Presenting related communications

• US 9,607,078 B1
• Filed: 09/13/2012
• Issued: 03/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Kaiserlian, Christian, Berenzweig, Adam, Huelsbergen, Lorenz
• Primary Examiner(s): Blair, Douglas
• Application Number:
  US13/613,461
• Time in Patent Office: 1,657 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/338 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for presenting related conversations. In one aspect, it is determined that a portion of a conversation thread includes an exchange of messages between fewer than a predetermined number of conversation participants. Based on determining that the portion of the conversation thread includes the exchange of messages between fewer than the predetermined number of conversation participants, a conversation view can be generated that that includes a flattened representation of the portion of the conversation thread.

Claims

1. A method performed by data processing apparatus, the method comprising:

receiving data identifying a search result selected by a user from among multiple search results on an Internet search engine results page, the user-selected search result corresponding to a particular message; and

in response to receiving the data;

identifying a conversation of messages that corresponds to the user-selected search result;

determining that a maximum reply depth associated with a first portion of the conversation is less than an indent level threshold, the first portion of the conversation including the particular message;

determining that a maximum reply depth associated with each message of a second portion of the conversation is greater than or equal to the indent level threshold; and

generating a conversation view for the conversation, the conversation view displaying i) each message of the first portion of the conversation with an indent level corresponding to a reply depth of the message, and ii) an indicator indicating that the second portion of the conversation is omitted.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the conversation view comprises:

generating the conversation view such that the particular message is highlighted.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the conversation view comprises:

identifying, in a plurality of pages that represent a conversation thread, a page that presents the particular message; and

generating the conversation view to present the identified page.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the conversation view comprises generating the conversation view to scroll to a position at which the particular message is visible.

5. A system comprising:

one or more computers and one or more storage devices storing instructions that are operable, when executed by the one or more computers, to cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising;

receiving data identifying a search result selected by a user from among multiple search results on an Internet search engine results page, the user-selected search result corresponding to a particular message; and

in response to receiving the data;

identifying a conversation of messages that corresponds to the user-selected search result;

determining that a maximum reply depth associated with a first portion of the conversation is less than an indent level threshold, the first portion of the conversation including the particular message;

determining that a maximum reply depth associated with each message of a second portion of the conversation is greater than or equal to the indent level threshold; and

generating a conversation view for the conversation, the conversation view displaying i) each message of the first portion of the conversation with an indent level corresponding to a reply depth of the message, and ii) an indicator indicating that the second portion of the conversation is omitted.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein generating the conversation view comprises:

generating the conversation view such that the particular message that corresponds to the user-selected search result is highlighted.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein generating the conversation view comprises:

identifying, in a plurality of pages that represent a conversation thread, a page that presents the particular message; and

generating the conversation view to present the identified page.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein generating the conversation view comprises generating the conversation view to scroll to a position at which the particular message is visible.

9. A non-transitory computer storage medium encoded with a computer program, the program comprising instructions that when executed by one or more computers cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:

receiving data identifying a search result selected by a user from among multiple search results on an Internet search engine results page, the user-selected search result corresponding to a particular message; and

in response to receiving the data;

identifying a conversation of messages that corresponds to the user-selected search result;

determining that a maximum reply depth associated with a first portion of the conversation is less than an indent level threshold, the first portion of the conversation including the particular message;

determining that a maximum reply depth associated with each message of a second portion of the conversation is greater than or equal to the indent level threshold; and

generating a conversation view for the conversation, the conversation view displaying i) each message of the first portion of the conversation with an indent level corresponding to a reply depth of the message, and ii) an indicator indicating that the second portion of the conversation is omitted.

10. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 9, wherein generating the conversation view comprises:

generating the conversation view such that the particular message is highlighted.

11. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 9, wherein generating the conversation view comprises:

identifying, in a plurality of pages that represent a conversation thread, a page that presents the particular message; and

generating the conversation view to present the identified page.

12. The non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 9, wherein generating the conversation comprises generating the conversation view to scroll to a position at which the particular message is visible.