Group-based communication apparatus, method, and computer program product configured to manage draft messages in a group-based communication system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11290560-B2
Application number	US-201916588646-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2019
Priority date	Sep 30, 2019
Publication date	Mar 29, 2022
Grant date	Mar 29, 2022

Abstract

Various embodiments are directed to an improved group-based communication apparatus that is configured to efficiently manage draft messaging communications in a group-based communication system. The group-based communication apparatus is configured to synchronize draft messaging communications, including creating, updating, deleting, and posting of such draft messaging communications, across multiple client devices and with a group-based communication repository. Utilizing draft message metadata associated with the draft messaging communications, the group-based communication apparatus is also configured to implement validation rules and conflict resolution procedures associated with draft messaging communications. Additionally, the group-based communication apparatus is configured to render a draft list icon or other visual indicia to a group-based communication interface to inform a user that there is a draft messaging communication associated with one or more of the group-based communication channels.

First claim

That which is claimed:

1. An apparatus configured to manage draft messaging communications of a group-based communication system, comprising:
a processor; and
at least one non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to:
receive, from a group-based communication interface of a first client associated with a user identifier, a create draft message request associated with a first draft messaging communication associated with a group identifier of a workspace of the group-based communication system, wherein the group identifier is used to control access to data associated with the workspace, wherein the first draft messaging communication comprises a first draft identifier and a first version identifier;
cause storage of the first draft messaging communication in a group-based communication repository in association with the group identifier;
propagate the first draft messaging communication to at least a second client associated with the user identifier and the group identifier;
cause the first draft messaging communication to be presented, in association with the workspace, via the group-based communication interface of the second client;
receive, from the second client, an update draft message request associated with a second draft messaging communication, wherein the second draft messaging communication comprises the user identifier, a second draft identifier, and a second version identifier;
determine whether the second draft messaging communication satisfies a draft message validation rule wherein determining that the second draft messaging communication satisfies the draft message validation rule comprises determining that the first and second draft identifiers are equal to each other and that the first and second version identifiers are equal to each other; and
in an instance in which the second draft messaging communication satisfies the draft message validation rule:
propagate the second draft messaging communication to all clients associated with the user identifier and the group identifier; and
cause storage of the second draft messaging communication in the group-based communication repository.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a draft message application programming interface, wherein the create draft message request is received via the draft message application programming interface.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the apparatus to propagate the first draft messaging communication to all clients associated with each of the user identifier and the group identifier.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein causing storage of the first draft messaging communication in the group-based communication repository comprises:
causing storage of the first draft identifier and the first version identifier in association with the first draft messaging communication in the group-based communication repository.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a draft message application programming interface, wherein the update draft message request is received via the draft message application programming interface.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the second draft messaging communication satisfies the draft message validation rule further comprises determining whether a first parameter associated with first draft message metadata of the first draft messaging communication is equal to a second parameter associated with second draft message metadata of the second draft messaging communication.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein causing storage of the second draft messaging communication in the group-based communication repository comprises:
causing storage of the second version identifier in association with the second draft messaging communication in the group-based communication repository.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the apparatus to:
in an instance in which the second draft messaging communication fails to satisfy the draft message validation rule, initiate a draft message conflict resolution procedure.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the first draft messaging communication comprises first message metadata that is stored in association with the first draft messaging communication in the group-based communication repository, wherein the first message metadata comprises the first draft identifier and the first version identifier, wherein the second draft messaging communication comprises second message metadata that comprises the second draft identifier and the second version identifier, and wherein the second draft messaging communication fails to satisfy the draft message validation rule based at least in part on determining that the first and second draft identifiers are equal to each other and the first and second version identifiers differ from each other.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein initiating the draft message conflict resolution procedure comprises overwriting the first draft messaging communication in the group-based communication repository with the second draft messaging communication.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein initiating the draft message conflict resolution procedure comprises transmitting an error event to the second client.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first draft messaging communication further comprises first message metadata that includes a channel identifier, and wherein the instructions further cause the apparatus to propagate the first draft messaging communication to all clients associated with each of the user identifier, the group identifier, and the channel identifier.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the apparatus to:
receive a delete draft message request associated with a draft identifier;
query the group-based communication repository for all draft messaging communications associated with the draft identifier;
delete all draft messaging communications returned by the query; and
propagate a delete draft message event associated with the draft identifier to all clients associated with the user identifier and the group identifier.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising a draft message application programming interface, wherein the delete draft message request is received via the draft message application programming interface.

15. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the first draft message metadata comprises at least one of a thread identifier or a thread timestamp.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first draft messaging communication further comprises one or more of text data, audio data, image data, video data, or other interactive data.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second draft messaging communication comprises second message metadata that includes a channel identifier, and wherein the instructions further cause the apparatus to propagate the second draft messaging communication to all clients associated with each of the user identifier, the group identifier, and the channel identifier.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second draft messaging communication comprises second message metadata that comprises a draft identifier and the group identifier, and wherein instructions further cause the apparatus to:
receive a post message request associated with the draft identifier and a channel identifier associated with a communication channel of the group-based communication interface associated with the group ide

Assignees

• Slack Tech Inc
• Slack Tech Llc

Inventors

• Shortt Madeline
• Greenberg Ryan

Classifications

• H04L67/5683 Primary

  Storage of data provided by user terminals, i.e. reverse caching · CPC title

• H04L51/216

  Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads · CPC title

• H04L67/30

  Profiles · CPC title

• H04L67/306

  User profiles · CPC title

• H04L12/1813

  for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms (instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15) · CPC title