IP Library Granted Patent US 10,469,435
Granted Patent B2
US 10,469,435 · App. 14/702,533 · Granted Nov 5, 2019

Joint communication sessions

Inventor: Brian Curry (Burlingame, CA)
Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
H04L51/32H04L12/1822H04L51/00H04L51/04H04L65/403H04L67/02H04L67/10
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,469,435
App. No.
14/702,533
Granted
Nov 5, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

Online communication sessions may be joined in an environment that includes receiving a first communication between a first user and a second user and enabling the rendering of the first communication at devices associated with the first and second users. A second communication between the first user and a third user is received and the rendering of the second communication at devices associated with the first and third users is enabled. After receiving the first and second communications, a trigger to join at least the communication sessions associated with the first, second, and third users is received from the first, second, or third user. Information structured and arranged to render, in a single window, text associated with the first and second communications at the devices associated with the first, second, and third users is generated.

Claims (66)

1. A method comprising:

monitoring a plurality of personal communications sessions associated with a user;

identifying, based on the plurality of personal communications sessions, co-users engaged in personal communications sessions with the user;

receiving, from the user, a request to initiate a new joint communications session;

providing to the user, in response to the request, a listing of the identified co-users engaged in personal communications sessions with the user;

receiving, from the user, a selection of at least one co-user from the listing to include in the new joint communications session;

sending, to the at least one co-user, an invitation to participate in the joint communications session; and

initiating, based on the selection of the at least one co-user from the listing, the new joint communications session between the user and the at least one co-user.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:

maintaining a history of personal communications sessions of the user, wherein the history comprises past messages between the user and the at least one co-user;

receiving, from the user, a selection of past messages to include in the joint communications session; and

providing, in response to the selection of the past messages, the past messages in the joint communications session.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 , further comprising generating, in a single window, text associated with personal communications sessions in which the at least one co-user has engaged with the user.

4. The method as recited in claim 3 , further comprising:

receiving, from the user, a selection of an option to display, in the single window, text associated with the personal communications sessions in which the at least one co-user has engaged with the user;

wherein generating, in the single window, text associated with the personal communications sessions in which the at least one co-user has engaged with the user is in response to the received selection of the option.

5. The method as recited in claim 2 , further comprising: providing, for the joint communications session, an option for any participant to leave the joint communications session;

receiving, from the user, a request to cancel the joint communications session; and

in response to the received request to cancel the joint communications session, ending the joint communications session for all participants in the joint communications session.

6. The method as recited in claim 5 , further comprising:

receiving, from the at least one co-user, an acceptance of the invitation to participate in the joint communications session; and

initiating the new joint communications session in response to the received acceptance.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein identifying, based on the plurality of personal communications sessions, co-users engaged in personal communications sessions with the user comprises identifying one or more co-users who have exchanged at least one personal communication with the user within a threshold period of time.

8. A system comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions thereon that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:

monitor a plurality of personal communications sessions associated with a user;

identify, based on the plurality of personal communications sessions, co-users engaged in personal communications sessions with the user;

receive, from the user, a request to initiate a new joint communications session;

provide to the user, in response to the request, a listing of the identified co-users engaged in personal communications sessions with the user;

receive, from the user a selection of at least one co-user from the listing to include in the new joint communications session;

send, to the at least one co-user, an invitation to participate in the joint communications session; and

initiate, based on the selection of the at least one co-user from the listing, the new joint communications session between the user and the at least one co-user.

9. The system as recited in claim 8 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:

maintain a history of personal communications sessions of the user, wherein the history comprises past messages between the user and the at least one co-user;

receive, from the user, a selection of past messages to include in the joint communications session; and

provide, in response to the selection of the past messages, the past messages in the joint communications session.

10. The system as recited in claim 9 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to generate, in a single window, text associated with personal communications sessions in which the at least one co-user has engaged with the user.

11. The system as recited in claim 10 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:

receive, from the user, a selection of an option to display, in the single window, text associated with the personal communications sessions in which the at least one co-user has engaged with the user;

wherein generating, in the single window, text associated with the personal communications sessions in which the at least one co-user has engaged with the user is in response to the received selection.

12. The system as recited in 9 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to provide, for the joint communications session, an option for any participant to leave the joint communications session.

13. The system as recited in claim 12 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:

receive, from the user, a request to cancel the joint communications session; and

in response to the received request to cancel the joint communications session, end the joint communications session for all participants in the joint communications session.

14. The system as recited in claim 8 , wherein identifying, based on the plurality of personal communications sessions, co-users engaged in personal communications sessions with the user comprises identifying one or more co-users who have exchanged at least one communication with the user within a threshold period of time.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions thereon that, when executed by at least one processor, cause a computer system to:

monitor a plurality of personal communications sessions associated with a user;

identify, based on the plurality of personal communications sessions, co-users engaged in personal communications sessions with the user;

receive, from the user, a request to initiate a new joint communications session;

provide to the user, in response to the request, a listing of the identified co-users engaged in personal communications sessions with the user;

receive, from the user a selection of at least one co-user from the listing to include in the new joint communications session;

send, to the at least one co-user, an invitation to participate in the joint communications session; and

initiate, based on the selection of the at least one co-user from the listing, the new joint communications session between the user and the at least one co-user.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 15 , further storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computer system to:

maintain a history of personal communications sessions of the user, wherein the history comprises past messages between the user and the at least one co-user;

receive, from the user, a selection of past messages to include in the joint communications session; and

provide, in response to the selection of the past messages, the past messages in the joint communications session.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 16 , further storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computer system to generate, in a single window, text associated with personal communications sessions in which the at least one co-user has engaged with the user.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 17 , further storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computer system to:

receive, from the user, a selection of an option to display, in the single window, text associated with the personal communications sessions in which the at least one co-user has engaged with the user;

wherein generating, in the single window, text associated with the personal communications sessions in which the at least one co-user has engaged with the user is in response to the received selection.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 16 , further storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computer system to provide, for the joint communications session, an option for any participant to leave the joint communications session.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 19 , further storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computer system to:

receive, from the user, a request to cancel the joint communications session; and

in response to the received request to cancel the joint communications session, end the joint communications session for all participants in the joint communications session.

Assignments (4)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 20, 2021
From: FACEBOOK, INC.
To: META PLATFORMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 058961/0436 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 13, 2015
From: CURRY, BRIAN
To: AOL LLC
Reel/Frame 036318/0873 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 13, 2015
From: AOL INC.
To: FACEBOOK, INC.
Reel/Frame 036346/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 13, 2015
From: AOL LLC
To: AOL INC.
Reel/Frame 036346/0146 →