User messaging based on changes in tracked activity metrics

1. A system comprising at least one server computer having at least one processor programmed to:

receive, over a network, activity data of a first user measured by an activity monitoring device;

process the activity data of the first user to update a value of an activity metric for the first user;

responsive to updating the value of the activity metric for the first user, identify a change in an inequality relationship between the value of the activity metric for the first user and a value of the activity metric for a second user, the change in the inequality relationship being defined by the value of the activity metric for the first user changing, from being less than the value of the activity metric for the second user, to being greater than the value of the activity metric for the second user; and

responsive to identifying the change in the inequality relationship, trigger, over the network, a first user device to prompt the first user to generate a message to the second user for display on a second user device.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the inequality relationship between the value of the activity metric for the first user and the value of the activity metric for the second user defines a relative ranking of the first user and the second user on a competitive leaderboard for the activity metric.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the change in the inequality relationship defines a change in the relative ranking of the first user and the second user on the competitive leaderboard for the activity metric.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the triggering of the first user device to prompt the first user to generate a message includes identifying the change in the relative ranking of the first user and the second user.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the triggering of the first user device to prompt the first user to generate a message to the second user includes triggering a notification to the first user, the notification providing access to an interface configured to receive input from the first user to define content of the message to the second user.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the notification is a push notification to a mobile device.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the interface provides at least one option to send a predefined message to the second user.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the activity metric is defined by one or more of the following: stepcount, elevation climbed, distance traveled, active amount of time.

9. A system comprising at least one server computer having at least one processor programmed to:

receive, over a network, activity data of a first user measured by an activity monitoring device;

process the activity data of the first user to update a value of an activity metric for the first user;

responsive to updating the value of the activity metric for the first user, identify a change in an inequality relationship between the value of the activity metric for the first user and a value of the activity metric for a second user, the change in the inequality relationship being defined by the value of the activity metric for the first user changing, from being greater than the value of the activity metric for the second user, to being less than the value of the activity metric for the second user; and

responsive to identifying the change in the inequality relationship, trigger, over the network, a first user device to prompt the first user to generate a message to the second user for display on a second user device.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the inequality relationship between the value of the activity metric for the first user and the value of the activity metric for the second user defines a relative ranking of the first user and the second user on a competitive leaderboard for the activity metric.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the change in the inequality relationship defines a change in the relative ranking of the first user and the second user on the competitive leaderboard for the activity metric.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the triggering of the first user device to prompt the first user to generate a message includes identifying the change in the relative ranking of the first user and the second user.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the triggering of the first user device to prompt the first user to generate a message to the second user includes triggering a notification to the first user, the notification providing access to an interface configured to receive input from the first user to define content of the message to the second user.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the notification is a push notification to a mobile device.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the interface provides at least one option to send a predefined message to the second user.

16. The system of claim 9 , wherein the activity metric is defined by one or more of the following: stepcount, elevation climbed, distance traveled, active amount of time.

17. A system comprising at least one server computer having at least one processor programmed to:

process requests, received over a network from a plurality of client devices, for a plurality of users to join a group event, the group event defined for an activity metric for each of the plurality of users for a period of time;

process activity data, received over the network, associated with each of the plurality of users during the period of time to track the activity metric for each of the plurality of users, the activity data for a given user being determined from motion data detected by an activity monitoring device associated with the given user;

analyze the activity metrics of the plurality of users to determine a ranking of the plurality of users based on their activity metrics, and to identify a change in relationship between activity metrics of two or more of the plurality of users, the change in relationship being defined by an activity metric of a first one of the users surpassing an activity metric of a second one of the users by at least a predefined amount;

responsive to identifying the change in relationship, identify one or more user accounts of select ones of the plurality of users, select a message template based on the identified change in relationship, and populate the message template to generate a message describing the change in relationship; and

send the message over the network to one or more of the client devices associated with the one or more user accounts for display thereon.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein when the identified change in relationship affects a position in the ranking that is equal to or higher than a threshold position, then the select ones of the plurality of users to receive the message are defined by all of the plurality of users.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein when the identified change in relationship affects a position in the ranking that is less than the threshold position, then the select ones of the plurality of users to receive the message are defined by the two or more of the plurality of users for whom the change in relationship is identified.

20. The system of claim 17 , wherein the group event defines one of a competitive race for the plurality of users, a common goal for each of the plurality of users, or a collective goal for the plurality of users.

21. The system of claim 17 , wherein sending the message is defined by one or more of a push notification, a private message, or an e-mail.

22. The system of claim 17 , wherein selecting the message template is based on the identified one or more user accounts of the select ones of the plurality of users.

23. The system of claim 17 , wherein the select ones of the plurality of users to receive the message are defined by one, or two, or some, or all of the plurality of users, that are selected based on characteristics of the change in the relationship between activity metrics of the two or more of the plurality of users.

24. The system of claim 17 , wherein populating the message template is defined by insertion of custom text that is based on activity metrics of the two or more users for whom the change in relationship is identified.

25. The system of claim 17 , wherein the message is displayed as part of a message feed defined for the group event.

26. A system comprising at least one server computer having at least one processor programmed to:

process requests, received over a network from a plurality of client devices, for a plurality of users to join a group event, the group event defined for an activity metric for each of the plurality of users for a period of time;

process activity data, received over the network, associated with each of the plurality of users during the period of time to track the activity metric for each of the plurality of users, the activity data for a given user being determined from motion data detected by an activity monitoring device associated with the given user;

analyze the activity metrics of the plurality of users to determine a ranking of the plurality of users based on their activity metrics, and to identify a change in relationship between activity metrics of two or more of the plurality of users, the change in relationship being defined by an activity metric of a first one of the users surpassing an activity metric of a second one of the users by less than a predefined amount;

responsive to identifying the change in relationship, identify one or more user accounts of select ones of the plurality of users, select a message template based on the identified change in relationship, and populate the message template to generate a message describing the change in relationship; and

send the message over the network to one or more of the client devices associated with the one or more user accounts for display thereon.

27. The system of claim 26 , wherein when the identified change in relationship affects a position in the ranking that is equal to or higher than a threshold position, then the select ones of the plurality of users to receive the message are defined by all of the plurality of users.

28. The system of claim 27 , wherein when the identified change in relationship affects a position in the ranking that is less than the threshold position, then the select ones of the plurality of users to receive the message are defined by the two or more of the plurality of users for whom the change in relationship is identified.

29. The system of claim 26 , wherein sending the message is defined by one or more of a push notification, a private message, or an e-mail.

30. The system of claim 26 , wherein populating the message template is defined by insertion of custom text that is based on activity metrics of the two or more users for whom the change in relationship is identified.