Broadcasting in chat system without topic-specific rooms

• US 9,577,964 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2014
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Anderson, Monica
• Primary Examiner(s): Hussain, Imad
• Application Number:
  US14/520,229
• Publication Number:
  US 20150039711A1
• Time in Patent Office: 854 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/02 using automatic reactions or user delegation, e.g. automatic replies or chatbot-generated messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/234 for tracking messages

Abstract

A method, system, and graphical user interface for a chat system is disclosed. A server with processor(s) and memory obtains a plurality of incoming messages, where the plurality of incoming messages include one or more external messages and one or more in-system messages from authors in the communication system, the one or more external messages are generated from one or more external sources. The server identifies one or more messages from a first author among the plurality of incoming messages in the communication system and receives a feedback message from a first user of the communication system about at least one of: the first author and a first message of the one or more popular messages. The server sends to a plurality of users of the communication system the first message and the feedback message from the first user, where the plurality of users track the first author.

Claims

1. A method for use in a communication system, comprising:

at a server having one or more processors and memory storing instructions for execution by the one or more processors;

obtaining a plurality of incoming messages, wherein the plurality of incoming messages include one or more external messages and one or more in-system messages from authors in the communication system, wherein the one or more external messages are generated from one or more external sources;

identifying one or more popular messages from a first author among the plurality of incoming messages in the communication system;

receiving a feedback message from a first user of the communication system about at least one of;

the first author and a first popular message of the one or more popular messages; and

sending to a plurality of users of the communication system the first popular message and the feedback message from the first user, wherein the plurality of users track the first author.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving one or more additional feedback messages from at least a subset of the plurality of users about at least one of;

the first author and the first popular message of the popular messages; and

sending to the plurality of users the feedback message from the first user and at least a subset of the one or more additional feedback messages.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving one or more additional feedback messages from at least a subset of the plurality of users about at least one of;

the first author and the first popular message of the popular messages; and

sending to the plurality of users at least a subset of the one or more additional feedback messages from the first user without the feedback message from the first user.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second feedback message from the first user about another popular message, distinct from the first popular message, of the one or more popular messages; and

sending to the plurality of users of the communication system the other popular message and the second feedback message from the first user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more popular messages comprise a first set of popular messages, and the method further comprises:

identifying a second set of one or more popular messages among the plurality of incoming messages from a second author;

receiving a feedback message from the first user about at least one of;

the second author and a second popular message of the second set of popular messages from the second author; and

sending to the plurality of users of the communication system the second popular message and the feedback message from the first user about at least the one of;

the second author and the second popular message of the second set of popular messages from the second author.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more popular messages comprise a first set of popular messages, and the method further comprises:

identifying a second set of one or more popular messages among the plurality of incoming messages from a second author;

receiving a feedback message from a second user about at least one of;

the second author and a second popular message of the second set of popular messages from the second author; and

sending to the plurality of users of the communication system the second popular message and the feedback message from the second user.

7. The method of claim 6, including sending to the plurality of users of the communication system the second popular message and the feedback message from the second user with the first popular message and the feedback message from the first user.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving one or more replies from at least a subset of the plurality of users; and

sending the one or more replies to the plurality of users.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying a respective popular message comprises:

determining whether the respective message among the plurality of incoming messages exceeds a predetermined popularity threshold based on feedback from users of the communication system corresponding to the respective message, and

wherein the respective message is the first popular message and the first popular message is not tracked by the plurality of users.

10. A computer system for a communication system, comprising:

one or more processors;

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

obtaining a plurality of incoming messages, wherein the plurality of incoming messages include one or more external messages and one or more in-system messages from authors in the communication system, wherein the one or more external messages are generated from one or more external sources;

identifying one or more popular messages from a first author among the plurality of incoming messages in the communication system;

receiving a feedback message from a first user of the communication system about at least one of;

the first author and a first popular message of the one or more popular messages; and

sending to a plurality of users of the communication system the first popular message and the feedback message from the first user, wherein the plurality of users track the first author.

11. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the one or more programs include instructions for:

receiving one or more additional feedback messages from at least a subset of the plurality of users about at least one of;

the first author and the first popular message of the one or more popular messages; and

sending to the plurality of users the feedback message from the first user and at least a subset of the one or more additional feedback messages.

12. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the one or more programs include instructions for:

receiving one or more additional feedback messages from at least a subset of the plurality of users about at least one of;

the first author and the first popular message of the one or more popular messages; and

sending to the plurality of users at least a subset of the one or more additional feedback messages from the first user without the feedback message from the first user.

13. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the one or more programs include instructions for:

receiving a second feedback message from the first user about another popular message, distinct from the first popular message, of the one or more popular messages; and

sending to the plurality of users of the communication system the other popular message and the second feedback message from the first user.

14. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the one or more popular messages comprise a first set of popular messages, and wherein the one or more programs include instructions for:

identifying a second set of one or more popular messages among the plurality of incoming messages from a second author;

receiving a feedback message from the first user about at least one of;

the second author and a second popular message of the second set of popular messages from the second author; and

sending to the plurality of users of the communication system the second popular message and the feedback message from the first user about at least the one of;

the second author and the second popular message of the second set of popular messages from the second author.

15. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the one or more programs include instructions for:

receiving one or more replies from at least a subset of the plurality of users; and

sending the one or more replies to the plurality of users.

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

obtaining a plurality of incoming messages, wherein the plurality of incoming messages include one or more external messages and one or more in-system messages from authors in the communication system, wherein the one or more external messages are generated from one or more external sources;

identifying one or more popular messages from a first author among the plurality of incoming messages in the communication system;

receiving a feedback message from a first user of the communication system about at least one of;

the first author and a first popular message of the one or more popular messages; and

sending to a plurality of users of the communication system the first popular message and the feedback message from the first user, wherein the plurality of users track the first author.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the one or more programs include instructions for:

receiving one or more additional feedback messages from at least a subset of the plurality of users about at least one of;

the first author and the first popular message of the popular messages; and

sending to the plurality of users the feedback message from the first user and at least a subset of the one or more additional feedback messages.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the one or more programs include instructions for:

receiving one or more additional feedback messages from at least a subset of the plurality of users about at least one of;

the first author and the first popular message of the popular messages; and

sending to the plurality of users at least a subset of the one or more additional feedback messages from the first user without the feedback message from the first user.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the one or more popular messages comprise a first set of popular messages, and wherein the one or more programs include instructions for:

identifying a second set of one or more popular messages among the plurality of incoming messages from a second author;

receiving a feedback message from the first user about at least one of;

the second author and a second popular message of the second set of popular messages from the second author; and

sending to the plurality of users of the communication system the second popular message and the feedback message from the first user about at least the one of;

the second author and the second popular message of the second set of popular messages from the second author.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the one or more programs include instructions for:

receiving one or more replies from at least a subset of the plurality of users; and

sending the one or more replies to the plurality of users.