Integrating communication modes in persistent conversations

• US 10,200,338 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2017
• Issued: 02/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Eidelson, Benjamin David, Douglas, Heradon, Pawlowski, Peter, Gustafsson, Per, Kempen, Bjorn, Lindberg, Jonas Erik
• Primary Examiner(s): Mirza, Adnan M
• Application Number:
  US15/615,677
• Publication Number:
  US 20170279761A1
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]

Abstract

Systems, methods and computer readable media for persistent conversations are described. In some implementations, a method can include receiving a communication message sent from a first user to at least one other user and generating a persistent conversation object having a conversation content section and conversation state information. The method can also include storing the communication message in the conversation content section of the persistent conversation object and forwarding the communication message to the at least one other user. The method can further include updating the conversation state information to reflect the receiving, storing and forwarding of the communication message.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, at a processor, a first communication message from a first device;

receiving, at the processor, a second communication message from a second device, wherein the second device is different than the first device;

storing, by the processor, the first communication message and the second communication message in a conversation content section of a persistent conversation object; and

after the storing, forwarding, by the processor, a portion of the persistent conversation object that includes both the first communication message and the second communication message to one or more of the first device and the second device, wherein the forwarding is performed as part of synchronization between the processor and a persistent conversation client in one or more of the first device and the second device.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, for display, a user interface that shows the conversation content section including the portion of the persistent conversation object that includes both the first communication message and the second communication message.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first communication message is in a first communication protocol that includes a native persistent conversation client protocol and the second communication message is in a second communication protocol that includes an extensible messaging and presence protocol different from the first communication protocol.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving a third communication message in a third communication protocol, wherein the third communication protocol is different from the first communication protocol and the second communication protocol; and

storing the third communication message in the conversation content section of the persistent conversation object.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the third communication protocol is a short message service protocol.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving a fourth communication message in a fourth communication protocol, wherein the fourth communication protocol is different from the first communication protocol, the second communication protocol and the third communication protocol; and

storing the fourth communication message to the conversation content section of the persistent conversation object.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the fourth communication protocol is a social network messaging protocol.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein receiving the third communication message includes receiving the third communication message via a short message service gateway.

9. A system comprising:

a hardware processor coupled to a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the hardware processor, cause the hardware processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving a first communication message from a first device;

receiving a second communication message from a second device, wherein the second device is different than the first device;

storing the first communication message and the second communication message in a conversation content section of a persistent conversation object; and

after the storing, forwarding a portion of the persistent conversation object that includes both the first communication message and the second communication message to one or more of the first device and the second device, wherein the forwarding is performed as part of a synchronization between the processor and a persistent conversation client in one or more of the first device and the second device.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise:

providing, for display, a user interface showing the conversation content section including the portion of the persistent conversation object containing both the first communication message and the second communication message that was forwarded.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the first communication message is in a first communication protocol that includes a native persistent conversation client protocol and the second communication message is in a second communication protocol that includes an extensible messaging and presence protocol.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a third communication message in a third communication protocol, wherein the third communication protocol is different from both the first communication protocol and the second communication protocol; and

storing the third communication message in the conversation content section of the persistent conversation object.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the third communication protocol is a short message service protocol.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a fourth communication message in a fourth communication protocol, wherein the fourth communication protocol is different from each of the first communication protocol, the second communication protocol and third communication protocol; and

storing the fourth communication message to the conversation content section of the persistent conversation object.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the fourth communication protocol is a social network messaging protocol.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the receiving the third communication message includes receiving the third communication message via a short message service gateway.

17. A nontransitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving a first communication message from a first device;

receiving a second communication message from a second device, wherein the second device is different than the first device;

storing the first communication message and the second communication message in a conversation content section of a persistent conversation object; and

after the storing, forwarding a portion of the persistent conversation object that includes both the first communication message and the second communication message to one or more of the first device and the second device, wherein the forwarding is performed as part of a synchronization between the processor and a persistent conversation client in one or more of the first device and the second device.

18. The nontransitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the first communication message is in a first communication protocol that includes a native persistent conversation client protocol and the second communication message is in a second communication protocol that includes an extensible messaging and presence protocol.

19. The nontransitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a third communication message in a third communication protocol, wherein the third communication protocol is different from both the first communication protocol and the second communication protocol; and

storing the third communication message in the conversation content section of the persistent conversation object.

20. The nontransitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a fourth communication message in a fourth communication protocol, wherein the fourth communication protocol is different from each of the first communication protocol, the second communication protocol and third communication protocol; and

storing the fourth communication message to the conversation content section of the persistent conversation object.