IP Library Granted Patent US 10,491,410
Granted Patent B2
US 10,491,410 · App. 15/588,457 · Granted Nov 26, 2019

Multiplex live group communication

Inventor: Charles Donald Deets, Jr. (Palo Alto, CA)
Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
H04L12/1818G06Q10/10G06Q50/01H04L12/1822H04L51/32H04L65/403H04L65/4015H04N7/147H04N7/152H04L51/24
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,491,410
App. No.
15/588,457
Granted
Nov 26, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, from a first group member of a group, a request to initiate a multiplex live communication; receiving, from the first group member, a selection of one or more second group members of the group; by the computer server, sending a notification to each of the selected second group members, the notification comprising an invitation to the selected second group members to join a multiplex live communication with the first group member; receiving, from one or more of the second selected group members, an indication that the respective second selected group member has accepted the invitation to join the multiplex live communication; and adding each second user who has accepted the invitation to the multiplex live communication.

Claims (62)

1. A method comprising, by one or more computing devices:

receiving, from a first group member of a plurality of group members associated with a group, a request to initiate a multiplex live communication and a selection of one or more second group members from the plurality of group members, wherein each group member of the plurality of group members is associated with a privilege level from a plurality of privilege levels associated with the group;

determining whether the first group member is authorized to initiate the multiplex live communication based on the privilege level associated with the first group member;

sending, responsive to determining that the first group member is authorized to initiate the multiplex live communication, a notification to each of the selected second group members, the notification comprising an invitation to the selected second group members to join a multiplex live communication with the first group member;

receiving, from one or more of the second selected group members, an indication that the respective second selected group member has accepted the invitation to join the multiplex live communication; and

adding each second group member who has accepted the invitation to the multiplex live communication.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the multiplex live communication comprises audio and video communication.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the multiplex live communication comprises only audio communication.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

sending a notification to one or more third group members of the plurality of group members, the notification comprising an indication that a multiplex live communication is underway;

receiving, from each of one or more of the third group members, a request to join the multiplex live communication; and

adding the one or more third group members to the multiplex live communication.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first group member and the one or more second group members have joined the group prior to and independently of any multiplex live communication.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

accessing a social graph comprising a plurality of nodes and a plurality of edges connecting the nodes, each of the edges between two of the nodes representing a single degree of separation between them, the nodes comprising:

a first node corresponding to the first group member associated with an online social network;

one or more second nodes that each correspond to the one or more second group members associated with the online social network;

one or more third nodes corresponding to one or more concepts or group identifications associated with the online social network,

wherein the first node and the one or more second nodes are each connected by an edge to one of the third node.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the multiplex live communication is displayed on a plurality of client devices, each client device corresponding to a member of the group.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

receiving audio data and visual data from each of the plurality of client devices;

displaying the visual data from each client device on each client device;

analyzing the audio data and visual data to determine which member of the group is speaking; and

displaying in real-time on each client device the visual data captured on a camera associated with the client device corresponding to the member of the group determined to be speaking.

9. One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying software that is operable when executed to:

receive, from a first group member of a plurality of group members associated with a group, a request to initiate a multiplex live communication and a selection of one or more second group members from the plurality of group members, wherein each group member of the plurality of group members is associated with a privilege level from a plurality of privilege levels associated with the group;

determine whether the first group member is authorized to initiate the multiplex live communication based on the privilege level associated with the first group member;

send, in response to determining that the first group member is authorized to initiate the multiplex live communication, a notification to each of the selected second group members, the notification comprising an invitation to the selected second group members to join a multiplex live communication with the first group member;

receive, from one or more of the second selected group members, an indication that the respective second selected group member has accepted the invitation to join the multiplex live communication;

add each second group member who has accepted the invitation to the multiplex live communication.

10. The media of claim 9 , wherein the multiplex live communication comprises audio and video communication.

11. The media of claim 9 , wherein the multiplex live communication comprises only audio communication.

12. The media of claim 9 , wherein the software is further operable when executed to:

send a notification to one or more third group members of the plurality of group members, the notification comprising an indication that a multiplex live communication is underway;

receive, from each of one or more of the third group members, a request to join the multiplex live communication; and

add the one or more third group members to the multiplex live communication.

13. The media of claim 9 , wherein the first group member and the one or more second group members have joined the group prior to and independently of any multiplex live communication.

14. The media of claim 9 , wherein the software is further operable when executed to:

access a social graph comprising a plurality of nodes and a plurality of edges connecting the nodes, each of the edges between two of the nodes representing a single degree of separation between them, the nodes comprising:

a first node corresponding to the first group member associated with an online social network;

one or more second nodes that each correspond to the one or more second group members associated with the online social network;

one or more third nodes corresponding to one or more concepts or group identifications associated with the online social network,

wherein the first node and the one or more second nodes are each connected by an edge to one of the third node.

15. The media of claim 9 , wherein the multiplex live communication is displayed on a plurality of client devices, each client device corresponding to a member of the group.

16. The media of claim 9 , wherein the software is further operable when executed to:

receive audio data and visual data from each of the plurality of client devices;

display the visual data from each client device on each client device;

analyze the audio data and visual data to determine which member of the group is speaking; and

display in real-time on each client device the visual data captured on a camera associated with the client device corresponding to the member of the group determined to be speaking.

17. A system comprising: one or more processors; and a memory coupled to the processors comprising instructions executable by the processors, the processors being operable when executing the instructions to:

receive, from a first group member of a plurality of group members associated with a group, a request to initiate a multiplex live communication and a selection of one or more second group members from the plurality of group members, wherein each group member of the plurality of group members is associated with a privilege level from a plurality of privilege levels associated with the group;

determine whether the first group member is authorized to initiate the multiplex live communication based on the privilege level associated with the first group member;

send, in response to determining that the first group member is authorized to initiate the multiplex live communication, a notification to each of the selected second group members, the notification comprising an invitation to the selected second group members to join a multiplex live communication with the first group member;

receive, from one or more of the second selected group members, an indication that the respective second selected group member has accepted the invitation to join the multiplex live communication;

add each second group member who has accepted the invitation to the multiplex live communication.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the multiplex live communication comprises audio and video communication.

19. The system of claim 17 , wherein the multiplex live communication comprises only audio communication.

20. The system of claim 17 , wherein the processors are further operable when executing the instructions to:

send a notification to one or more third group members of the plurality of group members, the notification comprising an indication that a multiplex live communication is underway;

receive, from each of one or more of the third group members, a request to join the multiplex live communication; and

add the one or more third group members to the multiplex live communication.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 28, 2024
From: DEETS, CHARLES DONALD, JR.
To: FACEBOOK, INC.
Reel/Frame 066935/0970 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 20, 2021
From: FACEBOOK, INC.
To: META PLATFORMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 058553/0802 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 15195834 · Jun 28, 2016
Related Publication 20170373868A1 · Dec 28, 2017