Chat System Without Topic-Specific Rooms

• US 20110082907A1
• Filed: 12/14/2010
• Published: 04/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Monica Anderson
• Inventors: Anderson, Monica
• Granted Patent: US 8,301,709 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/226 Delivery according to priorities

Abstract

A method, system and graphical user interface for a chat system is disclosed. One aspect of certain embodiments includes sending target messages to users based on the respective selection and filtering criteria selected by the respective users instead of having users enter topic specific rooms.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for disseminating a plurality of message posts, comprising:

in a server system having one or more processors and memory storing a plurality of message posts and one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors;

selecting, from the plurality of message posts, one or more messages based at least in part on a focus specification associated with the respective user, the focus specification comprising one or more selection criteria;

sending to a respective client system of the respective user at least a subset of the one or more selected messages;

receiving a user selection of one or more anchor messages from the subset of messages; and

sending to the respective user messages subsequent to the one or more anchor messages in respective threads associated with the one or more anchor messages.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein selecting the one or more messages includes selecting from the plurality of message posts messages that match the one or more selection criteria associated with the respective user.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising filtering the one or more selected messages to obtain messages for display to the respective user.

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

sending to the respective client system one or more instructions to display a transmission rate slider for allowing the respective user to control a rate of sending the target messages to the respective user;

receiving from the respective client system transmission rate slider data that corresponds to the rate of sending the target messages to the respective user, the rate being set by the respective user; and

controlling the rate of sending the target messages to the respective user in accordance with the transmission rate slider data.

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

sending to the respective client system one or more instructions to display a popular message fraction slider for allowing the respective user to control a rate of sending popular messages to the respective user;

receiving from the respective client system popular message fraction slider data that corresponds to the rate of sending popular messages to the respective user, the rate being set by the respective user; and

controlling the rate of sending popular messages to the respective user in accordance with the popular message fraction slider data.

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

sending to the respective client system one or more instructions to display a topical message fraction slider for allowing the respective user to control a rate of sending topical messages to the respective user;

receiving from the respective client system topical message fraction slider data that corresponds to the rate of sending topical messages to the respective user, the rate being set by the respective user; and

controlling the rate of sending topical messages to the respective user in accordance with the topical message fraction slider data.

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

sending to the respective client system one or more instructions to display a tracked message fraction slider for allowing the respective user to control a rate of sending tracked messages to the respective user;

receiving from the respective client system tracked message fraction slider data that corresponds to the rate of sending tracked messages to the respective user, the rate being set by the respective user; and

controlling the rate of sending tracked messages to the respective user in accordance with the tracked message fraction slider data.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising sending to the respective client system one or more instructions to display a tracking control for allowing the respective user to track a plurality of replies to a message.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising sending to the respective client system one or more instructions to display an author indication control for allowing the respective user to indicate interest in an author.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising sending to the respective client system one or more instructions to display a topic indication control for allowing the respective user to indicate interest in a topic.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising creating a first inverted index based on the focus specifications associated with the plurality of users.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising matching the plurality of real-time message streams against the first inverted index.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising:

creating a second inverted index based on words typed by the respective users during a pre-selected time period; and

matching the plurality of real-time message streams against the second inverted index.

14. A computer-implemented method for disseminating messages to a respective user in a messaging system, comprising:

in a server system having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors, the computer-implemented method comprising;

selecting, from a plurality of message threads, a set of messages based at least in part on a focus specification associated with the respective user, the focus specification comprising one or more selection criteria specified by the respective user;

sending to a respective client system associated with the respective user target messages comprising at least a subset of the selected set of messages;

receiving a user selection of one or more messages in the target messages as one or more anchor messages for tracking; and

sending to the respective user messages in respective threads associated with the one or more anchor messages, subsequent to the one or more anchor messages.

15. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

at a server system having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors, the computer-implemented method comprising;

receiving a search query from a first client system associated with a first user of a plurality of users;

selecting, from a plurality of message posts, one or more messages based at least in part on the search query;

sending to the first client system at least a subset of the selected one or more messages;

receiving from the first client system a feedback message by the first user for a respective message of the subset of messages; and

sending the feedback message to a plurality of other client systems.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the plurality of other client systems are client systems that have received the respective message or client systems that sent an indication of interest in receiving messages from the first user.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving a second search query from a second client system associated with a second user of the plurality of users; and

sending to the second client system, when the respective message matches the second search query, the respective message and the feedback message for the respective message.

18. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

at a server system having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors, the computer-implemented method comprising;

receiving and storing a plurality of message posts;

identifying respective message selection criteria of a plurality of users;

based on the message selection criteria, identifying a subset of the message posts as popular messages, the popular messages matching the selection criteria of a number of the plurality of users; and

sending to client systems of a second plurality of users at least a subset of the popular messages.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the popular messages match the selection criteria of a number of the plurality of the user in excess of a predefined threshold.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the message selection criteria of the plurality of users comprise respective search queries associated with the plurality of users.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the message selection criteria of the plurality of users comprise one or more focus specifications associated with the plurality of users.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the message selection criteria of the plurality of users comprise identification of a message author.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the message selection criteria of the plurality of users comprise identification of a message source.