IP Library Granted Patent US 12,418,541
Granted Patent B2
US 12,418,541 · App. 18/639,422 · Granted Sep 16, 2025

Collaborative communications environment and privacy setting associated therewith

Inventors: Christopher van Rensburg (Portland, OR); Kevin Cubba (Pacifica, CA)
Assignee: RingCentral, Inc.
H04L63/104G06F21/604H04L12/1822H04L12/1831
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,418,541
App. No.
18/639,422
Granted
Sep 16, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method includes receiving a user indication to create an online collaborative team within an online chat environment. The method further includes receiving a user selection of members for the online collaborative team. The online collaborative team enables the selected members of the online collaborative team to communicate with one another. The online chat environment maintains communication of the members and activities of the members of the online collaborative team. The online chat environment makes the activities and the communication available to the members when the members are within the online chat environment. The method further includes accessing attributes associated with the members of the online collaborative team. The method, responsive to the accessing the attributes associated with the members, determines a privacy setting of the online collaborative team.

Claims (54)

1. A computer-implemented method for adjusting a privacy setting in an online collaboration environment, comprising:

monitoring communication data of members of a chat team within the online collaborative environment, wherein the chat team has a first privacy setting, wherein the communication data includes at least one or more of textual messages being exchanged or a file being shared;

determining a privacy setting of the chat team based on the monitored communication data of the members;

in response to determining that the privacy setting of the chat team based on the monitored communication data of the members matches the first privacy setting, maintaining the first privacy setting for the chat team,

and in response to determining a mismatch between the privacy setting of the chat team based on the monitored communication data of the members and first privacy setting, changing the first privacy setting of the chat team to the determined privacy setting of the chat team based on the monitored communication data of the members; and

in response to monitoring communication data of members of the chat team and further based on the determined privacy setting,

merging the chat team within the online collaborative environment with another chat team within the online collaborative environment in response to automatically determining that the chat team is to be merged with another chat team based on a machine learning model;

splitting the chat team within the online collaborative environment to at least two chat teams within the online collaborative environment in response to automatically determining that the chat team is to be split into the at least two chat teams based on the machine learning model.

2. The computer-implemented method as described in claim 1 , wherein monitoring the communication data of the members of the chat team comprises monitoring the communication data within the chat team.

3. The computer-implemented method as described in claim 1 , wherein monitoring the communication data of the members of the chat team comprises monitoring the communication data outside the chat team.

4. The computer-implemented method as described in claim 1 , wherein determining the privacy setting of the chat team using a machine learning algorithm.

5. The computer-implemented method as described in claim 1 , further comprises retrieving attribute data based on the members, wherein the attribute data is selected from a group consisting of a title of the team members, a department that the team members belong to, and a role of the chat team members.

6. The computer-implemented method as described in claim 1 , wherein determining the privacy setting of the chat team comprises:

determining historical data within the online collaboration environment that is related to a chat team name; and

determining search data within the online collaboration environment that is related to the chat team name.

7. The computer-implemented method as described in claim 1 , further comprising:

in response to determining the privacy setting of the chat team, sending a notification of the determination;

in response to sending the notification, receiving a selection of a different privacy setting; and changing the privacy setting of the team to the different privacy setting in response to receiving the selection of the different privacy setting.

8. A non-transitory for adjusting a privacy setting in an online collaboration environment, computer-readable medium storing a set of instructions that, when executed by a processor, causes:

monitoring communication data of members of a chat team within the online collaborative environment, wherein the chat team has a first privacy setting, wherein the communication data includes at least one or more of textual messages being exchanged or a file being shared;

determining a privacy setting of the chat team based on the monitored communication data of the members;

in response to determining the that privacy setting of the chat team based on the monitored communication data of the members matches the first privacy setting, maintaining the first privacy setting for the chat team,

and in response to determining a mismatch between the privacy setting of the chat team based on the monitored communication data of the members and first privacy setting, changing the first privacy setting of the chat team to the determined privacy setting of the chat team based on the monitored communication data of the members; and

in response to monitoring communication data of members of the chat team and further based on the determined privacy setting,

merging the chat team within the online collaborative environment with another chat team within the online collaborative environment in response to automatically determining that the chat team is to be merged with another chat team based on a machine learning model;

splitting the chat team within the online collaborative environment to at least two chat teams within the online collaborative environment in response to automatically determining that the chat team is to be split into the at least two chat teams based on the machine learning model.

9. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium, of claim 8 , wherein monitoring the communication data of the members of the chat team comprises monitoring the communication data within the chat team.

10. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium, of claim 8 , wherein monitoring the communication data of the members of the chat team comprises monitoring the communication data outside the chat team.

11. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium, of claim 8 , wherein determining the privacy setting of the chat team using a machine learning algorithm.

12. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium, of claim 8 , storing further instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause: retrieving attribute data based on the members, wherein the attribute data is selected from a group consisting of a title of the chat team members, a department that the chat team members belong to, and a role of the team members.

13. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium, of claim 8 , wherein determining the privacy setting of the team comprises:

determining historical data within the online collaboration environment that is related to a chat team name; and

determining search data within the online collaboration environment that is related to the chat team name.

14. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium, of claim 8 , storing further instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause:

in response to determining the privacy setting of the chat team, sending a notification of the determination;

in response to sending the notification, receiving a selection of a different privacy setting; and

changing the privacy setting of the chat team to the different privacy setting in response to receiving the selection of the different privacy setting.

15. A system for adjusting a privacy setting in an online collaboration environment, comprising:

a processor;

a memory operatively connected to the processor and storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause:

monitoring communication data of members of a chat team within the online collaborative environment, wherein the chat team has a first privacy setting, wherein the communication data includes at least one or more of textual messages being exchanged or a file being shared;

determining a privacy setting of the chat team based on the monitored communication data of the members;

in response to determining that the privacy setting of the chat team based on the monitored communication data of the members matches the first privacy setting, maintaining the first privacy setting for the chat team,

and in response to determining a mismatch between the privacy setting of the chat team based on the monitored communication data of the members and first privacy setting, changing the first privacy setting of the chat team to the determined privacy setting of the chat team based on the monitored communication data of the members; and

in response to monitoring communication data of members of the chat team and further based on the determined privacy setting,

merging the chat team within the online collaborative environment with another chat team within the online collaborative environment in response to automatically determining that the chat team is to be merged with another chat team based on a machine learning model;

splitting the chat team within the online collaborative environment to at least two chat teams within the online collaborative environment in response to automatically determining that the chat team is to be split into the at least two chat teams based on the machine learning model.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein monitoring the communication data of the members of the chat team comprises monitoring the communication data within the chat team.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein monitoring the communication data of the members of the chat team comprises monitoring the communication data outside the chat team.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein determining the privacy setting of the chat team using a machine learning algorithm.

19. The system of claim 15 , the memory stores further instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause: retrieving attribute data based on the members, wherein the attribute data is selected from a group consisting of a title of the chat team members, a department that the chat team members belong to, and a role of the chat team members.

20. The system of claim 15 , wherein determining the privacy setting of the chat team comprises:

determining historical data within the online collaboration environment that is related to a chat team name; and

determining search data within the online collaboration environment that is related to the chat team name.

Assignments (2)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 12, 2025
From: RINGCENTRAL, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 072876/0523 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 1, 2024
From: RINGCENTRAL, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 068153/0903 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 17184001 · Feb 24, 2021
Continuation 16377054 · Apr 5, 2019
Related Publication 20240267385A1 · Aug 8, 2024
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