Facilitating communications between computer users across a network
First Claim
1. A method of facilitating communications across a network between users of at least one communications program, the method comprising:
- providing a stand-alone icon that represents at least one contact of a user;
receiving status information regarding the contact;
displaying the status information regarding the contact using the icon or in response to an operation performed on the icon.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A stand-alone icon (i.e., an icon that is not part of an application interface) is provided to facilitate communications across a network between users of at least one communications program. The icon represents a contact or a set of contacts. Status information regarding the contact or set of contacts is received and displayed using the icon or in response to an operation performed on the icon. The icon additionally may provide an interface for performing actions related to the contact or set of contacts. The actions may generally include, for example, retrieving profile information about the contact, setting an alert to indicate that the contact'"'"'s network/login status (e.g., login, logout, or idle) has changed, or performing communications with the contact.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A method of facilitating communications across a network between users of at least one communications program, the method comprising:
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providing a stand-alone icon that represents at least one contact of a user;
receiving status information regarding the contact;
displaying the status information regarding the contact using the icon or in response to an operation performed on the icon. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A computer-usable medium storing a computer program for facilitating communications across a network between users of at least one communications program, the computer program comprising instructions for causing a computer to:
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provide a stand-alone icon that represents at least one contact of a user;
receive status information regarding the contact;
display the status information regarding the contact using the icon or in response to an operation performed on the icon. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A system for facilitating communications across a network between users of at least one communications program, the system comprising:
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means for providing a stand-alone icon that represents at least one contact of a user;
means for receiving status information regarding the contact;
means for displaying the status information regarding the contact using the icon or in response to an operation performed on the icon. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification