# US 2014/0157379 A1 · Social Authentication

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- Number: US 2014/0157379 A1
- Document ID: US20140157379A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/689,912
- Filed: 2012-11-30
- Published: 2014-06-05
- Earliest claimed: 2012-11-30
- Assignees: Facebook, Inc.
- Inventors: Neel Ishwar Murarka
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140157379A1

## CPC

- G06Q 10/48: using social graphs
- G06F 21/31: User authentication
- H04L 63/08: {for authentication of entities (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32)}
- H04L 65/403: Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences (data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15)
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)

## Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes providing for presentation to a user a number of content objects. Some of the content objects are socially relevant to the user and some of the content objects are socially irrelevant to the user. The method also includes receiving input indicating a selection of one of the content objects by the user; determining whether the content object selected by the user is socially relevant to the user; authenticating the user if the content object selected by the user is socially relevant to the user; and declining to authenticate the user if the content object selected by the user is socially irrelevant to the user.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method comprising:
by a computing device, providing for presentation to a user a plurality of content objects, one or more of the content objects being socially relevant to the user, one or more of the content objects being socially irrelevant to the user;
by the computing device, receiving input indicating a selection by the user of one or more of the content objects;
by the computing device, determining whether the content objects selected by the user are socially relevant to the user;
by the computing device, authenticating the user if the content objects selected by the user is socially relevant to the user; and
by the computing device, declining to authenticate the user if one or more of the content objects selected by the user is socially irrelevant to the user.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the content objects being socially relevant to the user based on social-graph information associated with the user.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein:
the social graph comprises a plurality of nodes and edges connecting the nodes; and
at least one node in the graph corresponding to the user.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the computing device is a client computing device.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the content objects selected by the user are socially relevant to the user comprises:
sending an indication of the selection by the user to a server computing device; and
receiving from the server computing device an indication of whether the content objects selected by the user are socially relevant to the user.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting the plurality of content objects to the user on a display of the computing device, and wherein the content object comprises:
a name of another user;
an image of the other user;
a status update;
a check-in location;
a photo; or
a video.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein authenticating the user comprises authenticating the user to the computing device.

### Claim 8

One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying logic configured when executed to:
provide for presentation to a user a plurality of content objects, one or more of the content objects being socially relevant to the user, one or more of the content objects being socially irrelevant to the user;
receive input indicating a selection by the user of one or more of the content objects;
determine whether the content objects selected by the user are socially relevant to the user;
authenticate the user if one or more of the content objects selected by the user are socially relevant to the user; and
decline to authenticate the user if one or more of the content objects selected by the user are socially irrelevant to the user.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The media of claim 8, wherein one or more of the content objects being socially relevant to the user based on social-graph information associated with the user.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The media of claim 9, wherein:
the social graph comprises a plurality of nodes and edges connecting the nodes; and
at least one node in the graph corresponding to the user.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The media of claim 8, wherein the logic is further configured to:
send an indication of the selection by the user to a server computing device; and
receive from the server computing device an indication of whether the content objects selected by the user are socially relevant to the user.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The media of claim 8, wherein the logic is further configured to present the plurality of content objects to the user on a display of a computing device.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The media of claim 8, wherein the content object comprises:
a name of another user;
an image of the other user;
a status update;
a check-in location;
a photo; or
a video.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The media of claim 8, wherein the logic is further configured to authenticate the user to a computing device.

### Claim 15

A method comprising:
by a server computing device, sending data to a client computing device corresponding to a plurality of content objects, one or more of the content objects being socially relevant to a user, one or more of the content objects being socially irrelevant to the user;
by the server computing device, receiving input from the client computing device indicating a selection by the user of one or more of the content objects; and
by the server computing device, sending an indication to the client computing device of whether the content objects selected by the user are socially relevant to the user, the user being authenticated by the client computing device based at least in part on whether the content objects selected by the user are socially relevant to the user.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, further comprising determining whether the content objects selected by the user are socially relevant to the user based on social-graph information associated with the user.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein:
the social graph comprises a plurality of nodes and edges connecting the nodes; and
at least one node in the graph corresponding to the user.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, further comprising selecting one or more content objects socially relevant to the user stored on a social-networking system based on social-graph information associated with the user.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the content object comprises:
a name of another user;
an image of the other user;
a status update;
a check-in location;
a photo; or
a video.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the client computing device is a mobile device.