Document processing service for displaying comments included in messages

• US 10,204,086 B1
• Filed: 03/30/2015
• Issued: 02/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Johnston, Scott M., Sladden, Mandy Richau, Gunn, Ian, Cooper, Nicholas
• Primary Examiner(s): Tapp, Amelia L
• Application Number:
  US14/673,809
• Time in Patent Office: 1,415 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/10 Text processing natural language analysis G06F40/20; semantic analysis G06F40/30; processing or translation of natural language G06F40/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/134 Hyperlinking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/169 Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services

Abstract

A plurality of comments associated with a document is received, and a representation of the document and a representation of a comment thread comprising the plurality of comments are displayed simultaneously on a user device. In one embodiment, a first comment is received from a first user and a second comment is received from a second user. The comment thread may be stored. Systems and apparatus are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a first comment for an electronic document from a first user via a first user device, wherein the first comment comprises a particular symbol followed by one or more characters representing a user address of a second user;

storing the first comment in a comment thread associated with the electronic document;

transmitting data to the first user device to display a first representation of the comment thread on the first user device;

extracting, by a server, the user address from the first comment stored in the comment thread;

automatically sending a first email message to a second user device of the second user, by the server, based on the extracted user address, wherein the first email message comprises the first comment, and a link to a page that, when selected, causes a representation of the electronic document and a second representation of the comment thread to be displayed simultaneously on the second user device;

receiving a selection of a resolve option from the second user via the second user device responsive to sending the first email message; and

transmitting, responsive to the selection of the resolve option, a plurality of notifications to remove the first representation and the second representation of the comment thread with the first comment from a display of the first user device and a display of the second user device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second email message in reply to the first email message, wherein the second email message comprises a second comment; and

transmitting data to cause display of the second comment on the display of the first user device.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

associating the second comment with the comment thread; and

transmitting, to the first user device, data to first representation of the comment thread on the first user device, wherein the updated first representation comprises the first comment from the first user and the second comment.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving a third comment responsive to the updated first representation of the comment thread;

associating the third comment with the comment thread; and

transmitting, to the first user device, data to further update the updated first representation of the comment thread on the first user device to comprise the third comment.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

transmitting, to the second user device, data to update the displayed second representation of the comment thread on the second user device to comprise the second comment and the third comment.

6. A method comprising:

displaying, on a display device at a first user device, a representation of an electronic document;

receiving a request to add a comment related to a portion of the displayed representation of the electronic document from a first user at the first user device;

in response to receiving the request, displaying, on the display device, a region in which the first user may input one or more characters for the comment;

monitoring the characters for a particular character as the characters are received from the first user at the first user device;

in response to detecting that the particular character has been received, displaying, on the display device, one or more user addresses of users associated with the electronic document;

receiving, at the first user device from the first user, a selection of a user address, for a second user, among the displayed user addresses and an indication that the comment is complete; and

in response to receiving the indication, sending, from the first user device and to a server, the comment comprising the characters, and wherein the characters comprise the particular character followed by the selected user address, wherein sending the comment to the server causes the server to extract the selected user address from the comment and send a first email message to the second user at a second user device based on the extracted user address, wherein the first email message comprises the comment and a link to a page that, when selected, causes a the representation of the portion of the electronic document related to the comment and a representation of a comment thread to be displayed simultaneously on a display device of the second user device, and wherein the comment thread comprises the comment and a resolve option that allows the second user to remove the representation of the comment thread from a display device of at least one other user device.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving, from the second user at the second user device, a selection of a the resolve option to remove the representation of a the comment thread from the display device of the other user device.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

removing the representation of the comment thread from the display device of the other user device.

9. A system comprising:

a memory that stores instructions; and

a processor configured to execute the instructions to;

receive a first comment for an electronic document from a first user via a first user device, wherein the first comment comprises a particular symbol followed by one or more characters representing a user address of a second user;

store the first comment in a comment thread associated with the electronic document;

transmit data to the first user device to display a first representation of the comment thread on the first user device;

extract, by a server, the user address from the first comment stored in the comment thread;

automatically send a first email message to a second user device of the second user, by the server, based on the extracted user address, wherein the first email message comprises the first comment, and a link to a page that, when selected, causes a representation of the electronic document and a second representation of the comment thread to be displayed simultaneously on the second user device;

receive a selection of a resolve option from the second user via the second user device responsive to having sent the first email message; and

transmit, responsive to the selection of the resolve option, a plurality of notifications to remove the first representation and the second representation of the comment thread with the first comment from a display of the first user device and a display of the second user device.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to:

receive a second email message in reply to the first email message, wherein the second email message comprises a second comment; and

transmit data to cause display of the second comment on the display of the first user device.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to:

associate the second comment with the comment thread; and

transmit, to the first user device, data to update the displayed first representation of the comment thread on the first user device, wherein the updated first representation comprises the first comment from the first user and the second comment.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to:

receive a third comment responsive to the updated first representation of the comment thread;

associate the third comment with the comment thread; and

transmit, to the first user device, data to further update the updated first representation of the comment thread on the first user device to comprise the third comment.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to:

transmit, to the second user device, data to update the displayed second representation of the comment thread on the second user device to comprise the second comment and the third comment.

14. A system comprising:

a memory that stores instructions; and

a processor configured to execute the instructions to;

display, on a display device at a first user device, a representation of an electronic document;

receive a request to add a comment related to a portion of the displayed representation of the electronic document from a first user at the first user device;

in response to the receipt of the request, display, on the display device, a region in which the first user may input one or more characters for the comment;

monitor the characters for a particular character as the characters are received from the first user at the first user device;

in response to a detection that the particular character has been received, display, on the display device, one or more user addresses of users associated with the electronic document;

receive, at the first user device from the first user, a selection of a user address, for a second user, among the displayed user addresses and an indication that the comment is complete; and

in response to the receipt of the indication, send, from the first user device and to a server, the comment comprising the characters, and wherein the characters comprise the particular character followed by the selected user address, wherein sending the comment to the server causes the server to extract the selected user address from the comment and send an email message to the second user at a second user device based on the extracted user address, wherein the email message comprises the comment and a link to a page that, when selected, causes the representation of the portion of the electronic document related to the comment and a representation of a comment thread to be displayed simultaneously on a display device of the second user device, and wherein the comment thread comprises the comment and a resolve option that allows the second user to remove the representation of the comment thread from a display device of at least one other user device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to:

receive, from the second user at the second user device, a selection of the resolve option to remove the representation of the comment thread from the display device of the other user device.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to:

remove the representation of the comment thread from the display device of the other user device.