Graphical user interface for messaging system

• US 8,386,576 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2011
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Anderson, Monica
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Jungwon
• Application Number:
  US13/226,345
• Publication Number:
  US 20120023420A1
• Time in Patent Office: 539 Days
• Field of Search: 709204-207, 709/225, 715/752, 715/758
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation

Abstract

A method, system and graphical user interface for a chat room system is disclosed. One aspect of certain embodiments includes sending messages that originate from a user'"'"'s current chat room as well as messages that originate from nearby chat rooms to the user. Both types of messages are displayed in a single context to the user.

Claims

1. A computer system, comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory storing one or more programs for execution by at least one of the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for providing first and second messages for display in a message window,

wherein the first messages and second messages are displayed simultaneously within the message window,

wherein the first messages originate from a first set of conversation messages and the second messages originate from at least a second set of conversation messages,

wherein at least the second set of conversation messages is selected without user involvement and is based on a similarity criterion between at least the second set of conversation messages and the first set of conversation messages, and

wherein the user is a participant in the first set of conversation messages and not a participant in at least the second set of conversation messages.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein a plurality of conversation messages including the first set of conversation messages and the second set of conversation messages is in a hierarchy based on topics of respective sets of conversation messages, and the second set of conversation messages is selected based on a graph distance between a first node corresponding to a topic of the first set of conversation messages and a second node corresponding to a topic of the second set of conversation messages.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first messages are displayed using first display attributes, the second messages are displayed using second display attributes distinct from the first display attributes, and the second display attributes are selected based on the graph distance between the first node corresponding to the topic of the first set of conversation messages and the second node corresponding to the topic of the second set of conversation messages.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the second set of conversation messages is selected based on a number of messages in the second set of conversation messages such that the first set of conversation messages and the second set of conversation messages collectively include at least a predetermined number of messages.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the second set of conversation messages is selected based on a number of participants in the second set of conversation messages such that the first set of conversation messages and the second set of conversation messages collectively include at least a predetermined number of participants.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first messages are interleaved with the second messages in chronological order.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first messages originate from a first chat room and the second messages originate from at least a second chat room distinct from the first chat room.

8. A method, performed by a computer system that includes one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors, the method comprising:

at the computer system;

providing first and second messages for display in a message window,

wherein the first messages and second messages are displayed simultaneously within the message window,

wherein the first messages originate from a first set of conversation messages and the second messages originate from at least a second set of conversation messages,

wherein at least the second set of conversation messages is selected without user involvement and is based on a similarity criterion between at least the second set of conversation messages and the first set of conversation messages, and

wherein the user is a participant in the first set of conversation messages and not a participant in at least the second set of conversation messages.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein a plurality of conversation messages including the first set of conversation messages and the second set of conversation messages is in a hierarchy based on topics of respective sets of conversation messages, and the second set of conversation messages is selected based on a graph distance between a first node corresponding to a topic of the first set of conversation messages and a second node corresponding to a topic of the second set of conversation messages.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first messages are displayed using first display attributes, the second messages are displayed using second display attributes distinct from the first display attributes, and the second display attributes are selected based on the graph distance between the first node corresponding to the topic of the first set of conversation messages and the second node corresponding to the topic of the second set of conversation messages.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the second set of conversation messages is selected based on a number of messages in the second set of conversation messages such that the first set of conversation messages and the second set of conversation messages collectively include at least a predetermined number of messages.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the second set of conversation messages is selected based on a number of participants in the second set of conversation messages such that the first set of conversation messages and the second set of conversation messages collectively include at least a predetermined number of participants.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the first messages are interleaved with the second messages in chronological order.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the first messages originate from a first chat room and the second messages originate from at least a second chat room distinct from the first chat room.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs for execution by one or more processors of a computer system, the one or more programs including instructions for:

providing first and second messages for display in a message window,

wherein the first messages and second messages are displayed simultaneously within the message window,

wherein the first messages originate from a first set of conversation messages and the second messages originate from at least a second set of conversation messages,

wherein at least the second set of conversation messages is selected without user involvement and is based on a similarity criterion between at least the second set of conversation messages and the first set of conversation messages, and

wherein the user is a participant in the first set of conversation messages and not a participant in at least the second set of conversation messages.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein a plurality of conversation messages including the first set of conversation messages and the second set of conversation messages is in a hierarchy based on topics of respective sets of conversation messages, and the second set of conversation messages is selected based on a graph distance between a first node corresponding to a topic of the first set of conversation messages and a second node corresponding to a topic of the second set of conversation messages.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the first messages are displayed using first display attributes, the second messages are displayed using second display attributes distinct from the first display attributes, and the second display attributes are selected based on the graph distance between the first node corresponding to the topic of the first set of conversation messages and the second node corresponding to the topic of the second set of conversation messages.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the second set of conversation messages is selected based on a number of messages in the second set of conversation messages such that the first set of conversation messages and the second set of conversation messages collectively include at least a predetermined number of messages.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the second set of conversation messages is selected based on a number of participants in the second set of conversation messages such that the first set of conversation messages and the second set of conversation messages collectively include at least a predetermined number of participants.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the first messages are interleaved with the second messages in chronological order.