Games tabs in messaging applications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10874949-B2
Application number	US-201715783885-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 13, 2017
Priority date	Apr 17, 2017
Publication date	Dec 29, 2020
Grant date	Dec 29, 2020

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a request for a games tab on a messaging application running on a client system of a first user; identifying one or more games played by the first user; identifying, for each identified game, one or more message threads associated with the first user and the respective game; ranking the identified games based on one or more first criteria; ranking the one or more message threads associated with each identified game based on one or more second criteria; and sending instructions for presenting the games tab on the messaging application. The games tab may comprise a list of one or more of the identified games presented in ranked order, and, for each game, one or more message threads associated with the respective game presented in ranked order.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method comprising, by one or more computer systems:
receiving, from a client system of a first user of a messaging network, a request for a games tab on a messaging application of the messaging network running on the client system;
identifying one or more games played by the first user, wherein the one or more games are integrated as part of the messaging network via an application programming interface (API) of a game server;
identifying, for each identified game, one or more message threads associated with the first user and the respective game, wherein the one or more message threads associated with the respective game are operable to allow the first user to view a live gameplay of the game and play the game from inside the message threads via the API of the game server;
ranking the identified games based on one or more first criteria;
ranking the one or more message threads associated with each identified game based on one or more second criteria; and
sending, to the client system responsive to the request, instructions for presenting the games tab on the messaging application, wherein the games tab comprises a list of one or more of the identified games presented in ranked order and, for each game, one or more message threads associated with the respective game presented in ranked order, wherein upon interaction with a particular game in the games tab, a game session is initiated within a message thread associated with the particular game by making an API call to the particular game on the game server, and wherein the particular game is played from inside the message thread on the messaging application via the API of the game server.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more first criteria for ranking the identified games comprise one or more of:
a recency of interaction with the games by the first user;
a measure of engagement of the first user with the games; or
a measure of social-network activity of the first user relating to the games.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the social-network activity comprises one or more of posts relating to the games, endorsements relating to the games, or friends of the first user playing the games.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more first criteria for ranking the identified games comprise a measure of game affinity of the first user with respect to one or more of the identified games.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
accessing a gamer graph associated with the messaging network, wherein the gamer graph comprises a plurality of nodes and a plurality of edges connecting the nodes, each of the edges between two of the nodes representing a single degree of separation between them, the nodes comprising:
a first user node corresponding to the first user;
a plurality of second user nodes corresponding to a plurality of second users of the messaging network, respectively, and
a plurality of game nodes corresponding to a plurality of games, respectively;

wherein each edge connecting a user node to a game node represents an interaction by the user corresponding to the user node with the game corresponding to the game node, and
wherein the ranking of the identified games is based on a number of edges connecting each game node corresponding a respective game to the first user node.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein each edge connecting the first user node to a second user node represents a strength or type of relationship between the first user and a second user, and wherein the ranking of the one or more message threads associated with each identified game is based on edges connecting the first user node to one or more of the second user nodes in the gamer graph.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more second criteria for ranking the message threads associated with the identified games comprise a recency of messages between users in the message threads.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ranking of the identified games and the one or more message threads associated with each identified game is performed by a machine-learning model.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:
sorting, by the machine-learning model, the identified games and the one or more message threads associated with each identified game for display in the games tab based on the ranking.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a threshold level of gaming activity by the first user; and
sending, to the client system, an interface of the messaging application comprising a games-tab element, wherein the games-tab element is selectable by the first user to request the games tab on the messaging application.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the threshold level of gaming activity comprises the first user playing the one or more games more than a threshold number of times within a predefined time period.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the threshold level of gaming activity comprises the first user viewing gameplay of one or more second users for the one or more games more than a threshold number of times within a predefined time period.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the threshold level of gaming activity is determined based on a measure of game affinity of the first user with respect to the one or more games.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
sending, to the client system, instructions for updating the games tab on the messaging application, wherein the games tab is updated to:
re-sort the list of identified games based on user interaction with each game; or
incorporate one or more message threads associated with the identified games.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more message threads comprise one or more of:
messages between the first user and one or more second users playing one of the identified games; or
messages between the first user and a game bot associated with one of the identified games.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more message threads associated with each identified game comprise messages relating to the game.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the messages comprise one or more of:
performance metrics of the first user relative to one or more second users playing the game;
performance metrics of the one or more second users;
game updates or releases from a game bot associated with the game; or
challenges or invites received from the one or more second users to play the game.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the performance metrics comprise one or more of a score, a rank, a status, or a level achieved in the game.

19. One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying software that is operable when executed to:
receive, from a client system of a first user of a messaging network, a request for a games tab on a messaging application of the messaging network running on the client system;
identify one or more games played by the first user, wherein the one or more games are integrated as part of the messaging network via an application programming interface (API) of a game server;
identify, for each identified game, one or more message threads associated with the first user and the respective game, wherein the one or more message threads associated with the respective game are operable to allow the first user to view a live gameplay of the game and play the game from inside the message threads via the API of the game server;
rank the identified games based on one or more first criteria;
rank the

Assignees

• Facebook Inc

Inventors

• Vaccari Andrea
• Karimian Pooya
• Guang Lei

Classifications

• H04L51/216 Primary

  Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads · CPC title

• H04L67/53

  using third party service providers · CPC title

• H04L51/52

  for supporting social networking services · CPC title

• H04L67/131

  Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality · CPC title

• H04M1/72427

  for supporting games or graphical animations · CPC title