Multi-modal participant lists

• US 10,318,137 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2017
• Issued: 06/11/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Fish, Edmund J., Eichler, Allen J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shingles, Kristie D
• Application Number:
  US15/444,195
• Publication Number:
  US 20170168700A1
• Time in Patent Office: 834 Days
• Field of Search: 709204
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/85 Providing additional services to players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/87 Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/556 Player lists, e.g. online players, buddy list, black list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/572 Communication between players during game play of non game information, e.g. e-mail, chat, file transfer, streaming of audio and streaming of video
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/226 Delivery according to priorities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]

Abstract

An instant messaging user may use a buddy list that includes a user-selected list of potential instant messaging recipients (“buddies”) to identify another instant messaging user with whom instant messages are to be exchanged. An instant messaging user also may use a buddy list for other purposes, such as to initiate playing of an on-line game or to invite participants to play an on-line game. Techniques are provided to transform a buddy list from one messaging-mode to another messaging-mode. The transformation may include, for example, substitution or re-ordering of groups of buddies, substitution of buddy icons associated with buddies, substitution of information displayed about buddies, and substitution of controls for directing operation of the buddy list.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method to display a participant list of message recipients in different messaging modes, the method comprising:

displaying a participant list in a first messaging mode, wherein the participant list includes communication participants organized in one or more groups with respective displayed group names, wherein one or more messages are exchanged in the first messaging mode with the communication participants;

receiving, an indication to switch to a participant list in a second messaging mode different from the first messaging mode, the participant list in the second messaging mode including communication participants selected from participants with whom one or more messages are exchanged in the second messaging mode;

in response to receiving the indication to switch to the participant list in the second messaging mode, transforming the participant list from the first messaging mode to the second messaging mode, wherein the transforming comprises removing at least a first group of the one or more groups;

in response to the transforming, providing a control related to the second messaging mode that enables initiation of communication associated with participants of the participant list in the second messaging mode; and

displaying the participant list in the second messaging mode, such that a group name of the first group is not displayed.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the transforming further comprises adding a second group of communication participants that is not in the one or more groups, and wherein the participant list displayed in the second messaging mode includes a group name of the second group.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein transforming the participant list from the first messaging mode to the second messaging mode includes re-ordering the one or more groups.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

after displaying the participant list in the second messaging mode, receiving a second indication to switch back to the participant list in the first messaging mode; and

in response to the second indication to switch back to the participant list in the first messaging mode,

deactivating the control related to the second messaging mode; and

displaying the participant list in the first messaging mode.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, an indication to switch to a participant list in a third messaging mode different from the first messaging mode and the second messaging mode, the participant list in the third messaging mode including communication participants selected from participants with whom one or more messages are exchanged in the third messaging mode; and

in response to receiving the indication to switch to the participant list in the third messaging mode, transforming the participant list to the third messaging mode, wherein the participant list displayed in the third messaging mode includes a third group of communication participants that is excluded from the one or more groups.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the control is not displayed in the first messaging mode, and wherein providing the control comprises displaying the control in the second messaging mode.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the first messaging mode is a general messaging mode, the second messaging mode is related to electronic commerce, and wherein the control, when activated, enables display of a shopping cart.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium with instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

displaying a participant list in a first messaging mode, wherein the participant list includes communication participants organized in one or more groups with respective displayed group names, wherein one or more messages are exchanged in the first messaging mode with the communication participants;

receiving, an indication to switch to a participant list in a second messaging mode different from the first messaging mode, the participant list in the second messaging mode including communication participants selected from participants with whom one or more messages are exchanged in the second messaging mode;

in response to receiving the indication to switch to the participant list in the second messaging mode, transforming the participant list from the first messaging mode to the second messaging mode, wherein the transforming comprises removing at least a first group of the one or more groups;

in response to the transforming, providing a control related to the second messaging mode that enables initiation of communication associated with participants of the participant list in the second messaging mode; and

displaying the participant list in the second messaging mode, such that a group name of the first group is not displayed.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the operation of transforming further comprises adding a second group of communication participants that is not in the one or more groups, and wherein the participant list displayed in the second messaging mode includes a group name of the second group.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein transforming the participant list from the first messaging mode to the second messaging mode includes re-ordering the one or more groups.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 with further instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

after displaying the participant list in the second messaging mode, receiving a second indication to switch back to the participant list in the first messaging mode; and

in response to the second indication to switch back to the participant list in the first messaging mode,

deactivating the control related to the second messaging mode; and

displaying the participant list in the first messaging mode.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 with further instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving, an indication to switch to a participant list in a third messaging mode different from the first messaging mode and the second messaging mode, the participant list in the third messaging mode including communication participants selected from participants with whom one or more messages are exchanged in the third messaging mode; and

in response to receiving the indication to switch to the participant list in the third messaging mode, transforming the participant list to the third messaging mode, wherein the participant list displayed in the third messaging mode includes a third group of communication participants that is excluded from the one or more groups.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the control is not displayed in the first messaging mode, and wherein providing the control comprises displaying the control in the second messaging mode.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the first messaging mode is a general messaging mode, the second messaging mode is related to electronic commerce, and wherein the control, when activated, enables display of a shopping cart.

15. A system comprising:

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the memory, the memory including one or more instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

displaying a participant list in a first messaging mode, wherein the participant list includes communication participants organized in one or more groups with respective displayed group names, wherein one or more messages are exchanged in the first messaging mode with the communication participants;

receiving, an indication to switch to a participant list in a second messaging mode different from the first messaging mode, the participant list in the second messaging mode including communication participants selected from participants with whom one or more messages are exchanged in the second messaging mode;

in response to receiving the indication to switch to the participant list in the second messaging mode, transforming the participant list from the first messaging mode to the second messaging mode, wherein the transforming comprises removing at least a first group of the one or more groups;

in response to the transforming, providing a control related to the second messaging mode that enables initiation of communication associated with participants of the participant list in the second messaging mode; and

displaying the participant list in the second messaging mode, such that a group name of the first group is not displayed.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the transforming further comprises adding a second group of communication participants that is not in the one or more groups, and wherein the participant list displayed in the second messaging mode includes a group name of the second group.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein transforming the participant list from the first messaging mode to the second messaging mode includes re-ordering the one or more groups.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more instructions cause the processor to perform further operations comprising:

after displaying the participant list in the second messaging mode, receiving a second indication to switch back to the participant list in the first messaging mode; and

in response to the second indication to switch back to the participant list in the first messaging mode,

deactivating the control related to the second messaging mode; and

displaying the participant list in the first messaging mode.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more instructions cause the processor to perform further operations comprising:

receiving, an indication to switch to a participant list in a third messaging mode different from the first messaging mode and the second messaging mode, the participant list in the third messaging mode including communication participants selected from participants with whom one or more messages are exchanged in the third messaging mode; and

in response to receiving the indication to switch to the participant list in the third messaging mode, transforming the participant list to the third messaging mode, wherein the participant list displayed in the third messaging mode includes a third group of communication participants that is excluded from the one or more groups.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the control is not displayed in the first messaging mode, and wherein providing the control comprises displaying the control in the second messaging mode.