Communication apparatus configured to manage user identification queries and render user identification interfaces within a group-based communication system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12004052-B2
Application number	US-202217576752-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 14, 2022
Priority date	Jan 31, 2020
Publication date	Jun 4, 2024
Grant date	Jun 4, 2024

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to a communications apparatus and associated methods configured for managing user identification queries. The communication apparatus is configured to receive a user identification query comprising a requesting user identifier and a target user identifier, compare the target user identifier to a user status cache associated with the requesting user identifier to determine a known status, an unknown status, or a pending status, and cause rendering of a known user identification interface or a limited user identification interface. In some embodiments, the communication apparatus is configured to transmit a client device hold instruction in response to determining the pending status for the target user identifier with respective to a given requesting user identifier. Various embodiments discussed herein mediate and resolve voluminous user identification queries through a specially configured group-based caching service and associated system architecture.

First claim

That which is claimed:

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
retrieving a user identification query associated with a group-based communication interface, the user identification query comprising a requesting user identifier of a requesting user and a target user identifier of a target user;
causing, based at least in part on a determination of a known status for the target user identifier, rendering of a first known user identification interface to the group-based communication interface, wherein the first known user identification interface includes a first subset of a plurality of information items corresponding to the target user;
detecting user engagement of a component of the first known user identification interface; and
based at least in part on detecting the user engagement, causing rendering of a second known user identification interface, wherein the second known user identification interface includes a second subset of the plurality of information items corresponding to the target user, wherein the second subset includes at least one information item absent from the first subset.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the user identification query comprises a first user identification query, the target user comprises a first target user, the target user identifier comprising a first target user identifier, the determination comprises a first determination, and the method further comprising:
retrieving a second user identification query associated with the group-based communication interface, the second user identification query comprising the requesting user identifier and a second target user identifier of a second target user; and
causing, based at least in part on a second determination of an unknown status for the second target user identifier, rendering of a limited user identification interface to the group-based communication interface, wherein the limited user identification interface includes a notification that the requesting user is unable to at least one of (i) send a direct message to the second target user, or (ii) share data with the second target user.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of information items are associated with a user profile of the target user.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of information items associated with the user profile of the target user include two or more of:
a photo of the target user;
an avatar of the target user;
an image associated with the target user;
a short name or handle of the target user;
a real name of the target user;
an office location of the target user;
a status of the target user;
a local time of the target user;
a title of the target user;
languages spoken by the target user;
a name of a supervisor of the target user;
a department of the target user,
a phone number of the target user;
an email address of the target user;
projects shared between the target user and the requesting user; or
workplaces shared between the target user and the requesting user.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the second known user identification interface further includes a direct communication element selectable by the requesting user to initiate direct communication with the target user.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein the direct communication element comprises at least one of a direct-messaging-initiating button or a direct-call-initiating button.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the first known user identification interface comprises a modal or pop-up element of the group-based communication interface and the second known user identification interface is rendered within a flex pane of the group-based communication interface.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
responsive to rendering the second known user identification interface, removing the first known user identification interface from the group-based communication interface.

9. A system comprising:
one or more processors; and
one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
retrieving a user identification query associated with a group-based communication interface, the user identification query comprising a requesting user identifier of a requesting user and a target user identifier of a target user;
causing, based at least in part on a determination of a known status for the target user identifier, rendering of a first known user identification interface to the group-based communication interface, wherein the first known user identification interface includes a first subset of a plurality of information items corresponding to the target user;
detecting user engagement of a component of the first known user identification interface; and
based at least in part on detecting the user engagement, causing rendering of a second known user identification interface, wherein the second known user identification interface includes a second subset of the plurality of information items corresponding to the target user, wherein the second subset includes at least one information item absent from the first subset.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of information items are associated with a user profile of the target user.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of information items associated with the user profile of the target user include two or more of:
a photo of the target user;
an avatar of the target user;
an image associated with the target user;
a short name or handle of the target user;
a real name of the target user;
an office location of the target user;
a status of the target user;
a local time of the target user;
a title of the target user;
languages spoken by the target user;
a name of a supervisor of the target user;
a department of the target user,
a phone number of the target user;
an email address of the target user;
projects shared between the target user and the requesting user; or
workplaces shared between the target user and the requesting user.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the second known user identification interface further includes a direct communication element selectable by the requesting user to initiate direct communication with the target user.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the direct communication element comprises at least one of a direct-messaging-initiating button or a direct-call-initiating button.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first known user identification interface comprises a modal or pop-up element of the group-based communication interface and the second known user identification interface is rendered within a flex pane of the group-based communication interface.

15. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
retrieving a user identification query associated with a group-based communication interface, the user identification query comprising a requesting user identifier of a requesting user and a target user identifier of a target user;
causing, based at least in part on a determination of a known status for the target user identifier, rendering of a first known user identification interface to the group-based communication interface, wherein the first known user identification interfac

Assignees

• Slack Tech Llc
• Salesforce Inc

Inventors

• Klym Jason
• Venkatanaranappa Venkatraju
• Demmer Michael

Classifications

• H04W4/08 Primary

  User group management · CPC title

• H04L12/1859

  adapted to provide push services, e.g. data channels · CPC title

• H04L12/1863

  comprising mechanisms for improved reliability, e.g. status reports (arrangements for detecting or preventing errors by carrying supervisory signal the return channel H04L1/16) · CPC title

• H04L67/568

  Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching · CPC title

• H04L12/1822 Primary

  Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission · CPC title