Embedded programs and interfaces for chat conversations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10880243-B2
Application number	US-201916552902-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 27, 2019
Priority date	Jun 15, 2017
Publication date	Dec 29, 2020
Grant date	Dec 29, 2020

Abstract

Implementations relate to embedded programs and interfaces for chat conversations. In some implementations, a method includes initiating an embedded application in association with a chat interface displayed by a messaging application that executes at least in part on a first user device. The chat interface displays messages originating from other user devices participating in a chat conversation over a network and associated with chat users. An indication is received over the network that one or more particular devices of the other user devices have connected to an embedded session associated with the embedded application. In response, chat identities associated with particular users of the particular user devices are provided from the messaging application to the embedded application. The particular users are designated as member users of the embedded session, and the embedded application is updated based on data received from particular user devices of the embedded session.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method to provide an embedded application in association with a messaging application, the computer-implemented method comprising:
detecting, on a first user device, that a second user device has initiated an embedded session associated with a first embedded application, wherein the first user device and the second user device participate in a chat conversation over a network;
detecting one or more first chat messages input in the chat conversation by a first user via a first chat interface displayed by a first messaging application that executes at least in part on the first user device, wherein the first chat interface is configured to display messages originating from the first user device and the second user device;
determining whether the one or more first chat messages are associated with the first embedded application based on content of the one or more first chat messages;
in response to determining that at least one of the one or more first chat messages is associated with the first embedded application, causing display of a join control on the first user device;
in response to receiving selection of the join control by user input, initiating the first embedded application on the first user device in association with the first messaging application; and
after initiating the first embedded application, connecting the first embedded application, via the first messaging application, to the embedded session associated with the first embedded application, wherein the embedded session is updated based on data received from the second user device that is connected to the embedded session.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the one or more first chat messages are associated with the first embedded application is based on parsing the content of the one or more first chat messages and determining whether the content relates to a function of the first embedded application.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the one or more first chat messages are associated with the first embedded application includes parsing one or more words of the content of the one or more first chat messages.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising, in response to the connecting, receiving a chat identity of a second user associated with the second user device and providing the chat identity from the first messaging application to the first embedded application, the chat identity designating the second user as a member user of the embedded session.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the join control is displayed in an embedded interface provided by the first embedded application and is displayed as part of the first chat interface.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising, in response to the first user device disconnecting from the network after connecting to the embedded session, caching a state of the first embedded application, and in response to the first user device reconnecting to the network after the disconnecting, synchronizing the first embedded application with the embedded session using the cached state of the first embedded application.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining one or more characteristics of the second user device; and
providing the one or more characteristics to the first embedded application, wherein the one or more characteristics include a geographic location of the second user device,
wherein the one or more characteristics are usable by the first embedded application to determine output information to be displayed in the first chat interface.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining one or more characteristics of the second user device; and
providing the one or more characteristics to the first embedded application, wherein the one or more characteristics include an available data bandwidth over the network for the second user device,
wherein the one or more characteristics are usable by the first embedded application to cause a modification of transmission of input data to the first user device from the second user device over the network.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the second user device executes a second embedded application that provides a second embedded interface associated with a second chat interface displayed on the second user device, wherein the data received from the second user device is based on second user input received by the second embedded interface.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , further comprising:
receiving updates to the first embedded application from a server that manages the embedded session, wherein the updates are based on third user input that is received by the server.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising outputting a notification to the chat conversation in response to one or more particular types of events that occur in the embedded session, wherein the one or more particular types of events include events that include at least one of:
initiation of playback of a media item;
ceasing of the playback of the media item;
a change in the playback of the media item based on at least one of first user input obtained at the first user device or second user input from the second user device;
a game event that occurs in a game of the embedded session;
an update to the game based on at least one of the first user input or the second user input; or
an update to a shared content document based on at least one of the first user input or the second user input.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising outputting a notification to the chat conversation in response to receiving server event information indicating that one or more events have occurred on a server, and providing the server event information to the first embedded application.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining that a second content item is the same as a first content item being output in an embedded interface of the embedded application on the first user device, wherein the second content item is displayed on a set of one or more user devices not participating in the chat conversation;
causing a user-selectable element to be displayed in the first chat interface in response to determining that the second content item is the same as the first content item; and
in response to user selection of the user-selectable element, adding the set of one or more user devices to the embedded session.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining that a second content item is the same as a first content item being output in an embedded interface of the embedded application on the first user device, wherein the second content item is displayed on a set of one or more user devices not participating in the chat conversation;
determining that user comments have been input via the one or more user devices not participating in the chat conversation and that the user comments are associated with the second content item;
in response to determining that the second content item is the same as the first content item and determining that the user comments have been input and are associated with the second content item, causing a user-selectable element to be displayed in the first chat interface; and
in response to user selection of the user-selectable element, adding the set of one or more user dev

Assignees

• Google Llc

Inventors

• Rodriguez Adam
• Chen Rendong
• Lei Florbela
• Horn Thomas
• Matsumoto Masumi
• Zhu Bin
• Launay Yohan
• Goeij Dillon
• Zhang Xiaowen Karen
• Leow Tze Wei Ian
• Chuang Chen-Ting

Classifications

• H04L51/046 Primary

  Interoperability with other network applications or services · CPC title

• H04L51/04 Primary

  Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM] · CPC title

• H04L67/01

  Protocols · CPC title

• H04L51/02

  using automatic reactions or user delegation, e.g. automatic replies or chatbot-generated messages · CPC title

• G06F3/0482

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