Method and system for private communication

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10437451-B2
Application number	US-201715699912-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 8, 2017
Priority date	Sep 18, 2016
Publication date	Oct 8, 2019
Grant date	Oct 8, 2019

Abstract

Embodiments of the present application provide a method and system for private communication. During operation, the system may determine a privacy level from a plurality of privacy levels associated with a private chat function of a communication application. The private chat function may be configured to transmit and receive private chat messages, and each privacy level is associated with visual effects which are different from the visual effects of other privacy levels. The system may obtain mode configuration information corresponding to the selected privacy level. The system may then configure the private chat function for the communication application based on the obtained mode configuration information, and display the visual effects for the communication application according to the selected privacy level.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method for private communication, comprising:
obtaining mode configuration information corresponding to a selected privacy level from a plurality of privacy levels associated with a private chat function of a communication application, wherein the private chat function is configured to transmit and receive private chat messages, and each privacy level is associated with visual effects which are different from the visual effects of other privacy levels;
configuring the private chat function for the communication application based on the obtained mode configuration information;
configuring a display mode of the private chat function with the obtained mode configuration information, wherein a visual intensity of the display mode is inversely related to the selected privacy level; and
displaying the visual effects for the communication application according to the selected privacy level and the configured display mode.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein configuring the private chat function for the communication application based on the obtained mode configuration information further comprises:
configuring a display element of a page entry identifier when a preset function page of the communication application includes the page entry identifier of the private chat function.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the preset function page is at least one of the following: a message list page of the communication application, a regular chat window page of the communication application, a function menu page associated with the regular chat window page, and a contact details page of the communication application.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the display element comprises a first display element associated with a message-receiving-prompting state and a second display element associated with a non-message-receiving-prompting state.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein
the first display element associated with a predefined low privacy level comprises a text icon corresponding to the private chat function;
the second display element associated with the predefined low privacy level comprises the text icon corresponding to the private chat function with a number indicating a quantity of new messages near the text icon;
the first display element associated with a predefined medium privacy level comprises a graphic icon corresponding to the private chat function;
the second display element associated with the predefined medium privacy level comprises the graphic icon corresponding to the private chat function with a visual indicator near the graphic icon signaling that there is at least one new message;
the first display element associated with a predefined high privacy level comprises a fuzzy icon displayed with a first color corresponding to the private chat function; and
the second display element associated with the predefined high privacy level comprises the fuzzy icon displayed with a second color signaling at least one new message is available.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
performing at least one of determining a general privacy level configured by the user for all associated communication partners listed in the communication application, and
determining an individual privacy level configured by the user for a respective communication partner listed in the communication application.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein configuring the private chat function for the communication application based on the obtained mode configuration information comprises:
configuring a waiting duration corresponding to the private chat function, wherein the waiting duration is inversely related to the selected privacy level, and any private chat message received by the private chat function is automatically deleted when a reading duration associated with the private chat message for a corresponding user reaches the waiting duration.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein a respective private chat message is automatically deleted after the respective private chat message changes from an unread state to a read state.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of privacy levels includes three privacy levels comprising a low privacy level, a medium privacy level, and a high privacy level.

10. A computing system comprising:
one or more processors; and
a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium coupled to the one or more processors storing instructions stored that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing system to perform a method for private communication, the method comprising:
obtaining mode configuration information corresponding to a selected privacy level from a plurality of privacy levels associated with a private chat function of a communication application, wherein the private chat function is configured to transmit and receive private chat messages, and each privacy level is associated with visual effects which are different from the visual effects of other privacy levels;
configuring the private chat function for the communication application based on the obtained mode configuration information;
configuring a display mode of the private chat function with the obtained mode configuration information, wherein a visual intensity of the display mode is inversely related to the selected privacy level; and
displaying the visual effects for the communication application according to the selected privacy level and the configured display mode.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein configuring the private chat function for the communication application based on the obtained mode configuration information further comprises:
configuring a display element of a page entry identifier when a preset function page of the communication application includes the page entry identifier of the private chat function.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the preset function page is at least one of the following: a message list page of the communication application, a regular chat window page of the communication application, a function menu page associated with the regular chat window page, and a contact details page of the communication application.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the display element comprises a first display element associated with a message-receiving-prompting state and a second display element associated with a non-message-receiving-prompting state.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein
the first display element associated with a predefined low privacy level comprises a text icon corresponding to the private chat function;
the second display element associated with the predefined low privacy level comprises the text icon corresponding to the private chat function with a number indicating a quantity of new messages near the text icon;
the first display element associated with a predefined medium privacy level comprises a graphic icon corresponding to the private chat function;
the second display element associated with the predefined medium privacy level comprises the graphic icon corresponding to the private chat function with a visual indicator near the graphic icon signaling that there is at least one new message;
the first display element associated with a predefined high privacy level comprises a fuzzy icon displayed with a first color corresponding to the private chat function; and
the second display element associated with the predefined high privacy level comprises the fuzzy icon displayed with a second color signaling at least one new message is available.

15. The system of claim 10 , further comprising:
perfo

Assignees

• Alibaba Group Holding Ltd
• Dingtalk Holding Cayman Ltd

Inventors

• Zhang Lili
• Zhang Di
• Chen Zaixiang
• Yin Yien
• Liu Huachen

Classifications

• H04L67/14

  Session management (for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066) · CPC title

• G06F3/0482

  Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus · CPC title

• G06F2221/2143

  Clearing memory, e.g. to prevent the data from being stolen · CPC title

• G06F3/0488

  using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures · CPC title

• G06F3/04847 Primary

  Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials · CPC title