# US 9,519,405 B2 · Enabling participation in an online community using visual machine-readable symbols > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,519,405 B2 - Document ID: US9519405B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/973,619 - Filed: 2015-12-17 - Published: 2016-04-14 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2006-05-30 - Assignees: Facebook, Inc. - Applicants: Facebook, Inc. - Inventors: John-Alistair George; Adam Connelly - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9519405B2 ## CPC - G06F 3/0482: Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus - G06F 3/04842: Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements (G06F3/0482 takes precedence) - G06F 40/169: Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes - G06K 19/06028: {using bar codes} - G06Q 10/10: Office automation; Time management - G06Q 30/02: Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising - G06Q 30/0251: Targeted advertisements - G06Q 30/0261: {based on user location} - G06Q 30/06: Buying, selling or leasing transactions - H04L 12/1813: {for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms (instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15)} - H04L 51/046: Interoperability with other network applications or services - 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) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS - 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 - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A facility for coordinating an online discussion is described. The facility receives an indication that a user has captured a machine-readable symbol encoding an identifier that identifies a particular online discussion. In response, the facility incorporates into an online forum that hosts this online discussion an indication that this user captured a symbol encoding an identifier that identifies this online discussion. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method, comprising: configuring a user interface for presenting information describing one or more online interactions; receiving a selection of an online interaction; generating a machine-readable symbol for capture by client devices; associating the machine-readable symbol with the online interaction, wherein a client device capturing the machine-readable symbol performs an action associated with the online interaction; and storing the machine-readable symbol. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the selected online interaction is an interaction between users of an online community. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the selected online interaction is a group discussion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the machine-readable symbol is a two dimensional bar code. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, the method further comprising: maintaining information describing users associated with client devices that have captured the machine-readable symbol. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, the method further comprising: sending a capture program for installation on a client device, the capture program configured to perform the action associated with the online interaction in response to the client device capturing the machine-readable symbol. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the machine-readable symbol encodes a telephone number, wherein the capture program causes the client device to call the encoded telephone number. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the machine-readable symbol encodes an email address, wherein the capture program causes the client device to send an email message to the encoded email address. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the machine-readable symbol encodes data, wherein the capture program causes the encoded data to be decoded for presentation via the client device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the online interaction is associated with a website maintaining user profiles, wherein the client device is associated with a user profile maintained by the website, and wherein the machine- readable symbol encodes data, wherein the capture program is configured to: decode the encoded data; and send a request to the website to associate the decoded data with the user. ### Claim 11 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions for: configuring a user interface for presenting information describing one or more online interactions; receiving a selection of an online interaction; generating a machine-readable symbol for capture by client devices; associating the machine-readable symbol with the online interaction, wherein a client device capturing the machine-readable symbol performs an action associated with the online interaction; and storing the machine-readable symbol. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the selected online interaction is an interaction between users of an online community. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the selected online interaction is a group discussion. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the machine-readable symbol is a two dimensional bar code. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, further storing instructions for: maintaining information describing users associated with client devices that have captured the machine-readable symbol. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, further storing instructions for: sending a capture program for installation on a client device, the capture program configured to perform the action associated with the online interaction in response to the client device capturing the machine-readable symbol. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the machine-readable symbol encodes a telephone number, wherein the capture program causes the client device to call the encoded telephone number. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the machine-readable symbol encodes an email address, wherein the capture program causes the client device to send an email message to the encoded email address. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the machine-readable symbol encodes data, wherein the capture program causes the encoded data to be decoded for presentation via the client device. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the online interaction is associated with a website maintaining user profiles, wherein the client device is associated with a user profile maintained by the website, and wherein the machine-readable symbol encodes data, wherein the capture program is configured to: decode the encoded data; and send a request to the website to associate the decoded data with the user.