Stacked chat conversations

• US 10,680,986 B1
• Filed: 12/06/2017
• Issued: 06/09/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Snap, Inc.
• Inventors: Wu, William
• Primary Examiner(s): Tank, Andrew L
• Application Number:
  US15/833,761
• Time in Patent Office: 916 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/043 using or handling presence information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72472 wherein the items are sorted according to specific criteria, e.g. frequency of use

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for automatic arrangement of communications for improved functionality. A client device presents a stacked set of conversation cells on a display of the client device. The stacked set of conversation cells is stacked such that a first conversation cell corresponding to a first chat conversation from the stacked set of conversation cells is a top conversation cell of the stacked set of conversation cells. While presenting the stacked set of conversation cells, the client device receives a first chat communication that is a part of a second chat conversation that is different than the first chat conversation. In response to the receiving of the first chat communication, the client device modifies the presentation of the stacked set of conversation cells such that a second conversation cell corresponding to the second chat conversation is presented as the top conversation cell of the stacked set of conversation cells.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

presenting, by a client device, a stacked set of conversation cells on a display of the client device, the stacked set of conversation cells stacked such that a first conversation cell from the stacked set of conversation cells is a top conversation cell of the stacked set of conversation cells, the first conversation cell corresponding to a first chat conversation;

while presenting the stacked set of conversation cells, receiving, by the client device, a first chat communication that is a part of a second chat conversation, the second chat conversation being different than the first chat conversation;

in response to the receiving of the first chat communication, modifying the presentation of the stacked set of conversation cells such that a second conversation cell corresponding to the second chat conversation is presented as the top conversation cell of the stacked set of conversation cells; and

in response to receiving a user selection of the top conversation cell;

displaying a list of group messages exchanged between a plurality of members of a group associated with the top conversation cell, the list of group messages being accessible by each of the plurality of members of the group;

displaying, within the list of group messages, concurrently with the list of group messages, one or more private messages exchanged only between a subset of the plurality of members, the one or more private messages being accessible only by the subset of the plurality of members; and

displaying the list of group of messages independently of the one or more private messages scrolling in response to a user request.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after modifying presentation of the stacked set of conversation cells, receiving a user selection of the second conversation cell and detecting user input that swipes away the selected second conversation cell; and

in response to detecting the user input, removing the second conversation cell and modifying presentation of the stacked set of conversation cells such that the first conversation cell is again presented as the top conversation cell of the stacked set of conversation cells.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein only the top conversation cell is interactable by a user.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying names of the plurality of members of the group associated with the top conversation cell in response to receiving the user selection of the top conversation cell, wherein the names of the plurality of members are ordered based on an order in which each respective member in the plurality of members joined the group;

after modifying the presentation of the stacked set of conversation cells, transmitting a response chat message as part of the second chat conversation; and

in response to the transmitting of the response chat message, modifying the presentation of the stacked set of conversation cells such that the first conversation cell is presented as the top conversation cell of the stacked set of conversation cells.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more private messages are interwoven in a message flow of the list of group messages and the one or more private messages are visually distinguishable from the list of group messages by indenting the one or more private messages relative to the list of group messages.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a title that identifies the subset of the plurality of members adjacent to the one or more private messages.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the list of group of messages is scrolled independently of the one or more private messages by receiving a user input that includes a gesture that swipes up or down a display screen within a region defined between a position of the title and a position of an option to send a private message, wherein the one or more private messages are displayed within the region, and wherein the modifying of the presentation of the stacked set of conversation cells further comprises:

determining that a number of conversation cells in the stacked set of conversation cells meets a threshold number of allowable conversation cells;

determining that a third conversation cell from the stacked set of conversation cells has remained inactive for a longer period time than at least one other conversation cell in the stacked set of conversation cells; and

removing the third conversation cell from the stacked set of conversation cells.

8. A client device comprising:

one or more computer processors; and

one or more computer-readable mediums storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more computer processors, cause the client device to perform operations comprising;

presenting a stacked set of conversation cells on a display of the client device, the stacked set of conversation cells stacked such that a first conversation cell from the stacked set of conversation cells is a top conversation cell of the stacked set of conversation cells, the first conversation cell corresponding to a first chat conversation;

while presenting the stacked set of conversation cells, receiving a first chat communication that is a part of a second chat conversation, the second chat conversation being different than the first chat conversation;

in response to the receiving of the first chat communication, modifying the presentation of the stacked set of conversation cells such that a second conversation cell corresponding to the second chat conversation is presented as the top conversation cell of the stacked set of conversation cells; and

in response to receiving a user selection of the top conversation cell;

displaying a list of group messages exchanged between a plurality of members of a group associated with the top conversation cell, the list of group messages being accessible by each of the plurality of members of the group;

displaying, within the list of group messages, concurrently with the list of group messages, one or more private messages exchanged only between a subset of the plurality of members, the one or more private messages being accessible only by the subset of the plurality of members; and

displaying the list of group of messages independently of the one or more private messages scrolling in response to a user request.

9. The client device of claim 8, the operations further comprising:

after modifying presentation of the stacked set of conversation cells, receiving a user selection of the second conversation cell and detecting user input that swipes away the selected second conversation cell; and

in response to detecting the user input, removing the second conversation cell and modifying presentation of the stacked set of conversation cells such that the first conversation cell is again presented as the top conversation cell of the stacked set of conversation cells.

10. The client device of claim 8, wherein only the top conversation cell is interactable by a user.

11. The client device of claim 8, the operations further comprising:

displaying names of the plurality of members of the group associated with the top conversation cell in response to receiving the user selection of the top conversation cell, wherein the names of the plurality of members are ordered based on an order in which each respective member in the plurality of members joined the group;

after modifying the presentation of the stacked set of conversation cells, transmitting a response chat message as part of the second chat conversation; and

in response to the transmitting of the response chat message, modifying the presentation of the stacked set of conversation cells such that the first conversation cell is presented as the top conversation cell of the stacked set of conversation cells.

12. The client device of claim 8, wherein the one or more private messages are interwoven in a message flow of the list of group messages and the one or more private messages are visually distinguishable from the list of group messages by indenting the one or more private messages relative to the list of group messages.

13. The client device of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise displaying a title that identifies the subset of the plurality of members adjacent to the one or more private messages.

14. The client device of claim 13, wherein the list of group of messages is scrolled independently of the one or more private messages by receiving a user input that includes a gesture that swipes up or down a display screen within a region defined between a position of the title and a position of an option to send a private message, wherein the one or more private messages are displayed within the region, and wherein the modifying of the presentation of the stacked set of conversation cells further comprises:

determining that a number of conversation cells in the stacked set of conversation cells meets a threshold number of allowable conversation cells;

determining that a third conversation cell from the stacked set of conversation cells has remained inactive for a longer period time than at least one other conversation cell in the stacked set of conversation cells; and

removing the third conversation cell from the stacked set of conversation cells.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more computer processors of a client device, cause the client device to perform operations comprising:

presenting a stacked set of conversation cells on a display of the client device, the stacked set of conversation cells stacked such that a first conversation cell from the stacked set of conversation cells is a top conversation cell of the stacked set of conversation cells, the first conversation cell corresponding to a first chat conversation;

while presenting the stacked set of conversation cells, receiving a first chat communication that is a part of a second chat conversation, the second chat conversation being different than the first chat conversation;

in response to the receiving of the first chat communication, modifying the presentation of the stacked set of conversation cells such that a second conversation cell corresponding to the second chat conversation is presented as the top conversation cell of the stacked set of conversation cells; and

in response to receiving a user selection of the top conversation cell;

displaying a list of group messages exchanged between a plurality of members of a group associated with the top conversation cell, the list of group messages being accessible by each of the plurality of members of the group;

displaying, within the list of group messages, concurrently with the list of group messages, one or more private messages exchanged only between a subset of the plurality of members, the one or more private messages being accessible only by the subset of the plurality of members; and

displaying the list of group of messages independently of the one or more private messages scrolling in response to a user request.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, the operations further comprising:

after modifying presentation of the stacked set of conversation cells, receiving a user selection of the second conversation cell and detecting user input that swipes away the selected second conversation cell; and

in response to detecting the user input, removing the second conversation cell and modifying presentation of the stacked set of conversation cells such that the first conversation cell is again presented as the top conversation cell of the stacked set of conversation cells.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein only the top conversation cell is interactable by a user.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, the operations further comprising:

displaying names of the plurality of members of the group associated with the top conversation cell in response to receiving the user selection of the top conversation cell, wherein the names of the plurality of members are ordered based on an order in which each respective member in the plurality of members joined the group;

after modifying the presentation of the stacked set of conversation cells, transmitting a response chat message as part of the second chat conversation; and

in response to the transmitting of the response chat message, modifying the presentation of the stacked set of conversation cells such that the first conversation cell is presented as the top conversation cell of the stacked set of conversation cells.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the one or more private messages are interwoven in a message flow of the list of group messages and the one or more private messages are visually distinguishable from the list of group messages by indenting the one or more private messages relative to the list of group messages.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the list of group of messages is scrolled independently of the one or more private messages by receiving a user input that includes a gesture that swipes up or down a display screen within a region defined between a position of the title and a position of an option to send a private message, wherein the one or more private messages are displayed within the region, and wherein the modifying of the presentation of the stacked set of conversation cells comprises:

determining that the second conversation cell is not included in the stacked set of conversation cells;

generating the second conversation cell;

adding the second conversation cell above the first conversation cell in the stacked set of conversation cells;

determining that a number of conversation cells in the stacked set of conversation cells meets a threshold number of allowable conversation cells;

determining that a third conversation cell from the stacked set of conversation cells has remained inactive for a longer period time than at least one other conversation cell in the stacked set of conversation cells; and

removing the third conversation cell from the stacked set of conversation cells.