Methods and user interfaces for video messaging

• US 9,071,725 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2012
• Issued: 06/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Enete, Noel, Packard, Wayne, Morris, Harry W.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, TING ZHOU
• Application Number:
  US13/612,829
• Publication Number:
  US 20130066989A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,020 Days
• Field of Search: 715/751, 715/753, 715/756, 715/758, 709/204, 709/206
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• 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 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/10 Multimedia information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/50 Telephonic communication in combination with video communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5307 for recording messages comprising any combination of audio and non-audio components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5315 where the non-audio components are still images or video still image mailbox systems H04N1/324, intermediate storage of video signals for videophones H04N7/147
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25816 involving client authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25833 involving client hardware characteristics, e.g. manufacturer, processing or storage capabilities allocation of resources considering hardware capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5044; allocation of resources considering software capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5055
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/148 Interfacing a video terminal to a particular transmission medium, e.g. ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/155 : involving storage of or access to video conference sessions tracking arrangements for later retrieval of a computer conference content or participants activities H04L12/1831
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Systems and techniques for transferring electronic data between users of a communications system by receiving, at an instant messaging host, a video file from a sender and intended for a recipient; authenticating the video file; and sending the video file to the intended recipient.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

establishing, by a processor, a communications session between a first computing device of a first user of a social communications system and a second computing device of a second user of the social communications system;

determining, by the processor, whether the second computing device has video-enabled capabilities; and

based on the determination that the second computing device has video-enabled capabilities, displaying a video-enabled graphical user interface on the first computing device that enables;

the first user to send video to the second user via the video-enabled graphical user interface;

the first user to view video from the second user via the video-enabled graphical user interface; and

the first user to exchange textual messages with the second user, via the video-enabled graphical user interface, simultaneously with one or more of viewing or sending video;

or

based on the determination that the second computing device does not have video-enabled capabilities, displaying a non-video-enabled graphical user interface on the first computing device that enables the first user to exchange textual messages with the second user via the non-video-enabled graphical user interface, wherein the non-video-enabled graphical user interface does not enable the first user to view video from or send video to the second user.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein enabling the first user to send video to the second user via the video-enabled graphical user interface comprises sending a video message to the second user.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, further comprising limiting the video message to a predetermined length.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the predetermined length comprises approximately 15 seconds.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the predetermined length is an arbitrary length.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising causing the video-enabled graphical user interface to be displayed on the first computing device associated with the first user, the video-enabled graphical user interface comprising:

a first area displaying a running transcript of an exchange of textual messages between the first and second users;

a text message typing area;

a first video area displaying recorded video by the first computing device; and

a second video area displaying video received from the second computing device associated with the second user.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the first computing device comprising a mobile device.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the first computing device comprises a mobile phone.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a status of the second user on the communications system; and

providing an indication of the status of the second user.

10. A first computing device, comprising:

a processor; and

a display, the display providing a graphical user interface that comprises;

a first text message area, the first text message area providing a running transcript of an exchange of text messages between a first user of the first computing device and a second user of a second computing device of a communications system;

a second text message area, the second text message area for receiving text messages entered at the first computing device;

a first video area, the first video area providing video recorded by the first computing device, the first video area being displayed upon the first computing device determining the second computing device has video-enabled capabilities;

a second video area, the second video area providing video received from the second computing device associated with the second user, the second video area being displayed upon the first computing device determining that the second computing device has video-enabled capabilities; and

wherein the graphical user interface does not comprise the first video area providing video recorded by the first computing device or the second video area providing video received from the second computing device upon the first computing device determining that the second computing device does not have video-enabled capabilities.

11. The first computing device as recited in claim 10, wherein the graphical user interface further comprises a selectable option when the first computing device determines that the second computing device has video-enabled capabilities, wherein upon selection of the selectable option a video initiation request is sent to the second computing device.

12. The first computing device as recited in claim 10, wherein the graphical user interface further comprises a selectable option wherein upon selection of the selectable option a composed text message displayed in the second text message area is sent to the second computing device and added to the running transcript of the first text message area.

13. The first computing device as recited in claim 10, wherein the selectable option comprises a button.

14. The first computing device as recited in claim 10, wherein the first text message area, the second text message area, the first video area, and the second video area each reside within a bonded area of the graphical user interface.

15. The first computing device as recited in claim 10, wherein the graphical user interface includes an indication of a status of the second user.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including a set of instructions that, when executed, by a first computing device having a display device, cause the first computing device to:

display, on the display device, a video-enabled graphical user interface upon the first computing device determining that a second computing device of a communications system has video-enabled capabilities, the video-enabled graphical user interface comprising;

a first text message area comprising a running transcript of an exchange of text messages between a first user of the first computing device and a second user of the second computing device communications system;

a second text message area for receiving text messages entered at the first computing device;

a first video area providing video recorded by the first computing device; and

a second video area providing video received from the second computing device associated with the second user; and

display, on the display device, a non-video-enabled graphical user interface upon the first computing device determining that the second computing device does not have video-enabled capabilities, the non-video-enabled graphical user interface comprising;

the first text message area providing the running transcript of the exchange of text messages between the first user and the second user of the communications system;

the second text message area for receiving text messages entered at the first computing device; and

wherein the non-video-enabled graphical user interface does not comprise the first video area providing video recorded by the first computing device or the second video area providing video received from the second computing device associated with the second user.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 16, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the first computing device to display a selectable option in the video-enabled graphical user interface, wherein upon selection of the selectable option a video initiation request is sent to the second computing device.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 16, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the first computing device to display a selectable option in the video-enabled graphical user interface, wherein upon selection of the selectable option a composed text message displayed in the second text message area is sent to the second user and added to the running transcript of the first text message area.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 16, wherein the first text message area in the video-enabled graphical user interface, the second text message area in the video-enabled graphical user interface, the first video area in the video-enabled graphical user interface, and the second video area in the video-enabled graphical user interface each reside within a bonded area in the video-enabled graphical user interface.