Storage and processing of ephemeral messages

• US 10,097,497 B1
• Filed: 02/16/2017
• Issued: 10/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Snap, Inc.
• Inventors: Son, Aaron
• Primary Examiner(s): Boutah, Alina A
• Application Number:
  US15/434,807
• Time in Patent Office: 600 Days
• Field of Search: 709206-207
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/234 for tracking messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes

Abstract

A server includes volatile and non-volatile memories for storing messages received from a client device. A message reception module of the server stores a message received from a first client device in the volatile memory for an extended time period based on an indicator included in the message. The message reception module deletes the message from the volatile memory based on detection of a triggering event or stores the message in the non-volatile memory based on not detecting the triggering event before the extended time period has expired. The triggering event may include the message having been read by all specified recipients of the message. The indicator may be included in the message based on a relationship of the message to other messages. The message including the indicator may be related to other messages as part of a same conversation that has been determined to be suitable for short-term storage.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a hardware processor;

a memory comprising instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the system to;

store messages received from client devices in a volatile memory for a standard time period;

move the stored messages to a non-volatile memory after they have been stored in the volatile memory for the standard time period;

determine that a first message stored in the volatile memory includes an indicator for extended storage in the volatile memory;

move the first message from the volatile memory to the non-volatile memory after it has been stored in the volatile memory for an extended time period that is longer than the standard time period; and

delete the stored messages from the volatile or non-volatile memory based on detection of a triggering event.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the system to delete the first message from the volatile memory based on detecting the triggering event prior to a storage time of the first message in the volatile memory exceeding the extended time period.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the triggering event comprises the first message having been read by all specified recipients of the first message.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first message is stored in the volatile memory based on:

a mode of operation of the first client device;

a count of messages in a conversation including the first message;

a size of the first message;

a recipient of the first message;

or a subject of the first message.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the mode of operation of the first client device comprises a chatroom mode of operation, the triggering event comprises exiting the chatroom mode and the system further comprises instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the system to transmit a warning to the first client device that the first message will be automatically deleted upon exiting chatroom mode.

6. The system of claim 2, further comprising instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the system to:

transmit the first message to a second client device associated with a recipient of the first message upon receipt of a request from said second client device;

insert instructions into the first message to instruct the second client device to display the first message for only a predetermined time period; and

delete the first message from at least one of the volatile memory and the non-volatile memory based on the extended time period expiring.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the triggering event comprises responding to the first message at the second client device.

8. A method comprising:

storing messages received from client devices in a volatile memory for a standard time period;

moving the stored messages to a non-volatile memory after they have been stored in the volatile memory for the standard time period;

determining that a first message stored in the volatile memory includes an indicator for extended storage in the volatile memory;

moving the first message from the volatile memory to the non-volatile memory after it has been stored in the volatile memory for an extended time period that is longer than the standard time period; and

deleting the stored messages from the volatile or non-volatile memory based on detection of a triggering event.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising deleting the first message from the volatile memory based on detecting the triggering event prior to expiration of the extended time period.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the triggering event comprises the first message having been read by all specified recipients of the first message.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the first message is stored in the volatile memory based on:

a mode of operation of the first client device;

a count of messages in a conversation including the first message;

a size of the first message;

a recipient of the first message;

or a subject of the first message.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the mode of operation of the first client device comprises a chatroom mode of operation and the triggering event comprises exiting the chatroom mode, the method further comprising transmitting a warning to the first client device that the first message will be automatically deleted upon exiting chatroom mode.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

transmitting the first message to a second client device associated with a recipient of the first message upon receipt of a request from said second client device;

inserting instructions into the first message to instruct the second client device to display the first message for only a predetermined time period; and

deleting the first message from at least one of the volatile memory and the non-volatile memory based on the extended time period expiring.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the triggering event comprises responding to the first message at the second client device.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing program code which, when executed, is operative to cause a computing device to perform operations comprising:

storing messages received from client devices in a volatile memory for a standard time period;

moving the stored messages to a non-volatile memory after they have been stored in the volatile memory for the standard time period;

determining that a first message stored in the volatile memory includes an indicator for extended storage in the volatile memory;

moving the first message from the volatile memory to the non-volatile memory after it has been stored in the volatile memory for an extended time period that is longer than the standard time period; and

deleting the stored messages from the volatile or non-volatile memory based on detection of a triggering event.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, the operations further comprising deleting the first message from the volatile memory based on detecting the triggering event prior to expiration of the extended time period.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the triggering event comprises the first message having been read by all specified recipients of the first message.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the first message is stored in the volatile memory based on:

a mode of operation of the first client device;

a count of messages in a conversation including the first message;

a size of the first message;

a recipient of the first message;

or a subject of the first message.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the mode of operation of the first client device comprises a chatroom mode of operation and the triggering event comprises exiting the chatroom mode, the operations further comprising transmitting a warning to the first client device that the first message will be automatically deleted upon exiting chatroom mode.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, the operations further comprising:

transmitting the first message to a second client device associated with a recipient of the first message upon receipt of a request from said second client device;

inserting instructions into the first message to instruct the second client device to display the first message for only a predetermined time period; and

deleting the first message from at least one of the volatile memory and the non-volatile memory based on the extended time period expiring;

wherein the triggering event comprises responding to the first message at the second client device.