SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR RELAYING MESSAGES IN A COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

• US 20170054671A1
• Filed: 11/07/2016
• Published: 02/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Anderson, Monica
• Granted Patent: US 9,787,626 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/226 Delivery according to priorities

Abstract

The various embodiments described herein include methods, devices, and systems for relaying messages. In one aspect, a method includes: (1) obtaining a first plurality of incoming messages from a first set of users; (2) obtaining a second plurality of incoming messages from a second set of users, the second plurality of incoming messages comprising priority messages; (3) receiving one or more selection criteria from a user of the messaging system, including one or more keywords; (4) identifying a set of target messages from among the first plurality of messages based on the one or more keywords; (5) selecting a subset of the set of target messages; (6) selecting a set of priority messages from among the second plurality of messages based on the one or more keywords; and (7) sending the subset of target messages and the set of priority messages to a client device of the user.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

at a computer system having one or more processors and memory;

obtaining a first plurality of incoming messages from a first set of users of a messaging system;

obtaining a second plurality of incoming messages from a second set of users of the messaging system, the second plurality of incoming messages comprising priority messages;

receiving one or more selection criteria from a user of the messaging system, the one or more selection criteria including one or more keywords;

identifying a set of target messages from among the first plurality of messages based at least in part on the one or more keywords;

selecting a subset of the set of target messages;

selecting a set of priority messages from among the second plurality of messages based at least in part on the one or more keywords; and

sending the subset of target messages and the set of priority messages to a client device of the user for presentation to the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the subset of target messages comprises:

sorting the identified set of target messages based on the one or more selection criteria; and

selecting the subset of target messages in accordance with the sort.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the one or more selection criterion as part of a focus specification of the user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the subset of target messages includes one or more messages tracked by a plurality of users of the messaging system.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending at least one message of the set of priority messages to a plurality of users of the messaging system; and

receiving feedback for the at least one message from the plurality of users;

wherein the at least one message is selected in accordance with the feedback received from the plurality of users of the messaging system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more selection criterion from the user include a pattern matching language.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of target messages and the set of priority messages are identified in response to receiving the one or more selection criterion.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to selecting the set of priority messages, receiving from the user a user interaction with a first message;

wherein selecting the set of priority messages comprises selecting the set of priority messages based at least in part on the one or more keywords and the user interaction with the first message.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the user interaction comprises at least one of:

replying to the first message;

voting on the first message;

tracking the first message; and

clicking on a user-handle for the author of the first message.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the set of priority messages comprises selecting the set of priority messages based at least in part on the one or more keywords and a focus specification of the user.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the set of priority messages comprises selecting the set of priority messages based at least in part on the one or more keywords and respective topics of the one or more messages.

12. A computer system, comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory coupled to the one or more processors, the memory storing one or more programs configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for;

obtaining a first plurality of incoming messages from a first set of users of a messaging system;

obtaining a second plurality of incoming messages from a second set of users of the messaging system, the second plurality of incoming messages comprising priority messages;

receiving one or more selection criteria from a user of the messaging system, the one or more selection criteria including one or more keywords;

identifying a set of target messages from among the first plurality of messages based at least in part on the one or more keywords;

selecting a subset of the set of target messages;

selecting a set of priority messages from among the second plurality of messages based at least in part on the one or more keywords; and

sending the subset of target messages and the set of priority messages to a client device of the user for presentation to the user.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

sending at least one message of the set of priority messages to a plurality of users of the messaging system; and

receiving feedback for the at least one message from the plurality of users;

wherein the at least one message is selected in accordance with the feedback received from the plurality of users of the messaging system.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for, prior to selecting the set of priority messages, receiving from the user a user interaction with a first message;

wherein selecting the set of priority messages comprises selecting the set of priority messages based at least in part on the one or more keywords and the user interaction with the first message.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by a computing system, cause the system to:

obtain a first plurality of incoming messages from a first set of users of a messaging system;

obtain a second plurality of incoming messages from a second set of users of the messaging system, the second plurality of incoming messages comprising priority messages;

receive one or more selection criteria from a user of the messaging system, the one or more selection criteria including one or more keywords;

identify a set of target messages from among the first plurality of messages based at least in part on the one or more keywords;

select a subset of the set of target messages;

select a set of priority messages from among the second plurality of messages based at least in part on the one or more keywords; and

send the subset of target messages and the set of priority messages to a client device of the user for presentation to the user.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions, which when executed by the computing system, cause the system to:

send at least one message of the set of priority messages to a plurality of users of the messaging system; and

receive feedback for the at least one message from the plurality of users;

wherein the at least one message is selected in accordance with the feedback received from the plurality of users of the messaging system.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions, which when executed by the computing system, cause the system to, prior to selecting the set of priority messages, receive from the user a user interaction with a first message;

wherein selecting the set of priority messages comprises selecting the set of priority messages based at least in part on the one or more keywords and the user interaction with the first message.