Techniques for managing a remote web client from an application on a mobile device

• US 10,212,213 B1
• Filed: 05/02/2018
• Issued: 02/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WhatsApp LLC (Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.))
• Original Assignee: WhatsApp LLC (Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.))
• Inventors: Koum, Jan Boris, Acton, Brian Lange, Loh, Jonathan Wenjie, Sadri, Pasha
• Primary Examiner(s): Tokuta, Shean
• Application Number:
  US15/969,227
• Time in Patent Office: 293 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/34 ensuring sequence integrity, e.g. using sequence numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/765 intermediate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

Techniques for managing a remote web client from an application on a mobile device are described. In one embodiment, an apparatus may comprise a messaging application operative on the processor circuit to receive a request from a remote web browser, the request for the remote web browser to receive messaging updates from the messaging application; establish an encrypted connection between the messaging application and the remote web browser, receive a messaging update at the messaging application; and transmit the messaging update from the messaging application to the remote web browser. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving a request at a messaging application on a mobile device, the request originating at a remote web browser, the request for the remote web browser to receive messaging updates from the messaging application, the messaging application associated with a first user account with a messaging service;

initiating a local web server at the mobile device in response to receiving the request, the local web server in communication with the local messaging application;

establishing an encrypted connection between the local web server and the remote web browser;

receiving a messaging update at the messaging application;

transmitting the messaging update from the messaging application to the remote web browser; and

wherein a second messaging update is received by the local web server, from the remote web browser, and relayed to the local messaging application by the local web server.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising assigning, by the local messaging application, a sequence number to the messaging update prior to transmitting the messaging update to the remote web browser.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the encrypted connection Is a peer-to-peer connection between the local web server and the remote web browser.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the message comprises a media segment, and the local web server Is configured to transcode the media segment to a media format supported by the remote web browser.

5. The method of claim 1, the messaging update corresponding to a messaging conversation between the first user account and a second user account, further comprising:

retrieving a messaging state associated with the first user account from a local store on the mobile device, the messaging state comprising at least a portion of a contact list for the first user account, the messaging state comprising a history of the messaging conversation between the first user account and the second user account; and

transmitting the messaging state to the remote web browser.

6. The method of claim 1, the messaging application associated with a first user account with a messaging service, further comprising:

receiving an outgoing message from the remote web browser over the encrypted connection, the outgoing message associated with a messaging conversation with a second user account of the messaging service; and

transmitting the outgoing message to a second messaging application, the second messaging application associated with the second user account.

7. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor circuit;

a memory storing logic for;

a messaging application operable on the processor circuit, the messaging application configured to receive a request originating at a remote web browser, the request for the remote web browser to receive messaging updates from the messaging application, the messaging application associated with a first user account with a messaging service;

a local web server configured to be initiated by the messaging application in response to receiving the request, the local web server in communication with the local messaging application, the local web server further configured to establish an encrypted connection between the local web server and the remote web browser;

wherein;

the messaging application is further configured to receive a messaging update, and to transmit the messaging update from the messaging application to the remote web browser;

wherein a second messaging update is received by the local web server, from the remote web browser, and relayed to the local messaging application by the local web server.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the local messaging application is further configured to assign a sequence number to the messaging update prior to transmitting the messaging update to the remote web browser.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the encrypted connection is a peer-to-peer connection between the local web server and the remote web browser.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the message comprises a media segment, and the local web server is configured to transcode the media segment to a media format supported by the remote web browser.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, the messaging update corresponding to a messaging conversation between the first user account and a second user account, wherein the processor circuit is configured to:

retrieve a messaging state associated with the first user account from a local store on the mobile device, the messaging state comprising at least a portion of a

contact list for the first user account, the messaging state comprising a history of the messaging conversation between the first user account and the second user account; and

transmit the messaging state to the remote web browser.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, the messaging application associated with a first user account with a messaging service, and the processor circuit is configured to:

receive an outgoing message from the remote web browser over the encrypted connection, the outgoing message associated with a messaging conversation with a second user account of the messaging service; and

transmit the outgoing message to a second messaging application, the second messaging application associated with the second user account.

13. At least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a system to:

receive a request at a messaging application on a mobile device, the request originating at a remote web browser, the request for the remote web browser to receive messaging updates from the messaging application, the messaging application associated with a first user account with a messaging service;

initiate a local web server at the mobile device in response to receiving the request, the local web server in communication with the local messaging application;

establish an encrypted connection between the local web server and the remote web browser;

receive a messaging update at the messaging application;

transmit the messaging update from the messaging application to the remote web browser;

wherein a second messaging update is received by the local web server, from the remote web browser, and relayed to the local messaging application by the local web server.

14. The medium of claim 13, further storing instructions for assigning, by the local messaging application, a sequence number to the messaging update prior to transmitting the messaging update to the remote web browser.

15. The medium of claim 13, wherein the encrypted connection is a peer-to-peer connection between the local web server and the remote web browser.

16. The medium of claim 13, wherein the message comprises a media segment, and the local web server is configured to transcode the media segment to a media format supported by the remote web browser.

17. The medium of claim 13, the messaging update corresponding to a messaging conversation between the first user account and a second user account, further storing instructions for:

retrieving a messaging state associated with the first user account from a local store on the mobile device, the messaging state comprising at least a portion of a contact list for the first user account, the messaging state comprising a history of the messaging conversation between the first user account and the second user account; and

transmitting the messaging state to the remote web browser.

18. The medium of claim 13, the messaging application associated with a first user account with a messaging service, further storing instructions for:

receiving an outgoing message from the remote web browser over the encrypted connection, the outgoing message associated with a messaging conversation with a second user account of the messaging service; and

transmitting the outgoing message to a second messaging application, the second messaging application associated with the second user account.