Contextual chat message generation in online environments

• US 9,713,774 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2010
• Issued: 07/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Hoomani, Cyrus J., Markman, Vita
• Primary Examiner(s): Nunez, Jordany
• Application Number:
  US12/871,777
• Publication Number:
  US 20120054646A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,521 Days
• Field of Search: 715758, 715738, 704277, 704 3, 709204, 709206
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/53 involving additional visual information provided to the game scene, e.g. by overlay to simulate a head-up display [HUD] or displaying a laser sight in a shooting game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/79 involving player-related data, e.g. identities, accounts, preferences or play histories
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/837 Shooting of targets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/87 Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/308 Details of the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5546 using player registration data, e.g. identification, account, preferences, game history
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/572 Communication between players during game play of non game information, e.g. e-mail, chat, file transfer, streaming of audio and streaming of video
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for providing an enhanced contextual chat feature in online environments. The contextual chat feature may be used to present users with a list of expressions that may be sent to other users within an online environment (or to users in other online environments). The list of messages may be derived from a linguistic profile which itself may change as the use of language in an online environment (or by a particular user group) evolves, over time. In cases where a user sends a contextual chat message to another user in the same online environment, messages may be sent without being altered. However, when a user selects a contextual chat message from the list to send to a user in another online environment, the message may be translated based on a linguistic profile associated with users in the second environment.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method to manage interactions between users of different user classifications in an online environment, the computer-implemented method comprising:

determining a first user classification to assign to a first user of a plurality of users in the online environment, by operation of one or more computer processors and based on;

(i) an activity type preferred by the first user;

(ii) an activity chat frequency exhibited by the first user; and

(iii) an activity skill level exhibited by the first user;

assigning the first user classification to the first user;

monitoring interactions between the plurality of users in the online environment;

determining, based on the monitored interactions and at a first point in time, a first set of expressions satisfying a recent usage frequency by users assigned the first user classification, each expression comprising a respective chat message, whereafter only the first set of expressions is conveyed as being selectable by the first user to send to other users of the online environment;

responsive to a selection of a first expression of the first set of expressions by the first user, sending the first expression to a specified, second user of the plurality of users without requiring the first user to compose the first expression; and

determining, based on the monitored interactions and at a second point in time subsequent to the first point in time, a second set of expressions satisfying the recent usage frequency by users assigned the first user classification, wherein the second set of expressions is distinct from the first set of expressions, whereafter only the second set of expressions is conveyed as being selectable by the second user to send to other users of the online environment;

wherein distinct sets of expressions are conveyed to the first user for selection as usage of expressions, by users assigned the first user classification, evolves over time.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first user classification is one of a plurality of user classification iterations, of which each user classification iteration specifies:

(i) one or more classification criteria to additionally use in matching users to the respective user classification iteration and (ii) one or more expressions to additionally present to the first user.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first expression is associated with one or more audio or visual elements to be presented to the second user as part of a chat message.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first user classification includes a set of one or more classification criteria, wherein the first user classification is determined to be assigned to the first user by matching monitored interactions with the online environment engaged in by the first user with the set of one or more classification criteria.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second sets excludes at least one respective expressions as not satisfying the recent usage frequency.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein user communication in the online environment is facilitated by managing interactions between users of different user classifications;

wherein each of the plurality of users is assigned a respective one of the plurality of distinct user classifications, wherein each user classification is selected from a plurality of distinct user classifications.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein each user is assigned no more than one user classification, wherein sending the first expression to the second user comprises:

upon determining that the first and second users have a matching user classification, transmitting the first expression to the second user without modifying the first expression.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein sending the first expression to the second user further comprises:

upon determining that the first and second users do not have a matching user classification, automatically identifying, based on a second user classification of the second user, a second expression corresponding to the first expression, wherein the second expression is distinct from the first expression and transmitted to the second user in lieu of the first expression, wherein the first and second user classifications are distinct classifications.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, wherein the second expression is identified without requiring the first user to specify the second expression and without requiring the first user to specify the second user classification of the second user.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, wherein each of (i) the activity type preferred by the first user, (ii) the activity chat frequency exhibited by the first user, and (iii) the activity skill level exhibited by the first user pertains to a specified activity.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 18, wherein the first user classification of the first user is one of a plurality of user classification iterations of the first user.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 19, wherein each user classification iteration of the first user represents a successive refinement of the first user classification and specifies:

(i) one or more classification criteria to additionally use in matching users to the first user classification iteration and (ii) one or more expressions to additionally present to the first user.

22. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the second user has a second user classification distinct from the first user classification, wherein the computer-implemented method further comprises:

generating a mapping between linguistic profiles of different user classifications; and

translating one or more messages sent between the first and second users, based on the mapping between linguistic profiles and without requiring user intervention.

5. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program executable to perform an operation to manage interactions between users of different user classifications in an online environment, the operation comprising:

determining a first user classification to assign to a first user of a plurality of users in the online environment, by operation of one or more computer processors when executing the program, and based on;

(i) an activity type preferred by the first user;

(ii) an activity chat frequency exhibited by the first user; and

(iii) an activity skill level exhibited by the first user;

assigning the first user classification to the first user;

monitoring interactions between the plurality of users in the online environment;

determining, based on the monitored interactions and at a first point in time, a first set of expressions satisfying a recent usage frequency by users assigned the first user classification, each expression comprising a respective chat message, whereafter only the first set of expressions is conveyed as being selectable by the first user to send to other users of the online environment;

responsive to a selection of a first expression of the first set of expressions by the first user, sending the first expression to a specified, second user of the plurality of users without requiring the first user to compose the first expression; and

determining, based on the monitored interactions and at a second point in time subsequent to the first point in time, a second set of expressions satisfying the recent usage frequency by users assigned the first user classification, wherein the second set of expressions is distinct from the first set of expressions, whereafter only the second set of expressions is conveyed as being selectable by the second user to send to other users of the online environment;

wherein distinct sets of expressions are conveyed to the first user for selection as usage of expressions, by users assigned the first user classification, evolves over time.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein the first user classification is one of a plurality of user classification iterations, of which each user classification iteration specifies:

(i) one or more classification criteria to additionally use in matching users to the respective user classification iteration and (ii) one or more expressions to additionally present to the first user.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein the first expression is associated with one or more audio or visual elements to be presented to the second user as part of a chat message.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein the first user classification includes a set of one or more classification criteria, wherein the first user classification is determined to be assigned to the first user by matching monitored interactions with the online environment engaged in by the first user with the set of one or more classification criteria.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein the second user has a second user classification distinct from the first user classification, wherein the operation further comprises:

generating a mapping between linguistic profiles of different user classifications; and

translating one or more messages sent between the first and second users, based on the mapping between linguistic profiles and without requiring user intervention.

9. A system to manage interactions between users of different user classifications in an online environment, the system comprising:

one or more computer processors; and

a memory including a program which, when executed by the one or more computer processors, performs an operation comprising;

determining a first user classification to assign to a first user of a plurality of users in the online environment, based on;

(i) an activity type preferred by the first user;

(ii) an activity chat frequency exhibited by the first user; and

(iii) an activity skill level exhibited by the first user;

assigning the first user classification to the first user;

monitoring interactions between the plurality of users in the online environment;

determining, based on the monitored interactions and at a first point in time, a first set of expressions satisfying a recent usage frequency by users assigned the first user classification, each expression comprising a respective chat message, whereafter only the first set of expressions is conveyed as being selectable by the first user to send to other users of the online environment;

responsive to a selection of a first expression of the first set of expressions by the first user, sending the first expression to a specified, second user of the plurality of users without requiring the first user to compose the first expression; and

determining, based on the monitored interactions and at a second point in time subsequent to the first point in time, a second set of expressions satisfying the recent usage frequency by users assigned the first user classification, wherein the second set of expressions is distinct from the first set of expressions, whereafter only the second set of expressions is conveyed as being selectable by the second user to send to other users of the online environment;

wherein distinct sets of expressions are conveyed to the first user for selection as usage of expressions, by users assigned the first user classification, evolves over time.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the first user classification is one of a plurality of user classification iterations, of which each user classification iteration specifies:

(i) one or more classification criteria to additionally use in matching users to the respective user classification iteration and (ii) one or more expressions to additionally present to the first user.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the first expression is associated with one or more audio or visual elements to be presented to the second user as part of a chat message.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the first user classification includes a set of one or more classification criteria, wherein the first user classification is determined to be assigned to the first user by matching monitored interactions with the online environment engaged in by the first user with the set of one or more classification criteria.

21. The system of claim 9, wherein each of the first and second sets excludes at least one respective expression as not satisfying the recent usage frequency.

24. The system of claim 9, wherein the second user has a second user classification distinct from the first user classification, wherein the operation further comprises:

generating a mapping between linguistic profiles of different user classifications; and

translating one or more messages sent between the first and second users, based on the mapping between linguistic profiles and without requiring user intervention.