IP Library Granted Patent US 8,984,139
Granted Patent B2
US 8,984,139 · App. 14/245,531 · Granted Mar 17, 2015

System and method for editing a conversation in a hosted conversation system

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,984,139
App. No.
14/245,531
Granted
Mar 17, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method, at a computing device having one or more processors and memory storing programs for execution by the one or more processors, identifies a conversation including a plurality of participants. A sequence of edits to a content unit in a plurality of content units of the conversation is obtained from a first participant in the plurality of participants to produce a revised content unit. While a second participant of the plurality of participants is providing or editing a portion of the content unit, or viewing the portion of the content unit, the following conditions are imposed. When the second participant is a team member, the conversation is updated for the second participant with the revised content unit by providing the revised content unit to the second participant. When the second participant is a non-team member, updating the conversation for the second participant with the revised content unit is delayed.

Claims (78)

1. A method, comprising:

at a computing device having one or more processors and memory storing programs for execution by the one or more processors:

identifying a conversation including a plurality of participants;

obtaining a sequence of edits to a content unit in a plurality of content units associated with the conversation from a first participant in the plurality of participants to produce a revised content unit; and

while a second participant of the plurality of participants is providing or editing a portion of the content unit or viewing the portion of the content unit:

(i) when the second participant is a team member:

updating the conversation for the second participant with the revised content unit by automatically providing the revised content unit to the second participant; and

(ii) when the second participant is a non-team member:

delaying updating the conversation for the second participant with the revised content unit.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

preparing for concurrent display at clients used by the plurality of participants, cursor positions of two or more participants in the conversation who are both editing the content unit.

3. The method of claim 1 , the method further comprising:

storing a creation timestamp and a last edit timestamp for the content unit.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

identifying a sequence of log records, each containing data representing one or more edits to the content unit, wherein a respective log record in the sequence of log records includes:

(i) edits to the content unit made by two or more participants in the conversation, and

(ii) a list identifying the two or more participants;

transmitting the sequence of log records to a participant in the plurality of participants; and

enabling the participant to view a sequence of changes to the content unit using the sequence of log records.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

identifying a sequence of log records, each containing data representing one or more edits in the sequence of edits to the content unit by two or more participants in the plurality of participants;

transmitting the sequence of log records to a participant, in the plurality of participants, other than the two or more participants; and

enabling the participant to view a sequence of changes to the conversation using the sequence of log records.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein enabling the participant to view the sequence of changes to the conversation using the sequence of log records includes:

enabling the participant to view changes within a user-specified portion of the conversation.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein a respective log record in the sequence of log records comprises:

(i) data representing edits to the content unit made by the two or more participants; and

(ii) a list identifying the two or more participants.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein enabling the participant to view the sequence of changes to the conversation using the sequence of log records includes:

enabling the participant to view changes to the conversation by a specific participant in the two or more participants using the sequence of log records.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of distinct edits in the sequence of edits includes distinct keystrokes or words.

10. A computer system, comprising:

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more programs stored in the memory, the one or more programs comprising instructions for hosting a plurality of conversations, the instructions for hosting including instructions for:

identifying a conversation including a plurality of participants;

obtaining a sequence of edits to a content unit in a plurality of content units associated with the conversation from a first participant in the plurality of participants to produce a revised content unit; and

while a second participant of the plurality of participants is providing or editing a portion of the content unit or viewing the portion of the content unit:

(i) when the second participant is a team member:

updating the respective conversation for the second participant with the revised content unit by automatically providing the revised content unit to the second participant; and

(ii) when the second participant is a non-team member:

delaying updating the respective conversation for the second participant with the revised content unit.

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

preparing for concurrent display at clients used by the plurality of participants, cursor positions of two or more participants in the conversation who are both editing the content unit.

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

storing a creation timestamp and a last edit timestamp for the content unit.

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

identifying a sequence of log records, each containing data representing one or more edits to the content unit, wherein a log record in the sequence of log records includes:

(i) edits to the content unit made by two or more participants in the conversation, and

(ii) a list identifying the two or more participants;

transmitting the sequence of log records to a participant in the plurality of participants; and

enabling the participant to view a sequence of changes to the content unit using the sequence of log records.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for:

identifying a sequence of log records, each containing data representing one or more edits in the sequence of edits to the content unit by two or more participants in the plurality of participants;

transmitting the sequence of log records to a third participant, in the plurality of participants, the third participant being other than the first participant or the second participant; and

enabling the third participant to view a sequence of changes to the conversation using the sequence of log records.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein a log record in the sequence of log records includes:

(i) data representing edits to the content unit made by the two or more participants; and

(ii) a list identifying the two or more participants.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein a plurality of distinct edits in the sequence of edits includes distinct keystrokes or words.

17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured for execution by one or more processors of a computer system, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed cause the computer system to:

identify a conversation including a plurality of participants;

obtain a sequence of edits to a content unit in a plurality of content units associated with the conversation from a first participant in the plurality of participants to produce a revised content unit; and

while a second participant of the plurality of participants is providing or editing a portion of the content unit or viewing the portion of the content unit:

(i) when the second participant is a team member:

updating the respective conversation for the second participant with the revised content unit by automatically providing the revised content unit to the second participant; and

(ii) when the second participant is a non-team member:

delaying updating the respective conversation for the second participant with the revised content unit.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17 , the instructions further comprising:

preparing for concurrent display at clients used by the plurality of participants, cursor positions of two or more participants in the conversation who are both editing the content unit.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17 , the instructions further comprising:

storing a creation timestamp and a last edit timestamp for the content unit.

20. A The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17 , the instructions further comprising:

identifying a sequence of log records, each containing data representing one or more edits to the content unit, wherein a respective log record in the sequence of log records includes:

(i) edits to the content unit made by two or more participants in the respective conversation, and

(ii) a list identifying the two or more participants;

transmitting the sequence of log records to a participant in the plurality of participants; and

enabling the participant to view a sequence of changes to the content unit using the sequence of log records.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 5, 2017
From: GOOGLE INC.
To: GOOGLE LLC
Reel/Frame 044129/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 17, 2016
From: RASMUSSEN, JENS EILSTRUP; RASMUSSEN, LARS EILSTRUP; MA, STEPHEN; MAH, ALEXANDRE T.
To: WALKWAY TECHNOLOGIES US LLC
Reel/Frame 038621/0195 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 17, 2016
From: WALKWAY TECHNOLOGIES US LLC
To: GOOGLE INC.
Reel/Frame 038621/0237 →