System and method for concise display of discussion threads
AssigneeGoogle Inc.
InventorsRichard Feit, Thomas Stamm
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process for organizing a series of discussion replies is disclosed, including monitoring a discussion thread for a series of single replies, each subsequent reply in the series responding to an immediately preceding reply. Once the system determines the existence of the series of single replies, the series of single replies is arranged into a single horizontally-aligned block, the block being vertically separated from other replies to the discussion comment that are not in the series of single replies. Thus, the horizontal-space used by the discussion thread is minimized and readability of the discussion thread improved.
Claims16
A computer implemented method of displaying a discussion thread, comprising:
- detecting, in the discussion thread, a first group of replies organized such that a first reply of the first group is posted in response to a message posted to the discussion thread, and each remaining reply of the first group responds to an immediately preceding reply;
- determining a point in time when the first group of replies was last presented for display;
- detecting, in the discussion thread, a second group of replies, a first reply of the second group posted in response to the message;
- providing for display each group of replies in the discussion thread as a horizontally-aligned block of replies, the first and second groups being vertically separated from each other under the message;
- and
- displaying as a summary line of a predetermined height each reply in the first group that was presented with the first group at the point in time while displaying in an expanded state one or more replies created for the first group after the point in time.
A system for organizing a series of discussion replies, comprising:
- one or more processors;
- and
- a memory including machine-executable instructions, wherein the machine-executable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, are operable to:
- generate discussion thread instructions that, when executed, are operable to:
- monitor a discussion thread for one or more series of single replies, each subsequent reply in a respective series responding to an immediately preceding reply in the respective series, wherein the one or more series originate from a discussion comment,
- determine a point in time when each series of single replies was last presented for display;
- when providing two or more of the one or more series of single replies for display, arrange each of the two or more series of single replies into a single horizontally-aligned block, the horizontally-aligned blocks being vertically separated from each other under the discussion comment, and
- provide the discussion thread to a display including the discussion comment and the horizontally-aligned blocks,
- wherein, for a respective series of single replies, each reply in the respective series that was presented with the respective series at the determined point in time for the respective series is displayed as a summary line of a predetermined height while one or more replies created for the respective series after the determined point in time are displayed in an expanded state;
- and
- provide the discussion thread instructions to a remote computer.
A non-transitory machine-readable medium having machine-executable instructions stored thereon, which when executed by a machine or computer cause the machine or computer to perform a method of organizing a series of discussion replies, comprising:
- receiving a plurality of replies in response to a comment posted to a discussion thread;
- determining a first group of two or more replies from the plurality of replies, with a first reply of the first group posted in response to the comment, and each remaining reply of the first group posted in response to another reply of the first group;
- determining a point in time when the first group of two or more replies was last presented for display;
- determining a second group of replies from the plurality of replies, a first reply of the second group posted in response to the comment;
- providing the first and second groups for display as respective vertically separated blocks of replies under the comment;
- and
- displaying as a summary line of a predetermined height each reply in the first group that was presented with the first group at the point in time while displaying in an expanded state one or more replies created for the first group after the point in time.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.