Techniques for initiating real-time communication sessions

{
  "publication_number": "US9578282B1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B1",
  "title": "Techniques for initiating real-time communication sessions",
  "abstract": "A technique for initiating a communication session can include receiving a signal that a first and second user desire to participate in a communication session during a particular time period. The technique can include monitoring activity of the first and second users during the particular time period to determine whether the users are prepared to participate in the communication session. When it is determined that the first user is prepared to participate in the communication session, the technique can include outputting, to the second user computing device, an indication that the first user is prepared to participate in the communication session. When it is determined that both of the first and second users are prepared to participate in the communication session, the technique can include initiating the communication session.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A computer-implemented method, comprising: receiving, at a server computing device having one or more processors, a signal that a first user and a second user desire to participate in a video communication session during a particular time period via a first user computing device and a second user computing device, respectively, the particular time period beginning at a start time and ending at an end time; monitoring, at the server computing device, activity of the first user at the first user computing device during the particular time period to determine whether the first user is prepared to participate in the video communication session; monitoring, at the server computing device, activity of the second user at the second user computing device during the particular time period to determine whether the second user is prepared to participate in the video communication session; when the server computing device determines that the first user is prepared to participate in the video communication session, outputting, from the server computing device and to the second user computing device, an indication that the first user is prepared to participate in the video communication session; when the server computing device determines that the second user is prepared to participate in the video communication session, outputting, from the server computing device and to the first user computing device, an indication that the second user is prepared to participate in the video communication session; when the server computing device determines that both of the first and second users are prepared to participate in the video communication session, outputting, from the server computing device, a prompt to the first and second user computing devices recommending that the video communication session begin; receiving, at the server computing device, a first acceptance signal from the first user computing device that indicates that the first user desires to begin the video communication session; receiving, at the server computing device, a second acceptance signal from the second user computing device that indicates that the second user desires to begin the video communication session; and when the server computing device receives the first and second acceptance signals, initiating, at the server computing device, the video communication session, wherein the server computing device determines that each particular user of the first and second users is prepared to participate in the video communication session when: (i) the particular user is present at an associated particular user computing device, (ii) the particular user is not actively engaged with an application other than a video communication application with which the particular user will interact during the video communication session, and (iii) behavior of the particular user indicates an activity level of the particular user below a threshold indicative of the particular user being actively engaged with an entity other than the associated particular user computing device.",
    "2. A computer-implemented method, comprising: receiving, at a server computing device having one or more processors, a signal that a first user and a second user desire to participate in a communication session during a particular time period via a first user computing device and a second user computing device, respectively, the particular time period beginning at a beginning time and ending at an end time; monitoring, at the server computing device, activity of the first user at the first user computing device during the particular time period to determine whether the first user is prepared to participate in the communication session; monitoring, at the server computing device, activity of the second user at the second user computing device during the particular time period to determine whether the second user is prepared to participate in the communication session; when the server computing device determines that the first user is prepared to participate in the communication session, outputting, from the server computing device and to the second user computing device, an indication that the first user is prepared to participate in the communication session; and when the server computing device determines that both of the first and second users are prepared to participate in the communication session, initiating, at the server computing device, the communication session.",
    "3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the server computing device determines that each particular user is prepared to participate in the communication session when: (i) the particular user is present at an associated particular user computing device, and (ii) behavior of the particular user indicates an activity level of the particular user below a threshold indicative of the particular user being actively engaged with an entity other than a communication application with which the particular user will interact during the communication session.",
    "4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein monitoring activity of each particular user of the first and second users comprises receiving, at the server computing device, image data from a particular user computing device associated with the particular user, the image data being obtained at the particular user computing device from a video camera.",
    "5. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein monitoring activity of each particular user of the first and second users comprises receiving, at the server computing device, audio data from a particular user computing device associated with the particular user, the audio data being obtained at the particular user computing device from a microphone.",
    "6. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein monitoring activity of each particular user of the first and second users comprises receiving, at the server computing device, an activity signal from a particular user computing device associated with the particular user, the activity signal indicating whether the particular user is prepared to participate in the communication session.",
    "7. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the server computing device determines that each particular user of the first and second users is prepared to participate in the communication session when: (i) the particular user is present at an associated particular user computing device, (ii) the particular user is not actively engaged with an application other than a communication application with which the particular user will interact during the communication session, and (iii) behavior of the particular user indicates an activity level of the particular user below a threshold indicative of the particular user being actively engaged with an entity other than the associated particular user computing device.",
    "8. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the indication that the first user is prepared to participate in the communication session comprises an audio indication.",
    "9. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising outputting, from the server computing device, a start indication to the first and second user computing devices when the server computing device initiates the communication session.",
    "10. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the communication session is a video communication session.",
    "11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the indication that the first user is prepared to participate in the communication session comprises a visual indication.",
    "12. A server computing device, comprising: one or more processors; and a non-transitory, computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising: receiving a signal that a first user and a second user desire to participate in a communication session during a particular time period via a first user computing device and a second user computing device, respectively, the particular time period beginning at a beginning time and ending at an end time; monitoring activity of the first user at the first user computing device during the particular time period to determine whether the first user is prepared to participate in the communication session; monitoring activity of the second user at the second user computing device during the particular time period to determine whether the second user is prepared to participate in the communication session; when the server computing device determines that the first user is prepared to participate in the communication session, outputting, to the second user computing device, an indication that the first user is prepared to participate in the communication session; and when the server computing device determines that both of the first and second users are prepared to participate in the communication session, initiating the communication session.",
    "13. The server computing device of claim 12, wherein the server computing device determines that each particular user is prepared to participate in the communication session when: (i) the particular user is present at an associated particular user computing device, and (ii) behavior of the particular user indicates an activity level of the particular user below a threshold indicative of the particular user being actively engaged with an entity other than a communication application with which the particular user will interact during the communication session.",
    "14. The server computing device of claim 12, wherein monitoring activity of each particular user of the first and second users comprises receiving image data from a particular user computing device associated with the particular user, the image data being obtained at the particular user computing device from a video camera.",
    "15. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein monitoring activity of each particular user of the first and second users comprises receiving audio data from a particular user computing device associated with the particular user, the audio data being obtained at the particular user computing device from a microphone.",
    "16. The server computing device of claim 12, wherein monitoring activity of each particular user of the first and second users comprises receiving an activity signal from a particular user computing device associated with the particular user, the activity signal indicating whether the particular user is prepared to participate in the communication session.",
    "17. The server computing device of claim 12, wherein the server computing device determines that each particular user of the first and second users is prepared to participate in the communication session when: (i) the particular user is present at an associated particular user computing device, (ii) the particular user is not actively engaged with an application other than a communication application with which the particular user will interact during the communication session, and (iii) behavior of the particular user indicates an activity level of the particular user below a threshold indicative of the particular user being actively engaged with an entity other than the associated particular user computing device.",
    "18. The server computing device of claim 12, wherein the indication that the first user is prepared to participate in the communication session comprises an audio indication.",
    "19. The server computing device of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise outputting a start indication to the first and second user computing devices when the server computing device initiates the communication session.",
    "20. The server computing device of claim 12, wherein the communication session is a video communication session."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present disclosure relates to real-time communication sessions and, more particularly, to an improved technique for initiating real-time communication sessions via computing devices.\n\nThe background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.\n\nComputing devices are being more and more frequently utilized for electronic communication. For example only, a user may utilize his/her mobile phone or computing device to participate in a communication session. A communication session may feature, e.g., multi-way text-based chat, real-time audio conversations, and/or video conferences, which typically allow a user to communicate with one or more other users in real-time. Such real-time communication may, in certain circumstances, be more desirable than email and other “asynchronous” electronic communication forms that typically involve relatively long delays between users receive and/or respond to messages. For example only, real-time electronic communication may provide a more social interaction between users as it may more closely resemble in-person communication where users see, hear and interact with each other.\n\nKnown mechanisms for initiating real-time communication sessions are cumbersome and inefficient. Such mechanisms include a user sending a message, invite, etc.",
  "cpc": [
    "H04N 7/147",
    "H04L 12/1813",
    "H04L 12/1822",
    "H04L 65/1069",
    "H04L 67/147",
    "H04L 67/535"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "H04N 7/14"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Google LLC"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Maxwell Andrew Sills",
    "Daniel Berlin"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2014-09-23",
  "publication_date": "2017-02-21",
  "grant_date": "2017-02-21",
  "priority_date": "2014-09-23",
  "application_number": "US-201414494063-A",
  "family_id": "58017477",
  "cited_by_count": 48,
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}