Multiple personalities

• US 20050108329A1
• Filed: 05/18/2004
• Published: 05/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: AOL Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mills, Julie, Weaver, Andrew, McCool, Julie, Wolf, Eric Jeffrey, Heikes, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 8,037,150 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/141 Setup of application sessions admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

A user interface on a display enables perception of communications that leverage an instant messaging platform. The user interface includes a module for identifying at least two identities within an instant messaging communications environment to whom messages may be directed, a module for associating a first persona of a user with a first functionality, a module for associating a second persona of the user with a second functionality, the second functionality differing from the first functionality, a module for rendering an instant messaging application user interface for a first instant messaging communications session involving the user and a first identity and a second instant messaging communications session involving the user and a second identity, the user interface being presented at a system display presented to the user, and a module for enabling the first person of the user to be projected to the first identity while concurrently enabling a second persona of the same user to be projected to the second identity.

Claims

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

a module for identifying at least two identities within an instant messaging communications environment to whom messages may be directed;

a module for associating a first persona of a user with a first functionality;

a module for associating a second persona of the user with a second functionality, the second functionality differing from the first functionality;

a module for rendering an instant messaging application user interface for a first instant messaging communications session involving the user and a first identity and a second instant messaging communications session involving the user and a second identity, the user interface being presented at a system display presented to the user; and

a module for enabling the first persona of the user to be projected to the first identity while concurrently enabling a second persona of the same user to be projected to the second identity.

2. The user interface of claim 1 wherein the first functionality comprises encrypting messages sent by the user during the first instant messaging communications session.

3. The user interface of claim 2 wherein the second functionality comprises not encrypting messages sent by the user during the second instant messaging communications session.

4. The user interface of claim 1 wherein the first functionality comprises decrypting messages received by the user during the first instant messaging communications session.

5. The user interface of claim 4 wherein the second functionality comprises not decrypting messages received by the user during the second instant messaging communications session.

6. The user interface of claim 1 wherein the first functionality comprises logging messages sent and received by the user during the first instant messaging communications session.

7. The user interface of claim 6 wherein the second functionality comprises not logging messages sent and received by the user during the second instant messaging communications session.

8. The user interface of claim 6 wherein the first functionality further comprises providing a notification concerning the message logging by the user to the first of the identities.

9. The user interface of claim 8 wherein the second functionality comprises not providing a notification concerning the message logging by the user to the second of the identities.

10. The user interface of claim 1 wherein the first functionality comprises determining a routing of a message received by the user during the first instant messaging communications session.

11. The user interface of claim 10 wherein determining the routing comprises determining a routing of the message over a communications mode other than the communications mode over which the message was received.

12. The user interface of claim 10 further comprising routing the message using the determined routing.

13. The user interface of claim 12 wherein routing the message comprises forwarding the message to a different user.

14. The user interface of claim 13 wherein forwarding the message comprises forwarding the message via e-mail.

15. The user interface of claim 10 wherein the first functionality further comprises providing a notification concerning the message routing to the first of the identities.

16. The user interface of claim 10 wherein determining the routing comprises determining the routing based upon an online presence state of the user.

17. The user interface of claim 10 wherein the second functionality comprises not determining a routing of a message received by the user during the second instant messaging communications session.

18. The user interface of claim 1 wherein the first persona and the second persona each include at least one shared functionality.

19. The user interface of claim 18 wherein the shared functionality comprises logging messages sent and received by the user during the first and the second instant messaging communications sessions.

20. The user interface of claim 19 wherein the first functionality comprises encrypting messages sent by the user during the first instant messaging communications session and the second functionality comprises not encrypting messages sent by the user during the second instant messaging communications session.

21. The user interface of claim 18 wherein the shared functionality comprises encrypting messages sent by the user during the first and the second instant messaging communications sessions.

22. The user interface of claim 21 wherein the first functionality comprises logging messages sent and received by the user during the first instant messaging communications session and the second functionality comprises not logging messages sent and received by the user during the second instant messaging communications session.

23. The user interface of claim 1 further comprising a module for associating the first persona with a first group of identities such that the first persona is projected to members of the first group of identities in a communications session, wherein the first of the identities is included within the first group of identities.

24. The user interface of claim 23 further comprising a module for associating the second persona with a second group of identities such that the second persona is projected to members of the second group of identities in a communications session, wherein the second of the identities is included within the second group of identities.

25. The user interface of claim 1 further comprising a module for associating an individual persona with the first of the identities, associating a group persona with a group of the identities with which the first of the identities is associated, and associating a global persona with each of the identities, wherein the first persona projected to the first of the identities comprises an amalgamation of the individual persona associated with the first of the identities, the group persona associated with the group of the identities, and the global persona associated with each of the identities.

26. The user interface of claim 25 wherein the individual persona associated with the first of the identities overrides the group persona associated with the group of the identities and the group persona associated with the group of the identities overrides the global persona associated with each of the identities, to the extent a conflict exists.

27. The user interface of claim 1 wherein the communications session comprises an instant messaging communications session.

28. The user interface of claim 27 wherein the identities are members of a buddy list, the buddy list including the online presence state of the identities.

29. The user interface of claim 1 further comprising a module for projecting the functionality of the first persona of the user to the first of the identities while concurrently projecting the functionality of the second persona of the same user to the second of the identities.

30. The user interface of claim 29 further comprising a module for selecting among the first and second personas for projection to a particular one of the identities based on an attribute of the particular identity.

31. The user interface of claim 1 further comprising a module for receiving from the user a selection of at least the first and second personas.

32. The user interface of claim 1 further comprising a module for selecting functionality of the first persona based upon an attribute of the first identity.

33. The user interface of claim 1 further comprising a module for configuring the functionality of the first persona assigned to the first identity to change based upon the occurrence of a predetermined event.

34. The user interface of claim 33 wherein the predetermined event is based upon a time of day.

35. The user interface of claim 33 wherein the predetermined event is based upon a day of the week.

36. The user interface of claim 33 wherein the predetermined event is based upon the passage of a predetermined interval of time.

37. The user interface of claim 33 wherein the predetermined event comprises a weather condition at a predetermined geographic location.

38. The user interface of claim 33 wherein the predetermined event comprises communication of a predetermined word.

39. The user interface of claim 33 wherein the predetermined event comprises communication of a predetermined emoticon.

40. The user interface of claim 33 wherein the predetermined event comprises a predetermined date.

41. The user interface of claim 33 wherein the predetermined event comprises communication of a predetermined number of instant messages from the first identity.

42. A computer implemented method for enabling perception of multiple online personas in an instant messaging communications session, the method comprising:

identifying at least two identities within a communications environment to whom messages may be directed;

associating a first persona of a user with a first functionality;

associating a second persona of the same user with a second functionality, the second functionality differing from the first functionality; and

enabling the first persona of the user to be projected to a first of the identities while concurrently enabling the second persona of the same user to be projected to a second of the identities.

43. The method of claim 42 wherein the first functionality comprises encrypting messages sent by the user during an instant messaging communication session with the first of the identities.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein the second functionality comprises not encrypting messages sent by the user during an instant messaging communication session with the second of the identities.

45. The method of claim 42 wherein the first functionality comprises decrypting messages received by the user during an instant messaging communication session with the first of the identities.

46. The method of claim 45 wherein the second functionality comprises not decrypting messages received by the user during an instant messaging communication session with the second of the identities.

47. The method of claim 42 wherein the first functionality comprises logging messages sent and received by the user during an instant messaging communication session with the first of the identities.

48. The method of claim 47 wherein the second functionality comprises not logging messages sent and received by the user during an instant messaging communication session with the second of the identities.

49. The method of claim 47 wherein the first functionality further comprises providing a notification concerning the message logging by the user to the first of the identities.

50. The method of claim 48 wherein the second functionality comprises not providing a notification concerning the message logging by the user to the second of the identities.

51. The method of claim 42 wherein the first functionality comprises determining a routing of a message received by the user during an instant messaging communications with the first of the identities.

52. The method of claim 51 wherein determining the routing comprises determining a routing of the message over a communications mode other than the communications mode over which the message was received.

53. The method of claim 51 further comprising routing the message using the determined routing.

54. The method of claim 53 wherein routing the message comprises forwarding the message to a different user.

55. The method of claim 54 wherein forwarding the message comprises forwarding the message via e-mail.

56. The method of claim 51 wherein the first functionality further comprises providing a notification concerning the message routing to the first of the identities.

57. The method of claim 51 wherein determining the routing comprises determining the routing based upon an online presence state of the user.

58. The method of claim 51 wherein the second functionality comprises not determining a routing of a message received by the user during an instant messaging communications with the second of the identities.

59. The method of claim 42 wherein the first persona and the second persona each include at least one shared functionality.

60. The method of claim 59 wherein the shared functionality comprises logging messages sent and received by the user during an instant messaging communication session with the first of the identities and the second of the identities.

61. The method of claim 60 wherein the first functionality comprises encrypting messages sent by the user during an instant messaging communication session with the first of the identities and the second functionality comprises not encrypting messages sent by the user during an instant messaging communication session with the second of the identities.

62. The method of claim 59 wherein the shared functionality comprises encrypting messages sent by the user during an instant messaging communication session with the first of the identities and the second of the identities.

63. The method of claim 62 wherein the first functionality comprises logging messages sent and received by the user during an instant messaging communication session with the first of the identities and the second functionality comprises not logging messages sent and received by the user during an instant messaging communication session with the second of the identities.

64. The method of claim 42 further comprising associating the first persona with a first group of identities such that the first persona is projected to members of the first group of identities in a communications session, wherein the first of the identities is included within the first group of identities.

65. The method of claim 64 further comprising associating the second persona with a second group of identities such that the second persona is projected to members of the second group of identities in a communications session, wherein the second of the identities is included within the second group of identities.

66. The method of claim 42 further comprising associating an individual persona with the first of the identities, associating a group persona with a group of the identities with which the first of the identities is associated, and associating a global persona with each of the identities, wherein the first persona projected to the first of the identities comprises an amalgamation of the individual persona associated with the first of the identities, the group persona associated with the group of the identities, and the global persona associated with each of the identities.

67. The method of claim 66 wherein the individual persona associated with the first of the identities overrides the group persona associated with the group of the identities and the group persona associated with the group of the identities overrides the global persona associated with each of the identities, to the extent a conflict exists.

68. The method of claim 42 wherein the communications session comprises an instant messaging communications session.

69. The method of claim 68 wherein the identities are members of a buddy list, the buddy list including the online presence state of the identities.

70. The method of claim 42 further comprising projecting the functionality of the first persona of the user to the first of the identities while concurrently projecting the functionality of the second persona of the same user to the second of the identities.

71. The method of claim 70 further comprising selecting among the first and second personas for projection to a particular one of the identities based on an attribute of the particular identity.

72. The method of claim 42 further comprising receiving from the user a selection of at least the first and second personas.

73. The method of claim 42 further comprising selecting functionality of the first persona based upon an attribute of the first identity.

74. The method of claim 42 further comprising configuring the functionality of the first persona assigned to the first identity to change based upon the occurrence of a predetermined event.

75. The method of claim 74 wherein the predetermined event is based upon a time of day.

76. The method of claim 74 wherein the predetermined event is based upon a day of the week.

77. The method of claim 74 wherein the predetermined event is based the passage of a pre-determined interval of time.

78. The method of claim 74 wherein the predetermined event comprises a weather condition at a predetermined geographic location.

79. The method of claim 74 wherein the predetermined event comprises communication of a predetermined word.

80. The method of claim 74 wherein the predetermined event comprises communication of a predetermined emoticon.

81. The method of claim 74 wherein the predetermined event comprises a predetermined date.

82. The method of claim 74 wherein the predetermined event comprises communication of a predetermined number of instant messages from the first identity.

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

identifying at least two identities within a communications environment to whom messages may be directed;

associating a first persona of a user with a first functionality;

associating a second persona of the same user with a second functionality, the second functionality differing from the first functionality; and

enabling the first persona of the user to be projected to a first of the identities while concurrently enabling the second persona of the same user to be projected to a second of the identities.

84. The computer program of claim 83 wherein the first functionality comprises encrypting messages sent by the user during an instant messaging communication session with the first of the identities.

85. The computer program of claim 83 wherein the first functionality comprises decrypting messages received by the user during an instant messaging communication session with the first of the identities.

86. The computer program of claim 83 wherein the first functionality comprises logging messages sent and received by the user during an instant messaging communication session with the first of the identities.

87. The computer program of claim 86 wherein the first functionality further comprises providing a notification concerning the message logging by the user to the first of the identities.

88. The computer program of claim 83 wherein the first functionality comprises determining a routing of a message received by the user during an instant messaging communications with the first of the identities.

89. The computer program of claim 88 wherein instructions for determining the routing comprise instructions for determining a routing of the message over a communications mode other than the communications mode over which the message was received.

90. The computer program of claim 88 wherein the first functionality further comprises providing a notification concerning the message routing to the first of the identities.

91. The computer program of claim 88 wherein instructions for determining the routing comprise instructions for determining the routing based upon an online presence state of the user.

92. The computer program of claim 83 wherein the first persona and the second persona each include at least one shared functionality.

93. The computer program of claim 83 further comprising instructions for associating the first persona with a first group of identities such that the first persona is projected to members of the first group of identities in a communications session, wherein the first of the identities is included within the first group of identities.

94. The computer program of claim 93 further comprising instructions for associating the second persona with a second group of identities such that the second persona is projected to members of the second group of identities in a communications session, wherein the second of the identities is included within the second group of identities.

95. The computer program of claim 83 further comprising instructions for associating an individual persona with the first of the identities, instructions for associating a group persona with a group of the identities with which the first of the identities is associated, and instructions for associating a global persona with each of the identities, wherein the first persona projected to the first of the identities comprises an amalgamation of the individual persona associated with the first of the identities, the group persona associated with the group of the identities, and the global persona associated with each of the identities.

96. The computer program of claim 95 wherein the individual persona associated with the first of the identities overrides the group persona associated with the group of the identities and the group persona associated with the group of the identities overrides the global persona associated with each of the identities, to the extent a conflict exists.

97. The computer program of claim 83 further comprising instructions for projecting the functionality of the first persona of the user to the first of the identities while concurrently projecting the functionality of the second persona of the same user to the second of the identities.

98. The computer program of claim 97 further comprising instructions for selecting among the first and second personas for projection to a particular one of the identities based on an attribute of the particular identity.

99. The computer program of claim 83 further comprising instructions for selecting functionality of the first persona based upon an attribute of the first identity.

100. The computer program of claim 83 further comprising instructions for configuring the functionality of the first persona assigned to the first identity to change based upon the occurrence of a predetermined event.

101. A user interface on a display that enables perception of communications that leverage an instant messaging platform, the user interface comprising:

means for identifying at least two identities within an instant messaging communications environment to whom messages may be directed;

means for associating a first persona of a user with a first functionality;

means for associating a second persona of the user with a second functionality, the second functionality differing from the first functionality;

means for rendering an instant messaging application user interface for a first instant messaging communications session involving the user and a first identity and a second instant messaging communications session involving the user and a second identity, the user interface being presented at a system display presented to the user; and

means for enabling the first persona of the user to be projected to the first identity while concurrently enabling a second persona of the same user to be projected to the second identity.

102. The user interface of claim 101 wherein the first functionality comprises encrypting messages sent by the user during the first instant messaging communications session.

103. The user interface of claim 101 wherein the first functionality comprises decrypting messages received by the user during the first instant messaging communications session.

104. The user interface of claim 101 wherein the first functionality comprises logging messages sent and received by the user during the first instant messaging communications session.

105. The user interface of claim 104 wherein the first functionality further comprises providing a notification concerning the message logging by the user to the first of the identities.

106. The user interface of claim 101 wherein the first functionality comprises determining a routing of a message received by the user during the first instant messaging communications session.

107. The user interface of claim 101 wherein the first persona and the second persona each include at least one shared functionality.

108. The user interface of claim 101 further comprising means for associating the first persona with a first group of identities such that the first persona is projected to members of the first group of identities in a communications session, wherein the first of the identities is included within the first group of identities.

109. The user interface of claim 108 further comprising means for associating the second persona with a second group of identities such that the second persona is projected to members of the second group of identities in a communications session, wherein the second of the identities is included within the second group of identities.

110. The user interface of claim 101 further comprising means for associating an individual persona with the first of the identities, associating a group persona with a group of the identities with which the first of the identities is associated, and associating a global persona with each of the identities, wherein the first persona projected to the first of the identities comprises an amalgamation of the individual persona associated with the first of the identities, the group persona associated with the group of the identities, and the global persona associated with each of the identities.

111. The user interface of claim 101 further comprising means for projecting the functionality of the first persona of the user to the first of the identities while concurrently projecting the functionality of the second persona of the same user to the second of the identities.