the event and/or declining the event, the people that are in the event can get alerts to send that person an image with a relevant photo effect. For example, if person one joined an event and later person two joins the event, person one may get an alert on her client device that says “person two just joined the event with you! Send her an image with a personalized filter now!”

FIG. 6illustrates a schematic of an example computer or processing system that may implement the method for providing photograph effects related to an event in one embodiment of the present disclosure. The computer system is only one example of a suitable processing system and is not intended to suggest any limitation as to the scope of use or functionality of embodiments of the methodology described herein. The processing system shown may be operational with numerous other general purpose or special purpose computing system environments or configurations. Examples of well-known computing systems, environments, and/or configurations that may be suitable for use with the processing system shown inFIG. 6may include, but are not limited to, personal computer systems, server computer systems, thin clients, thick clients, handheld or laptop devices, smartphones, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based systems, set top boxes, programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputer systems, mainframe computer systems, and distributed cloud computing environments that include any of the above systems or devices, and the like.

The components of computer system may include, but are not limited to, one or more processors or processing units100, a system memory106, and a bus104that couples various system components including system memory106to processor100. The processor100may include a program module102that performs the methods described herein. The module102may be programmed into the integrated circuits of the processor100, or loaded from memory106, storage device108, or network114or combinations thereof.

Computer system may also communicate with one or more external devices116such as a keyboard, a pointing device, a display118, etc.; one or more devices that enable a user to interact with computer system; and/or any devices (e.g., network card, modem, etc.) that enable computer system to communicate with one or more other computing devices. Such communication can occur via Input/Output (I/O) interfaces110.

Still yet, computer system can communicate with one or more networks114such as a local area network (LAN), a general wide area network (WAN), and/or a public network (e.g., the Internet) via network adapter112. As depicted, network adapter112communicates with the other components of computer system via bus104. It should be understood that although not shown, other hardware and/or software components could be used in conjunction with computer system. Examples include, but are not limited to: microcode, device drivers, redundant processing units, external disk drive arrays, RAID systems, tape drives, and data archival storage systems, etc.