US 12,316,593 B2
Fork and return point selection for sidebar communication threads
Amer Aref Hassan, Kirkland, WA (US); and Wei-Chen Chen, Redmond, WA (US)
Assigned to Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC, Redmond, WA (US)
Filed by Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC, Redmond, WA (US)
Filed on Feb. 16, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/444,153.
Application 18/444,153 is a continuation of application No. 17/836,586, filed on Jun. 9, 2022, granted, now 11,943,190.
Prior Publication US 2024/0195771 A1, Jun. 13, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H04L 51/216 (2022.01); G06F 3/0482 (2013.01)
CPC H04L 51/216 (2022.05) [G06F 3/0482 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of providing a sidebar thread over a different communication modality than an original thread, the method comprising:
using one or more processors:
receiving a command from a sender to create a sidebar thread forked from a specified message of a first communication thread, the first communication thread between a first plurality of first communication thread participants including the sender, the sidebar thread being a thread between a second plurality of sidebar thread participants including the sender and a sidebar recipient, wherein the first communication thread utilizes a first communication modality and the sidebar thread utilizes a second communication modality, the first and second communication modalities being different communication modalities, the command to create the sidebar thread including a first message;
responsive to receiving the command:
causing a notification of the sidebar thread to be sent to an address of the sidebar recipient using the second communication modality, the notification including the first message and a portion or a link to a portion of the first communication thread;
receiving an approval or a modification of the first message, over the second communication modality, from the sidebar recipient in the sidebar thread;
responsive to receiving the approval or the modification of the first message, automatically:
creating a communication message with a return address being an address of the sender, the communication message addressed to the address of a final recipient participating in the first communication thread but not the sidebar thread by including the approved first message or the modification of the first message without including contents of any sidebar thread messages in the communication message; and
posting, using the first communication modality, the communication message to the final recipient from the address of the sender in the first communication thread as if the communication message originated from the sender.