Facilitating communications between computer users across a network

• US 20040103156A1
• Filed: 12/30/2002
• Published: 05/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AOL LLC (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rosenblatt, Ira, Quillen, Scott A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,266,776 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

An icon or file is provided to facilitate communications across a network. The icon or file represents a contact or set of contacts and is separate from the communications program'"'"'s user interface. At least one action is executed in response to an operation performed on the icon or a command issued to the file. 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 has changed (e.g., login, logout, or idle), or performing communications with the contact. The action may be the same action that would be executed in response to an operation performed on a representation of the contact or set of contacts in a user interface of a communications program.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating communications across a network between users of at least one communications program, the method comprising:

providing an icon that represents a contact or set of contacts, wherein the icon is independent of a user interface of the communications program;

recognizing that an operation has been performed on the icon; and

executing at least one action in response to the operation performed on the icon, wherein the action is the same as an action that would be executed in response to an operation performed on a representation of the contact or set of contacts in the user interface of the communications program.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the icon is independent of any application user interface.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the operation comprises associating information to be transmitted to the contact or set of contacts with the icon representing the contact or set of contacts.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein associating the information comprises dropping an icon representing the information to be transmitted to the contact or set of contacts on the icon representing the contact or set of contacts.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein executing at least one action comprises:

detecting that the icon representing information to be transmitted to the contact or set of contacts has been dropped on the icon representing the contact or set of contacts, and

automatically transmitting the information represented by the dropped icon to the contact or set of contacts in response to the icon representing information to be transmitted being dropped on the icon representing the contact or set of contacts.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the information to be transmitted comprises a file, such that the file is automatically transmitted to the contacts or set of contacts in response to the icon representing the file being dropped on the icon representing the contact or set of contacts.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein automatically transmitting the file further comprises:

automatically establishing a communication session with the contact or set of contacts in response to the icon representing the file being dropped on the icon representing the contact or set of contacts; and

transmitting the file to the contact or set of contacts via the communication session.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the information to be transmitted comprises a textual message such that the textual message is automatically transmitted to the contacts or set of contacts in response to the icon representing the textual message being dropped on the icon representing the contact or set of contacts.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein transmitting comprises transmitting the textual message to the contact or set of contacts via a host server.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the communications program comprises an instant messaging program.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the contact or set of contacts is a single contact.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the icon that represents a contact or set of contacts is available when the communications program is not executing.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising invoking the communications program in response to the operation performed on the icon that represents a contact or set of contacts.

14. A method of facilitating the transfer of information between computer users on a network:

providing a first icon that represents a contact or set of contacts and that is independent of an application interface;

recognizing that a second icon has been dropped onto the first icon, wherein the second icon represents information to be transmitted to the contact or set of contacts represented by the first icon; and

automatically transmitting the information represented by the second icon to the contact or set of contacts in response to the second icon being dropped on the first icon.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the information to be transmitted comprises a file, such that the file is automatically transmitted to the contacts or set of contacts in response to the icon representing the file being dropped on the icon representing the contact or set of contacts.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein automatically transmitting the file further comprises:

automatically establishing a communication session with the contact or set of contacts in response to the icon representing the file being dropped on the icon representing the contact or set of contacts; and

transmitting the file to the contact or set of contacts via the communication session.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the information to be transmitted comprises a textual message such that the textual message is automatically transmitted to the contacts or set of contacts in response to the icon representing the textual message being dropped on the icon representing the contact or set of contacts.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the textual message is transmitted to the contact or set of contacts via a host server.

19. A method of facilitating communications across a network between users of at least one communications program, the method comprising:

providing a file that is associated with a contact or set of contacts;

recognizing that a command has been issued to the file; and

executing at least one action in response to the command issued to the file, wherein the action is the same as an action that would be executed in response to an operation performed on a representation of the contact or set of contacts in a user interface of the communications program.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising representing the file with an icon.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the commands comprise graphical commands such that the issued commands are graphical operations performed on the icon representing the file.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the operations comprise associating information to be transmitted to the contact or set of contacts with the icon representing the file.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein associating the information comprises dropping an icon representing the information to be transmitted to the contact or set of contacts on the icon representing the file.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein executing at least one action comprises:

detecting that the icon representing information to be transmitted to the contact or set of contacts has been dropped on the icon representing the file, and

automatically transmitting the information represented by the dropped icon to the contact or set of contacts in response to the icon representing information to be transmitted being dropped on the icon representing the file.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the information to be transmitted comprises a file, such that the file is automatically transmitted to the contacts or set of contacts in response to the icon representing the file being dropped on the icon representing the file associated with the contact or set of contacts.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein automatically transmitting the file further comprises:

automatically establishing a communication session with the contact or set of contacts in response to the icon representing the file being dropped on the icon representing the file associated with the contact or set of contacts; and

transmitting the file to the contact or set of contacts via the communication session.

27. The method of claim 24 wherein the information to be transmitted comprises a textual message such that the textual message is automatically transmitted to the contacts or set of contacts in response to the icon representing the textual message being dropped on the icon representing the file associated with the contact or set of contacts.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein transmitting comprises transmitting the textual message to the contact or set of contacts via a host server.

29. The method of claim 21 wherein the icon representing the file associated with the contact or set of contacts is available when the communications program is not executing.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising invoking the communications program in response to the operation performed on the icon that represents the file associated with the contact or set of contacts.

31. The method of claim 19 wherein the communications program comprises an instant messaging program.

32. The method of claim 19 wherein the contact or set of contacts is a single contact.

33. 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:

provide an icon that represents a contact or set of contacts, wherein the icon is independent of a user interface of the communications program;

recognize that an operation has been performed on the icon; and

execute at least one action in response to the operation performed on the icon, wherein the action is the same as an action that would be executed in response to an operation performed on a representation of the contact or set of contacts in the user interface of the communications program.

34. The computer-usable medium of claim 33 wherein the icon is independent of any application user interface.

35. The computer-usable medium of claim 33 wherein the operation comprises associating information to be transmitted to the contact or set of contacts with the icon representing the contact or set of contacts.

36. The computer-usable medium of claim 35 wherein associating the information comprises dropping an icon representing the information to be transmitted to the contact or set of contacts on the icon representing the contact or set of contacts.

37. The computer-usable medium of claim 36 wherein, to execute at least one action, the computer program further comprises instruction for causing a computer to:

detect that the icon representing information to be transmitted to the contact or set of contacts has been dropped on the icon representing the contact or set of contacts, and

automatically transmit the information represented by the dropped icon to the contact or set of contacts in response to the icon representing information to be transmitted being dropped on the icon representing the contact or set of contacts.

38. The computer-usable medium of claim 37 wherein the information to be transmitted comprises a file, such that the file is automatically transmitted to the contacts or set of contacts in response to the icon representing the file being dropped on the icon representing the contact or set of contacts.

39. The computer-usable medium of claim 38 wherein, to automatically transmit the file, the computer program further comprises instruction for causing a computer to:

automatically establish a communication session with the contact or set of contacts in response to the icon representing the file being dropped on the icon representing the contact or set of contacts; and

transmit the file to the contact or set of contacts via the communication session.

40. The computer-usable medium of claim 37 wherein the information to be transmitted comprises a textual message such that the textual message is automatically transmitted to the contacts or set of contacts in response to the icon representing the textual message being dropped on the icon representing the contact or set of contacts.

41. The computer-usable medium of claim 40 wherein transmitting comprises transmitting the textual message to the contact or set of contacts via a host server.

42. The computer-usable medium of claim 33 wherein the communications program comprises an instant messaging program.

43. The computer-usable medium of claim 33 wherein the contact or set of contacts is a single contact.

44. The computer-usable medium of claim 33 wherein the icon that represents a contact or set of contacts is available when the communications program is not executing.

45. The computer-usable medium of claim 44 wherein the computer program further comprises instruction for causing a computer to invoke the communications program in response to the operation performed on the icon that represents a contact or set of contacts.

46. A computer-usable medium storing a computer program for facilitating the transfer of information between computer users on a network, the computer program comprising instructions for causing a computer to:

provide a first icon that represents a contact or set of contacts and that is independent of an application interface;

recognize that a second icon has been dropped onto the first icon, wherein the second icon represents information to be transmitted to the contact or set of contacts represented by the first icon; and

automatically transmit the information represented by the second icon to the contact or set of contacts in response to the second icon being dropped on the first icon.

47. The computer-usable medium of claim 46 wherein the information to be transmitted comprises a file, such that the file is automatically transmitted to the contacts or set of contacts in response to the icon representing the file being dropped on the icon representing the contact or set of contacts.

48. The computer-usable medium of claim 47 wherein, to automatically transmit the file, the computer program further comprises instructions for causing a computer to:

automatically establish a communication session with the contact or set of contacts in response to the icon representing the file being dropped on the icon representing the contact or set of contacts; and

transmit the file to the contact or set of contacts via the communication session.

49. The computer-usable medium of claim 46 wherein the information to be transmitted comprises a textual message such that the textual message is automatically transmitted to the contacts or set of contacts in response to the icon representing the textual message being dropped on the icon representing the contact or set of contacts.

50. The computer-usable medium of claim 49 wherein the textual message is transmitted to the contact or set of contacts via a host server.

51. 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:

provide a file that is associated with a contact or set of contacts;

recognize that a command has been issued to the file; and

execute at least one action in response to the command issued to the file, wherein the action is the same as an action that would be executed in response to an operation performed on a representation of the contact or set of contacts in a user interface of the communications program.

52. The computer-usable medium of claim 51 wherein the computer program further comprises instructions for causing a computer to represent the file with an icon.

53. The computer-usable medium of claim 52 wherein the commands comprise graphical commands such that the issued commands are graphical operations performed on the icon representing the file.

54. The computer-usable medium of claim 53 wherein the operations comprise associating information to be transmitted to the contact or set of contacts with the icon representing the file.

55. The computer-usable medium of claim 54 wherein associating the information comprises dropping an icon representing the information to be transmitted to the contact or set of contacts on the icon representing the file.

56. The computer-usable medium of claim 55 wherein, to execute at least one action, the computer program further comprises instructions for causing a computer to:

detect that the icon representing information to be transmitted to the contact or set of contacts has been dropped on the icon representing the file, and

automatically transmit the information represented by the dropped icon to the contact or set of contacts in response to the icon representing information to be transmitted being dropped on the icon representing the file.

57. The computer-usable medium of claim 56 wherein the information to be transmitted comprises a file, such that the file is automatically transmitted to the contacts or set of contacts in response to the icon representing the file being dropped on the icon representing the file associated with the contact or set of contacts.

58. The computer-usable medium of claim 57 wherein, to automatically transmit the file, the computer program further comprises instructions for causing a computer to:

automatically establish a communication session with the contact or set of contacts in response to the icon representing the file being dropped on the icon representing the file associated with the contact or set of contacts; and

transmit the file to the contact or set of contacts via the communication session.

59. The computer-usable medium of claim 56 wherein the information to be transmitted comprises a textual message such that the textual message is automatically transmitted to the contacts or set of contacts in response to the icon representing the textual message being dropped on the icon representing the file associated with the contact or set of contacts.

60. The computer-usable medium of claim 59 wherein transmitting comprises transmitting the textual message to the contact or set of contacts via a host server.

61. The computer-usable medium of claim 53 wherein the icon representing the file associated with the contact or set of contacts is available when the communications program is not executing.

62. The computer-usable medium of claim 61 wherein the computer program further comprises instructions for causing a computer to invoke the communications program in response to the operation performed on the icon that represents the file associated with the contact or set of contacts.

63. The computer-usable medium of claim 51 wherein the communications program comprises an instant messaging program.

64. The computer-usable medium of claim 51 wherein the contact or set of contacts is a single contact.

65. A device comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one data storage system;

wherein the data storage system has a program stored therein, the program having instructions that cause the processor to perform the following;

provide an icon that represents a contact or set of contacts, wherein the icon is independent of a user interface of the communications program;

recognize that an operation has been performed on the icon; and

execute at least one action in response to the operation performed on the icon, wherein the action is the same as an action that would be executed in response to an operation performed on a representation of the contact or set of contacts in the user interface of the communications program.

66. The device of claim 65 wherein the icon is independent of any application user interface.

67. The device of claim 65 wherein the operation comprises associating information to be transmitted to the contact or set of contacts with the icon representing the contact or set of contacts.

68. The device of claim 67 wherein associating the information comprises dropping an icon representing the information to be transmitted to the contact or set of contacts on the icon representing the contact or set of contacts.

69. The device of claim 68 wherein, to execute at least one action, the program further comprises instruction for causing the processor to:

detect that the icon representing information to be transmitted to the contact or set of contacts has been dropped on the icon representing the contact or set of contacts, and

automatically transmit the information represented by the dropped icon to the contact or set of contacts in response to the icon representing information to be transmitted being dropped on the icon representing the contact or set of contacts.

70. The device of claim 69 wherein the information to be transmitted comprises a file, such that the file is automatically transmitted to the contacts or set of contacts in response to the icon representing the file being dropped on the icon representing the contact or set of contacts.

71. The device of claim 70 wherein, to automatically transmit the file, the program further comprises instruction for causing the processor to:

automatically establish a communication session with the contact or set of contacts in response to the icon representing the file being dropped on the icon representing the contact or set of contacts; and

transmit the file to the contact or set of contacts via the communication session.

72. The device of claim 69 wherein the information to be transmitted comprises a textual message such that the textual message is automatically transmitted to the contacts or set of contacts in response to the icon representing the textual message being dropped on the icon representing the contact or set of contacts.

73. The device of claim 72 wherein transmitting comprises transmitting the textual message to the contact or set of contacts via a host server.

74. The device of claim 65 wherein the communications program comprises an instant messaging program.

75. The device of claim 65 wherein the contact or set of contacts is a single contact.

76. The device of claim 65 wherein the icon that represents a contact or set of contacts is available when the communications program is not executing.

77. The device of claim 76 wherein the program further comprises instruction for causing the processor to invoke the communications program in response to the operation performed on the icon that represents a contact or set of contacts.

78. A device comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one data storage system;

wherein the data storage system has a program stored therein, the program having instructions that cause the processor to perform the following;

provide a first icon that represents a contact or set of contacts and that is independent of an application interface;

recognize that a second icon has been dropped onto the first icon, wherein the second icon represents information to be transmitted to the contact or set of contacts represented by the first icon; and

automatically transmit the information represented by the second icon to the contact or set of contacts in response to the second icon being dropped on the first icon.

79. The device of claim 78 wherein the information to be transmitted comprises a file, such that the file is automatically transmitted to the contacts or set of contacts in response to the icon representing the file being dropped on the icon representing the contact or set of contacts.

80. The device of claim 79 wherein, to automatically transmit the file, the program further comprises instructions for causing the processor to:

automatically establish a communication session with the contact or set of contacts in response to the icon representing the file being dropped on the icon representing the contact or set of contacts; and

transmit the file to the contact or set of contacts via the communication session.

81. The device of claim 78 wherein the information to be transmitted comprises a textual message such that the textual message is automatically transmitted to the contacts or set of contacts in response to the icon representing the textual message being dropped on the icon representing the contact or set of contacts.

82. The device of claim 81 wherein the textual message is transmitted to the contact or set of contacts via a host server.

83. A device comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one data storage system;

wherein the data storage system has a program stored therein, the program having instructions that cause the processor to perform the following;

provide an file that is associated with a contact or set of contacts;

recognize that a command has been issued to the file; and

execute at least one action in response to the command issued to the file, wherein the action is the same as an action that would be executed in response to an operation performed on a representation of the contact or set of contacts in a user interface of the communications program.

84. The device of claim 83 wherein the program further comprises instructions for causing the processor to represent the file with an icon.

85. The device of claim 84 wherein the commands comprise graphical commands such that the issued commands are graphical operations performed on the icon representing the file.

86. The device of claim 85 wherein the operations comprise associating information to be transmitted to the contact or set of contacts with the icon representing the file.

87. The device of claim 86 wherein associating the information comprises dropping an icon representing the information to be transmitted to the contact or set of contacts on the icon representing the file.

88. The device of claim 87 wherein, to execute at least one action, the program further comprises instructions for causing the processor to:

contacts has been dropped on the icon representing the file, and

automatically transmit the information represented by the dropped icon to the contact or set of contacts in response to the icon representing information to be transmitted being dropped on the icon representing the file.

89. The device of claim 88 wherein the information to be transmitted comprises a file, such that the file is automatically transmitted to the contacts or set of contacts in response to the icon representing the file being dropped on the icon representing the file associated with the contact or set of contacts.

90. The device of claim 89 wherein, to automatically transmit the file, the program further comprises instructions for causing the processor to:

automatically establish a communication session with the contact or set of contacts in response to the icon representing the file being dropped on the icon representing the file associated with the contact or set of contacts; and

transmit the file to the contact or set of contacts via the communication session.

91. The device of claim 88 wherein the information to be transmitted comprises a textual message such that the textual message is automatically transmitted to the contacts or set of contacts in response to the icon representing the textual message being dropped on the icon representing the file associated with the contact or set of contacts.

92. The device of claim 91 wherein transmitting comprises transmitting the textual message to the contact or set of contacts via a host server.

93. The device of claim 85 wherein the icon representing the file associated with the contact or set of contacts is available when the communications program is not executing.

94. The device of claim 93 wherein the program further comprises instructions for causing the processor to invoke the communications program in response to the operation performed on the icon that represents the file associated with the contact or set of contacts.

95. The device of claim 83 wherein the communications program comprises an instant messaging program.

96. The device of claim 83 wherein the contact or set of contacts is a single contact.