System and method for concurrent display of messages from multiple conversations

• US 9,021,372 B2
• Filed: 07/27/2011
• Issued: 04/28/2015
• 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): Bashore, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Distefano, Gregory A
• Application Number:
  US13/192,204
• Publication Number:
  US 20110282959A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,371 Days
• Field of Search: 715/758
• US Class Current: 715/758
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation

Abstract

A method, system and graphical user interface for displaying conversation messages is disclosed. One aspect of certain embodiments includes displaying messages in a first set of conversation messages, and selecting, without user involvement, a second set of conversation messages. The second set of conversation messages are selected by comparing a topic for the first set of conversation messages with a second topic for the second set of conversation messages, or determining that the second set of conversation messages is similar to the first set of conversation messages. Messages in the first set of conversation messages and messages in the selected set of conversation messages are both displayed in a single context to the user.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

at a computer system having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs;

sending messages in a first set of conversation messages for display;

selecting, without user involvement, a second set of conversation messages by;

parsing a hierarchy of sets of conversation messages including the first set of conversation messages and the second set of conversation messages, or

determining that the second set of conversation messages is similar to the first set of conversation messages;

wherein a combined number of messages in the first and second sets of conversation messages total at least a predetermined number of messages; and

sending messages in the second set of conversation messages for concurrent display with the messages in the first set of conversation messages.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first set of conversation messages and the second set of conversation messages originate from chat rooms.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first set of conversation messages originates from a current chat room, in which a user is currently participating, in a plurality of chat rooms, and the second set of conversation messages originates from one or more chat rooms in the plurality of chat rooms other than the current chat room.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the second set of conversation messages is similar to the first set of conversation messages includes determining that the second set of conversation messages is similar to the first set of conversation messages based on titles or descriptions for the first and second sets of conversation messages.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the second set of conversation messages is similar to the first set of conversation messages includes determining that the topic for the first set of conversation messages is within a predefined distance from the second topic for the second set of conversation messages in the hierarchy.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the second set of conversation messages includes selecting the second set of conversation messages such that a combined number of users participating in the first and second sets of conversation messages total at least a predetermined number of users.

7. A computer system, comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory storing one or more programs, the one or more programs including instructions for;

sending messages in a first set of conversation messages for display;

selecting, without user involvement, a second set of conversation messages by;

parsing a hierarchy of sets of conversation messages including the first set of conversation messages and the second set of conversation messages;

determining that the second set of conversation messages is similar to the first set of conversation messages; and

wherein a combined number of messages in the first and second sets of conversation messages total at least a predetermined number of messages; and

sending messages in the second set of conversation messages for concurrent display with the messages in the first set of conversation messages.

8. The computer system of claim 7, wherein the first set of conversation messages and the second set of conversation messages originate from chat rooms.

9. The computer system of claim 7, wherein the instructions for determining that the second set of conversation messages is similar to the first set of conversation messages include instructions for determining that the second set of conversation messages is similar to the first set of conversation messages based on titles or descriptions for the first and second sets of conversation messages.

10. The computer system of claim 7, wherein the instructions for determining that the second set of conversation messages is similar to the first set of conversation messages include instructions for determining that the topic for the first set of conversation messages is within a predefined distance from the second topic for the second set of conversation messages in the hierarchy.

11. The computer system of claim 7, wherein the instructions for selecting the second set of conversation messages include instructions for selecting the second set of conversation messages such that a combined number of users participating in the first and second sets of conversation messages total at least a predetermined number of users.

12. 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:

sending messages in a first set of conversation messages for display;

selecting, without user involvement, a second set of conversation messages by;

parsing a hierarchy of sets of conversation messages including the first set of conversation messages and the second set of conversation messages; and

determining that the second set of conversation messages is similar to the first set of conversation messages;

wherein a combined number of messages in the first and second sets of conversation messages total at least a predetermined number of messages; and

sending messages in the second set of conversation messages for concurrent display with the messages in the first set of conversation messages.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the first set of conversation messages and the second set of conversation messages originate from chat rooms.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions for determining that the second set of conversation messages is similar to the first set of conversation messages include instructions for determining that the second set of conversation messages is similar to the first set of conversation messages based on titles or descriptions for the first and second sets of conversation messages.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions for determining that the second set of conversation messages is similar to the first set of conversation messages include instructions for determining that the topic for the first set of conversation messages is within a predefined distance from the second topic for the second set of conversation messages in the hierarchy.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions for selecting the second set of conversation messages include instructions for selecting the second set of conversation messages such that a combined number of users participating in the first and second sets of conversation messages total at least a predetermined number of users.