Profile verification service

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10120892-B2
Application number	US-201414457596-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 12, 2014
Priority date	Aug 12, 2014
Publication date	Nov 6, 2018
Grant date	Nov 6, 2018

Abstract

Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for providing and/or interacting with a profile verification service. A processor executing a profile verification service can receive a request to verify a user profile associated with a user of a social networking application. The processor can identify a computing device associated with the user profile, obtain location data that relates to the user profile and the computing device, and identify an activity associated with the computing device based upon the location data. The processor can determine if the user profile is accurate based upon the activity identified. If a determination is made that the user profile is accurate, the processor can verify the user profile. If a determination is made that the user profile is not accurate, the processor can update the user profile.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method comprising:
receiving, at a processor executing a profile verification service and from a first computing device, a request to verify a user profile of a user of a social networking service;
identifying, by the processor and based on profile verification data, a second computing device that is associated with the user profile;
obtaining, by the processor, location data that indicates geographic locations visited by the second computing device and times spent by the second computing device at the geographic locations visited by the second computing device;
analyzing, by the processor, the location data to determine a location-based activity that is associated with one of the geographic locations visited, wherein the location-based activity is determined based on a time spent at the one of the geographic locations by the second computing device;
determining, by the processor and based on analyzing the user profile, an activity included in the user profile, wherein the user profile indicates that the user performs the activity;
determining, by the processor, if the user profile is accurate based on determining whether the location-based activity matches the activity;
if a determination is made that the user profile is accurate, providing, to the first computing device, an indication that the user profile is verified; and
if a determination is made that the user profile is not accurate, generating, by the processor, a profile update and providing the profile update to the first computing device to update the user profile.

2. A system comprising:
a processor; and
a memory that stores computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising
receiving, from a first computing device, a request to verify a user profile of a user of a social networking service,
identifying, based on profile verification data, a second computing device that is associated with the user profile,
obtaining location data that indicates geographic locations visited by the second computing device and times spent by the second computing device at the geographic locations visited by the second computing device,
analyzing the location data to determine a location-based activity that is associated with one of the geographic locations visited, wherein the location-based activity is determined based on a time spent at the one of the geographic locations by the second computing device,
determining, based on analyzing the user profile, an activity included in the user profile, wherein the user profile indicates that the user performs the activity,
determining if the user profile is accurate based on determining whether the location-based activity matches the activity,
if a determination is made that the user profile is accurate, providing, to the first computing device, an indication that the user profile is verified, and
if a determination is made that the user profile is not accurate, generating a profile update and providing the profile update to the first computing device to update the user profile.

3. A computer storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
receiving, from a first computing device, a request to verify a user profile of a user of a social networking service;
identifying, based on profile verification data, a second computing device that is associated with the user profile;
obtaining location data that indicates geographic locations visited by the second computing device and times spent by the second computing device at the geographic locations visited by the second computing device;
analyzing the location data to determine a location-based activity that is associated with one of the geographic locations visited, wherein the location-based activity is determined based on a time spent at the one of the geographic locations by the second computing device;
determining, based on analyzing the user profile, an activity included in the user profile, wherein the user profile indicates that the user performs the activity;
determining if the user profile is accurate based on determining whether the location-based activity matches the activity;
if a determination is made that the user profile is accurate, providing, to the first computing device, an indication that the user profile is verified; and
if a determination is made that the user profile is not accurate, generating a profile update and providing the profile update to the first computing device to update the user profile.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the location-based activity further comprises causing the second computing device to present a user interface at the second computing device to obtain an indication that identifies the location-based activity as being associated with the one of the geographic locations.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the profile verification data is obtained via interactions with a user interface displayed at the second computing device, the user interface comprising a plurality of location service selectors and a plurality of social networking profile source controls.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the location-based activity further comprises identifying a business located at the one of the geographic locations.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the profile verification data reflects trends associated with the second computing device and the user profile.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the time comprises a period of time.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the social networking service comprises a dating service, wherein the user profile is associated with the dating service, and wherein the user profile is verified for purposes of ensuring personal safety of a further user of the dating service.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first computing device comprises a server computer that hosts the social networking service.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the location data indicates physical movements of the second computing device.

12. The system of claim 2 , wherein updating the user profile comprises:
identifying an inaccuracy in the user profile, wherein the inaccuracy relates to the activity;
generating a profile update that is based on the location-based activity, wherein the profile update relates to the activity; and
sending the profile update to the social networking service to update the user profile.

13. The system of claim 2 , wherein obtaining the location data comprises receiving the location data from an element of a cellular communications network, wherein the cellular communications network supports cellular communication of the second computing device, and wherein the second computing device comprises a smartphone.

14. The system of claim 2 , wherein the social networking service comprises a dating service, wherein the user profile is associated with the dating service, and wherein the user profile is verified for purposes of ensuring personal safety of a further user of the dating service.

15. The system of claim 2 , wherein the first computing device comprises a server computer that hosts the social networking service.

16. The system of claim 2 , wherein the location data indicates physical movements of the second computing device.

17. The computer storage medium of claim 3 , wherein the social networking service comprises a dating service, and wherein the user profile is verified for purposes of ensuring personal safet

Assignees

• At & T Ip I Lp
• At & T Mobility Ii Llc

Inventors

• Patterson David
• Fix Jeremy
• Meredith Sheldon Kent

Classifications

• G06Q10/40

  Business processes related to social networking or social networking services · CPC title

• G06Q30/06

  Buying, selling or leasing transactions · CPC title

• G06Q30/08

  Auctions · CPC title

• G06Q50/01

  Physics · mapped topic

• H04L67/306 Primary

  User profiles · CPC title