Patent Description:
Messaging systems for social media platforms often implement computer-mediated technologies allowing for the creating and sharing of content that communicates information, ideas, career interests, and other forms of expression via virtual communities and networks. Social media platforms use web-based technologies, desktop computers, and mobile technologies (e.g., smart phones and tablet computers) to create highly interactive platforms through which individuals, communities, and organizations can share, co-create, discuss, and modify user-generated content or pre-made content posted online.

Mobile electronic devices on which end-user social media applications can be executed typically provide geolocation services that determine the geographic location of the mobile electronic device, by extension indicating the geographic location of the associated user. In instances where such messaging applications include a map-based graphical user interface, a user's physical location is often represented on the map by a corresponding user icon uniquely associated with the relevant user.

<CIT> describes a method for generating collectible media content items based on location information, which method starts with processor receiving location information from location sensor coupled to first client computing device. <CIT> discloses a user-defined private map presenting method for a cellular phone comprising the steps of: importing public map of area/location, creating user-defined private map, and linking user-defined private maps to public map through set of user icons.

Further aspects of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, there is described a method comprising: accessing user representation data for a user of a social media platform, the user representation data indicating: location information indicating a geographic location of a specific client device associated with the user; a user icon configured to provide a visual representation of the user; and a status indicator configured to provide a visual indication of a current status associated with the user, the status indicator having an associated direct action triggerable by selection of a combined icon of which it forms part, wherein the status indicator is selected from a plurality of different status indicators having different associated direct actions; accessing map data associated with the geographic location indicated by the location information; in an automated operation based at least in part on the map data and performed using one or more computer processor devices configured therefor, causing generation of a map-based graphical user interface (GUI) for the social media platform, the map-based GUI comprising an interactive map that includes the indicated geographic location; causing display on the interactive map of the combined icon visually representing the user at a display location based on the indicated geographic location, the combined icon comprising the user icon and the status indicator; and responsive to user selection of the combined icon, automatically initiating the direct action associated with the status indicator.

This disclosure provides for the representation of a user in a geographical map-based graphical user interface (GUI) by a combined icon that includes both a user icon (e.g., an anthropomorphic avatar) and a status indicator with respect to a current status of the user. The user icon may in some embodiments be an expressive icon that represents the user as bearing a particular distinct facial expression (e.g., happy, sad, inquisitive, agitated, etc.) or performing a particular physical action (e.g., driving, listening to music, eating, etc.). In such cases, the resulting combined expressive icon visually communicates two or more aspects of the relevant user's current emotional state, activity, environment, and status.

Some embodiments particularly describe a map-based GUI for a social media platform or application, to allow user access to map-based location information with expressive icons having status indicators for users. Various systems, methods, instructions, and user interface details are described below with reference to <FIG> for generating such expressive icons with status indicators and presenting them in a map-based GUI.

For example, in some embodiments a social networking system is authorized by users and user selectable settings to track locations of user devices, and to share this information with other users. A map-based GUI with information on device locations can be presented to a user on a display of the user's client device. An expressive icon with a particular user's features is one way to present readily via a map more information than merely the user's location. As mentioned previously, an example of such an expressive user icon is an avatar selected and configured by the user to be visually representative of the user (e.g., a Bitmoji, customized to have the particular user's gender, hair color and style, facial features, etc.) and which visually expresses a particular emotion, state of mind, action, or combination of these. Thus, an expressive icon can in some embodiments be a user avatar that is celebrating, an avatar that is angry, an avatar that is skateboarding, an avatar that is eating, and so forth.

This disclosure provides for immediate visual communication of yet more information about the user by displaying in combination with the user icon a status indicator that indicates a current status of the user. Thus, the status indicator is in some embodiments used with the expressive icon to generate a combined expressive icon. The status indicator is in some examples a text-based indication of the user's current status. The status indicator can thus in some example embodiments textually communicate: what the user is currently doing; whether or not the user is available for online communication; the user's current emotion, feeling, or state of mind; or the like. The text-based status indicator is in some embodiments stylized in a manner reflective of the content of the text. It will be appreciated that such a combined expressive icon allows for communication of significantly more complex and rich information than is the case with only a user icon or an expressive user icon.

In some embodiments, the combined expressive user icon is an interactive user interface (UI) element that is selectable to trigger or facilitate direct actions particularly associated with the status indicator. In such embodiments, different status indicators that are available for combining with an expressive user icon can have different respective direct actions that are accessible by selecting the resulting combined expressive icon. In one embodiment, for example, a sleep status indicator in a combined icon is selectable to automatically initiate a communication with a do-not-disturb element (e.g. communicating after a sleep period is expected to end). In another example, an activity indicator in a combined icon automatically initiates directions to the activity in a map interface, displaying routing information to guide the user to the corresponding activity. In such a system that displays icons for device locations, information communicated in a map interface can be significantly expanded by the techniques herein disclosed, and user interface actions tailored to associated status indicators and activities can be reduced by linking actions available to the status indicated by a combined map icon.

Embodiments described herein thus improve the operation of a client device presenting a map-based GUI by increasing the information density presented in the GUL Further, additional functionality and a streamlined flow of user operations are provided within the map interface by the provision of tailored interfaces launchable by interaction with the combined user icon, with the action associated with a map icon tailored to a status indicator used for a combined icon. By providing different icons with different associated actions, while allowing the icon to present the relevant complex information by combining an expressive user representation (e.g., avatar) with status indicator data, a user can perform actions faster and with fewer inputs.

Such a map-based GUI can include combined icons for many different user accounts, with each icon representing approximate respective positions of a user's friends or devices for connected accounts in a social network graph. A respective combined expressive icon described above can be displayed for each user, with a customized action interface for each icon being accessible via the status indicator for each combined icon.

In some embodiments, both the expressive user icon and the status indicator that together form a combined expressive icon is wholly user-selectable, with the user selecting a particular expressive icon from a plurality of icon options presented in an icons selection interface, and the user selecting a particular status indicator from a plurality of status indicator options presented in a status selection interface.

Instead, or in addition, one or both of the expressive icon and the status indicator can be automatically selected based on contextual data associated with the relevant client device. For example, based on identification of a traveling speed and a location coinciding with a roadway, the expressive icon can automatically be selected to show the avatar driving a vehicle. Similarly, identification of the client device as being located in a restaurant in one example embodiment automatically triggers selection of an expressive icon showing the avatar with eating utensils. Instead, or in addition, such contextual data is in some example embodiments used to automatically select one or both of a subset of expressive icons displayed in the icons selection interface and a subset of status indicators presented in the status selection interface. For example, identification of the user's being located in a restaurant automatically results in presentation in the icon selection interface of a plurality of expressive icons related specifically to food or eating.

<FIG> is a block diagram showing an example messaging system <NUM> for exchanging data (e.g., messages and associated content) over a network. The messaging system <NUM> includes multiple instances of a client device <NUM>, each of which hosts a number of applications, including a messaging client application <NUM>. Each messaging client application <NUM> is communicatively coupled to other instances of the messaging client application <NUM> and a messaging server system <NUM> via a network <NUM> (e.g., the Internet).

A messaging client application <NUM> is able to communicate and exchange data with another messaging client application <NUM> and with the messaging server system <NUM> via the network <NUM>. The data exchanged between messaging client application <NUM>, and between a messaging client application <NUM> and the messaging server system <NUM>, includes functions (e.g., commands to invoke functions) as well as payload data (e.g., text, audio, video or other multimedia data).

The messaging server system <NUM> provides server-side functionality via the network <NUM> to a particular messaging client application <NUM>. While certain functions of the messaging system <NUM> are described herein as being performed by either a messaging client application <NUM> or by the messaging server system <NUM>, the location of certain functionality either within the messaging client application <NUM> or the messaging server system <NUM> may be a design choice. For example, it may be technically preferable to initially deploy certain technology and functionality within the messaging server system <NUM> but to later migrate this technology and functionality to the messaging client application <NUM> where a client device <NUM> has sufficient processing capacity.

The messaging server system <NUM> supports various services and operations that are provided to the messaging client application <NUM>. Such operations include transmitting data to, receiving data from, and processing data generated by the messaging client application <NUM>. This data may include message content, client device information, geolocation information, media augmentation and overlays, message content persistence conditions, social network information, and live event information, as examples. Data exchanges within the messaging system <NUM> are invoked and controlled through functions available via user interfaces (UIs) of the messaging client application <NUM>.

Turning now specifically to the messaging server system <NUM>, an Application Program Interface (API) server <NUM> is coupled to, and provides a programmatic interface to, an application server <NUM>. The application server <NUM> is communicatively coupled to a database server <NUM>, which facilitates access to a database <NUM> that stores data associated with messages processed by the application server <NUM>. Similarly, a web server <NUM> is coupled to the application server <NUM>, and provides web-based interfaces to the application server <NUM>. To this end, the web server <NUM> processes incoming network requests over the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) and several other related protocols.

The Application Program Interface (API) server <NUM> receives and transmits message data (e.g., commands and message payloads) between the client device <NUM> and the application server <NUM>. Specifically, the Application Program Interface (API) server <NUM> provides a set of interfaces (e.g., routines and protocols) that can be called or queried by the messaging client application <NUM> in order to invoke functionality of the application server <NUM>. The Application Program Interface (API) server <NUM> exposes various functions supported by the application server <NUM>, including account registration, login functionality, the sending of messages, via the application server <NUM>, from a particular messaging client application <NUM> to another messaging client application <NUM>, the sending of media files (e.g., images or video) from a messaging client application <NUM> to a messaging server application <NUM>, and for possible access by another messaging client application <NUM>, the settings of a collection of media data (e.g., story), the retrieval of a list of friends of a user of a client device <NUM>, the retrieval of such collections, the retrieval of messages and content, the addition and deletion of entities (e.g., friends) to an entity graph (e.g., a social graph), the location of friends within a social graph, and opening an application event (e.g., relating to the messaging client application <NUM>).

The application server <NUM> hosts a number of applications and subsystems, including a messaging server application <NUM>, an image processing system <NUM>, and a social network system <NUM>. The messaging server application <NUM> implements a number of message processing technologies and functions, particularly related to the aggregation and other processing of content (e.g., textual and multimedia content) included in messages received from multiple instances of the messaging client application <NUM>. As will be described in further detail, the text and media content from multiple sources may be aggregated into collections of content (e.g., called stories or galleries). These collections are then made available, by the messaging server application <NUM>, to the messaging client application <NUM>. Other processor and memory intensive processing of data may also be performed server-side by the messaging server application <NUM>, in view of the hardware requirements for such processing.

The application server <NUM> also includes an image processing system <NUM> that is dedicated to performing various image processing operations, typically with respect to images or video within the payload of a message sent from or received at the messaging server application <NUM>.

The social network system <NUM> supports various social networking functions and services and makes these functions and services available to the messaging server application <NUM>. To this end, the social network system <NUM> maintains and accesses an entity graph <NUM> (as shown in <FIG>) within the database <NUM>. Examples of functions and services supported by the social network system <NUM> include the identification of other users of the messaging system <NUM> with which a particular user has relationships or is "following,"," and also the identification of other entities and interests of a particular user.

The application server <NUM> is communicatively coupled to a database server <NUM>, which facilitates access to a database <NUM> in which is stored data associated with messages processed by the messaging server application <NUM>.

<FIG> is a block diagram illustrating further detail s regarding the messaging system <NUM>, according to some examples. Specifically, the messaging system <NUM> is shown to comprise the messaging client application <NUM> and the application server <NUM>, which in turn embody a number of subsystems, namely an ephemeral timer system <NUM>, a collection management system <NUM>, and an augmentation system <NUM>.

The ephemeral timer system <NUM> is responsible for enforcing the temporary access to content permitted by the messaging client application <NUM> and the messaging server application <NUM>. To this end, the ephenieral timer system <NUM> incorporates a number of timers that, based on duration and display parameters associated with a message, or collection of messages (e.g., a story), selectively display and enable access to messages and associated content via the messaging client application <NUM>. Further details regarding the operation of the ephemeral timer system <NUM> are provided below.

The collection management system <NUM> is responsible for managing collections of media (e.g., collections of text, image video, and audio data). A collection of content (e.g., messages, including images, video, text, and audio) may be organized into an "event gallery" or an "event story. " Such a collection may be made available for a specified time period, such as the duration of an event to which the content relates. For example, content relating to a music concert may be made available as a "story" for the duration of that music concert. The collection management system <NUM> may also be responsible for publishing an icon that provides notification of the existence of a particular collection to the user interface of the messaging client application <NUM>.

The augmentation system <NUM> provides various functions that enable a user to augment (e.g., annotate or otherwise modify or edit) media content associated with a message. For example, the augmentation system <NUM> provides functions related to the generation and publishing of media overlays for messages processed by the messaging system <NUM>. The augmentation system <NUM> operatively supplies a media overlay or augmentation (e.g., an image filter) to the messaging client application <NUM> based on a geolocation of the client device <NUM>. In another example, the augmentation system <NUM> operatively supplies a media overlay to the messaging client application <NUM> based on other information, such as social network information of the user of the client device <NUM>. A media overlay may include audio and visual content and visual effects. Examples of audio and visual content include pictures, texts, logos, animations, and sound effects. An example of a visual effect includes color overlaying. The audio and visual content or the visual effects can be applied to a media content item (e.g., a photo) at the client device <NUM>. For example, the media overlay may include text that can be overlaid on top of a photograph taken by the client device <NUM>. In another example, the media overlay includes an identification of a location overlay (e.g., Venice beach), a name of a live event, or a name of a merchant overlay (e.g., Beach Coffee House). In another example, the augmentation system <NUM> uses the geolocation of the client device <NUM> to identify a media overlay that includes the name of a merchant at the geolocation of the client device <NUM>. The media overlay may include other indicia associated with the merchant. The media overlays may be stored in the database <NUM> and accessed through the database server <NUM>.

In one example, the augmentation system <NUM> provides a user-based publication platform that enables users to select a geolocation on a map and upload content associated with the selected geolocation. The user may also specify circumstances under which a particular media overlay should be offered to other users. The augmentation system <NUM> generates a media overlay that includes the uploaded content and associates the uploaded content with the selected geolocation.

In another example, the augmentation system <NUM> provides a merchant-based publication platform that enables merchants to select a particular media overlay associated with a geolocation via a bidding process. For example, the augmentation system <NUM> associates the media overlay of the highest bidding merchant with a corresponding geolocation for a predefined amount of time.

<FIG> is a schematic diagram illustrating data structures <NUM>, which may be stored in the database <NUM> of the messaging server system <NUM>, according to certain examples. While the content of the database <NUM> is shown to comprise a number of tables, it will be appreciated that the data could be stored in other types of data structures (e.g., as an object-oriented database).

The database <NUM> includes message data stored within a message table <NUM>. The entity table <NUM> stores entity data, including an entity graph <NUM>. Entities for which records are maintained within the entity table <NUM> may include individuals, corporate entities, organizations, objects, places, events, and so forth. Regardless of type, any entity regarding which the messaging server system <NUM> stores data may be a recognized entity. Each entity is provided with a unique identifier, as well as an entity type identifier (not shown).

The entity graph <NUM> furthermore stores information regarding relationships and associations between entities. Such relationships may be social, professional (e.g., work at a common corporation or organization) interested-based or activity-based, merely for example.

The database <NUM> also stores augmentation data, such as overlays or filters, in an augmentation table <NUM>. The augmentation data is associated with and applied to videos (for which data is stored in a video table <NUM>) and images (for which data is stored in an image table <NUM>).

Filters, in one example, are overlays that are displayed as overlaid on an image or video during presentation to a recipient user. Filters may be of various types, including user-selected filters from a set of filters presented to a sending user by the messaging client application <NUM> when the sending user is composing a message. Other types of filters include geolocation filters (also known as geo-filters), which may be presented to a sending user based on geographic location. For example, geolocation filters specific to a neighborhood or special location may be presented within a user interface by the messaging client application <NUM>, based on geolocation information determined by a Global Positioning System (GPS) unit of the client device <NUM>.

Another type of filter is a data filter, which may be selectively presented to a sending user by the messaging client application <NUM>, based on other inputs or information gathered by the client device <NUM> during the message creation process. Examples of data filters include current temperature at a specific location, a current speed at which a sending user is traveling, battery life for a client device <NUM>, or the current time.

Other augmentation data that may be stored within the image table <NUM> includes augmented reality content items (e.g., corresponding to applying Lenses or augmented reality experiences). An augmented reality content item may be a real-time special effect and sound that may be added to an image or a video.

As described above, augmentation data includes augmented reality content items, overlays, image transformations, AR images, and similar terms refer to modifications that may be applied to image data (e.g., videos or images). This includes real-time modifications, which modify an image as it is captured using device sensors (e.g., one or multiple cameras) of a client device <NUM> and then displayed on a screen of the client device <NUM> with the modifications. This also includes modifications to stored content, such as video clips in a gallery that may be modified.

As mentioned above, the video table <NUM> stores video data that, in one example, is associated with messages for which records are maintained within the message table <NUM>. Similarly, the image table <NUM> stores image data associated with messages for which message data is stored in the entity table <NUM>. The entity table <NUM> may associate various augmentations from the augmentation table <NUM> with various images and videos stored in the image table <NUM> and the video table <NUM>.

A story table <NUM> stores data regarding collections of messages and associated image, video, or audio data, which are compiled into a collection (e.g., a story or a gallery). The creation of a particular collection may be initiated by a particular user (e.g., each user for which a record is maintained in the entity table <NUM>). A user may create a "personal story" in the form of a collection of content that has been created and sent/broadcast by that user. To this end, the user interface of the messaging client application <NUM> may include an icon that is user-selectable to enable a sending user to add specific content to his or her personal story.

A collection may also constitute a "live story," which is a collection of content from multiple users that is created manually, automatically, or using a combination of manual and automatic techniques. For example, a "live story" may constitute a curated stream of user-submitted content from varies locations and events. Users whose client devices have location services enabled and are at a common location event at a particular time may, for example, be presented with an option, via a user interface of the messaging client application <NUM>, to contribute content to a particular live story. The live story may be identified to the user by the messaging client application <NUM>, based on his or her location. The end result is a "live story" told from a community perspective.

A further type of content collection is known as a "location story," which enables a user whose client device <NUM> is located within a specific geographic location (e.g., on a college or university campus) to contribute to a particular collection. In some examples, a contribution to a location story may require a second degree of authentication to verify that the end user belongs to a specific organization or other entity (e.g., is a student on the university campus).

<FIG> is a schematic diagram illustrating a structure of a message <NUM>, according to some examples, generated by a messaging client application <NUM> for communication to a further messaging client application <NUM> or the messaging server application <NUM>. The content of a particular message <NUM> is used to populate the message table <NUM> stored within the database <NUM>, accessible by the messaging server application <NUM>. Similarly, the content of a message <NUM> is stored in memory as "in-transit" or "in-flight" data of the client device <NUM> or the application server <NUM>. The message <NUM> is shown to include the following components:.

A message identifier <NUM>: a unique identifier that identifies the message <NUM>.

A message text payload <NUM>: text, to be generated by a user via a user interface of the Client device <NUM>, and that is included in the message <NUM>.

A message image payload <NUM>: image data, captured by a camera component of a client device <NUM> or retrieved from a memory component of a client device <NUM>, and that is included in the message <NUM>.

A message video payload <NUM>. video data, captured by a camera component or retrieved from a memory component of the client device <NUM>, and that is included in the message <NUM>.

A message audio payload <NUM>: audio data, captured by a microphone or retrieved from a memory component of the client device <NUM>, and that is included in the message <NUM>.

A message augmentation <NUM>: augmentation data (e.g., filters, stickers or other enhancements) that represents augmentations to be applied to message image payload <NUM>, message video payload <NUM>, or message audio payload <NUM> of the message <NUM>.

A message duration parameter <NUM>: parameter value indicating, in seconds, the amount of time for which content of the message (e.g., the message image payload <NUM>, message video payload <NUM>, message audio payload <NUM>) is to be presented or made accessible to a user via the messaging client application <NUM>.

A message geolocation parameter <NUM>: geolocation data (e.g., latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates) associated with the content payload of the message. Multiple message geolocation parameter <NUM> values may be included in the payload, each of these parameter values being associated with respect to content items included in the content (e.g., a specific image into within the message image payload <NUM>, or a specific video in the message video payload <NUM>).

A message story identifier <NUM>: identifier values identifying one or more content collections (e.g., "stories") with which a particular content item in the message image payload <NUM> of the message <NUM> is associated. For example, multiple images within the message image payload <NUM> may each be associated with multiple content collections using identifier values.

A message tag <NUM>: each message <NUM> may be tagged with multiple tags, each of which is indicative of the subject matter of content included in the message payload. For example, where a particular image included in the message image payload <NUM> depicts an animal (e.g., a lion), a tag value may be included within the message tag <NUM> that is indicative of the relevant animal. Tag values may be generated manually, based on user input, or may be automatically generated using, for example, image recognition.

A message sender identifier <NUM>: an identifier (e.g., a messaging system identifier, email address, or device identifier) indicative of a user of the Client device <NUM> on which the message <NUM> was generated and from which the message <NUM> was sent.

A message receiver identifier <NUM>: an identifier (e.g., a messaging system identifier, email address, or device identifier) indicative of a user of the client device <NUM> to which the message <NUM> is addressed.

The contents (e.g., values) of the various components of message <NUM> may be pointers to locations in tables within which content data values are stored. For example, an image value in the message image payload <NUM> may be a pointer to (or address of) a location within an image table <NUM>. Similarly, values within the message video payload <NUM> may point to data stored within a video table <NUM>, values stored within the message augmentations <NUM> may point to data stored in an augmentation table <NUM>, values stored within the message story identifier <NUM> may point to data stored in a story table <NUM>, and values stored within the message sender identifier <NUM> and the message receiver identifier <NUM> may point to user records stored within an entity table <NUM>.

<FIG> shows an example embodiment of a social media messaging system <NUM> configured to provide a map-based graphical user interface for a social media application, such as the the map-based GUI <NUM> described below. The social media messaging system <NUM> is in this example provided by messaging system <NUM>, with the respective described components of system <NUM> in different embodiments being provided by messaging client application <NUM>, application server <NUM>, or a combination thereof. The system <NUM> and its associated components can thus in some embodiments be provided server-side, for example by the messaging server system <NUM> (<FIG>). In such instances, the respective components of the system <NUM> can be provided by execution of the messaging server application <NUM> on the application server <NUM>. In other embodiments, one or more components of the system <NUM> are provided client-side, for example by execution of the messaging client application <NUM> on a respective client device <NUM> (<FIG>). In yet further embodiments, the system <NUM> is provided collaboratively server-side and client-side, the application server <NUM> and a client device <NUM> in communication therewith being configured to provide the respective system components by execution of the messaging client application <NUM> on the client device <NUM> and by execution of the messaging server application <NUM> on the application server <NUM>.

The system <NUM> includes a map engine <NUM> to generate a map-based GUI, including the location-based social media information displayed in the map-based GUI. Thus, the map engine <NUM> is configured to receive map data, and based thereon to facilitate generation of the map <NUM> in the map viewport <NUM>(e.g. an area of a display for map presentation) of the client device <NUM>. To this end, the map engine <NUM> can be configured with a user icon mechanism <NUM> to surface and cause display of particular icons and to generate, identify, and cause display of user icons (e.g., combined expressive icons as described with reference to <FIG> and <FIG>.

As part of the operation of map engine <NUM>, the icons used to identify positions of devices associated with friend accounts can be generated and provided to a device for inclusion in a map-based GUI. Such a system can be used to provide complex information about a user status by combining an expressive icon (e.g. a flattened two dimensional representation or avatar of a user that can include a representation of a user's face and a distinct or expressive facial expression, and/or that can show the avatar as performing a particular physical action) with a status indicator (e.g., expressing availability for contact, a do not disturb indication, an activity indication, notification of a future activity, or other complex status information). With distinct facial expression is meant a facial expression configured to signal a particular associated emotion or mental state. For example, two different expressive icons (e.g. one expressing sadness and another expressing excitement) combined with the same status indication can convey more complex or layered information about a user than is achievable by the use of only a user icon. The use of an expressive icon with a status indicator via user icon mechanism <NUM> thus enables complex information to be communicated in an efficient manner within a map-based GUI. This information can be conveyed for multiple different users within the same compact screen space.

The map engine <NUM> can, based on user privacy and location sharing selections, place friend icons on a map based on the location information. Such icons can provide complex details about users within a map interface, as well as enabling customized actions based on the particular combination of expressive icon and status indicator for each user. Additional details on such actions are described below, and can include access to the time associated with the location data (e.g. how many minutes it has been since the location data was collected), the icon display, details about group interactions with the friend account, links to other interfaces (e.g. chat, content collection, shared gallery photos, etc.) relevant to the friend account associated with the friend icon, or other such actions.

The system <NUM> also includes a content management system (CMS) <NUM>. In this example embodiment, the CMS <NUM> provides an administration interface enabling operators to manage content, for example by defining various attributes of different place and/or event stories. The CMS <NUM> in this example embodiment can include the collection management system <NUM> of <FIG> as previously described. The CMS <NUM> is configured for the automated or semiautomated compilation of the respective social media galleries or content collections (e.g. stories) as previously described. This can include interface or inclusion of curation or moderation tools along with the server-side curation interface <NUM>. The CMS <NUM> in this example embodiment further enables an administrator to define a set of expressive icons and a set of status indicators selectable by the user to form a customized combined expressive icon.

The system <NUM> further includes a user location mechanism <NUM> configured to determine respective user locations, in this example embodiment indicated by the respective device locations, to determine for each user the particular friend users who are viewable via the map-based GUI, and to provide for display of associated user icons at corresponding display locations. The user location mechanism <NUM> in some embodiments comprises, as part of the server system <NUM>, a user location datastore and an per-user access control list (ACL) that lists the particular friend users viewable by each user. In some embodiments, the per-user ACL specifies respective viewing level granularity for each viewable user. The user location mechanism <NUM> in such example embodiments is additionally configured to determine and manage respective user display granularity. This includes calculating non-precise display locations for some users, and causing display of a corresponding user icons at the non-precise display locations.

<FIG> shows an example embodiment of a map-based graphical user interface, further referred to as a map-based GUI <NUM>, displayed on a client device <NUM> in the example form of a mobile phone. In this example embodiment, the map-based GUI <NUM> is generated on a display in the form of a touchscreen <NUM> capable of receiving haptic input. The map-based GUI <NUM> includes an interactive map <NUM> showing a stylized aerial or satellite representation of a particular geographical area. The map <NUM> is displayed within a map viewport <NUM> which, in this example embodiment, uses the full available area of the touchscreen <NUM>. In other example embodiments, the map viewport <NUM> may be a bounded panel or window within a larger display screen. The map-based GUI <NUM> further comprises a plurality of user-selectable graphical user interface elements displayed at specific respective geographic locations on the map <NUM>. Each such geo-anchored GUI element is in this example embodiment represented by a respective indicium or icon overlaid on the map <NUM>. The map-based GUI <NUM> may further include one or more informational overlays rendered over the underlying geographical map <NUM>, in this example embodiment including a heatmap <NUM> representative of the geographical distribution of underlying social media activity on the social media platform provided by the relevant social media application.

As mentioned, the map-based GUI <NUM> includes a number of different user-selectable icons or UI elements that indicate different geographically based content or information. In this example embodiment, the map-based GUI <NUM> includes a plurality of different gallery icons, also referred to in this description as "story icons. " Each story icon corresponds in location on the map <NUM> to a respective location-based social media gallery or collection. In the example embodiment of <FIG>, the map-based GUI <NUM> includes place icons <NUM> for place galleries/stories (with associated place labels <NUM>), and spike icons <NUM> for spike galleries/stories that are dynamically surfaced on the map-based GUI <NUM> based on one or more metrics of underlying social media activity relating to the submission of social media content to the social media platform with geo-tag data indicating the respectively associated geographical areas.

The map-based GUI includes a graphical representation of associated locations of the user associated with the client device <NUM> as well as other users (e.g. friend devices or devices for associated accounts visible through location data of a social media platform), each user being represented by a respective user icon <NUM> or friend icon <NUM> (for users who are members of an in-application social graph associated with the viewing user). The user icons <NUM> that are displayed on the map-based GUI <NUM> based on the current or last known geographic location of respective friends of the user associated with the client device <NUM>. Note that <FIG> serves to describe the broad functioning of a map-based GUI for a messaging system consistent with this disclosure, but that the user icons <NUM> of <FIG> are simple facial avatars that do not include a status indicator consistent with combined user icons as disclosed herein. In the example of <FIG>, the user is not provided with the option of selecting a custom expressive avatar from a plurality of different expressive avatar options, as is the case with expressive user icons according to this disclosure and exemplified in the user interfaces of <FIG> below. The user icons <NUM> are likewise not combined user icons as disclosed herein and as exemplified in the user interfaces of <FIG>.

A user of the social media platform will not be sharing their location if they have never interacted with the map-based GUI <NUM>. The first time the user interacts with the map-based GUI <NUM>, the user is taken through an on-boarding flow which allows for the setting of individual location sharing preferences. A user can also select different groups of other users via a location sharing preferences interface as friend accounts for location sharing. In some embodiments the user can specify different display attributes for the different respective groups or for different respective individuals, as well as selecting an icon to represent the user in maps of friend accounts. If all friend accounts are selected for location sharing, all new people added to the user's friends list will automatically be able to see their location, consistent with the granularity level selected by the user in system settings. When viewing the map-based GUI, the user will thus be able to see the locations of all his/her friends that have shared their location with him/her on the map <NUM>. As discussed, each user is in this example embodiment represented by a respective user icon <NUM>.

The user can access via the map-based GUI <NUM> content posted from anywhere in the world. This can be achieved by navigating to different geographical areas displayed within the map viewport <NUM>. In particular, the displayed geographical area can be changed by zooming in or zooming out, and by moving the focus area of the map viewport <NUM>. The map-based GUI <NUM> is provided on a touchscreen <NUM>, in which zooming in and zooming out can be achieved by haptic gestures in the form of a pinch-out or a pinch-in haptic input. Movement of the map <NUM> within the map viewport <NUM>, so as to change the displayed geographical area, is achieved by a haptic dragging gesture at any point on the map <NUM>.

It will be appreciated that the map-based GUI <NUM> is dynamic, in that the information displayed therein changes dynamically with time. New information can be triggered or periodically provided to a system and distributed to client applications <NUM>. The underlying social media items upon which surfacing of the icons <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> and generation of the heatmap <NUM> is based can further continually change due to the expiration of the availability data associated with the icons.

<FIG> are views of a map-based GUI <NUM> analogous to that described with reference to <FIG>, but additionally providing functionalities to generate and display combined expressive icons to represent respective user locations on the interactive map <NUM> provided by the map-based GUI <NUM>. In some embodiments, a viewport with in which the map <NUM> is displayed can be an entire area of a display device of a client device <NUM>. In other embodiments, the viewport is an area of a display designated for map presentation, with other areas designated for other purposes.

<FIG> illustrates aspects of an icon selection interface provided by the map-based GUI <NUM> for selecting an expressive icon to form part of a combined expressive icon representing the user on the map <NUM>. The icon selection interface includes a portion of the map <NUM>, status information <NUM>, search input mechanism <NUM> for query-based filtering of expressive icon options (and in a status selection interface such as in <FIG>, query-based filtering of status indicator options), and additional map-based GUI information as discussed with respect to <FIG>. The icon selection interface is in this example embodiment provided by social media messaging system <NUM> (<FIG>), which include a map engine <NUM> with a user icon mechanism <NUM> to allow a user to select icon information to be displayed as part of the map-based GUI <NUM> provided by the system <NUM>.

The icon selection interface displays a plurality of different expressive icons <NUM> from which the user can select a particular expressive icon <NUM> to represent the user in the GUI <NUM>. The expressive icons <NUM> are in this example embodiment provided by an anthropomorphic avatar customized by the user to correspond in appearance to the user. The different expressive icons <NUM>, however, have different respective facial expressions, physical poses, physical actions, or combinations thereof. Thus, each of the different expressive icons <NUM> provides different respective visual information about the first user, such as an activity, emotional state, or aspects of the user's current status, context, or activity. In the icon selection interface displayed in a viewport of a first user's device, the first user can select an expressive icon <NUM>, which is then shown at location <NUM> within map <NUM>. This icon is relayed to the devices of other users, so that the expressive icon <NUM> selected by the first user is displayed in the map-based GUIs of other devices authorized to see the location of the first user.

In addition to an expressive icon <NUM>, the current example embodiment provides for the generation and display of a combined expressive icon that merges an expressive icon <NUM> with a visual display of status information in the form of a status indicator <NUM> (e.g. a sticker or animation illustrating status information) in order to communicate more complex information via a map interface than by the expressive icon <NUM> alone. <FIG> illustrate examples of status indicators <NUM> that can be combined with an expressive icon <NUM> (e.g. icon information) to generate a combined expressive icon <NUM> (see <FIG>) for use within the map-based GUI <NUM>. In this example embodiment, each status indicator <NUM> provides a status indication by way of stylized text.

The status indicators <NUM> in this example embodiment both directly conveys information (e.g., by means of respective text) and is also associated with particular respective UI actions when a combined expressive icon <NUM> generated from the status indicator is presented within a map based GUI. For example, status indicator 734A is associated with a chat action, such that an icon <NUM> combined with status indicator 734A generates a combined icon <NUM> that, when selected as part of a map based interface, automatically opens a communication interface (e.g., a chat interface) for interacting with the user associated with the combined icon <NUM>. The status indicator <NUM> thus provides a user-selectable user interface element to launch a specific associated action or interface.

In other example status indicators which the user can select in the forming of a combined expressive icon <NUM> (e.g. in a status selection interface as illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>), status indicator 734B and 734E can each be associated with an automatic "do not disturb" message, indicating that the user associated with a resulting combined icon <NUM> is not currently responding to messages, but is expected to begin responding at a selected date or time. Similarly, status indicators 734C, 734D, and 734F are associated with activities at a particular location. A combined icon <NUM> including such status indicators can be selected to directly initiate actions in map-based GUI <NUM>, such as providing directions to a location currently associated with the user, or to an expected location at a particular time. Status indicator 734C can, for example, automatically link to an electronic invitation to an event indicating a start and end time, as well as directions to the event.

<FIG> illustrates a status selection interface provided by the map-based GUI <NUM> for selecting status indicator <NUM> to be merged with a selected expressive icon <NUM> for a user to generate a combined expressive icon <NUM>. In this example embodiment, the map-based GUI provides an automated combined icon selection flow in which selection of the expressive icon <NUM> in the icon selection interface of <FIG> is immediately and automatically followed by presentation of the status selection interface of <FIG>.

In this example embodiment, the status selection interface illustrate map <NUM> with the selected expressive icon <NUM> at location <NUM> for the user associated with the client device on which the interface is generated. The status selection interface of <FIG> presents a plurality of status indicator options. The area associated with the plurality of candidate status indicators <NUM> is scrollable via swipe inputs to display additional options for a selectable status indicator to be merged with expressive icon <NUM>. Each status indicator <NUM> can be a static sticker graphic, or can be an animation. In some embodiments, status indicator <NUM> for a particular status can be both, with various additional information to be used depending on a displaying device's settings. For example, one displaying device can have status animations associated with status indicator information disabled, while another can have the animations enabled, so that the same combined expressive icon <NUM> can be presented in a different forms at different client devices depending on the options selected for a particular device.

Similarly, different zoom or information densities in a particular display of map data can present a combined expressive icon <NUM> in different formats. For example, at one density level, only a face of the relevant avatar can be presented, with the full expressive icon <NUM> presented as the information density in the map-based GUI decreases (e.g. expressive icon <NUM>), and the full combined expressive icon (e.g. combined expressive icon <NUM>) with the expressive icon and the status sticker or animation displayed when this information does not conflict with other map data information in the map-based GUI <NUM>.

When a particular indicator of status indicator <NUM> is selected, then as illustrated in <FIG>, the combined expressive icon <NUM> is available for display in map <NUM>. In various embodiments, status information <NUM> of a device displaying the map <NUM> can impact both the display and the selection process in various ways. For example, the expressive icons <NUM> and the status indicators <NUM> presented for selection within the respective selection interfaces can be sorted or modified based on status information <NUM>. For example, if a user device is identified as located in a restaurant, then status information <NUM> can reflect this, with the expressive icon <NUM> options for selection sorted or selected from a superset of expressive icon options to prioritize and present expressive icons relating to dining. Similarly, status indicator options presented for selection can also be sorted or filtered to emphasize or be contextual to this status information <NUM>.

Additionally, as described above, certain status indicators <NUM> can be associated with different actions. When status information <NUM> identifies a status as at a restaurant, one status indicator <NUM> option can be associated with a do not disturb action, while another can be associated with an invitation to join the user at the restaurant before a certain time.

<FIG> illustrates an example of the interactive map <NUM> of GUI <NUM> that includes user icons from various different users a different client devices. The map <NUM> includes both background map information as well as status information <NUM> for the user to whom the map <NUM> is displayed, as well as respective user icons for friends of the user within the social media platform provided by system <NUM>. For example, combined expressive icon <NUM> for the user associated with the viewing device is shown at the center of the screen at a location associated with the device for the user. Two other combined expressive friend icons <NUM> and <NUM> are also shown at locations associated with devices of respective friend users viewable with the user.

Combined expressive friend icon <NUM> includes both an expressive icon representing the associated friend, and status indicator information shown as an animation above the expressive icon to generate combined expressive icon <NUM> at a position within the map <NUM>. Friend icon <NUM> is an expressive icon without status indicator, i.e. being a non-combined expressive icon.

Selection of any of the friend icons in the map in this example triggers a specific respective GUI action associated with the icon. For example, selection of icon <NUM> triggers display of (a) information about the associated friend account, (b) a do not disturb message due to the user's driving, and (c) an expected arrival and destination for friend associated with user icon <NUM>, Selection of combined expressive icon <NUM> automatically launches a chat interface with the associated friend, Selection of combined expressive icon <NUM> indicates that the relevant friend is having coffee at a particular location until a particular time.

If combined expressive icon <NUM>, which provides the visual representation for the user account associated the device displaying the interactive map <NUM>, is selected, options to update the icon or status indicator information are automatically surfaced. In this example embodiment, such selection of the combined expressive icons <NUM> launches the above-described combined icon selection flow. When user representation data for the user is thus updated, operations to update the user representation data indicating the combined expressive icon <NUM> locally at the user's device occur, and the updated information is also communicated to server computers of a server system. The server system can then distribute this information to accounts within the social graph of the initial user that are authorized to have the location and combined icon for the initial user.

In some embodiments, collisions can occur between images and icons associated with different friend accounts displayed in a map-based GUI. Various embodiments can address such collisions, where images overlap, in different ways. In one embodiment, the images can be allowed to overlap. Priority (e.g. top) placement can be determined by a proximity to a viewport center, a friend account ranking based on recent communications or frequency of communications with the friend accounts whose images are colliding in the map-based GUI, or other such prioritization mechanisms. In embodiments where significant amounts of information are presented as the additional auto-pop information, such information can be abbreviated or truncated in the case of a collision. In some embodiments, icons and images can be aggregated or clustered to form a joint image or joint icon.

<FIG> describes a method <NUM> of using a combined expressive icon in accordance with embodiments described herein. In some embodiments, the method <NUM> is performed by a computing device with one or more processors, in this example embodiment being performed by the messaging system <NUM> (<FIG>). In some embodiments, the method <NUM> is embodied in computer-readable instructions stored in a non-transitory storage device, such that when the instructions are executed by one or more processors of a device, the device performs the method <NUM>. Other embodiments may be implemented using any acceptable format or instantiation.

Method <NUM> begins with operation <NUM> accessing, using one or more processors of a computing device, user representation data for a user on whose client device a map-based GUI is to be generated. The user representation data in this example indicates: (a) location information indicating a geographical location of a specific client device associated with the user; (b) a user icon configured to provide a visual representation of the user (e.g., a user-selected expressive icon such as avatar-based icon <NUM> in <FIG>; and (c) a status indicator configured to provide a visual indication of a current status associated with the user (e.g., status indicator 734F of <FIG>). The location information can be generated automatically by location circuitry (e.g. global positioning system circuitry or other location systems) of a client device. The icon information and status indicator information can be selected by a user using a map-based GUI as described above. Then operation <NUM> involves accessing, by the one or more computer processor devices of the system <NUM>, map data associated with the geographic location indicated by the location information. The map data can be accessed based on the indicated location and used to generate map graphics for display in the map-based GUI with icon information.

The method then, at operation <NUM>, causes generation on a first client device (in this example the client device associated with the user account to whom the map-based GUI is to be displayed) of a map-based GUI (e.g., GUI <NUM> described with reference to <FIG>) for a social media platform, the map-based GUI comprising an interactive map that displays the indicated geographic location. At operation <NUM>, the system causes display on the interactive map of a combined icon visually representing the user at a display location based on the indicated geographic location, the combined icon comprising the user icon and the status indicator (e.g., combined expressive icon <NUM> indicating user location in interactive map <NUM>, <FIG>), thereby visually representing on the interactive map the current status.

Some embodiments operate where selection of the combined expressive icon causes presentation on the display of first respective context information for the account associated with the combined expressive icon associated with the account. Some embodiments operate where selection of the combined expressive icon initiates an action associated with the status indicator used to generate the combined expressive icon. In some such embodiments, the action is selected from a group comprising a map direction action, a chat interface display action, a messaging interface action, and a do not disturb response action. In other embodiments, the status indicator and the action are automatically selected by the one or more processors, based on a device status.

Some embodiments involve receiving, at the first client device, a user input on a touchscreen selecting the icon information as a two dimensional representation of a user associated with the account and the first client device, where the computing device is the first client device. This embodiment thus involves selection of an expressive icon and status indicator information by a user of a device, and display of a combined expressive icon at that device. Other embodiments can involve communication of this information to other devices (e.g. via a server computer of a messaging system). Some such embodiments further operate by receiving, at the first client device, a second user input on the touchscreen selecting the status indicator information from a plurality of status indicators as part of a status selection interface. Other embodiments operate by receiving, at a server computer from a second client device, the location information, the icon information, and the status indicator information and communicating, from the server computer to the first client device, the combined expressive icon with instructions to cause display on the first client device of the combined expressive icon in the map interface;.

<FIG> describes a method <NUM> of using a combined expressive icon in accordance with embodiments described herein. In some embodiments, the method <NUM> is performed by a computing device with one or more processors. In some embodiments, the method <NUM> is embodied in computer-readable instructions stored in a non-transitory storage device, such that when the instructions are executed by one or more processors of a device, the device performs the method <NUM>. Other embodiments may be implemented using any acceptable format or instantiation.

Method <NUM> begins with operation <NUM> receiving, at a server computer, from each client device of a plurality of client devices, corresponding location information, corresponding icon information, and corresponding status indicator information. Operation <NUM> then involves identifying, by the one or more processors of the server computer, an account relationship authorizing location sharing with the first client device by said each client device of the plurality of client devices. Operation <NUM> involves communicating, by the server computer, corresponding combined expressive icon information and the corresponding location information for said each client device of the plurality of client devices with instructions to display the combined expressive icon information at the corresponding location information in the map interface of the first client device.

Some embodiments operate where the corresponding combined expressive icon information for said each client device identifies a corresponding different action associated with an icon in the map interface of the first client device for said each client device. Other embodiments operate where a first action for a third client device of the plurality of client devices comprises an automatic do not disturb response action, wherein a second action for a fourth client device of the plurality of client devices comprises an automatic invitation action with associated map directions for the map interface. In further embodiments, other types of actions can be directly initiated from a map-based GUI in accordance with various details described above.

Additionally, while the operations of method <NUM> and <NUM> are described in a particular order above, it will be apparent that the methods can be performed together as part of a system, and that the operations can be repeated or can involve intervening operations in various different implementations.

Additionally, some embodiments involve a client device with a display screen, the client device being configured to display on the screen a map based GUI comprising map data one or more icons associated with corresponding accounts of a messaging system. Each icon is displayed with the map data in a location associated with a device for an account associated with a corresponding icon. Additionally, at least a first icon of the one or icons comprises a combined expressive icon generated from an expressive icon (e.g. an representation of a person in a particular configuration reflecting a user of an account associated with the icon) and status indicator information (e.g. text, image, or animation information describing a status). In some embodiments, the combined expressive icon is selectable to directly launch an action on the client device that is associated with the status indicator information used to generate the combined expressive icon.

The description herein includes systems, methods, devices, techniques, instruction sequences, and computing machine program products that embody illustrative embodiments of the disclosure. In the provided description, for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide an understanding of various embodiments of the inventive subject matter. It will be evident, however, to those skilled in the art, that embodiments of the disclosed subject matter may be practiced without these specific details.

These systems, system components, methods, applications, and so forth described in conjunction with the above embodiments can be implemented in the context of a machine and an associated software architecture. The sections below describe representative software architecture(s) and machine (e.g., hardware) architecture(s) that are suitable for use with the disclosed embodiments.

Software architectures are used in conjunction with hardware architectures to create devices and machines configured for particular purposes. For example, a particular hardware architecture coupled with a particular software architecture will create a mobile device, such as a mobile phone, tablet device, or so forth. A slightly different hardware and software architecture may yield a smart device for use in the "internet of things," while yet another combination produces a server computer for use within a cloud computing architecture. The software and hardware architectures presented here are example architectures for implementing the disclosure, and are not exhaustive as to possible architectures that can be employed for implementing the disclosure.

The machine <NUM> may include processors <NUM>, memory <NUM>, and input/output I/O components <NUM>, which may be configured to communicate with each other via a bus <NUM>. In an example, the processors <NUM> (e.g., a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a Reduced Instruction Set Computing (RISC) Processor, a Complex Instruction Set Computing (CISC) Processor, a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a Radio-Frequency Integrated Circuit (RFIC), another processor, or any suitable combination thereof) may include, for example, a Processor <NUM> and a processor <NUM> that execute the instructions <NUM>. The term "processor"is intended to include multi-core processors that may comprise two or more independent processors (sometimes referred to as "cores") that may execute instructions contemporaneously. Although <FIG> shows multiple processors <NUM>, the machine <NUM> may include a single processor with a single-core, a single processor with multiple cores (e.g., a multi-core processor), multiple processors with a single core, multiple processors with multiples cores, or any combination thereof.

The instructions <NUM> may also reside, completely or partially, within the main memory <NUM>, within the static memory <NUM>, within machine-readable medium <NUM> within the storage unit <NUM>, within at least one of the processors <NUM> (e.g., within the Processor's cache memory), or any suitable combination thereof. during execution thereof by the machine <NUM>.

The JJO components <NUM> may include a wide variety of components to receive input, provide output, produce output, transmit information, exchange information, capture measurements, and so on. The specific I/O components <NUM> that are included in a particular machine will depend on the type of machine. For example, portable machines such as mobile phones may include a touch input device or other such input mechanisms, while a headless server machine will likely not include such a touch input device. It will be appreciated that the I/O components <NUM> may include many other components that are not shown in <FIG>. In various examples, the I/O components <NUM> may include user output components <NUM> and user input components <NUM>. The user output components <NUM> may include visual components (e.g., a display such as a plasma display panel (PDP), a light-emitting diode (LED) display, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a projector, or a cathode ray tube (CRT)), acoustic components (e.g., speakers), haptic components (e.g., a vibratory motor, resistance mechanisms), other signal generators, and so forth. The user input components <NUM> may include alphanumeric input components (e.g., a keyboard, a touch screen configured to receive alphanumeric input, a photo-optical keyboard, or other alphanumeric input components), point-based input components (e.g., a mouse, a touchpad, a trackball, a joystick, a motion sensor, or another pointing instrument), tactile input components (e.g., a physical button, a touch screen that provides location and force of touches or touch gestures, or other tactile input components), audio input components (e.g., a microphone), and the like.

The motion components <NUM><NUM> include acceleration sensor components (e.g., accelerometer), gravitation sensor components, rotation sensor components (e.g., gyroscope). The environmental components <NUM> include, for example, one or cameras (with still image/photograph and video capabilities), illumination sensor components (e.g., photometer), temperature sensor components (e.g., one or more thermometers that detect ambient temperature), humidity sensor components, pressure sensor components (e.g., barometer), acoustic sensor components (e.g., one or more microphones that detect background noise), proximity sensor components (e.g., infrared sensors that detect nearby objects), gas sensors (e.g., gas detection sensors to detection concentrations of hazardous gases for safety or to measure pollutants in the atmosphere), or other components that may provide indications, measurements, or signals corresponding to a surrounding physical environment. The position components <NUM> include location sensor components (e.g., a GPS receiver component), altitude sensor components (e.g., altimeters or barometers that detect air pressure from which altitude may be derived), orientation sensor components (e.g., magnetometers), and the like.

Communication may be implemented using a wide variety of technologies. The I/O components <NUM> further include communication components <NUM> operable to couple the machine <NUM> to a network <NUM> or devices <NUM> via respective coupling or connections. For example, the communication components <NUM> may include a network interface Component or another suitable device to interface with the network <NUM>. In further examples, the communication components <NUM> may include wired communication components, wireless communication components, cellular communication components, Near Field Communication (NFC) components, Bluetooth® components (e.g., Bluetooth® Low Energy), Wi-Fi® components, and other communication components to provide communication via other modalities. The devices <NUM> may be another machine or any of a wide variety of peripheral devices (e.g., a peripheral device coupled via a USB).

For example, the communication components <NUM> may include Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag reader components, NFC smart tag detection components, optical reader components (e.g., an optical sensor to detect one-dimensional bar codes such as Universal Product Code (UPC) bar code, multidimensional bar codes such as Quick Response (QR) code, Aztec code, Data Matrix, Dataglyph, MaxiCode, PDF417, Ultra Code, UCC RSS-2D bar code, and other optical codes), or acoustic detection components (e.g., microphones to identify tagged audio signals).

The instructions <NUM> may be transmitted or received over the network <NUM>, using a transmission medium, via a network interface device (e.g., a network interface component included in the communication components <NUM>) and using any one of several well-known transfer protocols (e.g., hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP). Similarly, the instructions <NUM> may be transmitted or received using a transmission medium via a coupling (e.g., a peer-to-peer coupling) to the devices <NUM>.

The operating system <NUM> manages hardware resources and provides common services. The operating system <NUM> includes, for example, a kernel <NUM>, services <NUM>, and drivers <NUM>. The kernel <NUM> acts as an abstraction layer between the hardware and the other software layers. For example, the kernel <NUM> provides memory management, processor management (e.g., scheduling), component management, networking, and security settings, among other functionality. The services <NUM> can provide other common services for the other software layers. The drivers <NUM> are responsible for controlling or interfacing with the underlying hardware. For instance, the drivers <NUM> can include display drivers, camera drivers, BLUETOOTH® or BLUETOOTH® Low Energy drivers, flash memory drivers, serial communication drivers (e.g., USB drivers), WI-FI® drivers, audio drivers, power management drivers, and so forth.

The libraries <NUM> provide a low-level common infrastructure used by the applications <NUM>. The libraries <NUM> can include system libraries <NUM> (e.g., C standard library) that provide functions such as memory allocation functions, string manipulation functions, mathematic functions, and the like. In addition, the libraries <NUM> can include API libraries <NUM> such as media libraries (e.g., libraries to support presentation and manipulation of various media formats such as Moving Picture Experts Group-<NUM> (MPEG4), Advanced Video Coding (H. <NUM> or AVC), Moving Picture Experts Group Layer-<NUM> (MP3), Advanced Audio Coding (AAC), Adaptive Multi-Rate (AMR) audio codec, Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG or IPG), or Portable Network Graphics (PNG)), graphics libraries (e.g., an OpenGL framework used to render in two dimensions (2D) and three dimensions (3D) in a graphic content on a display), database libraries (e.g., SQLite to provide various relational database functions), web libraries (e.g., WebKit to provide web browsing functionality), and the like. The libraries <NUM> can also include a wide variety of other libraries <NUM> to provide many other APIs to the applications <NUM>.

The frameworks <NUM> provide a common high-level infrastructure that is used by the applications <NUM>. For example, the frameworks <NUM> provide various graphical user interface (GUI) functions, high-level resource management, and high-level location services. The frameworks <NUM> can provide a broad spectrum of other APIs that can be used by the applications <NUM>, some of which may be specific to a particular operating system or platform.

In an example, the applications <NUM> may include a home application <NUM>, a contacts application <NUM>, a browser application <NUM>, a book reader application <NUM>, a location application <NUM>, a media application <NUM>, a messaging application <NUM>, a game application <NUM>, and a broad assortment of other applications such as a third-party application <NUM>. The applications <NUM> are programs that execute functions defined in the programs. Various programming languages can be employed to create one or more of the applications <NUM>, structured in a variety of manners, such as object-oriented programming languages (e.g., Objective-C, Java, or C++) or procedural programming languages (e.g., C or assembly language). In a specific example, the third-party application <NUM> (e.g., an application developed using the ANDROID™ or IOS™ software development kit (SDK) by an entity other than the vendor of the particular platform) may be mobile software running on a mobile operating system such as IOS™, ANDROID™, WINDOWS® Phone, or another mobile operating system. In this example, the third-party application <NUM> can invoke the API calls <NUM> provided by the operating system <NUM> to facilitate functionality described herein.

Turning now to <FIG>, there is shown a diagrammatic representation of a processing environment <NUM>, which includes a processor <NUM>, a processor <NUM>, and a processor <NUM> (e.g., a GPU, CPU or combination thereof).

The processor 1202is shown to be coupled to a power source <NUM>, and to include (either permanently configured or temporarily instantiated) modules, namely an X component <NUM>, a Y component <NUM>, and a Z component <NUM>. The X component <NUM> operationally generates the map engine <NUM> (<FIG>), the Y component <NUM> operationally generates the user icon mechanism <NUM>, and the Z component <NUM> operationally generates user location mechanism <NUM>. As illustrated, the processor <NUM> is communicatively coupled to both the processor <NUM> and the processor <NUM>.

"Component" refers to a device, physical entity, or logic having boundaries defined by function or subroutine calls, branch points, APIs, or other technologies that provide for the partitioning or modularization of particular processing or control functions. Components may be combined via their interfaces with other components to carry out a machine process. A component may be a packaged functional hardware unit designed for use with other components and a part of a program that usually performs a particular function of related functions. Components may constitute either software components (e.g., code embodied on a machine-readable medium) or hardware components. A "hardware component" is a tangible unit capable of performing certain operations and may be configured or arranged in a certain physical manner. In various example embodiments, one or more computer systems (e.g., a standalone computer system, a client computer system, or a server computer system) or one or more hardware components of a computer system (e.g., a processor or a group of processors) may be configured by software (e.g., an application or application portion) as a hardware component that operates to perform certain operations as described herein. A hardware component may also be implemented mechanically, electronically, or any suitable combination thereof. For example, a hardware component may include dedicated circuitry or logic that is permanently configured to perform certain operations. A hardware component may be a special-purpose processor, such as a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) or an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). A hardware component may also include programmable logic or circuitry that is temporarily configured by software to perform certain operations. For example, a hardware component may include software executed by a general-purpose processor or other programmable processor. Once configured by such software, hardware components become specific machines (or specific components of a machine) uniquely tailored to perform the configured functions and are no longer general-purpose processors. It will be appreciated that the decision to implement a hardware component mechanically, in dedicated and permanently configured circuitry, or in temporarily configured circuitry (e.g., configured by software), may be driven by cost and time considerations. Accordingly, the phrase "hardware component"( or "hardware-implemented component") should be understood to encompass a tangible entity, be that an entity that is physically constructed, permanently configured (e.g., hardwired), or temporarily configured (e.g., programmed) to operate in a certain manner or to perform certain operations described herein. Considering embodiments in which hardware components are temporarily configured (e.g., programmed), each of the hardware components need not be configured or instantiated at any one instance in time. For example, where a hardware component comprises a general-purpose processor configured by software to become a special-purpose processor, the general-purpose processor may be configured as respectively different special-purpose processors (e.g., comprising different hardware components) at different times. Software accordingly configures a particular processor or processors, for example, to constitute a particular hardware component at one instance of time and to constitute a different hardware component at a different instance of time. Hardware components can provide information to, and receive information from, other hardware components. Accordingly, the described hardware components may be regarded as being communicatively coupled. Where multiple hardware components exist contemporaneously, communications may be achieved through signal transmission (e.g., over appropriate circuits and buses) between or among two or more of the hardware components. In embodiments in which multiple hardware components are configured or instantiated at different times, communications between such hardware components may be achieved, for example, through the storage and retrieval of information in memory structures to which the multiple hardware components have access. For example, one hardware component may perform an operation and store the output of that operation in a memory device to which it is communicatively coupled. A further hardware component may then, at a later time, access the memory device to retrieve and process the stored output. Hardware components may also initiate communications with input or output devices, and can operate on a resource (e.g., a collection of information). Whether temporarily or permanently configured, such processors may constitute processor-implemented components that operate to perform one or more operations or functions described herein. As used herein, "processor-implemented component" refers to a hardware component implemented using one or more processors. Similarly, the methods described herein may be at least partially processor-implemented, with a particular processor or processors being an example of hardware. For example, at least some of the operations of a method may be performed by one or more processors <NUM> or processor-implemented components. For example, at least some of the operations may be performed by a group of computers (as examples of machines including processors), with these operations being accessible via a network (e.g., the Internet) and via one or more appropriate interfaces (e.g., an API). The performance of certain of the operations may be distributed among the processors, not only residing within a single machine, but deployed across a number of machines. In some example embodiments, the processors or processor-implemented components may be located in a single geographic location (e.g., within a home environment, an office environment, or a server farm). In other example embodiments, the processors or processor-implemented components may be distributed across a number of geographic locations.

"Ephemeral message" refers to a message that is accessible for a time-limited duration. An ephemeral message may be a text, an image, a video and the like. The access time for the ephemeral message may be set by the message sender. Alternatively, the access time may be a default setting or a setting specified by the recipient. Regardless of the setting technique, the message is transitory.

Claim 1:
A method comprising:
accessing (<NUM>) user representation data for a user of a social media platform, the user representation data indicating:
location information indicating a geographic location of a specific client device associated with the user;
a user icon configured to provide a visual representation of the user; an d
a status indicator configured to provide a visual indication of a current status associated with the user, the status indicator having an associated direct action triggerable by selection of a combined icon of which it forms part, wherein the status indicator is selected from a plurality of different status indicators having different associated direct actions;
accessing (<NUM>) map data associated with the geographic location indicated by the location information;
in an automated operation based at least in part on the map data and performed using one or more computer processor devices configured therefor, causing (<NUM>) generation of a map-based graphical user interface, GUI, for the social media platform, the map-based GUI comprising an interactive map that includes the indicated geographic location;
causing (<NUM>) display on the interactive map of the combined icon visually representing the user at a display location based on the indicated geographic location, the combined icon comprising the user icon and the status indicator; and
responsive to user selection of the combined icon, automatically initiating the direct action associated with the status indicator.