Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) was recently awarded another patent on Tuesday. Apple Insider reported that this patent could have numerous features or augmented social networks for third party social networks.
The particular patent is described as, “apparatus and method for efficiently managing data in a social networking service.”
It could also “provide an efficient and highly-scalable friend service database.”
One of the most notable features is the ability to detect spammers and stalkers. It works by monitoring messages and user requests. It also alerts users of high volume friends that could be spammers. Once the predetermined threshold number has been passed, the system will start ignoring those messages from “stalkers”.
This won’t be the first time Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has tried to make their mark in the world of social media. Just three years ago, they launched Ping, a social media feature that was linked with iTunes. Unfortunately, we’re not sure if some of those failed features described in the patents were the same features in the failed patent.
The new patent is labeled U.S. Patent Number 8,396,932. It is not an actual social network as it is more of a method of managing data of friend services. According to the summary, some embodiments hold the keys or valuable data. It’s all part to provide a more efficient and highly-scalable friend database. It also has more systems that provide more of a consistency between the friendship records.
One example shows three main databases that will keep the user data consistent. This includes the database for friends within the network, a handle database that’s for out-of-network users, and a write-ahead log database that was made for correcting records.
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s enhancement to social networks could prove to be a success if social networks continue to grow at the pace they have been.
[via: BGR]
