Conversational message service operating method for providing acknowledgement

• US 9,397,965 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2012
• Issued: 07/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kakao Corp.
• Original Assignee: Kakao Corp.
• Inventors: Lee, Sang Hyuk
• Primary Examiner(s): Tang, Karen
• Application Number:
  US13/878,176
• Publication Number:
  US 20130212202A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,397 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 709/205, 709/206
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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]

Abstract

A method of operating a conversational messaging service may include assigning an identification number to messages transmitted by users participating in a group chat, sequentially, selecting an identification number of any one of messages associated with each of the users as a watermark of each of the users, and determining a number of users failing to read each of the each of the messages, based on the watermark of each of the users.

Claims

1. A method of operating a conversational messaging service, the method comprising:

assigning sequentially an identification number to each message transmitted by users participating in a group chat;

selecting an identification number of any one of the messages associated with each of the users as a watermark of each of the users; and

determining a number of users failing to read each of the messages associated with each of the users or a number of users reading each of the messages associated with each of the users, based on the watermark selected for each of the users,

wherein the determining of the number of users failing to read each of the messages associated with each of the users the number of users reading each of the messages associated with each of the users comprises;

determining a number of users corresponding to a watermark having a number smaller than the identification number selected for each of the messages as the number of users failing to read each of the messages;

or

determining a number of users corresponding to a watermark having a number not smaller than the identification number selected for each of the messages as the number of users reading each of the messages, and

the method further comprises displaying the number of users failing to read each of the messages or the number of users reading each of the messages.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting of the identification number of any one of messages associated with each of the users as the watermark for each of the users comprises:

selecting an identification number of a message read most recently by the each of the users as the watermark.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting of the identification number of any one of messages associated with each of the users as the watermark for each of the users comprises:

comparing the watermark selected for each of the users and the identification numbers of the messages.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the selecting of the identification number of the message read most recently by each of the users as the watermark comprises:

updating an identification number assigned to a message transmitted by a certain user to a watermark of the certain user when the certain user transmits the message.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the selecting of the identification number of the message read most recently by each of the users as the watermark comprises:

updating a greatest identification number among identification numbers assigned to the at least one message received by a certain user to a watermark of the certain user when the certain user receives the at least one message.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the displaying of the number of users failing to read a message or the number of users reading a message comprises:

displaying the number of users failing to read each of the messages or the number of users reading each of the messages as a number or a symbol in a periphery of an area in which each of the messages is displayed.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining at least one of an identifier (ID) of each of the users reading each of the messages or failing to read each of the messages, and a username of users reading each of the messages or failing to read each of the messages.

8. A server system, comprising:

a processor configured to;

assign sequentially an identification number to each message transmitted by users participating in a group chat;

select an identification number of any one of the messages associated with each of the users as a watermark of each of the users;

determine a number of users failing to read each of the messages associated with each of the users or a number of users reading each of the messages associated with each of the users based on the watermark selected for each of the users;

select a number of users corresponding to a watermark having a number smaller than an identification number assigned for each of the messages as the number of users failing to read each of the messages or select a number of users corresponding to a watermark having a number not smaller than an identification number assigned for each of the messages as the number of users reading each of the messages; and

display the number of users failing to read each of the messages or the number of users reading each of the messages.

9. The server system of claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to select an identification number of a message read most recently by each of the users as a watermark.

10. The server system of claim 8, wherein when a certain user transmits a message, the processor is configured to:

update the identification number assigned to the message transmitted by the certain user to a watermark, and

update a greatest number among identification numbers assigned to the at least one message received by the certain user to a watermark of the certain user.

11. The server system of claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to determine at least one of an identification of users reading each of the messages or failing to read each of the messages, and a username for each of the users reading each of the messages or failing to read each of the messages, based on the selected watermark.

12. A mobile terminal that comprises a key inputting unit and a displaying unit, comprising:

a memory to store a chat application provided with a messaging service from a server system; and

a controller configured to control participating in the group chat with at least one user through transmitting and receiving messages with the server system in response to the chat application being executed,

wherein the controller is configured to;

obtain an identification number corresponding to a message transmitted or received by the controller;

obtain a watermark corresponding to at least one user participating in the group chat from the server system; and

compare the identification number obtained by the identification obtaining module, and to determine, based on a watermark corresponding to each of users participating in the group chat, a number of users failing to read a message associated with each of the users or a number of users reading a message associated with each of the users transmitted or received by the controller,

wherein the controller is configured to;

select a number of users corresponding to a watermark having a number smaller than an identification number assigned for each of the messages as the number of users failing to read each of the messages;

or

select a number of users corresponding to a watermark having a number not smaller than an identification number assigned for each of the messages as the number of users reading each of the messages,

wherein the displaying unit is configured to display the number of users failing to read each of the messages or the number of users reading each of the messages.