System and method for communicating via instant messaging
First Claim
1. A method for identifying users over a network, the method comprising:
- receiving a message from a first user, the message identifying at least one message recipient; and
providing the message to the at least one message recipient, wherein when the message is provided to the at least one message recipient, the first user'"'"'s sound ID is played for the at least one message recipient upon delivery of the message to the at least one message recipient, the sound ID having been previously selected by the first user for identifying the first user to the at least one message recipient.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system, method and apparatus for facilitating communication among a number of distributed clients in a distributed network is disclosed. A user, such as through a personal digital assistant device, may select one or more instant messages for transmission to one or more other users in the network. The instant messages may be sound instant message and/or text instant messages. During messaging, message status indicators provide users with the status of their respective messages. In one embodiment, the messages may be deemed to be either pending or received as distinguished by a pending status indicator and a received status indicator. Audible signatures or sound identifiers may be provided to identify users to one another over the network. The audible sound identifiers may be selected or created by users and are provided to the users in the network to identify the source of certain communications and the activity status of users in the communications network.
120 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for identifying users over a network, the method comprising:
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receiving a message from a first user, the message identifying at least one message recipient; and
providing the message to the at least one message recipient, wherein when the message is provided to the at least one message recipient, the first user'"'"'s sound ID is played for the at least one message recipient upon delivery of the message to the at least one message recipient, the sound ID having been previously selected by the first user for identifying the first user to the at least one message recipient. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for facilitating identification of users in a network, the method comprising:
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receiving a plurality of audible signature selections from a plurality of users in the network, each user selecting a unique audible signature to identify themselves to the other users in the network; and
distributing communications between the plurality of users in the network, wherein each communication is accompanied by the unique audible signature of the user which initiated the communication so as to identify that user to the one or more users who are receiving the communication. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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16. A method for providing audible identification of users in a communications network, the method comprising:
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providing a selection facility for receiving user selections of audible sound identifiers, the audible sound identifiers uniquely identifying the selecting user to other users in the communications network; and
identifying the users to one another in the communication network, wherein identifying the users to one another comprises providing the users'"'"' selected audible sound identifiers to one another in the course of communications between the users such that each user is identified to the other by the sound of their respective audible sound identifier.
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Specification