# US 10,372,324 B2 · Synchronous communication system and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,372,324 B2 - Document ID: US10372324B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/393,995 - Filed: 2016-12-29 - Published: 2017-04-20 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2013-11-15 - Assignees: Google Inc. - Applicants: Google LLC - Inventors: Andrew M. Dahley; John Patrick Enstrom; Anil Sabharwal - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10372324B2 ## CPC - G06Q 10/40: Business processes related to social networking or social networking services - G06F 3/0482: Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus - G06F 3/04883: for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text - H04L 65/4053: without floor control - H04N 7/141: {between two video terminals, e.g. videophone (telephonic communication systems combined with television receiver for reception of entertainment or information matter H04M11/085)} - H04N 7/147: {Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals (selecting H04Q)} - H04N 21/266: Channel or content management, e.g. generation and management of keys and entitlement messages in a conditional access system, merging a VOD unicast channel into a multicast channel - H04N 21/4788: communicating with other users, e.g. chatting {(arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104)} - G06F 3/017: {Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures (interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883)} - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract A method and computing system for providing, using one or more computing devices, a synchronous communication session for a plurality of users of a social network. A first video stream of a first user of the plurality of users is rendered within a primary viewing field associated with the synchronous communication session. At least a second video stream of at least a second user of the plurality of users is rendered within the primary viewing field associated with the synchronous communication session. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method comprising: providing, by one or more hardware processors of a computing device, a synchronous communication session for a plurality of users of a social network; rendering, by the one or more hardware processors, a first video stream of a first user of the plurality of users within a primary viewing field associated with the synchronous communication session; rendering, by the one or more hardware processors, a secondary viewing field, associated with the synchronous communication session, wherein the secondary viewing field includes a plurality of portions; rendering, by the one or more hardware processors, a respective video stream of select users of the plurality of users within a respective portion of the plurality of portions of the secondary viewing field; receiving a request to render within the primary viewing field, the video stream of a second user of the select users being rendered in a first portion of the plurality of portions of the secondary viewing field; in response to receiving the request, rendering, by the one or more hardware processors, the video stream of the second user, within the primary viewing field; and replacing, by the one or more hardware processors, the video stream of the second user in the first portion of the secondary viewing field, with a first placeholder for the second user. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving a swiping gesture proximate the primary viewing field; and in response to receiving the swiping gesture, rendering within the primary viewing field a respective video stream of one of the select users being rendered in a respective portion of the plurality of portions of the secondary viewing field. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving a leftward swiping gesture proximate the primary viewing field while the video stream of the first user is being rendered in the primary viewing field; and in response to receiving the leftward swiping gesture, rendering within the primary viewing field, a respective video stream immediately rightward of a placeholder of the first user in the secondary viewing field. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving a rightward swiping gesture proximate the primary viewing field while the first video stream of the first user is being rendered in the primary viewing field; and in response to receiving the rightward swiping gesture, rendering within the primary viewing field, a respective video stream immediately leftward of a placeholder of the first user in the secondary viewing field. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the primary viewing field is larger than each of the plurality of portions of the secondary viewing field. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: rendering a second placeholder for the first user within a second portion of the plurality of portions of the secondary viewing field while the first video stream is being rendered within the primary viewing field. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first placeholder for the second user is rendered while the respective video stream of the second user is being rendered within the primary viewing field. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein rendering the first video stream of the first user within the primary viewing field is in response to the first user currently addressing the plurality of users within the synchronous communication session. ### Claim 9 A computing system including a processor and memory configured to perform operations comprising: providing, using one or more computing devices, a synchronous communication session for a plurality of users of a social network; rendering a first video stream of a first user of the plurality of users within a primary viewing field associated with the synchronous communication session; rendering a secondary viewing field, associated with the synchronous communication session, wherein the secondary viewing field includes a plurality of portions; rendering a respective video stream of select users of the plurality of users within a respective portion of the plurality of portions of the secondary viewing field; receiving a request to render within the primary viewing field, the video stream of a second user of the select users being rendered in a first portion of the plurality of portions of the secondary viewing field; in response to receiving the request, rendering the video stream of the second user within the primary viewing field: and replacing the video stream of the second user in the first portion of the secondary viewing field, with a first placeholder for the second user. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The computing system of claim 9, further configured to perform operations comprising: receiving a swiping gesture proximate the primary viewing field; and in response to receiving the swiping gesture, rendering within the primary viewing field, a respective video stream of one of the select users being rendered in a respective portion of the plurality of portions, in the secondary viewing field. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The computing system of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise: receiving a leftward swiping gesture proximate the primary viewing field while the video stream of the first user is being rendered in the primary viewing field; and in response to receiving the leftward swiping gesture, rendering within the primary viewing field, a respective video stream immediately rightward of a placeholder of the first user in the secondary viewing field. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The computing system of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise: receiving a rightward swiping gesture proximate the primary viewing field while the video stream of the first user is being rendered in the primary viewing field; and in response to receiving the rightward swiping gesture, rendering within the primary viewing field, a respective video stream immediately leftward of a placeholder of the first user in the secondary viewing field. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The computing system of claim 9, wherein the primary viewing field is larger than each of the plurality of portions of the secondary viewing field. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The computing system of claim 9, further configured to perform operations comprising: rendering a second placeholder for the first user within a second portion of the plurality of portions of the secondary viewing field while the first video stream is being rendered within the primary viewing field. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The computing system of claim 9, wherein the first placeholder for the second user is rendered while the respective video stream of the second user is being rendered within the primary viewing field. ### Claim 16 A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising: providing, by one or more processors of a computing device, a synchronous communication session for a plurality of users of a social network; rendering, by the one or more processors, a first video stream of a first user of the plurality of users within a primary viewing field associated with the synchronous communication session; rendering, by the one or more processors, a secondary viewing field, associated with the synchronous communication session, wherein the secondary viewing field includes a plurality of portions; rendering, by the one or more processors, a respective video stream of select users of the plurality of users within a respective portion of the plurality of portions of the secondary viewing field; receiving a request to render within the primary viewing field, the video stream of a second user of the select users being rendered in a first portion of the plurality of portions of the secondary viewing field; in response to receiving the request, rendering, by the one or more processors, the respective video stream of the second user within the primary viewing field; and replacing, by the one or more processors, the video stream of the second user in the first portion of the secondary viewing field, with a first placeholder for the second user. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise: receiving a leftward swiping gesture proximate the primary viewing field while the video stream of the first user is being rendered in the primary viewing field; and in response to receiving the leftward swiping gesture, rendering within the primary viewing field, a respective video stream immediately rightward of a placeholder of the first user in the secondary viewing field. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise: receiving a rightward swiping gesture proximate the primary viewing field while the video stream of the first user is being rendered in the primary viewing field; and in response to receiving the rightward swiping gesture, rendering within the primary viewing field, a respective video stream immediately leftward of a placeholder of the first user in the secondary viewing field. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the primary viewing field is larger than each of the plurality of portions of the secondary viewing field. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the first placeholder for the second user is rendered while respective video stream of the second user is being rendered within the primary viewing field.