# US 12,216,888 B2 · Automation of permission controls for group messages > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,216,888 B2 - Document ID: US12216888B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/829,309 - Filed: 2022-05-31 - Published: 2023-11-30 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2022-05-31 - Assignees: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC - Applicants: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC - Inventors: Amer Aref Hassan; Wei-Chen Chen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12216888B2 ## CPC - G06F 3/0484: for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range - H04L 51/212: using filtering or selective blocking - H04L 12/1822: {Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission} - H04L 51/216: Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads - G06F 2203/04803: Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas - H04L 51/046: Interoperability with other network applications or services - 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) ## Abstract A system provides permission controls for group messages. A system can support user accessibility by the use of a permissions that indicates that a user has accessibility needs with respect to a voice input. When a user is known to have accessibility issue with providing a voice input, a system data structure, such as a Teams directory, can indicate when specific users have special needs. The system can grant them with rights to prevent others from providing messages to a message thread. This allows that person to become a presenter of a meeting while using a message thread to give their presentation without interruption from others. The system can unlock the thread and allow others to provide messages when the user is done with their presentation. By controlling a message thread in this manner, a system can allow users having special needs to participate as a meeting presenter. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for controlling permissions for a first message thread of a virtual meeting session between a plurality of users, the method executed on a data processing system configured to operate in a first class of operations and a second class of operations, the method comprising: receiving text messages entered by a plurality of computing devices associated with the users and directed to the first message thread; providing a first user interface in the first class of operations, wherein the first user interface includes an attendee display area displaying a representation or live video of at least one of the users, and a UI displaying the received text messages; receiving an input associated with a user of the virtual meeting session, the input including a command for initiating an operating state change of the system to transition from the first class of operations to the second class of operations, the input being a single input for causing a modification of permissions for at least two users associated with other computing devices to transition to a read-only mode for the first message thread while enabling the user to view and contribute messages to the first message thread; in response to the received input for initiating the operating state change, analyzing permissions data to determine whether a user privilege associated with the user associated with the input meets a permission requirement to invoke the operating state change of the system from the first class of operations to the second class of operations; and in response to determining that the permissions data indicates that the user privilege of the user associated with the received input meets the permission requirement, causing the operating state of the system to transition from the first class of operations to the second class of operations by: changing from providing the first user interface to providing a second user interface in the second class of operations by: displaying, in the UI, text messages added to the first message thread by the user that initiated the operating state change, while restricting at least one of the other computing devices of the at least two users from sending text messages to the first message thread, during the restriction of the other computing devices of the at least two users to send new messages sent to the first thread: generating a second thread that is reserved for receiving messages from the other computing devices of the at least two users, and causing a display of messages received from the other computing devices of the at least two users within the second thread, wherein the second thread is displayed concurrently with the first thread on a user interface. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein restricting the other computing devices of the at least two users from contributing messages to the first message thread comprises, disabling at least one of a text entry field or a send button of a user interface displayed on the other computing devices, wherein the text entry field or the send button of the user interface remains disabled until a second input is received for initiating a second operating state change from the utilization of the second class of operations to the utilization of the first class of operations for providing, in the second user interface, (a) a first text message display area for displaying text messages received from the user, and (b) a second text message display area, different from a first text message display area, for displaying text messages added to the second thread by the at least two users. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the first text message display area for displaying text messages received from the user prevents the display of messages received from the at least two users. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the method further comprises merging the messages from the second thread with the messages of the first message thread in response to receiving a second input for initiating a second operating state change from the utilization of the second class of operations to the utilization of the first class of operations. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, while the system is utilizing the second class of operations, causing the messages received from the computing device of the user to be displayed as an overlay on a video rendering of the user. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, while the system is utilizing the second class of operations, causing the messages received from the computing device of the user to be displayed in a user interface arrangement comprising a plurality of renderings of images of the plurality of users, wherein the messages received from the computing device of the user are displayed as a replacement of a rendering of the user. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the system prevents the system from invoking the operating state change of the system from the first class of operations to the second class of operations in response to determining that the permissions data does not designate the user with permissions to invoke the operating state change. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processing units to merge the messages from the second thread with the messages of the first message in response to receiving a second input for initiating a second operating state change from the utilization of the second class of operations to the utilization of the first class of operations. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: modifying the permissions data to restrict the at least one of the other computing devices of the at least two users, while maintaining the permissions data to allow the at least one of the other computing devices of the at least two users to receive text messages added to the first message thread from a time of the time associated the receipt of the input for initiating the operating state change of the system to transition from the first class of operations to the second class of operations. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the restriction of the first message thread applies to messages sent from the at least one of the other computing devices of the at least two users after a time associated with the receipt of the input. ### Claim 11 A system for controlling permissions for a first message thread of a communication session, the system comprising: one or more processing units; and a computer-readable storage medium having encoded thereon computer-executable instructions to cause the one or more processing units to: receive text messages entered by a plurality of computing devices associated with the users and directed to the first message thread; provide a first user interface in the first class of operations, wherein the first user interface includes an attendee display area displaying a representation or live video of at least one of the users, and a UI displaying the received text messages; receive an input associated with a user of the virtual meeting session, the input including a command for initiating an operating state change of the system to transition from the first class of operations to the second class of operations, the input being a single input for causing a modification of permissions for at least two users associated with other computing devices to transition to a read-only mode for the first message thread while enabling the user to view and contribute messages to the first message thread; in response to the received input for initiating the operating state change, analyzing permissions data to determine whether a user privilege associated with the user associated with the input meets a permission requirement to invoke the operating state change of the system from the first class of operations to the second class of operations; and in response to determining that the permissions data indicates that the user privilege of the user associated with the received input meets the permission requirement, cause the operating state of the system to transition from the first class of operations to the second class of operations by: changing from providing the first user interface to providing a second user interface in the second class of operations by: displaying, in the UI, text messages added to the first message thread by the user that initiated the operating state change, while restricting at least one of the other computing devices of the at least two users from sending text messages to the first message thread, during the restriction of the other computing devices of the at least two users to send new messages sent to the first thread; generating a second thread that is reserved for receiving messages from the other computing devices of the at least two users, and causing a display of messages received from the other computing devices of the at least two users within the second thread, wherein the second thread is displayed concurrently with the first thread on a user interface. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein restricting the other computing devices of the at least two users from contributing messages to the first message thread comprises, disabling at least one of a text entry field or a send button of a user interface displayed on the other computing devices, wherein the text entry field or the send button of the user interface remains disabled until a second input is received for initiating a second operating state change from the utilization of the second class of operations to the utilization of the first class of operations. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, while the system is utilizing the second class of operations, causing the messages received from the computing device of the user to be displayed as an overlay on a video rendering of the user. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, while the system is utilizing the second class of operations, causing the messages received from the computing device of the user to be displayed in a user interface arrangement comprising a plurality of renderings of images of the plurality of users, wherein the messages received from the computing device of the user are displayed as a replacement of a rendering of the user. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the system prevents the system from invoking the operating state change of the system from the first class of operations to the second class of operations in response to determining that the permissions data does not designate the user with permissions to invoke the operating state change. ### Claim 16 A computer-readable storage medium having encoded thereon computer-executable instructions to cause one or more processing units of a system to control permissions for a message thread of a communication session, wherein the instructions to cause one or more processing units to: receive text messages entered by a plurality of computing devices associated with the users and directed to the first message thread; provide a first user interface in the first class of operations, wherein the first user interface includes an attendee display area displaying a representation or live video of at least one of the users, and a UI displaying the received text messages; receive an input associated with a user of the virtual meeting session, the input including a command for initiating an operating state change of the system to transition from the first class of operations to the second class of operations, the input being a single input for causing a modification of permissions for at least two users associated with other computing devices to transition to a read-only mode for the first message thread while enabling the user to view and contribute messages to the first message thread; in response to the received input for initiating the operating state change, analyzing permissions data to determine whether a user privilege associated with the user associated with the input meets a permission requirement to invoke the operating state change of the system from the first class of operations to the second class of operations; and in response to determining that the permissions data indicates that the user privilege of the user associated with the received input meets the permission requirement, cause the operating state of the system to transition from the first class of operations to the second class of operations by: changing from providing the first user interface to providing a second user interface in the second class of operations by: displaying, in the UI, text messages added to the first message thread by the user that initiated the operating state change, while restricting at least one of the other computing devices of the at least two users from sending text messages to the first message thread, during the restriction of the other computing devices of the at least two users to send new messages sent to the first thread: generating a second thread that is reserved for receiving messages from the other computing devices of the at least two users, and causing a display of messages received from the other computing devices of the at least two users within the second thread, wherein the second thread is displayed concurrently with the first thread on a user interface. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processing units to merge the messages from the second thread with the messages of the first message thread in response to receiving a second input for initiating a second operating state change from the utilization of the second class of operations to the utilization of the first class of operations. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, while the system is utilizing the second class of operations, causing the messages received from the computing device of the user to be displayed as an overlay on a video rendering of the user. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, while the system is utilizing the second class of operations, causing the messages received from the computing device of the user to be displayed in a user interface arrangement comprising a plurality of renderings of images of the plurality of users, wherein the messages received from the computing device of the user are displayed as a replacement of a rendering of the user.