METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING PRIVATE CHAT WITHIN A GROUP CHAT

• US 20160277335A1
• Filed: 03/11/2016
• Published: 09/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.
• Inventors: Cheung, Chong Shing
• Granted Patent: US 10,218,657 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• 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 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking

Abstract

Embodiments of the present application provide a method and system for private chat within a group chat. During operation, the system receives, at a server from a computing device, a first message that includes a first private chat identifier, private chat counterpart information, and private chat content data. The system determines a private chat counterpart client based on the first private chat identifier and the private chat counterpart information. The private chat counterpart client and the computing device are both participating in the group chat. The system generates a private chat message based on the first message including the private chat content data, and sends the private chat message to the private chat counterpart client without sending the private chat message to all members participating in the group chat.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for private chat within a group chat performed by a server, comprising:

receiving, at the server from a computing device, a first message that includes a first private chat identifier, private chat counterpart information, and private chat content data;

determining a private chat counterpart client based on the first private chat identifier and the private chat counterpart information, wherein the private chat counterpart client and the computing device are both participating in the group chat;

generating a private chat message based on the first message including the private chat content data; and

sending the private chat message to the private chat counterpart client without sending the private chat message to all members participating in the group chat.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the private chat message includes a second private chat identifier which allows the private chat counterpart client to determine that the private chat message is privately sent to the private chat counterpart client without being sent to other group members participating in the group chat.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the first private chat identifier is a selection identifier; and

determining that a client corresponding to the private chat counterpart information is a private chat counterpart client.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the first private chat identifier is an exclusion identifier;

removing a client corresponding to the private chat counterpart information from a client list; and

determining that the remaining clients of the client list are private chat counterpart clients.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second message from the computing device, wherein the second message includes a private chat counterpart exclusion identifier, private chat counterpart exclusion information, and second private chat content data;

removing a client corresponding to the private chat counterpart exclusion information from a client list based on the private chat counterpart exclusion identifier and private chat counterpart exclusion information, wherein the remaining clients on the client list are private chat counterpart clients;

generating a private chat message based on the second message that includes the second private chat content data; and

sending the private chat message only to the private chat counterpart clients.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving input information sent from a publishing client, wherein the input information includes a first directed identifier, directed counterpart information and publishing content information;

determining a directed counterpart client based on the first directed identifier and the directed counterpart information;

generating a directed message based on the input information; and

sending the directed message only to the directed counterpart client.

7. A computing system comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory; and

a computer-readable medium coupled to the one or more processors storing instructions stored that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing system to perform a method for private chat within a group chat performed by a server, the method comprising;

receiving, at the server from a computing device, a first message that includes a first private chat identifier, private chat counterpart information, and private chat content data;

determining a private chat counterpart client based on the first private chat identifier and the private chat counterpart information, wherein the private chat counterpart client and the computing device are both participating in the group chat;

generating a private chat message based on the first message including the private chat content data; and

sending the private chat message to the private chat counterpart client without sending the private chat message to all members participating in the group chat.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the private chat message includes a second private chat identifier which allows the private chat counterpart client to determine that the private chat message is privately sent to the private chat counterpart client without being sent to other group members participating in the group chat.

9. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

determining that the first private chat identifier is a selection identifier; and

determining that a client corresponding to the private chat counterpart information is a private chat counterpart client.

10. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

determining that the first private chat identifier is an exclusion identifier;

removing a client corresponding to the private chat counterpart information from a client list; and

determining that the remaining clients of the client list are private chat counterpart clients.

11. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving a second message from the computing device, wherein the second message includes a private chat counterpart exclusion identifier, private chat counterpart exclusion information, and second private chat content data;

removing a client corresponding to the private chat counterpart exclusion information from a client list based on the private chat counterpart exclusion identifier and private chat counterpart exclusion information, wherein the remaining clients on the client list are private chat counterpart clients;

generating a private chat message based on the second message that includes the second private chat content data; and

sending the private chat message only to the private chat counterpart clients.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving input information sent from a publishing client, wherein the input information includes a first directed identifier, directed counterpart information and publishing content information;

determining a directed counterpart client based on the first directed identifier and the directed counterpart information;

generating a directed message based on the input information; and

sending the directed message only to the directed counterpart client.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for private chat within a group chat performed by a server, the method comprising:

receiving, at the server from a computing device, a first message that includes a first private chat identifier, private chat counterpart information, and private chat content data;

determining a private chat counterpart client based on the first private chat identifier and the private chat counterpart information, wherein the private chat counterpart client and the computing device are both participating in the group chat;

generating a private chat message based on the first message including the private chat content data; and

sending the private chat message to the private chat counterpart client without sending the private chat message to all members participating in the group chat.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the private chat message includes a second private chat identifier which allows the private chat counterpart client to determine that the private chat message is privately sent to the private chat counterpart client without being sent to other group members participating in the group chat.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the method further comprises:

determining that the first private chat identifier is a selection identifier; and

determining that a client corresponding to the private chat counterpart information is a private chat counterpart client.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a second message from the computing device, wherein the second message includes a private chat counterpart exclusion identifier, private chat counterpart exclusion information, and second private chat content data;

removing a client corresponding to the private chat counterpart exclusion information from a client list based on the private chat counterpart exclusion identifier and private chat counterpart exclusion information, wherein the remaining clients on the client list are private chat counterpart clients;

generating a private chat message based on the second message that includes the second private chat content data; and

sending the private chat message only to the private chat counterpart clients.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving sensor data from two or more infrared sensors located near an entrance of a public transport; and

determining a number of passengers on the public transport based on the sensor data.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, from the server, a message that includes a group chat message and a private chat message, wherein the private chat message includes a second private chat identifier;

determining, based on the second private chat identifier, that one of the two messages is a private chat message; and

displaying the group chat message and private chat message differently.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises:

adding a private chat message reply area to a private chat message display box depicted on a display area of the client computing device;

receiving a user'"'"'s private chat message reply through the private chat message reply area; and

in response to receiving the user'"'"'s private chat message reply, automatically adding to the user'"'"'s private chat message reply the first private chat identifier and the private chat counterpart information.

18-1. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for private chat within a group chat, the method comprising:

receiving input information from a user on the computer, wherein the computer is a client computing device;

generating a first message based on the input information, wherein the first information includes a first private chat identifier, private chat counterpart information, and private chat content data, wherein the first message allows a server to;

determine a client that is a private chat counterpart based on the first private chat identifier and private chat counterpart information,

generate a private chat message based on the first message, and

send the private chat message only to the client that is the private chat counterpart;

sending the first message to the server; and

receiving a message sent by the server and displaying the message.