Self-creation of comic strips in social networks and other communications

• US 8,621,366 B1
• Filed: 02/16/2010
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Sampath, Satish Kumar
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, THANH T
• Application Number:
  US12/706,151
• Time in Patent Office: 1,414 Days
• Field of Search: 715/751, 715/752, 715/753, 715/758
• US Class Current: 715/751
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

Communications to be shared on social networks and other electronic modes of communication are presented in comic strip form. The comic strips are created with a simplified user interface and are formatted to be well-suited for display on a selected social network or other electronic facility. The comic strips are displayed in an embedded form directly in the social network or other facility, without the need for a user to go to a separate site to view the comic strip.

Claims

1. A method of electronically creating comic strip communications, the method comprising:

receiving a text input from a first user;

selecting, from a database server, a theme for a comic strip based on the text input, wherein selecting the theme includes contextually processing;

entering a title for the comic strip via a user interface in at least one of a computer-implemented social network facility, an electronic mail facility, an instant messaging facility, a texting facility, and an electronic communications facility;

associating textual content for the comic strip from the text input with at least two characters, the textual content being part of a conversation between the at least two characters;

displaying, via the user interface, a preview of the comic strip;

determining display specifications that apply to a destination location;

formatting the comic strip to conform to the display specifications of the destination location;

directing, via the user interface, that the comic strip be posted in the destination location for a second user including embedding the comic strip in a personal stream associated with the second user in the computer-implemented social network facility and allowing the second user to access and control the comic strip in the personal stream; and

receiving a request from the second user to share the comic strip with a third user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the theme includes selecting among a plurality of characters.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the theme includes selecting a user-customized theme.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein selecting the user-customized theme further comprises using another user interface to select a group of images for the user-customized theme that the first user can use repeatedly.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein directing, via the user interface, that the comic strip be posted in the destination location for the second user to read further comprises:

determining the destination location to post the comic strip;

pushing the comic strip to the destination location for display to the second user; and

wherein the destination location includes at least one of a social network page, the second user'"'"'s web page, and a mobile messaging device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the destination location is implicit based on where the comic strip is created.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the destination location is determined based on a user selection.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein formatting the comic strip to conform to the display specifications of the destination location comprises at least one of resizing the comic strip and changing a format of the comic strip.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the comic strip includes a summary of a real-time conversation that can be used for education.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

inferring characteristics from the text input; and

determining to convert a portion of the text input into the comic strip based on the inferred characteristics.

11. A system for electronically creating comic strip communications, the system comprising:

a database server configured to store data corresponding to themes for a comic strip; and

a first computing subsystem configured to receive a text input from a first user and provide a user interface in at least one of a computer-implemented social network facility, an electronic mail facility, an instant messaging facility, a texting facility, and an electronic communications facility, the user interface including a theme selection portion to retrieve a selected theme from the database server based on the text input, a title entry portion for user entry of a title for the comic strip, a textual content entry portion for associating textual content for the comic strip from the text input with at least two characters, the textual content being part of a conversation between the at least two characters, a comic strip preview portion to display the comic strip, the display including determining display specifications that apply to a destination location and formatting the comic strip to conform to the display specifications of the destination location, and a user control to post the comic strip in the destination location for a second user including embedding the comic strip in a personal stream associated with the second user in the computer-implemented social network facility and allowing the second user to access and control the comic strip in the personal stream.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising a client computer in communication with the first computing subsystem, the client computer configured to display the user interface.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing executable computer program instructions for creating comic strip communications, the computer program instructions comprising:

instructions to receive a text input from a first user;

instructions to allow retrieval, from a database, of a theme for a comic strip based on the text input;

instructions to allow user entry of a title for the comic strip, via a user interface, in at least one of a computer-implemented social network facility, an electronic mail facility, an instant messaging facility, a texting facility, and an electronic communications facility;

instructions to associate textual content for the comic strip from the text input with at least two characters, the textual content being part of a conversation between the at least two characters;

instructions to display, via the user interface, a preview of the comic strip;

instructions to determine display specifications that apply to a destination location;

instructions to format the comic strip to conform to the display specifications of the destination location;

instructions to post the comic strip in the destination location for a second user including embedding the comic strip in a personal stream associated with the second user in the computer-implemented social network facility and allowing the second user to access and control the comic strip in the personal stream; and

responsive to a request from the second user, instructions to share the comic strip with a third user.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the theme is selected by the first user from a plurality of themes stored in the database.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the theme is a user-customized theme.

16. A method of electronically creating comic strip communications, the method comprising:

scanning an electronic message for characteristics suitable for the comic strip communications;

selecting, from a database server, a theme for a comic strip responsive to the characteristics;

automatically proposing a title for the comic strip, via a user interface, responsive to the characteristics;

automatically proposing textual content for the comic strip, via the user interface, responsive to the characteristics;

associating the textual content for the comic strip with at least two characters, the textual content being part of a conversation between the at least two characters;

displaying a preview of the comic strip via the user interface to allow a first user'"'"'s review and editing of the comic strip;

determining display specifications that apply to a destination location;

formatting the comic strip to conform to the display specifications of the destination location;

directing, via the user interface, that the comic strip be posted in the destination location for a second user including embedding the comic strip in a personal stream associated with the second user in a computer-implemented social network facility and allowing the second user to access and control the comic strip in the personal stream; and

receiving, via the user interface, a request from the second user that the comic strip be posted for a third user to read.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein directing, via the user interface, that the comic strip be posted in the destination location for the second user to read further comprises:

determining the destination location to post the comic strip;

pushing the comic strip to the destination location for display to the second user; and

wherein the destination location includes at least one of a social network page, a user'"'"'s web page, a mobile messaging device.

18. A system for electronically creating comic strip communications, the system comprising:

a database server configured to store data corresponding to themes for a comic strip; and

a first computing subsystem configured to scan an electronic message for characteristics suitable for the comic strip communications, select, from the database server, a theme for the comic strip responsive to the characteristics, automatically propose a title for the comic strip, via a user interface, responsive to the characteristics, automatically propose textual content for the comic strip, via the user interface, responsive to the characteristics, associate the textual content for the comic strip with at least two characters, the textual content being part of a conversation between the at least two characters, display a preview of the comic strip via the user interface to allow a first user'"'"'s review and editing of the comic strip, determine display specifications that apply to a destination location, format the comic strip to conform to the display specifications of the destination location, direct, via the user interface, that the comic strip be posted in the destination location for a second user including embedding the comic strip in a personal stream associated with the second user in a computer-implemented social network facility and allowing the second user to access and control the comic strip in the personal stream, and receive, via the user interface, a request from the second user that the comic strip be posted for a third user to read.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein directing, via the user interface, that the comic strip be posted in the destination location for the second user to read further comprises:

determining the destination location to post the comic strip;

pushing the comic strip to the destination location for display to the second user; and

wherein the destination location includes at least one of a social network page, a user'"'"'s web page, a mobile messaging device.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing executable computer program instructions for creating comic strip communications, the computer program instructions comprising:

instructions to scan an electronic message for characteristics suitable for the comic strip communications;

instructions to select, from a database server, a theme for a comic strip responsive to the characteristics;

instructions to automatically propose a title for the comic strip, via a user interface, responsive to the characteristics;

instructions to automatically propose textual content for the comic strip, via the user interface, responsive to the characteristics;

instructions to associate the textual content for the comic strip with at least two characters, the textual content being part of a conversation between the at least two characters;

instructions to display a preview of the comic strip via the user interface to allow a first user'"'"'s review and editing of the comic strip;

instructions to determine display specifications that apply to a destination location;

instructions to format the comic strip to conform to the display specifications of the destination location;

instructions to post the comic strip, via the user interface, in the destination location for a second user including embedding the comic strip in a personal stream associated with the second user in a computer-implemented social network facility and allowing the second user to access and control the comic strip in the personal stream; and

responsive to a request from the second user, instructions to post the comic strip, via the interface, for a third user to read.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the instructions to post the comic strip in the destination location further comprise:

instructions to determine the destination location to post the comic strip;

instructions to push the comic strip to the destination location for display to the second user; and

wherein the destination location includes at least one of a social network page, a user'"'"'s web page, and a mobile messaging device.