SUBGROUP MESSAGING WITHIN A GROUP-BASED MESSAGING INTERFACE

• US 20200137013A1
• Filed: 10/27/2018
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: JIN, Yuan, CAO, Xiao Cao, QIAN, Yin, ZHAO, Xin Chen
• Granted Patent: US 11,019,016 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/185 with management of multicast group membership
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services

Abstract

Techniques are described herein for transmitting subgroup messages and displaying such subgroup messages within a group-based message interface. The subgroup message includes both a message intended for the subgroup and a subgroup command indicating that the message is sent to a subgroup of a group participating in a group-based message interface. The subgroup members are then determined from the subgroup command and the subgroup message is displayed to the subgroup members.

Claims

1. A computer program product for group-based messaging, the computer program product comprising:

a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code embodied therewith, the computer-readable program code executable by one or more computer processors to perform an operation, the operation comprising;

receiving, at a group-based messaging interface server providing message based communication between a plurality of members of a group, a subgroup message comprising a subgroup command, where the subgroup command indicates the message is sent to a subgroup of the plurality of members of the group;

determining, from the subgroup command, a plurality of subgroup members in the subgroup; and

outputting the subgroup message for display, to one or more of the plurality of subgroup members'"'"' client devices, wherein the subgroup message is displayed in a message display of the client devices, wherein the message display comprises both group messages and subgroup messages.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the subgroup message is displayed with an indication the subgroup message is meant for the subgroup members.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein outputting the subgroup message for display comprises:

outputting a renderable object to the to one or more of the plurality of subgroup members'"'"' client devices, wherein the renderable object renders a subsection within the message display for subgroup messages, and wherein the renderable object displays the subgroup message in the subsection.

4. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the subgroup command further comprises a security setting, wherein the security setting indicates the subgroup message is to be viewed by only the plurality of members of the subgroup, and wherein outputting the subgroup message for display comprises displaying the subgroup message to only the one or more of the plurality of subgroup members in the message display.

5. The computer program product of claim 1, the operation further comprising:

receiving a termination parameter for the subgroup, wherein the termination parameter indicates the subgroup will terminate after the termination parameter is met;

determining that the termination parameter is met; and

terminating the subgroup.

6. The computer program product of claim 5, wherein terminating the subgroup comprises:

causing a merger of one or more subgroup messages displayed to the subgroup members into group messages in the message display.

7. The computer program product of claim 5, wherein terminating the subgroup comprises:

archiving one or more subgroup messages displayed to the subgroup members.

8. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the operation further comprises:

receiving a merge command at the group based message interface; and

causing a merger of one or more subgroup messages displayed to the subgroup members into group messages in the message display.

9. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the subgroup command further comprises a subgroup topic, wherein the plurality of members of the subgroup are subscribed to the subgroup topic.

10. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the operation further comprises:

receiving a group message;

determining that the group message comprises a subgroup topic; and

setting the group message as a subgroup message of a subgroup associated with the subgroup topic.

11. A system for group-based messaging comprising:

one or more computer processors; and

a memory containing a program which when executed by the processors performs an operation comprising;

receiving, at a group-based messaging interface server providing message based communication between a plurality of members of a group, a subgroup message comprising a subgroup command, where the subgroup command indicates the message is sent to a subgroup of the plurality of members of the group;

determining, from the subgroup command, a plurality of subgroup members in the subgroup; and

outputting the subgroup message for display, to one or more of the plurality of subgroup members'"'"' client devices, wherein the subgroup message is displayed in a message display of the client devices, wherein the message display comprises both group messages and subgroup messages.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the subgroup message is displayed with an indication the subgroup message is meant for the subgroup members.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein outputting the subgroup message for display comprises:

outputting a renderable object to the to one or more of the plurality of subgroup members'"'"' client devices, wherein the renderable object renders a subsection within the message display for subgroup messages, and wherein the subgroup message is displayed in the subsection.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the subgroup command further comprises a security setting, wherein the security setting indicates the message is to be viewed by only the plurality of members of the subgroup, and wherein outputting the subgroup message for display comprises displaying the subgroup message to only the one or more of the plurality of subgroup members in the message display.

15. The system of claim 11, the operation further comprising:

receiving a termination parameter for the subgroup, wherein the termination parameter indicates the subgroup will terminate after the termination parameter is met;

determining that the termination parameter is met; and

terminating the subgroup.

16. A method for group-based messaging comprising:

receiving, at a group-based messaging interface server providing message based communication between a plurality of members of a group, a subgroup message comprising a subgroup command, where the subgroup command indicates the message is sent to a subgroup of the plurality of members of the group;

determining, from the subgroup command, a plurality of subgroup members in the subgroup; and

outputting the subgroup message for display, to one or more of the plurality of subgroup members'"'"' client devices, wherein the subgroup message is displayed in a message display of the client devices, wherein the message display comprises both group messages and subgroup messages.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the subgroup message is displayed with an indication the subgroup message is meant for the subgroup members.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein outputting the subgroup message for display comprises:

outputting a renderable object to the to one or more of the plurality of subgroup members'"'"' client devices, wherein the renderable object renders a subsection within the message display for subgroup messages, and wherein the subgroup message is displayed in the subsection.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the subgroup command further comprises a security setting, wherein the security setting indicates the subgroup message is to be viewed by only the plurality of members of the subgroup, and wherein outputting the subgroup message for display comprises displaying the subgroup message to only the one or more of the plurality of subgroup members in the message display.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving a termination parameter for the subgroup, wherein the termination parameter indicates the subgroup will terminate after the termination parameter is met;

determining that the termination parameter is met; and

terminating the subgroup.