# US 2017/0286366 A1 · Smart variable expressive text or graphics for electronic communications > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0286366 A1 - Document ID: US20170286366A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/156,290 - Filed: 2016-05-16 - Published: 2017-10-05 - Earliest claimed: 2016-03-31 - Assignees: Google Inc. - Applicants: Google Inc. - Inventors: Mark Chang; Matthew Austin; James Buyayo; Jason Cornwell; Debbie Kim; Richard Lo; Johnathon Schlemmer; Christopher Tompkins; Megan Torkildson; Joy Barlow; Anton Volkov - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170286366A1 ## CPC - H04L 51/10: Multimedia information - G06F 3/04845: for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour - G06F 3/04847: Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials - G06F 3/04883: for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text - G06F 40/103: Formatting, i.e. changing of presentation of documents (automatic justification G06F40/189; automatic line break hyphenation G06F40/191) - G06F 40/109: Font handling; Temporal or kinetic typography - G06T 11/60: Creating or editing images; Combining images with text - G06T 13/80: Two-dimensional [2D] animation, e.g. using sprites - H04L 51/046: Interoperability with other network applications or services - H04L 51/42: Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes - H04M 1/72436: for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails - H04W 4/14: Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD] - G06F 2203/04806: Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract A system and method for creating, sending, receiving, or displaying messages with smart variable expressive text or graphics is described. The method includes providing a user interface for inputting content and specifying an appearance of the content, receiving the content and an appearance control input via the user interface, responsive to the appearance control input, creating a message including the content and formatting information, and sending the message including the content and the formatting information. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method comprising: providing, using one or more computing devices, a user interface for inputting content and specifying an appearance of the content; receiving, using the one or more computing devices, the content and an appearance control input via the user interface; responsive to the appearance control input, creating, using the one or more computing devices, a message including the content and formatting information; and sending, using the one or more computing devices, the message including the content and the formatting information. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the user interface includes an expressiveness control indicator for specifying the appearance of the content, the expressiveness control indicator movable in the user interface to vary the appearance of the content. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the user interface includes a slider bar and an indicator that allows a user to control expressiveness of the appearance of the content along a range of values corresponding to positions of the indicator on the slider bar. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the user interface includes a visual cue indicating an amount of expressiveness that will be added to the appearance of the content based on a position of the indicator on the slider bar, the visual cue positioned proximate an end of the slider bar. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: modifying, using the one or more computing devices, the appearance of the content responsive to the appearance control input; and updating, using the one or more computing devices, the user interface to include the content with the modified appearance based on the appearance control input. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the formatting information is a visual effect. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: determining, using one or more computing devices, whether the appearance control input satisfies a threshold; responsive to the appearance control input satisfying the threshold, replacing the content with a substitute message. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the substitute message includes a graphic and animation. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The computer-implemented method of claim 7, further comprising; determining, using the one or more computing devices, a context for the content; and selecting the substitute message and an appearance of the substitute message based on the determined context. ### Claim 10 A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium including a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to perform operations comprising: providing a user interface for inputting content and specifying an appearance of the content; receiving the content and an appearance control input via the user interface; responsive to the appearance control input, creating a message including the content and formatting information; and sending the message including the content and the formatting information. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the user interface includes an expressiveness control indicator for specifying the appearance of the content, the expressiveness control indicator movable in the user interface to vary the appearance of the content. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the user interface includes a slider bar and an indicator that allows a user to control expressiveness of the appearance of the content along a range of values corresponding to positions of the indicator on the slider bar. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the user interface includes a visual cue indicating an amount of expressiveness that will be added to the appearance of the content based on a position of the indicator on the slider bar, the visual cue positioned proximate an end of the slider bar. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise: modifying the appearance of the content responsive to the appearance control input; and updating the user interface to include the content with the modified appearance based on the appearance control input. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the formatting information is a visual effect. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise: determining whether the appearance control input satisfies a threshold; responsive to the appearance control input satisfying the threshold, replacing the content with a substitute message. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the substitute message includes a graphic and animation. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise: determining a context for the content; and selecting the substitute message and an appearance of the substitute message based on the determined context. ### Claim 19 A system comprising: a processor; and a memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the system to perform operations comprising: providing a user interface for inputting content and specifying an appearance of the content; receiving the content and an appearance control input via the user interface; responsive to the appearance control input, creating a message including the content and formatting information; and sending the message including the content and the formatting information. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, wherein the user interface includes an expressiveness control indicator for specifying the appearance of the content, the expressiveness control indicator movable in the user interface to vary the appearance of the content. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, wherein the user interface includes a slider bar and an indicator that allows a user to control expressiveness of the appearance of the content along a range of values corresponding to positions of the indicator on the slider bar. ### Claim 22 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, wherein the user interface includes a visual cue indicating an amount of expressiveness that will be added to the appearance of the content based on a position of the indicator on the slider bar, the visual cue positioned proximate an end of the slider bar. ### Claim 23 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, wherein the operations further comprise: modifying the appearance of the content responsive to the appearance control input; and updating the user interface to include the content with the modified appearance based on the appearance control input. ### Claim 24 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, wherein the formatting information is a visual effect. ### Claim 25 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, wherein the operations further comprise: determining whether the appearance control input satisfies a threshold; responsive to the appearance control input satisfying the threshold, replacing the content with a substitute message. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The system of claim 25, wherein the substitute message includes a graphic and animation. ### Claim 27 (depends on 25) The system of claim 25, wherein the operations further comprise: determining a context for the content; and selecting the substitute message and an appearance of the substitute message based on the determined context.