Live interaction in persistent conversations

• US 9,253,223 B1
• Filed: 01/23/2013
• Issued: 02/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Cushing, Kathryn Chapman, Eidelson, Benjamin David, Sarafa, Randall, Kamat, Mayur, Reddappagari, Param, Borde, Shrikrishna Vijaykumar, Dodd, Michael, Fulcher, Richard, Birand, Glay, Bertona, Ivan
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, THANH T
• Application Number:
  US13/748,582
• Time in Patent Office: 1,105 Days
• Field of Search: 715/756, 715/758
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• 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: H04L 65/4038 with floor control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

Systems, methods and computer readable media for live interactions in persistent conversations are described. In some implementations, a method can include receiving a communication message sent from a first user to a second user, wherein the communication message includes initiation of a live interaction. The method can also include generating a live interaction user interface element for display as part of a persistent conversation interface. The method can further include storing a representation of the live interaction in a conversation content section of a persistent conversation object when the live interaction ends. The method can include updating conversation state information of the persistent conversation object to reflect the receiving of the communication message and the storing of the representation.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a communication message sent from a first user with an intended recipient of at least one other user, wherein the communication message includes initiation of a live interaction including one or more of a one-to-one video conference, a multi-way video conference, a one-to-one audio conference and a multi-way audio conference;

storing the communication message in a persistent conversation object and forwarding a portion of the persistent conversation object containing the communication message to the at least one other user after storing the communication message in the persistent conversation object;

generating a live interaction user interface element for display as part of a persistent conversation interface, wherein the live interaction user interface element includes an indication of live interaction participants, an element for entering the live interaction in an audio mode and an element for entering the live interaction in a video mode;

storing a representation of the live interaction in a conversation content section of a persistent conversation object when the live interaction ends, wherein the persistent conversation object includes a central copy stored in a server, the central copy being a canonical copy of the persistent conversation object; and

updating conversation state information of the persistent conversation object central copy stored in the server to reflect the receiving of the communication message and the storing of the representation and providing a portion of the updated persistent conversation object from the central copy stored in the server to one or more devices associated with the first user and to one or more devices associated with the at least one other user.

2. A method comprising:

storing a communication message from a first user in a persistent conversation object and forwarding a portion of the persistent conversation object containing the communication message to at least one other user after storing the communication message in the persistent conversation object;

generating a live interaction user interface element for display to a user as part of a persistent conversation interface;

storing a representation of a live interaction in a conversation content section of the persistent conversation object when the live interaction ends, wherein the persistent conversation object includes a central copy stored in a server, the central copy being a canonical copy of the persistent conversation object, the persistent conversation object having a canonical copy of the conversation content section and a canonical copy of conversation state information; and

updating conversation state information of the persistent conversation object central copy stored in the server to reflect the storing of the representation and providing a portion of the updated persistent conversation object from the central copy stored in the server to be cached in one or more devices associated with the first user and in one or more devices associated with the second user.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the live interaction includes one or more of a one-to-one video conference, a multi-way video conference, a one-to-one audio conference and a multi-way audio conference.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the live interaction user interface element includes an interactive invitation to the live interaction within the persistent conversation interface.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the live interaction user interface element includes an indication of live interaction invitees, status information for each invitee, and wherein the live interaction user interface element includes elements configured to permit the user to join the live interaction in at least one of an audio conference mode and a video conference mode.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the interactive invitation includes action elements configured to permit a user to take an action in response to the interactive invitation, wherein the action elements include a first action element corresponding to joining the live interaction, a second action element corresponding to declining to join the live interaction and a third action element corresponding to declining to join the live interaction with a response sent to an initiator of the live interaction.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

providing for display a user interface including an avatar representing each user invited to join the live interaction and a visual indication of a participation state of each user.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

providing a rendering of the conversation content section and the conversation state information for display on each of a plurality of devices associated with a single user participating in the persistent conversation; and

automatically updating the rendering on the plurality of devices so as to provide the user with a uniform view of the persistent conversation across the plurality of devices.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the live interaction user interface element includes an element configured to show a missed live interaction.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein the live interaction user interface element includes an element configured to permit the user to contact another user that initiated the live interaction.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein the live interaction user interface element includes elements configured to indicate participants in the live interaction.

12. A system comprising:

one or more computers configured to perform operations including;

receiving a communication message sent from a first user with an intended recipient of a second user, wherein the communication message includes initiation of a live interaction;

storing the communication message in a persistent conversation object and forwarding a portion of the persistent conversation object containing the communication message to the at least one other user after storing the communication message in the persistent conversation object;

generating a live interaction user interface element for display as part of a persistent conversation interface;

storing a representation of the live interaction in a conversation content section of the persistent conversation object when the live interaction ends, wherein the persistent conversation object includes a central copy stored in a server, the central copy being a canonical copy of the persistent conversation object, the persistent conversation object having a canonical copy of the conversation content section and a canonical copy of conversation state information; and

updating conversation state information of the persistent conversation object central copy stored in the server to reflect the receiving of the communication message and the storing of the representation and providing a portion of the updated persistent conversation object from the central copy stored in the server to be cached in one or more devices associated with the first user and in one or more devices associated with the second user.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the live interaction includes one or more of a one-to-one video conference, a multi-way video conference, a one-to-one audio conference and a multi-way audio conference.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the operations further include storing information about the live interaction, the information including one or more of a list of live action participants, a date of the live interaction, a time of the live interaction, a duration of the live interaction and a recording of the live interaction when a recording of the live interaction was made.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the live interaction user interface element includes an indication of live interaction invitees, status information for each invitee, and wherein the live interaction user interface element includes elements configured to permit the second user to join the live interaction in at least one of an audio conference mode and a video conference mode.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the representation of the live interaction includes an indication of whether the live interaction was recorded.

17. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

providing for display a user interface including an avatar representing each user invited to join the live interaction and a visual indication of a participation state of each user.

18. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

providing a rendering of the conversation content section and the conversation state information for display on each of a plurality of devices associated with a single user participating in the persistent conversation; and

automatically updating the rendering on the plurality of devices so as to provide the second user with a uniform view of the persistent conversation across the plurality of devices.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the live interaction user interface element includes an element configured to show a missed live interaction and an element configured to permit the second user to contact the first user.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the live interaction user interface element includes elements configured to indicate participants in the live interaction.