How Instant Messaging Apps Open Reply Windows for Social Media Updates
A method for letting users reply to social media updates directly within an instant messaging app by using external software to control the appearance of the reply window.
Original patent title: “Method and system for replying to website update event”
A method for letting users reply to social media updates directly within an instant messaging app by using external software to control the appearance of the reply window. Granted to Tencent Technology Shenzhen Co Ltd in 2016 with 10 claims.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent describes a way to bridge the gap between a social networking site (SNS) and an instant messaging (IM) application. When a user receives a notification about a social media update—like a new photo or status post—the IM client receives specific prompting information. Upon the user's command, the IM client loads the relevant social media content and uses an external software program to define how the reply window should look, including its size, title, and background color. This allows the user to interact with the social media update without leaving the IM interface.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover replying to updates directly within the social networking site's own native app or website.
- Does not cover general notification systems that do not involve generating a specific reply window via external software attributes.
- Does not cover automated or bot-driven replies that occur without user interaction.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
The innovation lies in using an external software program to 'bundle' window attributes—like size and color—so the IM client can dynamically generate a consistent reply window for content coming from different, potentially external, social media sources.
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
WeChat notifications for social media status updates
In-app reply windows for social feeds within messaging platforms
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This technology is central to the 'super-app' ecosystem, where platforms like Tencent's WeChat integrate social feeds, messaging, and third-party services into a single interface. By standardizing how these different services talk to each other, companies can keep users within their own ecosystem longer, increasing engagement and data collection.
Filed
June 20, 2014
Granted
October 11, 2016
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Tencent remains the primary entity utilizing this integration logic within the WeChat ecosystem. Other major platforms like Meta (WhatsApp/Facebook) and ByteDance (TikTok/Douyin) employ similar architectural patterns to keep users engaged across their integrated service suites.
Market impact
This patent reflects the industry shift toward integrated 'ecosystem' apps where the distinction between messaging and social media browsing is blurred. It helped formalize the technical requirements for seamless cross-service interaction, which is now a standard expectation for mobile user experiences.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent describes a way to bridge the gap between a social networking site (SNS) and an instant messaging (IM) application. When a user receives a notification about a social media update—like a new photo or status post—the IM client receives specific prompting information. Upon the user's command, the IM client loads the relevant social media content and uses an external software program to define how the reply window should look, including its size, title, and background color. This allows the user to interact with the social media update without leaving the IM interface.
The clever bit
The innovation lies in using an external software program to 'bundle' window attributes—like size and color—so the IM client can dynamically generate a consistent reply window for content coming from different, potentially external, social media sources.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover replying to updates directly within the social networking site's own native app or website.
- Does not cover general notification systems that do not involve generating a specific reply window via external software attributes.
- Does not cover automated or bot-driven replies that occur without user interaction.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Limited data
Citation count
0/40
No citations yet
Claim breadth
7/20
Moderate scope
Recency
10/20
Granted 5–10 years ago
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$26K – $84K
Midpoint $53K · 8.0 yr remaining · industry ×1.4
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
The original legal language
Original claims
10 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Xu, X., Tang, J., Yang, S., & Zhou, X. (2016). How Instant Messaging Apps Open Reply Windows for Social Media Updates (U.S. Patent No. 9,467,413). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9467413/facebook-marketplace
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How Instant Messaging Apps Open Reply Windows for Social Media Updates cover?
A method for letting users reply to social media updates directly within an instant messaging app by using external software to control the appearance of the reply window.
Who owns patent US 9467413?
Tencent Technology Shenzhen Co Ltd owns this patent, granted in 2016.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on October 11, 2036, when the invention enters the public domain.
What problem does this patent solve?
This technology is central to the 'super-app' ecosystem, where platforms like Tencent's WeChat integrate social feeds, messaging, and third-party services into a single interface. By standardizing how these different services talk to each other, companies can keep users within their own ecosystem longer, increasing engagement and data collection.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover replying to updates directly within the social networking site's own native app or website.
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