Method and apparatus for initiating and managing chat sessions

• US 10,116,900 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2014
• Issued: 10/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Wood, Justin, Westen, Peter, De Filippis, Pierre
• Primary Examiner(s): Lu, Hua
• Application Number:
  US14/492,719
• Publication Number:
  US 20150163453A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,499 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

Method and apparatus for initiating and managing a chat session are described herein. According to one embodiment, user activities with respect to the data processing system are monitored, including user activities that are unrelated to chat services. In response to a request to initiate a chat session between a local user and a remote user, a first chat service account is selected from a list of chat service accounts associated with the remote user based on the monitored user activities. A chat session is initiated using the selected first chat service account of the remote user and a second chat service account selected for the local user. Certain information is displayed within a chat window indicating that the chat session is conducted between the first and second chat service accounts. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.

Claims

1. A machine-implemented method performed by at least one machine for initiating a video chat session, the method comprising:

in response to a request for starting a single group video chat among a plurality of members, determining whether all members have a chat service account with the same chat service provider;

initiating multiple group video chats among the members in response to determining that not all of the plurality of members have a chat service account with the same chat service provider, wherein each member has at least one chat service account to participate in at least one of the multiple group video chats; and

after the multiple group video chats have started, merging the multiple group video chats into the single group video chat using communication among the members of the multiple group video chats, without involving at least one chat server associated with the chat service provider of at least one of the plurality of members.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating multiple group video chats among the members comprises initiating the multiple group video chats with each of the other members of the plurality of members from the member of the plurality of chat members associated with the at least one machine for initiating the chat session.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication among the members of the multiple group video chats is conducted using point-to-point communications protocols to form at least one point-to-point connection between at least two of the plurality of members.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein after the at least one point-to-point connection has been established, a session initiation protocol is used to conduct the single group video chat.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein after the at least one point-to-point connection has been established, a remote desktop protocol is used to conduct the single group video chat.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising:

detecting when a member of the single group video chat drops from the single group video chat; and

identifying and selecting a new host member to continue hosting the single group video chat.

7. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium storing machine-executable instructions which when executed by at least one machine, cause the at least one machine to perform a method performed within the at least one machine for initiating a video chat session, the method comprising:

in response to a request for starting a single group video chat among a plurality of members, determining whether all members have a chat service account with the same chat service provider;

initiating multiple group video chats among the members in response to determining that not all of the plurality of members have a chat service account with the same chat service provider, wherein each member has at least one chat service account to participate in at least one of the multiple group video chats; and

after the multiple group video chats have started, merging the multiple group video chats into the single group video chat using communication among the members of the multiple group video chats, without involving at least one chat server associated with the chat service provider of at least one of the plurality of members.

8. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein initiating multiple group video chats among the members comprises initiating the multiple group video chats with each of the other members of the plurality of members from the member of the plurality of chat members associated with the at least one machine for initiating the chat session.

9. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the communication among the members of the multiple group video chats is conducted using point-to-point communications protocols to form at least one point-to-point connection between at least two of the plurality of members.

10. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein after the at least one point-to-point connection has been established, a session initiation protocol is used to conduct the single group video chat.

11. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein after the at least one point-to-point connection has been established, a remote desktop protocol is used to conduct the single group video chat.

12. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 7, comprising:

detecting when a member of the single group video chat drops from the single group video chat; and

identifying and selecting a new host member to continue hosting the single group video chat.

13. A computer system for initiating a video chat session, the system comprising:

at least one processor; and

a computer readable medium including instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computer system to;

in response to a request for starting a single group video chat among a plurality of members, determine whether all members have a chat service account with the same chat service provider;

initiate multiple group video chats among the members in response to determining that not all of the plurality of members have a chat service account with the same chat service provider, wherein each member has at least one chat service account to participate in at least one of the multiple group video chats; and

after the multiple group video chats have started, merge the multiple group video chats into the single group video chat using communication among the members of the multiple group video chats, without involving at least one chat server associated with the chat service provider of at least one of the plurality of members.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein to initiate multiple group video chats among the members in response to determining that not all of the plurality of members have a chat service account with the same chat service provider, the member of the plurality of chat members associated with the computer system for initiating the chat session initiates the multiple group video chats with each of the other members of the plurality of members.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the communication among the members of the multiple group video chats is conducted using point-to-point communications protocols to form at least one point-to-point connection between at least two of the plurality of members.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein after the at least one point-to-point connection has been established, a session initiation protocol is used to conduct the single group video chat.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein after the at least one point-to-point connection has been established, a remote desktop protocol is used to conduct the single group video chat.

18. The system of claim 13, comprising:

detecting when a member of the single group video chat drops from the single group video chat; and

identifying and selecting a new host member to continue hosting the single group video chat.