Electronic conferencing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12028385-B2
Application number	US-202117485272-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 24, 2021
Priority date	Jan 29, 2021
Publication date	Jul 2, 2024
Grant date	Jul 2, 2024

Abstract

Aspects of the subject technology provide for secure, privacy-preserving access to electronic conferencing. In one or more implementations, an electronic device associated with an account can generate links, such as links for joining an electronic conferencing session. In some use cases, multiple electronic devices can be associated with the same account. Aspects of the subject technology provide for synchronization of links generated by multiple electronic devices associated with the same account.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
generating, by a first device that is associated with an account and is identified by a device identifier, a link to join a communication session;
generating, by the first device, a link identifier that identifies the link, the link identifier being separate from the link;
providing, from the first device to a second device associated with the account, information associated with the link, the information including the device identifier and the link identifier; and
providing, from the first device or the second device to a third device not logged into the account, the link to provide access for the third device to the communication session.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
initiating the communication session by the first device or the second device; and
receiving, by the first device or the second device, a request to join the communication session from the third device, the request including information included in the link.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating, by the first device, a second link to join a different communication session, wherein the second link is generated using the device identifier for the first device and a different link identifier.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
receiving a link check-in communication at the first device from the second device, the link check-in communication including the device identifier and the link identifier; and
determining whether to perform an update process for the second device by determining whether the link identifier meets one or more criteria.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising, by the first device:
performing the update process by providing the second link to the second device based on a determination that the link identifier provided by the second device in the link check-in communication is associated with a time that is earlier in time than a time associated with the different link identifier; and
determining not to perform the update process based on a determination that the link identifier provided by the second device in the link check-in communication is not earlier in time than the different link identifier.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, by the first device, receiving an additional link generated at a fourth device associated with the account, the additional link including a device identifier for the fourth device, and an additional link identifier.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising, by the first device:
receiving a link check-in communication from the second device, the link check-in communication including the device identifier for the fourth device and a further additional link identifier; and
providing the additional link, previously received from the fourth device, to the second device responsive to determining that the further additional link identifier meets one or more criteria.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising, by the first device:
sending the device identifier for the fourth device and the additional link identifier to the second device; and
receiving, after sending the device identifier for the fourth device and the additional link identifier to the second device, a further additional link including the device identifier for the fourth device and a further additional link identifier.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising, providing a private key for the link from the first device to the second device.

10. A device that is associated with an account and is identified by a device identifier, the device comprising:
a memory; and
one or more processors configured to:
generate a link to join a communication session;
generate a link identifier that identifies the link, the link identifier being separate from the link;
provide, to a second device associated with the account, information associated with the link, the information including the device identifier and the link identifier; and
provide, to a third device not logged into the account, the link to provide access for the third device to the communication session.

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
initiate the communication session; and
receive a request to join the communication session from the third device, the request including information included in the link.

12. The device of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to generate a second link to join a different communication session, wherein the second link is generated using the device identifier for the device and a different link identifier.

13. The device of claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
receive a link check-in communication from the second device, the link check-in communication including the device identifier and the link identifier; and
determine whether to perform an update process for the second device by determining whether the link identifier meets one or more criteria.

14. The device of claim 13 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
perform the update process by providing the second link to the second device based on a determination that the link identifier provided by the second device in the link check-in communication is associated with a time that is earlier in time than a time associated with the different link identifier; and
determine not to perform the update process based on a determination that the link identifier provided by the second device in the link check-in communication is not earlier in time than the different link identifier.

15. The device of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to receive an additional link generated at a fourth device associated with the account, the additional link including a device identifier for the fourth device, and an additional link identifier.

16. The device of claim 15 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
receive a link check-in communication from the second device, the link check-in communication including the device identifier for the fourth device and a further additional link identifier; and
provide the additional link, previously received from the fourth device, to the second device responsive to determining that the further additional link identifier meets one or more criteria.

17. The device of claim 15 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
send the device identifier for the fourth device and the additional link identifier to the second device; and
receive, after sending the device identifier for the fourth device and the additional link identifier to the second device, a further additional link including the device identifier for the fourth device and a further additional link identifier.

18. The device of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to provide a private key for the link to the second device, wherein the link comprises a resource locator or a network identifier.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
generating, by a first device that is associated with an account and is identified by a device identifier, a link to join a communication session;
generating, by the first device, a link identifier that identifies the link, the link identifier being separate from the link;
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Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Leduc Nelson M
• Garner Elliot T
• Etzine Justin R

Classifications

• H04L12/1822

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

• H04L12/1818

  Conference organisation arrangements, e.g. handling schedules, setting up parameters needed by nodes to attend a conference, booking network resources, notifying involved parties · CPC title

• G06F16/9566

  URL specific, e.g. using aliases, detecting broken or misspelled links · CPC title

• H04L63/108

  when the policy decisions are valid for a limited amount of time · CPC title

• H04L63/102

  Entity profiles · CPC title