Notification of a Communication Session in a Different User Experience

Abstract

Techniques for notification of a communication session in a different user experience are described. According to various implementations, a notification of an active communication session can be presented in a user experience that is not directly involved in the communication session. In at least some implementations, the session notification includes selectable functionality for enabling the particular user to join the communication session.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 one or more processors; and   one or more computer-readable storage media storing instructions that are executable by the one or more processors to perform operations including:
 outputting a session notification of a communication session as part of a user experience that is different than the communication session, the user experience involving a user that is not currently a participant in the communication session; 
 receiving an indication of a user interaction with the session notification from within the context of the user experience; and 
 causing the user to join the communication session from within the context of the user experience. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system as described in  claim 1 , wherein the communication session is implemented via a first application, and the user experience comprises a second application different than the first application. 
     
     
         3 . The system as described in  claim 1 , wherein the user experience comprises a text chat experience, and the communication session comprises a real-time exchange of voice media. 
     
     
         4 . The system as described in  claim 1 , wherein the session notification includes a representation of a different user that is a participant in the communication session but is not a participant in the user experience. 
     
     
         5 . The system as described in  claim 1 , wherein the session notification is a visual representation of a communication object that is embedded within the user experience. 
     
     
         6 . The system as described in  claim 1 , wherein the session notification is a visual representation of a communication object that is embedded within the user experience, and wherein the communication object is controlled by a communication client that manages the communication session. 
     
     
         7 . The system as described in  claim 1 , wherein the session notification is a visual representation of a communication object that is embedded within the user experience, and wherein the communication object is portable such that the communication object is embeddable in multiple different user experiences. 
     
     
         8 . The system as described in  claim 1 , wherein said causing the user to join the communication session comprises:
 communicating a query that includes a request to allow the user to join the communication session; and   receiving a query response indicating that the user is permitted to join the communication session.   
     
     
         9 . The system as described in  claim 1 , wherein the user is joined to the communication session such that the user is enabled to, from within the context of the user experience, concurrently participate in the communication session and interact with the user experience. 
     
     
         10 . The system as described in  claim 1 , wherein the session notification includes visual representations of different participants in the communication session, and wherein the operations further include, based on the user joining the communication session, updating the session notification to include a visual representation of the user. 
     
     
         11 . The system as described in  claim 1 , wherein the operations further include:
 presenting a different user experience that replaces or visually overlays the user experience, the different user experience including visual representations of participants in the communication session; and   visually animating a particular visual representation of a remote participant in the communication session to indicate a voice activity of the remote participant.   
     
     
         12 . The system as described in  claim 1 , wherein the operations further include:
 receiving an indication of a further user interaction with the session notification after the user has been joined to the communication session; and   presenting a different user experience that replaces or visually overlays the user experience, the different user experience including visual representations of participants in the communication session.   
     
     
         13 . A method comprising:
 outputting a session notification of a communication session as part of a user experience that is different than communication session;   receiving an indication of an interaction by a user with the session notification from within the context of the user experience;   causing the user to join the communication session from within the context of the user experience; and   updating the session notification to indicate that the user is joined to the communication session.   
     
     
         14 . The method as recited in  claim 13 , wherein said outputting comprises outputting a visual representation of a participant in the communication session that is not a participant in the user experience. 
     
     
         15 . The method as recited in  claim 13 , wherein said outputting comprises outputting a visual representation of a participant in the communication session, and wherein the method further comprises visually animating the visual representation to indicate a voice activity of the participant. 
     
     
         16 . The method as recited in  claim 13 , wherein said outputting comprises visually binding the session notification to a graphical user interface (GUI) of the user experience. 
     
     
         17 . The method as recited in  claim 13 , further comprising:
 receiving an indication of a further user interaction with the session notification after the user has been joined to the communication session; and   presenting a different user experience that replaces or visually overlays the user experience, the different user experience including visual representations of participants in the communication session.   
     
     
         18 . A method comprising:
 outputting a session notification of a communication session as part of a user experience that is different than the communication session, the user experience involving a user that is not currently a participant in the communication session;   receiving an indication of a user interaction with the session notification from within the context of the user experience; and   causing the user to join the communication session from within the context of the user experience.   
     
     
         19 . The method as recited in  claim 18 , further comprising displaying at least some content of the communication session within the session notification and prior to the user joining the communication session. 
     
     
         20 . The method as recited in  claim 18 , further comprising:
 receiving an indication of a further user interaction with the session notification after the user has been joined to the communication session; and   presenting a different user experience that replaces or visually overlays the user experience, the different user experience including visual representations of participants in the communication session.