IP Library Granted Patent US 12,627,613
Granted Patent B1
US 12,627,613 · App. 18/463,780 · Granted May 12, 2026

Programmatic activation of an incognito mode for transmitting communications

Inventor: Alejandro Martin Paiuk (West Hartford, CT)
Assignee: Zoom Communications, Inc.
H04L47/62H04L51/42
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,627,613
App. No.
18/463,780
Granted
May 12, 2026
Kind
B1
Abstract

Programmatic activation of an incognito mode for transmitting communications determines if a communication is schedule for sending at a later time. A request to send a communication to a second client device is received from a first client device. A determination whether an incognito mode is active is made. In response to determining that the incognito mode is active, one or more criteria are used to determine whether to delay sending the communication. In response to determining to delay the communication, the communication is scheduled to be sent to the second client device at a later time according to the one or more criteria.

Claims (63)

1 . A method, comprising:

receiving, from a first client device, a request to send a communication to a second client device;

determining whether an incognito mode is active, wherein, when the incognito mode is active, automatic scheduling of the communication for delayed transmission is authorized without further input from the first client device;

in response to determining that the incognito mode is active, determining whether to delay the communication based on one or more criteria, wherein the one or more criteria includes at least one criteria directed to a user of the first client device;

in response to determining to delay the communication, automatically scheduling to send the communication to the second client device at a later time according to the one or more criteria; and

adding a random epsilon to the later time based on a setting defined by a user of the first client device.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more criteria includes at least one of a status, a time zone, or a geographic location of a user of the second client device.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, from the first client device, an urgent request to send the communication to the second client device; and

in response to receiving the urgent request, sending the communication to the second client device within a predefined time period.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more criteria includes at least one of a status of a user of the first client device, a number of recipients, or an optimal time for a user of the second client device to read the communication.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining whether at least one of the one or more criteria includes a predefined time period of a user of the second client device; and

responsive to determining that at least one of the one or more criteria includes the predefined time period of the user of the second client device, setting the later time to a time within the predefined time period.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein an availability of the one or more criteria is based on a setting defined by a system administrator.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

activating the incognito mode based on a setting defined by at least one of a user of the first client device or a system administrator.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

activating the incognito mode by a user of the first client device.

9 . A non-transitory computer readable storage device including program instructions that, when executed by a processor of a first client device, cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:

receiving, from the first client device, a request to send a communication to a second client device;

determining whether an incognito mode is active, wherein, when the incognito mode is active, automatic scheduling of the communication for delayed transmission is authorized without further input from the first client device;

in response to determining that the incognito mode is active, determining whether to delay the communication based on one or more criteria, wherein the one or more criteria includes at least one criteria directed to a user of the first client device;

in response to determining to delay the communication, automatically scheduling to send the communication to the second client device, at a later time, according to the one or more criteria; and

adding a random epsilon to the later time based on a setting defined by a user of the first client device.

10 . The non-transitory computer readable storage device of claim 9 , wherein determining to delay the communication comprises at least one of:

determining a status of a user of the second client device;

determining a time zone of the user of the second client device; or

determining a geographic location of the user of the second client device.

11 . The non-transitory computer readable storage device of claim 9 , the operations further comprising:

determining whether the communication is an urgent communication; and

in response to a determination that the communication is an urgent communication, sending the communication to the second client device within a predefined time period.

12 . The non-transitory computer readable storage device of claim 9 , wherein the incognito mode is activated based on a setting defined by a user of the first client device.

13 . The non-transitory computer readable storage device of claim 9 , wherein scheduling to send the communication comprises:

determining a number of recipients for the communication;

generating a message corresponding to at least one of the number of recipients for the communication, wherein the at least one of the number of recipients is a user of the second client device; and

setting a delivery time of the message to the user of the second client device based on a predefined time period.

14 . The non-transitory computer readable storage device of claim 9 , the operations further comprising:

determining whether at least one of the one or more criteria are based on an optimal time for a user of the second client device to read the communication; and

responsive to a determination that one or more criteria is based on the optimal time for the user of the second client device to read the communication, setting the later time to the optimal time.

15 . A system, comprising:

a memory subsystem configured to store instructions; and

processing circuitry configured to execute instructions to:

receive, from a first client device, a request to send a communication to a second client device;

determine whether an incognito mode is active, wherein, when the incognito mode is active, automatic scheduling of the communication for delayed transmission is authorized without further input from the first client device;

in response to a determination that the incognito mode is active, determine whether to delay the communication based on one or more criteria, wherein the one or more criteria includes at least one criteria directed to a user of the first client device;

in response to a determination to delay the communication, automatically schedule to send the communication to the second client device, at a later time, according to the one or more criteria; and

add a random epsilon to the later time based on a setting defined by a user of the first client device.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein, to schedule to send the communication to the second client device, the processing circuitry is configured to execute the instructions to:

determine a status of a user of the second client device; and

in response to a determination that the status of the user of the second client device is inactive, set a delivery time of the communication to the second client device based on at least one of a time zone or a geographic location of the user of the second client device.

17 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to execute the instructions to:

send the communication to the second client device within a predefined time period, wherein the communication is an urgent communication.

18 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to execute the instructions to:

receive a system setting defined by a system administrator; and

activate the incognito mode based on the system setting.

19 . The system of claim 15 , wherein, to determine to delay the communication, the processing circuitry is configured to execute the instructions to:

determine a status of a user of the first client device;

determine a number of recipients; or

determine an optimal time for a user of the second client device to read the communication.

20 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to execute the instructions to:

determine whether at least one of the one or more criteria are based on an optimal time for a user of the second client device to read the communication; and

responsive to a determination that one or more criteria is based on the optimal time for the user of the second client device to read the communication, set the later time to the optimal time.

Assignments (1)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jan 7, 2025
From: ZOOM VIDEO COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
To: ZOOM COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 069839/0593 →
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