Group Messaging

• US 20130110956A1
• Filed: 12/19/2012
• Published: 05/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: GoGroups Incorporated
• Inventors: Barman, Touradj, Fox, Kristofer
• Granted Patent: US 8,566,412 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• 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 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• 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 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1044 Group management mechanisms management of multicast group membership H04L12/185; reconfiguring of node membership in a computing system to eliminate errors G06F11/1425

Abstract

Systems and methods providing users with a rich web experience are disclosed. In one embodiment, a client and at least one server are in communication using a dual communication link. In another embodiment, a markup language based instant messaging application is disclosed. The instant messaging application may include group instant messaging. The instant messaging application may also provide group member persistence and message persistence at the server. In another embodiment, a card based web application is disclosed, where the card information and character may be shared with other users or within a group. The cards may also be configurable by users.

Claims

1. A group messaging method occurring at a server executing a group messaging application, the method comprising:

receiving, at the server through a communication network, a message from a first member of a group, wherein the server comprises one or more servers;

storing the message in a database at the server;

sending, from the server through a communication network, at least a portion of the message to at least a subset of the members of the group;

receiving an indication from a second member of the group, at the server through a communication network, notifying the server that the second member is available to receive group messages, wherein the second member of the group is not included within the subset of the members of the group; and

sending, from the server through a communication network, at least a portion of the message to the second member of the group.

2. The group messaging method of claim 1, wherein the subset of the members of the group are members of the group that are logged into the group messaging application.

3. The group messaging method of claim 1, wherein the indication from the second member of the group comprises an indication that the second member of the group logged into the group messaging application.

4. The group messaging method of claim 1, wherein the message is received using a first communication protocol, and at least a portion of the message is sent to the subset of the members of the group through a second communication protocol.

5. The group messaging method of claim 1, wherein the database comprises all the messages between members of the group.

6. The group messaging method of claim 1, wherein group settings are stored in the database at the server.

7. A group messaging system comprising:

a database comprising a group list that includes a listing a plurality of members of the group and a first data file;

a network interface; and

a processor coupled with the database and the network connection, wherein the processor comprises one or more processor, and the processor is configured to;

establish a first connection with each online group member;

send the first data file to each online group member using the network interface through the first connection;

establish an open connection with each online group member;

receive a first message from a first group member through the open connection;

forward the first message to each online group member; and

append the first data file in the database with at least a portion of the first message.

8. The group messaging method of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive an indication that a specific group member is online;

establish a first connection and an open connection with the specific group member; and

forward the first message to the specific group member.

9. The group messaging method of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to:

appending a data file that includes other messages with the first message receive an indication that a specific group member is online;

establish a first connection and an open connection with the specific group member; and

forward the data file to the specific group member.

10. The group messaging method of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to store the first message in the database.

11. The group messaging method of claim 7, wherein the open connection comprises an instant messaging connection.

12. The group messaging method of claim 7, wherein the open connection comprises a JABBER connection.

13. The group messaging method of claim 7, wherein the open connection comprises an XML connection.

14. The group messaging method of claim 7, wherein the first connection comprises an HTML connection.

15. The group messaging method of claim 7, further comprising closing the first connection.

16. A group messaging method at a server, comprising:

maintaining, at the server, a group profile, wherein the group profile comprises a list of users that are members of a group, wherein the server comprises one or more servers;

receiving, at the server over a communication network, a request from a first client to participate in a group conversation; and

determining, at the server, whether the first client is permitted to participate in the group.

17. The group messaging method of claim 16, further comprising permitting the first client to participate in the group if the first client is a member of the group.

18. The group messaging method of claim 16, further comprising permitting the first client to participate in the group if the first client is not a member of the group and the group profile permits nonmembers to participate in the group.

19. The group messaging method of claim 16, further comprising forbidding the first client to participate in the group if the first client is not a member of the group and the group profile does not permit nonmembers to participate in the group.

20. The group messaging method of claim 16, further comprising permitting the first client to participate in the group if the first client provides a password associated with the group.

21. The group messaging method of claim 16, further comprising sending an invitation to a user to join the group.

22. The group messaging method of claim 21, wherein the invitation is sent by an owner of the group or an authorized member of the group.

23. The group messaging method of claim 21, further comprising receiving an indication that the user has accepted an indication to join the group;

and adding the user to the group profile.

24. The group messaging method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving a request from a user to join the group;

receiving approval for the user to join the group from a member of the group; and

adding the user to the group profile.

25. The group messaging method of claim 24, wherein the member of the group is the owner of the group.

26. A group messaging system comprising:

a network interface adapted to communicate with a server through one or more communication links;

a user interface adapted to communicate with a user;

a processor; and

a memory storage device, wherein the memory storage device includes instructions for the processor comprising

instructions to retrieve at least one group message file from the server through the network interface, wherein the group message file includes more than one conversation between members of a group; and

instructions to display more than one conversation at the user interface.

27. The group messaging system of claim 26, wherein the group messaging file is persistent with the server.

28. The group messaging system of claim 26, further comprising:

instructions to receive a message from the user through the user interface;

instructions to amend the group messaging file with the message; and

instructions to send the amended group messaging file to the server through the network interface.

29. The group messaging application of claim 26, wherein the message comprises data selected from the group consisting of text, marked up text, video, audio, images, and data files.

30. The group messaging application of claim 26, wherein the messages comprises HTML data.