Chat system without topic-specific rooms

• US 8,886,738 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Issued: 11/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Anderson, Monica
• Primary Examiner(s): Hussain, Imad
• Application Number:
  US13/619,747
• Publication Number:
  US 20130013719A1
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206
• US Class Current: 709/206
• 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

A method, system and graphical user interface for a chat system is disclosed. One aspect of certain embodiments includes sending target messages to users based on the respective selection and filtering criteria selected by the respective users instead of having users enter topic specific rooms.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of disseminating messages to a respective client device associated with a respective user, comprising:

in a server system having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors;

selecting a set of messages based at least in part on user information associated with the respective user;

sending to the respective client device a first set of target messages from the set of selected messages, wherein the first set of target messages includes a plurality of target messages;

providing to the respective client device selectable information for concurrent display with each of the plurality of target messages of the first set of target messages, wherein selectable information for a respective target message of the first set of target messages enables reception of feedback that indicates an interest of the respective user in the respective target message of the first set of target messages without indicating interest in a respective author of the respective target message;

in response to receiving feedback that indicates the interest of the respective user in the respective target message without indicating interest in a respective author of the respective target message, modifying the user information associated with the respective user based on the received feedback without tracking the respective target message and without tracking the respective author of the respective target message; and

,

in accordance with modifying the user information associated with the respective user;

selecting a subsequent set of messages based at least in part on the modified user information associated with the respective user; and

sending to the respective client device a second set of target messages from the subsequent set of selected messages, wherein the second set of target messages includes more messages similar to the respective target message than the first set of target messages.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the user information includes at least one of a focus specification, user-entry history, user rate slider settings, user thread tracking data, filtered message data, and feedback results.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the focus specification includes one or more selection criteria associated with the respective user.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, including:

receiving a user selection of one or more messages from the first set of target messages;

identifying at least one anchor message from the received user selection of one or more messages;

identifying one or more message threads based on at least the one anchor message, wherein each anchor message is a first message, of a respective message thread, in which the user has indicated interest; and

sending to the respective client device at least one message in the one or more identified message threads.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein selecting the set of messages includes filtering messages from a plurality of users using the user information associated with the respective user.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a transmission rate indicator; and

adjusting a rate at which messages are sent to the respective client device based at least on the transmission rate indicator.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the transmission rate indicator represents a transmission rate selected by the respective user.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a topic indication;

selecting at least one message based on the topic indication; and

sending displayable information associated with the at least one message selected based on the topic indication to the respective client device.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an author indication;

selecting at least one message based on the author indication; and

sending displayable information associated with the at least one message selected based on the author indication to the respective client device.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising generating a first inverted index based on user information associated with a plurality of users.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, further comprising matching a plurality of message threads against the first inverted index.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising:

creating a second inverted index based on words typed by the respective users during a pre-selected time period; and

matching the plurality of message threads against the second inverted index.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first set of target messages is selected from the set of selected messages in accordance with filtering criteria in the user information for the respective user; and

the second set of target messages is selected from the subsequent set of selected messages in accordance with filtering criteria in the modified user information for the respective user.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first set of target messages includes fewer messages than the set of selected messages; and

the second set of target messages includes fewer messages than the subsequent set of selected messages.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the respective target message of the first set of target messages corresponds to a particular topic; and

the second set of target messages includes more messages associated with the particular topic than the first set of target messages.

16. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

in a client device having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors;

receiving, from a server, a first set of target messages selected based at least in part on user information associated with a respective user of the client device, wherein the first set of target messages includes a plurality of target messages;

concurrently displaying the first set of target messages and selectable information with each of the plurality of target messages of the first set of target messages, wherein selectable information for a respective target message of the first set of target messages enables reception of feedback that indicates an interest of the respective user in the respective target message of the first set of target messages without indicating interest in a respective author of the respective target message;

detecting an input indicating the interest of the respective user in the respective target message based on an interaction of the respective user with the displayed selectable information for the respective target message;

providing feedback, to a server, that indicates the interest of the respective user in the respective target message without indicating interest in a respective author of the respective target message, wherein the user information associated with the respective user is modified in accordance with the feedback without tracking the respective target message and without tracking the respective author of the respective target message; and

receiving, from the server, a second set of target messages selected based at least in part on the modified user information associated with the respective user, wherein the second set of target messages includes more messages similar to the respective target message than the first set of target messages.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, wherein the interaction with the displayed selectable information for the respective target message includes manipulation of a user interface associated with the client device.

18. A computer system for disseminating messages to a respective client device associated with a respective user, comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for;

selecting a set of messages based at least in part on user information associated with the respective user;

sending to the respective client device a first set of target messages from the set of selected messages, wherein the first set of target messages includes a plurality of target messages;

providing to the respective client device selectable information for concurrent display with each of the plurality of target messages of the first set of target messages, wherein selectable information for a respective target message of the first set of target messages enables reception of feedback that indicates an interest of the respective user in the respective target message of the first set of target messages without indicating interest in a respective author of the respective target message;

in response to receiving feedback that indicates the interest of the respective user in the respective target message without indicating interest in a respective author of the respective target message, modifying the user information associated with the respective user based on the received feedback without tracking the respective target message and without tracking the respective author of the respective target message; and

,

in accordance with modifying the user information associated with the respective user;

selecting a subsequent set of messages based at least in part on the modified user information associated with the respective user; and

sending to the respective client device a second set of target messages from the subsequent set of selected messages, wherein the second set of target messages includes more messages similar to the respective target message than the first set of target messages.

19. The computer system of claim 18, wherein the one or more programs include instructions for:

receiving a user selection of one or more messages from the first set of target messages;

identifying at least one anchor message from the received user selection of one or more messages;

identifying one or more threads based on at least the one anchor message, wherein each anchor message is a first message, of a respective message thread, in which the user has indicated interest; and

sending to the respective client device at least one message in the one or more identified message threads.

20. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs for execution by one or more processors of a computer system for disseminating messages to a respective client device associated with a respective user, the one or more programs including instructions for:

selecting a set of messages based at least in part on user information associated with the respective user;

sending to the respective client device a first set of target messages from the set of selected messages, wherein the first set of target messages includes a plurality of target messages;

providing to the respective client device selectable information for concurrent display with each of the plurality of target messages of the first set of target messages, wherein selectable information for a respective target message of the first set of target messages enables reception of feedback that indicates an interest of the respective user in the respective target message of the first set of target messages without indicating interest in a respective author of the respective target message;

in response to receiving feedback that indicates the interest of the respective user in the respective target message without indicating interest in a respective author of the respective target message, modifying the user information associated with the respective user based on the received feedback without tracking the respective target message and without tracking the respective author of the respective target message; and

,

in accordance with modifying the user information associated with the respective user;

selecting a subsequent set of messages based at least in part on the modified user information associated with the respective user; and

sending to the respective client device a second set of target messages from the subsequent set of selected messages, wherein the second set of target messages includes more messages similar to the respective target message than the first set of target messages.

21. The computer readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the one or more programs include instructions for:

receiving a user selection of one or more messages from the first set of target messages;

identifying at least one anchor message from the received user selection of one or more messages;

identifying one or more threads based on at least the one anchor message, wherein each anchor message is a first message, of a respective message thread, in which the user has indicated interest; and

sending to the respective client device at least one message in the one or more identified message threads.

22. A computer system, comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for;

receiving, from a server, a first set of target messages selected based at least in part on user information associated with a respective user of the computer system, wherein the first set of target messages includes a plurality of target messages;

concurrently displaying the first set of target messages and selectable information with each of the plurality of target messages of the first set of target messages, wherein selectable information for a respective target message of the first set of target messages enables reception of feedback that indicates an interest of the respective user in the respective target message of the first set of target messages without indicating interest in a respective author of the respective target message;

detecting an input indicating the interest of the respective user in the respective target message based on an interaction of the respective user with the displayed selectable information for the respective target message;

providing feedback, to a server, that indicates the interest of the respective user in the respective target message without indicating interest in a respective author of the respective target message, wherein the user information associated with the respective user is modified in accordance with the feedback without tracking the respective target message and without tracking the respective author of the respective target message; and

receiving, from the server, a second set of target messages selected based at least in part on the modified user information associated with the respective user, wherein the second set of target messages includes more messages similar to the respective target message than the first set of target messages.

23. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs for execution by one or more processors of a computer system, the one or more programs including instructions for:

receiving, from a server, a first set of target messages selected based at least in part on user information associated with a respective user of the computer system, wherein the first set of target messages includes a plurality of target messages;

concurrently displaying the first set of target messages and selectable information with each of the plurality of target messages of the first set of target messages, wherein selectable information for a respective target message of the first set of target messages enables reception of feedback that indicates an interest of the respective user in the respective target message of the first set of target messages without indicating interest in a respective author of the respective target message;

detecting an input indicating the interest of the respective user in the respective target message based on an interaction of the respective user with the displayed selectable information for the respective target message;

providing feedback, to a server, that indicates the interest of the respective user in the respective target message without indicating interest in a respective author of the respective target message, wherein the user information associated with the respective user is modified in accordance with the feedback without tracking the respective target message and without tracking the respective author of the respective target message; and

receiving, from the server, a second set of target messages selected based at least in part on the modified user information associated with the respective user, wherein the second set of target messages includes more messages similar to the respective target message than the first set of target messages.