IP Library Granted Patent US 10,764,228
Granted Patent B1
US 10,764,228 · App. 16/288,387 · Granted Sep 1, 2020

Automated message recall from a sender's device

Inventors: Michael B. Donohue (Mountain View, CA); Erik James Reed (Dublin, CA)
Assignee: WHATSAPP INC.
H04L51/30H04L51/043H04L51/10H04L67/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,764,228
App. No.
16/288,387
Granted
Sep 1, 2020
Kind
B1
Abstract

A system, apparatus, and methods are provided for supporting automated recall of a message (e.g., a chat message) from an originator's device, or at least media that accompanied the message. An original message may convey one or more media files that are temporarily stored on a system or apparatus that hosts the communication application used to create, send, and receive messages. The media files may be lost in transit because of failure of a system component, failure of a storage device, purging of the files before they are retrieved by a recipient, or for some other reason. When the recipient's device receives an error in response to an attempt to retrieve the media file(s), it automatically initiates a recall request that is returned to the originating device. If the message and media are still available on the device, an abbreviated version of the message is re-sent, with the media.

Claims (51)

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a request for a media file from a first destination device of a plurality of destination devices participating in a group messaging interaction with an originating device, the request comprising an identifier of the media file;

determining that the media file is unable to be delivered to the first destination device;

sending a recall request to a second destination device of the plurality of destination devices;

receiving a new identifier for the media file or the media file from the second destination device; and

delivering the new identifier for the media file or the media file to the first destination device.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the recall request is further sent to the originating device, wherein the group messaging interaction is provided by a messaging application, wherein the originating device initially transmitted the media file within the group messaging interaction.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the recall request is further sent to the remaining plurality of destination devices, wherein the recall request is not sent to the originating device.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , wherein the recall request is sent serially to the remaining plurality of destination devices until the new identifier or the media file is received from another destination device of the plurality of destination devices other than the first destination device.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , wherein the recall request is sent in parallel to the plurality of destination devices other than the first destination device.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining that the first destination device was the only destination device of the plurality of destination devices that failed to receive the media file; and

delivering the new identifier or the media file to the first destination device.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining that one or more of the plurality of destination devices other than the first destination device failed to receive the media file; and

delivering the new identifier or the media file to each of the plurality of destination devices.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

transmitting an error message to the first destination device based on the determination that the media file is unable to be delivered to the first destination device; and

receiving the recall request from the first destination device prior to transmitting the recall request.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a communication application executing on the processor and configured to:

receive a request for a media file from a first destination device of a plurality of destination devices participating in a group messaging interaction with an originating device, the request comprising an identifier of the media file;

determine that the media file is unable to be delivered to the first destination device;

send a recall request to a second destination device of the plurality of destination devices;

receive a new identifier for the media file or the media file from the second destination device; and

deliver the new identifier for the media file or the media file to the first destination device.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the recall request is further sent to the originating device, wherein the group messaging interaction is provided by a messaging application, wherein the originating device initially transmitted the media file within the group messaging interaction.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the recall request is further sent to the remaining plurality of destination devices, wherein the recall request is not sent to the originating device.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the recall request is sent serially to the remaining plurality of destination devices until the new identifier or the media file is received from another destination device of the plurality of destination devices other than the first destination device.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the recall request is sent in parallel to the plurality of destination devices other than the first destination device.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the communication application is further configured to:

determine that the first destination device was the only destination device of the plurality of destination devices that failed to receive the media file; and

deliver the new identifier or the media file to the first destination device.

15. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the communication application is further configured to:

determine that one or more of the plurality of destination devices other than the first destination device failed to receive the media file; and

deliver the new identifier or the media file each of the plurality of destination devices.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause a system to:

receive a request for a media file from a first destination device of a plurality of destination devices participating in a group messaging interaction with an originating device, the request comprising an identifier of the media file;

determine that the media file is unavailable for delivery to the first destination device;

send a recall request to a second destination device of the plurality of destination devices;

receive a new identifier for the media file or the media file from the second destination device; and

deliver the new identifier for the media file or the media file to the first destination device.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the recall request is further sent to the originating device, wherein the group messaging interaction is provided by a messaging application, wherein the originating device initially transmitted the media file within the group messaging interaction.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the recall request is further sent to the remaining plurality of destination devices, wherein the recall request is not sent to the originating device.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , comprising further instructions that cause the system to:

determine that the first destination device was the only destination device of the plurality of destination devices that failed to receive the media file; and

deliver the new identifier or the media file to the first destination device.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , comprising further instructions that cause the system to:

determine that one or more of the plurality of destination devices other than the first destination device failed to receive the media file; and

deliver the new identifier or the media file to each of the plurality of destination devices.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 14, 2022
From: DONOHUE, MICHAEL B.; REED, ERIK JAMES
To: WHATSAPP INC.
Reel/Frame 061763/0468 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 22, 2021
From: WHATSAPP INC.
To: WHATSAPP LLC
Reel/Frame 056646/0001 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 15291027 · Oct 11, 2016
Continuation 14170345 · Jan 31, 2014
Cited By (1)
US 12,476,932