Communication streams

• US 8,938,514 B1
• Filed: 07/11/2014
• Issued: 01/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rofori Corporation
• Original Assignee: Rofori Corporation
• Inventors: Barrera, Elvis A., Dantzler, Will C., Leigh, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eskandarnia, Arvin
• Application Number:
  US14/329,665
• Publication Number:
  US 20150019658A1
• Time in Patent Office: 193 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5335 Message type or catagory, e.g. priority, indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

Embodiments described herein organize and percolate important messaging and information to the top of a communications pile, and create a high ratio of front-and-center communication versus chatter communication. This is analogous to creating a high signal-to-noise ratio in signal communications. Thus, embodiments described herein raise the desired signal level high above the noise level to obtain a visual at-a-glance level of communication with reduced clutter or no clutter.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

generating, at one or more servers, a communication stream having one or more stream members;

receiving, at the one or more servers, a plurality of stream messages from the one or more stream members, the plurality of stream messages each including a message content and a message type;

adding, at the one or more servers, the stream messages to the communication stream to be accessible by the one or more stream members;

analyzing, at the one or more servers, the message type of each of the stream messages and forming correlations there-between, the correlations being a function of complementary message rules;

serving, from the one or more servers to a client device, communication stream status updates to the client device, the communication stream status updates being based in part on message types of the stream messages and an analysis of correlations formed between the stream messages;

wherein each of the stream messages further includes a category indicator;

filtering, at the one or more servers, the stream messages based on the category indicator and the message type; and

serving, from the one or more servers to the client device, a user interface having a first section containing a plurality of stream messages each containing a visual indicator corresponding to the message type of the particular stream message, and a second section containing details of a select stream message.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the message type indicates status events relating to an objective of the communication stream.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the message type includes at least one of status, feedback, question, answer, issue, and resolution.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein an amount of available message types cannot exceed a predetermined value.

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

analyzing, at the one or more servers and in response to receiving a response message to a stream message, the message type of the stream message and the message type of the response message to form a correlation there-between, the correlation being a function of the complementary message rules.

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

filtering, at the one or more servers, the messages based on the message types.

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

filtering, at the one or more servers, the stream messages based on the message types and correlations formed between the stream messages.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the communication stream further includes category indicators identifying various aspects of activities relating to an objective of the communication stream.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the communication stream status updates include metrics relating to stream messages having correlations satisfying the complementary message rules.

10. A computer-implemented method for providing a communication stream on a client device, the method comprising:

transmitting, from the client device to at least one server, a command for the at least one server to generate a communication stream having one or more stream members, a user of the client device being one member of the communication stream;

transmitting, from the client device to the at least one server, a plurality of stream messages, the plurality of stream messages each including in part message content and a message type;

receiving, at the client device from the at least one server, the communication stream accessible by the one or more stream members and having the stream messages, the communication stream further having correlations formed between the message types of the stream messages, the correlations being a function of complementary message rules; and

receiving, at the client device and from the at least one server, communication stream status updates, the communication stream status updates being based in part on message types of the stream messages and an analysis of correlations formed between the stream messages;

wherein each of the stream messages further includes a category indicator;

receiving, at the client device from the at least one server, messages filtered based on the category indicator and the message type; and

receiving, at the client device and from the at least one server, a user interface having a first section containing a plurality of stream messages each containing a visual indicator corresponding to the message type of the particular stream message, and a second section containing details of a select stream message.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the message type indicates status events relating to an objective of the communication stream.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein an amount of available message types cannot exceed a predetermined value.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving, at the client device and from the at least one server, messages filtered based on the message types and correlations formed between the stream messages.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the communication stream further includes category indicators identifying various aspects of activities relating to an objective of the communication stream.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the communication stream status updates include metrics relating to stream messages having correlations satisfying the complementary message rules.