CROSS-DEVICE INTEGRATION SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20160050254A1
• Filed: 08/14/2014
• Published: 02/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yahoo Assets LLC
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rao, Supreeth, Vasudevan, Sudharsan, Shrivastava, Utkarsh, Bhagwan, Varun, Kurapati, Kaushal, Kamath, Seema, Patel, Swapnil, Mason, Patrick
• Granted Patent: US 10,243,891 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes

Abstract

A cross-device messaging integration capability is disclosed, which allows a user using a first device to indicate, using a first user computing device, an intent to perform one or more messaging actions at one or more second user computing device(s). The first and second devices may be different devices. The user may receive a reminder or other notification of the user'"'"'s intent at the second device(s).

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by at least one computing device, a user request from a first computing device, the user request comprising information indicating the user'"'"'s intent to perform at least one messaging action in connection with at least one message;

generating, by the at least one computing device and in response to the received request, at least one messaging event, each messaging event corresponding to a messaging action and comprising information identifying at least one second computing device different than the first computing device usable to perform the messaging action; and

generating, by the at least one computing device, at least one notification of the event for transmission to the at least one second computing device, the at least one notification comprising information about the messaging action.

2. The method of claim 1, the first computing device comprising a mobile computing device and the at least one second computing device comprising a desktop computing device.

3. The method of claim 1, the first computing device comprising a desktop computing device and the at least one second computing device comprising a mobile computing device.

4. The method of claim 1, the user request is received from a first messaging application and the at least one action is to be performed using a second messaging application.

5. The method of claim 1, the generating further comprising:

generating the at least one notification of the event using a timing specified by the user.

6. The method of claim 1, the at least one notification of the event is generated for transmission to a second computing device of the at least one second computing device based on an indication that a messaging application is open at the second computing device.

7. The method of claim 1, the at least one notification'"'"'s information about the messaging action comprising search criteria and instructions to perform a search of at least one messaging folder using the search criteria.

8. The method of claim 1, the at least one notification'"'"'s information comprising information to be displayed to the user as a reminder of the user'"'"'s intent to perform the corresponding messaging action.

9. The method of claim 1, the corresponding messaging action comprises a message read action and the at least one notification'"'"'s information identifying the message and comprising instructions to open the identified message for the user.

10. The method of claim 1, the corresponding messaging action comprises a message reply action and the at least one notification'"'"'s information identifying the message and comprising instructions to open the identified message for the user.

11. The method of claim 1, the corresponding messaging action comprises a compose message action and the at least one notification'"'"'s information comprising instructions to open a new message for the user.

12. A method comprising:

receiving, by a first computing device, input from a user interface display at the first computing device, the input indicating the user'"'"'s intent to perform at least one messaging action at one or more second computing devices different from the first computing device; and

causing, by the first computing device and in response to the received input, one or more messaging events to be generated, each messaging event corresponding to a messaging action and comprising information identifying at least one second computing device different than the first computing device and identifying the messaging action.

13. The method of claim 12, causing one or more messaging events to be generated further comprising:

transmitting, by the first computing device to at least one server computing device, a request to generate the one or more events, the request comprising information identifying the user and information for use in identifying the at least one messaging action and the one or more second computing devices.

14. The method of claim 12, the first computing device comprising a mobile computing device and the at least one second computing device comprising a desktop computing device.

15. The method of claim 12, the first computing device comprising a desktop computing device and the at least one second computing device comprising a mobile computing device.

16. The method of claim 12, the user input comprising a user-specified timing associated with the messaging event corresponding to the messaging action, the user-specified timing identifies a timing of at least one reminder to notify the user at the at least one second computing device of the user'"'"'s intent to perform the messaging action.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving, at the first computing device and from a computing device other than the first computing device, information identifying the user'"'"'s intent to perform a messaging action at the first computing device; and

displaying, at the first computing device, at least one reminder of the messaging action that is to be performed at the first computing device.

18. The method of claim 17, the at least one reminder is displayed in accordance with a user-specified timing for the at least one reminder.

19. The method of claim 17, the received information comprising information instructing the first computing device to display the at least one reminder in connection with a messaging client application at the first computing device.

20. The method of claim 19, the method further comprising:

determining, by the first computing device, whether the messaging client application is executing at the first computing device;

the displaying further comprising;

displaying the at least one reminder of the messaging action if it is determined that the messaging client application is executing at the first computing device; and

if it is determined that the messaging client is not executing on the first computing device, waiting to display the at least one reminder of the messaging action until the messaging client application is invoked at the first computing device.

21. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

displaying, by the first computing device, in the user interface display at least one icon, each icon representing the user'"'"'s intent to perform the at least one messaging action; and

the receiving further comprising receiving the input indicating the user'"'"'s intent to perform the at least one messaging action via the at least one icon of the user interface display.

22. A system comprising:

at least one computing device comprising one or more processors to execute and memory to store instructions to;

receive a user request from a first computing device, the user request comprising information indicating the user'"'"'s intent to perform at least one messaging action in connection with at least one message;

generate, in response to the received request, at least one messaging event, each messaging event corresponding to a messaging action and comprising information identifying at least one second computing device different than the first computing device usable to perform the messaging action; and

generate at least one notification of the event for transmission to the at least one second computing device, the at least one notification comprising information about the messaging action.

23. The system of claim 22, the first computing device comprising a mobile computing device and the at least one second computing device comprising a desktop computing device.

24. The system of claim 22, the first computing device comprising a desktop computing device and the at least one second computing device comprising a mobile computing device.

25. The system of claim 22, the user request is received from a first messaging application and the at least one action is to be performed using a second messaging application.

26. The system of claim 22, the instructions to generate further comprising instructions to:

generate the at least one notification of the event using a timing specified by the user.

27. The system of claim 22, the at least one notification of the event is generated for transmission to a second computing device of the at least one second computing device based on an indication that a messaging application is open at the second computing device.

28. The system of claim 22, the at least one notification'"'"'s information about the messaging action comprising search criteria and instructions to perform a search of at least one messaging folder using the search criteria.

29. The system of claim 22, the at least one notification'"'"'s information comprising information to be displayed to the user as a reminder of the user'"'"'s intent to perform the corresponding messaging action.

30. The system of claim 22, the corresponding messaging action comprises a message read action and the at least one notification'"'"'s information identifying the message and comprising instructions to open the identified message for the user.

31. The system of claim 22, the corresponding messaging action comprises a message reply action and the at least one notification'"'"'s information identifying the message and comprising instructions to open the identified message for the user.

32. The system of claim 22, the corresponding messaging action comprises a compose message action and the at least one notification'"'"'s information comprising instructions to open a new message for the user.

33. A system comprising:

at least one computing device comprising one or more processors to execute and memory to store instructions to;

receive input from a user interface display, the input indicating the user'"'"'s intent to perform at least one messaging action at one or more second computing devices different from the first computing device; and

cause, in response to the received input, one or more messaging events to be generated, each messaging event corresponding to a messaging action and comprising information identifying at least one second computing device different than a first computing device and identifying the messaging action.

34. The system of claim 33, the instructions to cause one or more messaging events to be generated further comprising instructions to:

transmit, to at least one server computing device, a request to generate the one or more events, the request comprising information identifying the user and information for use in identifying the at least one messaging action and the one or more second computing devices.

35. The system of claim 33, the first computing device comprising a mobile computing device and the at least one second computing device comprising a desktop computing device.

36. The system of claim 33, the first computing device comprising a desktop computing device and the at least one second computing device comprising a mobile computing device.

37. The system of claim 33, the user input comprising a user-specified timing associated with the messaging event corresponding to the messaging action, the user-specified timing identifies a timing of at least one reminder to notify the user at the at least one second computing device of the user'"'"'s intent to perform the messaging action.

38. The system of claim 33, the instructions further comprising instructions to:

receive, at the first computing device and from a computing device other than the first computing device, information identifying the user'"'"'s intent to perform a messaging action at the first computing device; and

display, at the first computing device, at least one reminder of the messaging action that is to be performed at the first computing device.

39. The system of claim 38, the at least one reminder is displayed in accordance with a user-specified timing for the at least one reminder.

40. The system of claim 38, the received information comprising information instructing the first computing device to display the at least one reminder in connection with a messaging client application at the first computing device.

41. The system of claim 40, the instructions further comprising instructions to:

determine, by the first computing device, whether the messaging client application is executing at the first computing device;

the instructions to display further comprising instructions to;

display the at least one reminder of the messaging action if it is determined that the messaging client application is executing at the first computing device; and

if it is determined that the messaging client is not executing on the first computing device, wait to display the at least one reminder of the messaging action until the messaging client application is invoked at the first computing device.

42. The system of claim 33, further comprising instructions to:

display, by the first computing device, in the user interface display at least one icon, each icon representing the user'"'"'s intent to perform the at least one messaging action; and

the instructions to receive further comprising instructions to receive the input indicating the user'"'"'s intent to perform the at least one messaging action via the at least one icon of the user interface display.

43. A computer readable non-transitory storage medium for tangibly storing thereon computer readable instructions that when executed cause at least one processor to:

receive a user request from a first computing device, the user request comprising information indicating the user'"'"'s intent to perform at least one messaging action in connection with at least one message;

generate, in response to the received request, at least one messaging event, each messaging event corresponding to a messaging action and comprising information identifying at least one second computing device different than the first computing device usable to perform the messaging action; and

generate at least one notification of the event for transmission to the at least one second computing device, the at least one notification comprising information about the messaging action.

44. The computer readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 43, the first computing device comprising a mobile computing device and the at least one second computing device comprising a desktop computing device.

45. The computer readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 43, the first computing device comprising a desktop computing device and the at least one second computing device comprising a mobile computing device.

46. The computer readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 43, the user request is received from a first messaging application and the at least one action is to be performed using a second messaging application.

47. The computer readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 43, the instructions to generate further comprising instructions to:

generate the at least one notification of the event using a timing specified by the user.

48. The computer readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 43, the at least one notification of the event is generated for transmission to a second computing device of the at least one second computing device based on an indication that a messaging application is open at the second computing device.

49. The computer readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 43, the at least one notification'"'"'s information about the messaging action comprising search criteria and instructions to perform a search of at least one messaging folder using the search criteria.

50. The computer readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 43, the at least one notification'"'"'s information comprising information to be displayed to the user as a reminder of the user'"'"'s intent to perform the corresponding messaging action.

51. The computer readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 43, the corresponding messaging action comprises a message read action and the at least one notification'"'"'s information identifying the message and comprising instructions to open the identified message for the user.

52. The computer readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 43, the corresponding messaging action comprises a message reply action and the at least one notification'"'"'s information identifying the message and comprising instructions to open the identified message for the user.

53. The computer readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 43, the corresponding messaging action comprises a compose message action and the at least one notification'"'"'s information comprising instructions to open a new message for the user.

54. A computer readable non-transitory storage medium for tangibly storing thereon computer readable instructions that when executed cause at least one processor to:

receive input from a user interface display, the input indicating the user'"'"'s intent to perform at least one messaging action at one or more second computing devices different from the first computing device; and

cause, in response to the received input, one or more messaging events to be generated, each messaging event corresponding to a messaging action and comprising information identifying at least one second computing device different than a first computing device and identifying the messaging action.

55. The computer readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 54, the instructions to cause one or more messaging events to be generated further comprising instructions to:

transmit, to at least one server computing device, a request to generate the one or more events, the request comprising information identifying the user and information for use in identifying the at least one messaging action and the one or more second computing devices.

56. The computer readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 54, the first computing device comprising a mobile computing device and the at least one second computing device comprising a desktop computing device.

57. The computer readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 54, the first computing device comprising a desktop computing device and the at least one second computing device comprising a mobile computing device.

58. The computer readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 54, the user input comprising a user-specified timing associated with the messaging event corresponding to the messaging action, the user-specified timing identifies a timing of at least one reminder to notify the user at the at least one second computing device of the user'"'"'s intent to perform the messaging action.

59. The computer readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 54, the instructions further comprising instructions to:

receive, at the first computing device and from a computing device other than the first computing device, information identifying the user'"'"'s intent to perform a messaging action at the first computing device; and

display, at the first computing device, at least one reminder of the messaging action that is to be performed at the first computing device.

60. The computer readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 59, the at least one reminder is displayed in accordance with a user-specified timing for the at least one reminder.

61. The computer readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 59, the received information comprising information instructing the first computing device to display the at least one reminder in connection with a messaging client application at the first computing device.

62. The computer readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 61, the instructions further comprising instructions to:

determine, by the first computing device, whether the messaging client application is executing at the first computing device;

the instructions to display further comprising instructions to;

display the at least one reminder of the messaging action if it is determined that the messaging client application is executing at the first computing device; and

if it is determined that the messaging client is not executing on the first computing device, wait to display the at least one reminder of the messaging action until the messaging client application is invoked at the first computing device.

63. The computer readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 54, further comprising instructions to:

display, by the first computing device, in the user interface display at least one icon, each icon representing the user'"'"'s intent to perform the at least one messaging action; and

the instructions to receive further comprising instructions to receive the input indicating the user'"'"'s intent to perform the at least one messaging action via the at least one icon of the user interface display.