Dynamic chat box

• US 10,200,335 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2017
• Issued: 02/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Richter, Michael Judd, Kelly, Matthew William, Haugen, Austin
• Primary Examiner(s): Chea, Philip J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ma, Wing
• Application Number:
  US15/464,160
• Publication Number:
  US 20170195277A1
• Time in Patent Office: 687 Days
• Field of Search: 709204
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes receiving from multiple client devices real time click-stream data indicative of multiple users accessing a content object within a structured document displayed as a web page and storing presence information associated with each of the users in a server associated with a social-networking system. The method also includes identifying one or more of the users based on the presence information, where each of the identified users accessed the content object within a specified time period and the identified users are within a specified degree of separation from each other on the social-networking system. The method further includes sending, to the client device associated with a first user of the identified users, instructions to modify a representation of the web page to include a messaging interface including presence information associated with one or more second users of the identified users.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

by one or more computing devices associated with a social-networking system, receiving from a plurality of client devices real time click-stream data indicative of a plurality of users associated with the client devices accessing a content object within a structured document displayed as a web page;

by one or more of the computing devices, storing presence information associated with each of the users in a server associated with the social-networking system, the presence information comprising;

a resource locator of the content object,

an identifier for the user,

a time stamp representing the time of access of the content object by the user, and

social-networking information within the social-networking system corresponding to each of the users;

by one or more of the computing devices, identifying one or more of the users based on the presence information, wherein;

each of the identified users accessed the content object within a time period set by the social-networking system, and

the identified users are within a specified degree of separation from each other on the social-networking system;

by one or more of the computing devices, sending, to the client device associated with a first user of the identified users, instructions to modify a representation of the web page to comprise a messaging interface comprising presence information associated with one or more second users of the identified users, wherein the messaging interface comprises at least part of the social-networking information corresponding to the one or more of the second users.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein access of the content object by the first user comprises:

the content object being displayed on the client device associated with the first user;

or

the first user interacting with the content object.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first user interacting with the content object comprises the first user clicking on the content object.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the representation of the web page comprises modifying a Document Object Model (DOM) representation of the web page for rendering the web page on the client device associated with the first user.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the modified DOM representation of the web page displays the messaging interface as a side bar or an overlay panel.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the messaging interface comprises one or more of text, video, or voice.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the messaging interface further comprises:

data generated by the second users as a result of having accessed or accessing the content object; and

messaging controls operative to establish a messaging session with one or more of the second users.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the client device associated with the first user comprises a plug-in software application, wherein the plug-in software application:

records click-stream data indicative of the first user accessing the content object;

transmits the click-stream data to one or more of the computing devices associated with the social-networking system in real time; and

receives click-stream data for one or more of the second users, the click-stream data being returned by one or more of the computing devices associated with the social-networking system.

9. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media coupled to one or more of the processors and comprising instructions operable when executed by one or more of the processors to cause the system to;

receive from a plurality of client devices real time click-stream data indicative of a plurality of users associated with the client devices accessing a content object within a structured document displayed as a web page;

store presence information associated with each of the users in a server associated with the social-networking system, the presence information comprising;

a resource locator of the content object,

an identifier for the user,

a time stamp representing the time of access of the content object by the user, and

social-networking information within the social-networking system corresponding to each of the users;

identify one or more of the users based on the presence information, wherein;

each of the identified users accessed the content object within a time period set by the social-networking system, and

the identified users are within a specified degree of separation from each other on the social-networking system;

send, to the client device associated with a first user of the identified users, instructions to modify a representation of the web page to comprise a messaging interface comprising presence information associated with one or more second users of the identified users, wherein the messaging interface comprises at least part of the social-networking information corresponding to the one or more of the second users.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein access of the content object by the first user comprises:

the content object being displayed on the client device associated with the first user;

or

the first user interacting with the content object.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the first user interacting with the content object comprises the first user clicking on the content object.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein modifying the representation of the web page comprises modifying a Document Object Model (DOM) representation of the web page for rendering the web page on the client device associated with the first user.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the modified DOM representation of the web page displays the messaging interface as a side bar or an overlay panel.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the messaging interface comprises one or more of text, video, or voice.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the messaging interface further comprises:

data generated by the second users as a result of having accessed or accessing the content object; and

messaging controls operative to establish a messaging session with one or more of the second users.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the client device associated with the first user comprises a plug-in software application, wherein the plug-in software application:

records click-stream data indicative of the first user accessing the content object;

transmits the click-stream data to one or more of the computing devices associated with the social-networking system in real time; and

receives click-stream data for one or more of the second users, the click-stream data being returned by one or more of the computing devices associated with the social-networking system.

17. One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media comprising software that is operable when executed to:

receive from a plurality of client devices real time click-stream data indicative of a plurality of users associated with the client devices accessing a content object within a structured document displayed as a web page;

store presence information associated with each of the users in a server associated with the social-networking system, the presence information comprising;

a resource locator of the content object,

an identifier for the user,

a time stamp representing the time of access of the content object by the user, and

social-networking information within the social-networking system corresponding to each of the users;

identify one or more of the users based on the presence information, wherein;

each of the identified users accessed the content object within a time period set by the social-networking system, and

the identified users are within a specified degree of separation from each other on the social-networking system;

send, to the client device associated with a first user of the identified users, instructions to modify a representation of the web page to comprise a messaging interface comprising presence information associated with one or more second users of the identified users, wherein the messaging interface comprises at least part of the social-networking information corresponding to the one or more of the second users.

18. The media of claim 17, wherein modifying the representation of the web page comprises modifying a Document Object Model (DOM) representation of the web page for rendering the web page on the client device associated with the first user.

19. The media of claim 18, wherein the modified DOM representation of the web page displays the messaging interface as a side bar or an overlay panel.

20. The media of claim 17, wherein the messaging interface further comprises:

data generated by the second users as a result of having accessed or accessing the content object; and

messaging controls operative to establish a messaging session with one or more of the second users.

21. The media of claim 17, wherein access of the content object by the first user comprises:

the content object being displayed on the client device associated with the first user;

or

the first user interacting with the content object.

22. The media of claim 21, wherein the first user interacting with the content object comprises the first user clicking on the content object.

23. The media of claim 17, wherein the messaging interface comprises one or more of text, video, or voice.

24. The media of claim 17, wherein the client device associated with the first user comprises a plug-in software application, wherein the plug-in software application:

records click-stream data indicative of the first user accessing the content object;

transmits the click-stream data to one or more of the computing devices associated with the social-networking system in real time; and

receives click-stream data for one or more of the second users, the click-stream data being returned by one or more of the computing devices associated with the social-networking system.