Method And System For Messaging And Communication Based On Groups

Abstract

Systems and methods providing users with a rich web experience are disclosed. In one embodiment, a client and at least one server are in communication using a dual communication link. In another embodiment, a markup language based instant messaging application is disclosed. The instant messaging application may include group instant messaging. The instant messaging application may also provide group member persistence and message persistence at the server. In another embodiment, a card based web application is disclosed, where the card information and character may be shared with other users or within a group. The cards may also be configurable by users.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a client in communication with a server employing two communication schemes according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 shows a plurality of clients in communication with a server employing two communication schemes according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 shows JABBER and HTTP connections, interfaces and servers in a communication system according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 4A and 4B show block diagrams of a group instant messaging server in communication with a group messaging application according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 shows a flowchart describing a method of instantly displaying updated data at a client system in a network configuration according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 shows a flowchart describing a method of instantly displaying updated data at a client system in a network configuration according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 7 shows a flowchart describing a method of instantly displaying updated data at a client system in a network configuration according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 8 shows a flowchart describing a method of managing an instant messaging server according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 9 shows a flowchart describing a method of managing an instant messaging server according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 10 shows a flowchart describing a method of managing a group instant messaging server according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 11A-C show a method of determining whether a new user may participate in a group according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 12A-C show screenshots of various features of a group messaging application according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 13 shows a screenshot of a pop-out card of a group messaging application according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 14 shows a screenshot of a welcome screen of a group messaging application according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 15 shows a screenshot of a decision window of a group messaging application according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 16 shows a screenshot of a card editor of a group messaging application according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 17 shows a screenshot of a popular groups window of a group messaging application according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 18A-F show screenshots of a user profile of a group messaging application according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 19 shows a screenshot of a group profile of a group messaging application according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 20 shows a screenshot of group settings of a group messaging application according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 21A-C show screenshots of a user invitation window a group messaging application according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 22 shows a screenshot of group booting window of a group messaging application according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 23 shows a screenshot of a premium group settings of a messaging application according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 24 shows a screenshot of a group creation window of a group messaging application according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 25A-D show screenshots of card management, editing and sharing according to one embodiment of the invention.

Claims

1. A network communication method at a client, wherein the client includes at least a first file, comprising: establishing a first and second connection between the client and a server, wherein the first connection comprises an open connection and the connections are not necessarily established at the same time; andreceiving a message from the server through the first connection, wherein the first message instructs the client to request first update data from the server through the second network connection.

2. The network communication method of claim 1, further comprising requesting the first update data from the server through the second connection.

3. The network communication method of claim 1, further comprising updating the first file with the first update data.

4. The network communication method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the first file to a user through a user interface.

5. The network communication method of claim 1, wherein the message is received from the server substantially instantaneously after the updated file is updated.

6. The network communication method of claim 1, wherein the first connection is a JABBER connection.

7. The network communication method of claim 1, wherein the second connection is an HTTP connection and the file comprises HTML.

8. The network communication method of claim 1, wherein the first file comprises a markup language.

9. The network communication method of claim 1, wherein the server comprises an HTTP server and a JABBER server.

10. The network communication method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving second update data through a user interface; andupdating the first file with the second update data.

11. The network communication method of claim 10, further comprising sending the first file to the server through the first connection.

12. The network communication method of claim 10, further comprising sending the second update data to the server through the second connection.

13. The network communication method of claim 10, further comprising converting the second update data into a markup language.

14. The network communication method of claim 10, further comprising displaying the first file to a user through the user interface.

15. A network communication method at a server, wherein the server includes at least a first file, comprising: establishing a first connection between a first client and the server;receiving first update data from the first client through the first connection and updating the first file with the first update data;establishing a second and a third connection between a second client and the server, wherein the second connection is an open connection and the connections are not necessarily established at the same time;sending a message to the second client through the second connection, wherein the message tells the client that first update data is available at the server;receiving a message from the second client through the third connection, wherein the message requests that the server send the first update file; andsending the first update file through the third connection to the client.

16. The network communication method of claim 15, wherein the server comprises a JABBER server and an HTTP server.

17. The network communication method of claim 15, further comprising: establishing a plurality of second and third connections between the server and each of a plurality of clients, wherein the plurality of first connections are open connections and the connections are not necessarily established at the same time;sending a message to each of the plurality of clients through each of the plurality of second connections, wherein the message tells each of the plurality of clients that first update data is available at the server;receiving a message from at least one of the plurality of clients through at least one of the plurality of third connection, wherein the message requests that the server send the first update file; andsending the first update file through the third connection to each of the plurality of clients that sent a message to the server.

18. A network communication method at a server, comprising: maintaining a first group list at the server, wherein the first group list comprises a list of more than one client, wherein the list of more than one client comprises at least a first client;maintaining at least a first file at the server;establishing a plurality of first connections between the server and a plurality of clients, wherein the plurality of clients comprise at least the first client;sending the first file to the clients in the first group;establishing a plurality of second connections between the server and the plurality of clients, wherein the plurality of second connections comprise open connections;receiving a first message from the first client, wherein the first message comprises an addendum to the first file, and the first message specifies that the message is intended for clients in the first group;appending the first file with the first message;determining which of the plurality of clients with a second connection are in the first group list; andforwarding the message to the plurality of clients in the first group list through the plurality of second connections.

19. The network communication method of claim 18, further comprising: establishing a third connection between the server and a second client, wherein the third connection is an open connection;determining whether the second client is in the first group; andif the second client is in the first group, sending the first file to the second client through the third connection.

20. A group instant messaging method at a server, comprising: maintaining a group profile, wherein the group profile comprises a list of clients that are members of a group;receiving a request from a first client to participate in the group; anddetermining whether the first client is permitted to participate in the group.

21. The group messaging method of claim 20, further comprising permitting the first client to participate in the group if the first client is a member of the group.

22. The group messaging method of claim 20, further comprising permitting the first client to participate in the group if the first client is not a member of the group and the group profile permits nonmembers to participate in the group.

23. The group messaging method of claim 20, further comprising forbidding the first client to participate in the group if the first client is not a member of the group and the group profile does not permit nonmembers to participate in the group.

24. The group messaging method of claim 20, further comprising permitting the first client to participate in the group if the first client provides a password associated with the group.

25. A persistent group messaging system comprising: a network interface, wherein the network interface is adapted to communicate with a server through one or more communication links;a user interface, wherein the user interface is adapted to communicate with a user;a processor; anda memory storage device, wherein the memory storage device includes instructions for the processor;wherein the instructions comprise: instructions to retrieve at least one group message file from the server through the network interface, wherein the group message file includes more than one conversation; andinstructions to display more than one conversation at the user interface.

26. The persistent group messaging system of claim 25, further comprising: instructions to receive a message from the user through the user interface;instructions to amend the group messaging file with the message; andinstructions to send the amended group messaging file to the server through the network interface.

27. An instant messaging application, comprising: a network interface, wherein the network interface is adapted to communicate with a server through one or more communication links;a user interface, wherein the user interface is adapted to communicate with a user;a processor; anda memory storage device, wherein the memory storage device includes instructions for the processor;wherein the instructions comprise: instructions to receive instant messages from the server through the network interface;instructions to display the instant messages at the user interface; andinstructions to display ads at the user interface, wherein the ads are related to the content within the instant messages presently displayed at the user interface and as the instant message conversation progresses and the content changes the ads likewise change to adapt to the changed content.

28. A group instant messaging application, comprising: a network interface, wherein the network interface is adapted to communicate with a server through one or more communication links;a user interface, wherein the user interface is adapted to communicate with a user;a processor; anda memory storage device, wherein the memory storage device includes instructions for the processor;wherein the instructions comprise: instructions to receive more than one instant message conversation from the server through the network interface, wherein the instant messages comprise messages from more than one user and comprise more than one conversation; andinstructions to concurrently display more than one instant message conversation at the user interface.

29. The group messaging application of claim 28, wherein each of the more than one instant message conversations are displayed in a card.

30. The group messaging application of claim 29, wherein each card is separately configurable.

31. The group messaging application of claim 28, wherein the instant message comprises data selected from the group consisting of text, marked up text, video, audio, images, and data files.

32. The group messaging application of claim 28, wherein the instant messages comprises HTML data.

33. The group messaging application of claim 29, wherein a card comprises a card widget.

34. The group messaging application of claim 28, wherein the group comprises more than one user.

35. A network communication apparatus comprising: a web user agent in communication with a web server;an instant messaging client in communication with an instant messaging server over an open connection;wherein the instant messaging client receives a message from the instant messaging server informing the network communication apparatus that an updated file is available at the web server and the web user agent requests and receives the updated file from the web server.

36. A network communication server comprising: an open connection server comprising an instant messaging client in communication with an instant messaging server; anda persistent data server comprising an instant messaging client in communication with an instant messaging server and a web server in communication with at least one web client.

37. The network communication server of claim 36, wherein the persistent data server and the open connection server are in communication with database.

38. An instant messaging method at a first client, comprising: receiving a widget from a user;associating the widget with a button at a client application associated with the first client; anddistributing the widget to a second client through a network interface.

39. The instant messaging method of claim 38, further comprising: receiving a second widget from a third client; andassociating the widget with a button at a client application associated with the first client.