Methods and systems for associating content with conversation tuples

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments relate to techniques for representing conversations in a messaging system, where content serves as the organizing feature or primitive of a messaging inbox. In the messaging inbox, content may be aggregated in two hierarchical tiers: first, on a per-sender basis, and second on a per-content basis. Conversational threads may be stored in buckets represented by a relationship tuple (sender, receiver). Individual content threads may be represented by a thread identifier of the structure (content ID, sender, receiver). One piece of content may be associated with multiple conversations through the thread ID. Replies may be organized in a hierarchy under the thread ID tuple. Content ephemerality may be implemented by tying the content identifier to ephemerality conditions. Different users may view the content at different times, since the thread ID tuple can be removed from a sender bucket without removing the associated content.

1 . A method comprising:
 associating a media item with a conversation tuple;   associating the conversation tuple with a relationship tuple, wherein a sending account and at least one receiving account are associated with the relationship tuple;   determining an ephemerality condition associated with the conversation tuple is met for the at least one receiving account associated with the relationship tuple;   determining the ephemerality condition associated with the conversation tuple is not met for a second receiving account associated with the relationship tuple;   disassociating the conversation tuple from the relationship tuple such that the at least one receiving account associated with the relationship tuple cannot access the media item based upon the ephemerality condition associated with the conversation tuple being met for the at least one receiving account, wherein access to the media item is maintained for the second receiving account associated with the relationship tuple based upon the ephemerality condition associated with the conversation tuple not being met for the second receiving account; and   wherein the conversation tuple and the relationship tuple comprise a plurality of threads.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the conversation tuple comprises an identifier of the media item, an identifier of the sending account, and an identifier of the at least one receiving account, and
 wherein the relationship tuple comprises the identifier of the sending account and the identifier of the at least one receiving accounts.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving from the sending account the media item, the media item being different from a textual message; and   storing a single copy of the media item.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the associating of the conversation tuple with the relationship tuple is in accordance with a hierarchical structure such that the conversation tuple is organized under the relationship tuple, and
 wherein the hierarchy structure comprises a first tier and a second tier, the first tier being the relationship tuple and the second tier being the conversation tuple.   
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a reply from the at least one receiving account; and   associating the reply with the conversation tuple.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 associating the conversation tuple with the ephemerality condition, and   wherein the ephemerality condition is an amount of time during which the media item remains active or a number of views by the at least one receiving accounts before the media item becomes inactive.   
     
     
         8 . At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions configured to cause one or more processors to:
 associate a media item with a conversation tuple;   associate the conversation tuple with a relationship tuple, wherein a sending account and at least one receiving account are associated with the relationship tuple;   determine an ephemerality condition associated with the conversation tuple is met for the at least one receiving account associated with the relationship tuple;   determine the ephemerality condition associated with the conversation tuple is not met for a second receiving account associated with the relationship tuple;   disassociate the conversation tuple from the relationship tuple such that the at least one receiving account associated with the relationship tuple cannot access the media item based upon the ephemerality condition associated with the conversation tuple being met for the at least one receiving account, wherein access to the media item is maintained for the second receiving account associated with the relationship tuple based upon the ephemerality condition associated with the conversation tuple not being met for the second receiving account; and   wherein the conversation tuple and the relationship tuple comprise a plurality of threads.   
     
     
         9 . The at least one medium of  claim 8 , wherein the conversation tuple comprises an identifier of the media item, an identifier of the sending account, and an identifier of the at least one receiving account, and
 wherein the relationship tuple comprises the identifier of the sending account and the identifier of the at least one receiving accounts.   
     
     
         10 . The at least one medium of  claim 8 , further storing instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to:
 receive from the sending account the media item, the media item being different from a textual message; and   store a single copy of the media item.   
     
     
         11 . The at least one medium of  claim 8 , wherein the association of the conversation tuple with the relationship tuple is in accordance with a hierarchical structure such that the conversation tuple is organized under the relationship tuple, and
 wherein the hierarchy structure comprises a first tier and a second tier, the first tier being the relationship tuple and the second tier being the conversation tuple.   
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . The at least one medium of  claim 8 , further storing instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to:
 receive a reply from the at least one receiving account; and   associate the reply with the conversation tuple.   
     
     
         14 . The at least one medium of  claim 8 , further storing instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to:
 associate the conversation tuple with the ephemerality condition, and   wherein the ephemerality condition is an amount of time during which the media item remains active or a number of views by the at least one receiving accounts before the media item becomes inactive.   
     
     
         15 . An apparatus comprising:
 at least one processor operable to execute stored instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one processor to:   associate a media item with a conversation tuple;   associate the conversation tuple with a relationship tuple, wherein a sending account and at least one receiving account are associated with the relationship tuple;   determine an ephemerality condition associated with the conversation tuple is met for the at least one receiving account associated with the relationship tuple;   determine the ephemerality condition associated with the conversation tuple is not met for a second receiving account associated with the relationship tuple;   disassociate the conversation tuple from the relationship tuple such that the at least one receiving account associated with the relationship tuple cannot access the media item based upon the ephemerality condition associated with the conversation tuple being met for the at least one receiving account, wherein access to the media item is maintained for the second receiving account associated with the relationship tuple based upon the ephemerality condition associated with the conversation tuple not being met for the second receiving account; and   wherein the conversation tuple and the relationship tuple comprise a plurality of threads.   
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one processor further caused to:
 receive from the sending account the media item, the media item being different from a textual message; and   store a single copy of the media item.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the association of the conversation tuple with the relationship tuple is in accordance with a hierarchical structure such that the conversation tuple is organized under the relationship tuple, and
 wherein the hierarchy structure comprises a first tier and a second tier, the first tier being the relationship tuple and the second tier being the conversation tuple.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one processor further caused to:
 receive a reply from the at least one receiving account; and   associate the reply with the conversation tuple.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one processor further caused to:
 associate the conversation tuple with the ephemerality condition, and   wherein the ephemerality condition is an amount of time during which the media item remains active or a number of views by the at least one receiving accounts before the media item becomes inactive.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the media item continues to be stored at a server for access by the at least one receiving account after the conversation tuple is disassociated from the relationship tuple. 
     
     
         22 . The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 8 , wherein the media item continues to be stored at a server for access by the at least one receiving account after the conversation tuple is disassociated from the relationship tuple. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the media item continues to be stored at a server for access by the at least one receiving account after the conversation tuple is disassociated from the relationship tuple.