Instant messaging interface having a tear-off element

• US 20040056893A1
• Filed: 10/31/2002
• Published: 03/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AOL LLC (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Myers, Linda Nols, Carbone, Kenneth, Willis, Gregory Alan, Van Lenten, Thomas E., Canfield, James Andrew, Colburn, David Fairlie
• Granted Patent: US 7,127,685 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/753
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

A user interface on a display enables user perception of information regarding a communications session that leverages an instant messaging platform. The user interface includes an instant messaging application user interface and one or more tear-off elements corresponding to ongoing instant messaging communications sessions. Each tear-off element is configured to enable perception and selection by a user of a corresponding instant messaging communications session. Also, each tear-off element is configured to be independently visually separated from other elements of the instant messaging application user interface and maintained as a separate entity on the instant messaging application user interface.

Claims

1. A user interface on a display that enables user perception of information regarding a communications session that leverages an instant messaging platform, the user interface comprising:

an instant messaging application user interface; and

one or more tear-off elements corresponding to ongoing instant messaging communications sessions,

wherein;

each tear-off element is configured to enable perception and selection by a user of a corresponding one of the instant messaging communications sessions, and

each tear-off element is configured to be independently visually separated from other elements of the instant messaging application user interface and maintained as a separate entity on the instant messaging application user interface.

2. The user interface of claim 1 in which the instant messaging application user interface comprises a general interface tear-off element configured to enable perception and selection of several of the tear-off elements collectively and to enable collective visual separation of the several tear-off elements from other elements of the instant messaging application user interface.

3. The user interface of claim 2 in which the general interface tear-off element comprises a tab.

4. The user interface of claim 2 in which the general interface tear-off element comprises a button.

5. The user interface of claim 2 in which the interface is configured to enable reattachment to other elements of the general interface.

6. The user interface of claim 1 in which one or more tear-off elements are dedicated to and enable perception and selection of a single corresponding instant messaging communications session, the dedicated tear-off elements being independently visually separable from other elements of the instant messaging application user interface.

7. The user interface of claim 6 in which the dedicated tear-off elements comprise tabs.

8. The user interface of claim 6 in which the dedicated tear-off elements comprise buttons.

9. The user interface of claim 6 further comprising a manual status control associated with a dedicated tear-off element, the manual status control enabling an indication of whether a message in the corresponding instant messaging communications session has been perceived by the user.

10. The user interface of claim 1 in which display of the tear-off element persists when visually separated from other elements of the instant messaging application user interface.

11. The user interface of claim 1 in which a tear-off element is configured to enable reattachment to other elements of the instant messaging application user interface.

12. The user interface of claim 1 in which one or more of the tear-off elements are rendered visually as an integral part of the instant messaging application user interface.

13. The user interface of claim 1 in which one or more of the tear-off elements are configured to be separately manipulable.

14. The user interface of claim 1 in which one or more of the tear-off elements are configured to be separately removable from the instant messaging application user interface.

15. The user interface of claim 1 in which one or more of the tear-off elements are configured to be separately invokable.

16. The user interface of claim 1 in which one or more of the tear-off elements are configured to be separately minimizable.

17. The user interface of claim 1 in which one or more of the tear-off elements are configured to be separately movable.

18. The user interface of claim 1 in which more than one of the tear-off elements are configured to be collectively visually separated from other elements of the instant messaging application user interface and maintained as a separate display element.

19. The user interface of claim 1 in which a tear-off element is configured to be individually visually separated from other elements of the instant messaging application user interface and maintained as a separate display element.

20. The user interface of claim 1 in which the instant messaging application user interface and tear-off elements are configured to display limited information about one or more concurrent instant messaging sessions, the user interface further enabling a more detailed display of one or more of the instant messaging sessions through selection of a corresponding tear-off element.

21. The user interface of claim 1 in which a tear-off element is configured to be reattached to an interface other than the interface from which the tear-off element was separated.

22. A computer program, stored on a computer readable medium, comprising instructions for:

rendering a user interface on a display that enables user perception of information regarding a communications session that leverages an instant messaging platform, the user interface comprising an instant messaging application user interface; and

rendering one or more tear-off elements corresponding to ongoing instant messaging communications sessions,

wherein;

each tear-off element is configured to enable perception and selection by a user of a corresponding one of the instant messaging communications sessions, and

each tear-off element is configured to be independently visually separated from other elements of the instant messaging application user interface and maintained as a separate entity on the instant messaging application user interface.

23. The computer program of claim 22 in which the instant messaging application user interface comprises a general interface tear-off element configured to enable perception and selection of several of the tear-off elements collectively and to enable collective visual separation of the several tear-off elements from other elements of the instant messaging application user interface.

24. The computer program of claim 23 in which the general interface tear-off element comprises a tab.

25. The computer program of claim 23 in which the general interface tear-off element comprises a button.

26. The computer program of claim 23 in which the interface is configured to enable reattachment to other elements of the general interface.

27. The computer program of claim 22 in which one or more tear-off elements are dedicated to and enable perception and selection of a single corresponding instant messaging communications session, the dedicated tear-off elements being independently visually separable from other elements of the instant messaging application user interface.

28. The computer program of claim 27 in which the dedicated tear-off elements comprise tabs.

29. The computer program of claim 27 in which the dedicated tear-off elements comprise buttons.

30. The computer program of claim 27 further comprising instructions for rendering a manual status control associated with a dedicated tear-off element, the manual status control enabling an indication of whether a message in the corresponding instant messaging communications session has been perceived by the user.

31. The computer program of claim 22 in which display of the tear-off element persists when visually separated from other elements of the instant messaging application user interface.

32. The computer program of claim 22 in which a tear-off element is configured to enable reattachment to other elements of the instant messaging application user interface.

33. The computer program of claim 22 in which one or more of the tear-off elements are rendered visually as an integral part of the instant messaging application user interface.

34. The computer program of claim 22 in which one or more of the tear-off elements are configured to be separately manipulable.

35. The computer program of claim 22 in which one or more of the tear-off elements are configured to be separately removable from the instant messaging application user interface.

36. The computer program of claim 22 in which one or more of the tear-off elements are configured to be separately invokable.

37. The computer program of claim 22 in which one or more of the tear-off elements are configured to be separately minimizable.

38. The computer program of claim 22 in which one or more of the tear-off elements are configured to be separately movable.

39. The computer program of claim 22 in which more than one of the tear-off elements are configured to be collectively visually separated from other elements of the instant messaging application user interface and maintained as a separate display element.

40. The computer program of claim 22 in which a tear-off element is configured to be individually visually separated from other elements of the instant messaging application user interface and maintained as a separate display element.

41. The computer program of claim 22 in which the instant messaging application user interface and tear-off elements are configured to display limited information about one or more concurrent instant messaging sessions,

the user interface further enabling a more detailed display of one or more of the instant messaging sessions through selection of a corresponding tear-off element.

42. The computer program of claim 22 in which a tear-off element is configured to be reattached to an interface other than the interface from which the tear-off element was separated.

43. A computer program, stored on a computer readable medium, the computer program comprising:

means for rendering a user interface on a display that enables user perception of information-regarding a communications session that leverages an instant messaging platform, the user interface comprising an instant messaging application user interface; and

means for rendering one or more tear-off elements corresponding to ongoing instant messaging communications sessions,

wherein;

each tear-off element is configured to enable perception and selection by a user of a corresponding one of the instant messaging communications sessions, and

each tear-off element is configured to be independently visually separated from other elements of the instant messaging application user interface and maintained as a separate entity on the instant messaging application user interface.

44. The computer program of claim 43 in which the instant messaging application user interface comprises a general interface tear-off element configured to enable perception and selection of several of the tear-off elements collectively and to enable collective visual separation of the several tear-off elements from other elements of the instant messaging application user interface.

45. The computer program of claim 44 in which the interface is configured to enable reattachment to other elements of the general interface.

46. The computer program of claim 43 in which one or more tear-off elements are dedicated to and enable perception and selection of a single corresponding instant messaging communications session, the dedicated tear-off elements being independently visually separable from other elements of the instant messaging application user interface.

47. The computer program of claim 43 in which display of the tear-off element persists when visually separated from other elements of the instant messaging application user interface.

48. The computer program of claim 43 in which a tear-off element is configured to enable reattachment to other elements of the instant messaging application user interface.

49. The computer program of claim 43 in which one or more of the tear-off elements are rendered visually as an integral part of the instant messaging application user interface.

50. The computer program of claim 43 in which one or more of the tear-off elements are configured to be separately manipulable.

51. The computer program of claim 43 in which one or more of the tear-off elements are configured to be separately removable from the instant messaging application user interface.

52. The computer program of claim 43 in which one or more of the tear-off elements are configured to be separately invokable.

53. The computer program of claim 43 in which one or more of the tear-off elements are configured to be separately minimizable.

54. The computer program of claim 43 in which one or more of the tear-off elements are configured to be separately movable.

55. The computer program of claim 43 in which more than one of the tear-off elements are configured to be collectively visually separated from other elements of the instant messaging application user interface and maintained as a separate display element.

56. The computer program of claim 43 in which a tear-off element is configured to be individually visually separated from other elements of the instant messaging application user interface and maintained as a separate display element.

57. The computer program of claim 43 in which the instant messaging application user interface and tear-off elements are configured to display limited information about one or more concurrent instant messaging sessions,

the user interface further enabling a more detailed display of one or more of the instant messaging sessions through selection of a corresponding tear-off element.

58. The computer program of claim 43 in which a tear-off element is configured to be reattached to an interface other than the interface from which the tear-off element was separated.