Incorporating selectable application links into message exchange threads

• US 11,057,333 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2019
• Issued: 07/06/2021
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Judd, Tilke, Adan, Yariv, Sabur, Zaheed, Behzadi, Behshad, Mirelmann, Lucas, Lamecki, Jan, Bakshi, Dhruv
• Primary Examiner(s): Zong, Ruolei
• Application Number:
  US16/369,680
• Publication Number:
  US 20190230056A1
• Time in Patent Office: 830 Days
• Field of Search: 709206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/94 Hypermedia Hyperlinking G06F40/134
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/134 Hyperlinking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/186 Templates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, systems, and computer-readable media are provided for incorporating application links into message exchange threads. One or more cues emanating from a message exchange thread involving two or more message exchange clients may be detected. The one or more cues may trigger incorporation, into the message exchange thread, of a selectable link to a distinct application. At least one candidate application that is installed on a given client computing device operated by a message exchange thread participant may be identified. The candidate application may be associated with content of the message exchange thread. A selectable link may be incorporated into a transcript of the message exchange thread displayed in a graphical user interface of a message exchange client operating on the given client computing device. The selectable link may be operable by the participant to expose to the participant an interface associated with a respective candidate application.

Claims

1. A method implemented using one or more processors, comprising:

detecting one or more cues emanating from a text messaging thread in which two or more participants receive, at respective text messaging clients, text messages incorporated into the text messaging thread by any of the two or more participants;

based on the one or more cues, identifying an event being planned by the two or more participants;

based on the event, identifying an application that is distinct from the text messaging clients, and that is installed on a given client computing device operated by a given participant of the two or more participants in the text messaging thread;

incorporating a selectable link into a transcript of the text messaging thread, wherein the transcript is displayed in a graphical user interface of the text messaging client operating on the given client computing device operated by the given participant, and wherein the selectable link is operable by the given participant to cause the given client computing device to expose to the given participant an interface associated with the application;

comparing one or more timestamps associated with text messages that included one or more of the cues emanating from the text messaging thread with multiple candidate times of day commonly associated with the event; and

prepopulating one or more fields of the application with the candidate time of day of the multiple candidate times of day that occurs soonest after the one or more timestamps.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising excluding one or more other participants of the two or more participants to reduce a count of the two or more participants that is used to prepopulate one of more of the fields of the application.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the excluding is based on a location of the excluded participant.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the location of the excluded participant is determined based on a position coordinate provided by a client computing device operated by the excluded participant.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the location of the excluded participant is determined based on a calendar associated with the excluded participant.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the excluding is based on content incorporated into the text messaging thread by the excluded participant.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the excluding is based on a known preference of the excluded participant.

8. A system comprising memory and one or more processors, wherein the memory stores instructions that, in response to execution of the instructions by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

detect one or more cues emanating from a text messaging thread in which two or more participants receive, at respective text messaging clients, text messages incorporated into the text messaging thread by any of the two or more participants;

based on the one or more cues, identifying an event being planned by the two or more participants;

based on the event, identify an application that is distinct from the text messaging clients, and that is installed on a given client computing device operated by a given participant of the two or more participants in the text messaging thread;

incorporate a selectable link into a transcript of the text messaging thread, wherein the transcript is displayed in a graphical user interface of the text messaging client operating on the given client computing device operated by the given participant, and wherein the selectable link is operable by the given participant to cause the given client computing device to expose to the given participant an interface associated with the application;

compare one or more timestamps associated with text messages that included one or more of the cues emanating from the text messaging thread with multiple candidate times of day commonly associated with the event; and

prepopulate one or more fields of the application with the candidate time of day of the multiple candidate times of day that occurs soonest after the one or more timestamps.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the memory further stores instructions to exclude one or more other participants of the two or more participants to reduce a count of the two or more participants that is used to prepopulate one or more of the fields of the application.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the exclusion is based on a location of the excluded participant.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the location of the excluded participant is determined based on a position coordinate provided by a client computing device operated by the excluded participant.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the location of the excluded participant is determined based on a calendar associated with the excluded participant.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the exclusion is based on content incorporated into the text messaging thread by the excluded participant.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the exclusion is based on a known preference of the excluded participant.

15. At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, in response to execution of the instructions by a processor, cause the processor to:

detect one or more cues emanating from a text messaging in which two or more participants receive, at respective text messaging clients, text messages incorporated into the text messaging thread by any of the two or more participants;

based on the one or more cues, identifying an event being planned by the two or more participants;

based on the event, identify an application that is distinct from the text messaging, and that is installed on a given client computing device operated by a given participant of the two or more participants in the text messaging thread;

incorporate a selectable link into a transcript of the text messaging thread, wherein the transcript is displayed in a graphical user interface of the text messaging client operating on the given client computing device operated by the given participant, and wherein the selectable link is operable by the given participant to cause the given client computing device to expose to the given participant an interface associated with the application;

compare one or more timestamps associated with text messages that included one or more of the cues emanating from the text messaging thread with multiple candidate times of day commonly associated with the event; and

prepopulate one or more fields of the application with the candidate time of day of the multiple candidate times of day that occurs soonest after the one or more timestamps.

16. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, further comprising instructions to exclude one or more other participants of the two or more participants to reduce a count of the two or more participants that is used to prepopulate one or more of the fields of the application.

17. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the exclusion is based on a location of the excluded participant.

18. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the location of the excluded participant is determined based on a position coordinate provided by a client computing device operated by the excluded participant.

19. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the location of the excluded participant is determined based on a calendar associated with the excluded participant.

20. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the exclusion is based on content incorporated into the text messaging thread by the excluded participant.