Methods and systems for associating content with conversation tuples
Exemplary embodiments relate to techniques for representing conversations in a messaging system, where content serves as the organizing feature or primitive of a messaging inbox. In the messaging inbox, content may be aggregated in two hierarchical tiers: first, on a per-sender basis, and second on a per-content basis. Conversational threads may be stored in buckets represented by a relationship tuple (sender, receiver). Individual content threads may be represented by a thread identifier of the structure (content ID, sender, receiver). One piece of content may be associated with multiple conversations through the thread ID. Replies may be organized in a hierarchy under the thread ID tuple. Content ephemerality may be implemented by tying the content identifier to ephemerality conditions. Different users may view the content at different times, since the thread ID tuple can be removed from a sender bucket without removing the associated content.
1. A method, comprising:
receiving from a sending account a media item addressed to one or more receiving accounts, the media item being different from a textual message, wherein the sending account and a selected one of the receiving accounts is associated with a relationship tuple;
storing a single copy of the media item;
associating the media item with a conversation tuple comprising an identifier of the media item, an identifier of the sending account, and an identifier of the selected receiving account;
associating the conversation tuple with the relationship tuple according to a hierarchical structure such that the conversation tuple is organized under the relationship tuple;
determining whether an ephemerality condition associated with the conversation tuple is met; and
in response to the ephemerality condition not being met, disassociating the conversation tuple from the relationship tuple such that access to the media item is removed from the selected receiving account.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the relationship tuple comprises the identifier associated with the sending account and the identifier associated with the selected one of the receiving accounts, wherein the hierarchy structure comprises a first tier and a second tier, the first tier being the relationship tuple and the second tier being the conversation tuple, and wherein one or more conversations about the media item between the sending account and the selected receiving account is assigned to the relationship tuple via the conversation tuple.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising associating the media item with a second conversation tuple comprising the identifier of the media item, the identifier associated with the sending account, and an identifier associated with a second selected receiving account to associate the media item with a second conversation.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a reply from the selected one of the receiving accounts; and
associating the reply with the conversation tuple.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising associating the conversation tuple with one or more ephemerality conditions.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the ephemerality conditions comprise at least one of an amount of time during which the media item remains active or a number of views by the selected one of the receiving accounts before the media item becomes inactive.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forwarding the media item to the selected one of the receiving accounts or allowing the selected one of the receiving accounts to access the media item.
8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions configured to cause one or more processors to:
receive from a sending account a media item addressed to one or more receiving accounts, the media item being different from a textual message, wherein the sending account and a selected one of the receiving accounts is associated with a relationship tuple;
store a single copy of the media item;
associate the media item with a conversation tuple comprising an identifier of the media item, an identifier of the sending account, and an identifier of the selected receiving account;
associate the conversation tuple with the relationship tuple according to a hierarchical structure such that the conversation tuple is organized under the relationship tuple;
determine whether an ephemerality condition associated with the conversation tuple is met; and
in response to the ephemerality condition not being met, disassociate the conversation tuple from the relationship tuple such that access to the media item is removed from the selected receiving account.
9. The medium of claim 8 , wherein the relationship tuple comprises the identifier associated with the sending account and the identifier associated with the selected one of the receiving accounts, wherein the hierarchy structure comprises a first tier and a second tier, the first tier being the relationship tuple and the second tier being the conversation tuple, and wherein one or more conversations about the media item between the sending account and the selected receiving account is assigned to the relationship tuple via the conversation tuple.
10. The medium of claim 8 , further storing instructions configured to cause one or more processors to associate the media item with a second conversation tuple comprising the identifier of the media item, the identifier associated with the sending account, and an identifier associated with a second selected receiving account to associate the media item with a second conversation.
11. The medium of claim 8 , further storing:
instructions configured to cause one or more processors to receive a reply from the selected one of the receiving accounts; and
instructions configured to cause one or more processors to associate the reply with the conversation tuple.
12. The medium of claim 8 , further storing instructions configured to cause one or more processors to associate the conversation tuple with one or more ephemerality conditions.
13. The medium of claim 12 , wherein the ephemerality conditions comprise at least one of an amount of time during which the media item remains active or a number of views by the selected one of the receiving accounts before the media item becomes inactive.
14. The medium of claim 8 , further storing instructions configured to forward the media item to the selected one of the receiving accounts or allow the selected one of the receiving accounts to access the media item.
15. An apparatus comprising:
at least one processor that, when executing stored instructions, is caused to:
receive from a sending account a media item addressed to one or more receiving accounts, the media item being different from a textual message, wherein the sending account and a selected one of the receiving accounts is associated with a relationship tuple;
store a single copy of the media item;
associate the media item with a conversation tuple comprising an identifier of the media item, an identifier of the sending account, and an identifier of the selected receiving account;
associate the conversation tuple with the relationship tuple according to a hierarchical structure such that the conversation tuple is organized under the relationship tuple;
determine whether an ephemerality condition associated with the conversation tuple is met; and
in response to the ephemerality condition not being met, disassociate the conversation tuple from the relationship tuple such that access to the media item is removed from the selected receiving account.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the relationship tuple comprises the identifier associated with the sending account and the identifier associated with the selected one of the receiving accounts, wherein the hierarchy structure comprises a first tier and a second tier, the first tier being the relationship tuple and the second tier being the conversation tuple, and wherein one or more conversations about the media item between the sending account and the selected receiving account is assigned to the relationship tuple via the conversation tuple.
17. The apparatus of claim 15 , the at least one processor further caused to associate the media item with a second conversation tuple comprising the identifier of the media item, the identifier associated with the sending account, and an identifier associated with a second selected receiving account to associate the media item with a second conversation.
18. The apparatus of claim 15 , the at least one processor further caused to receive a reply from the selected one of the receiving accounts and associate the reply with the conversation tuple.
19. The apparatus of claim 15 , the at least one processor further caused to associate the conversation tuple with one or more ephemerality conditions, wherein the ephemerality conditions comprise at least one of an amount of time during which the media item remains active or a number of views by the selected one of the receiving accounts before the media item becomes inactive.
20. The apparatus of claim 15 , the at least one processor further caused to forward the media item to the selected one of the receiving accounts or allow the selected one of the receiving accounts to access the media item.