Mobile shared group interaction

• US 20050172001A1
• Filed: 01/30/2004
• Published: 08/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Roseway, Asta, Saretto, Cesare John, Zaner, Melora, Mulcahy, Kathleen, Savage, Tammy, Chung, Eun-Kyung
• Granted Patent: US 7,702,728 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages

Abstract

Techniques for enabling mobile shared group interaction are described. Members of a group may access, through a user interface, group activities that provide a shared, synchronous, interactive experience. An interface may be provided via a mobile device such as a cellular telephone that enables members who are mobile to participate in group activities with other members who are also mobile or who are logged on via a non-mobile device such as a desktop computer system.

Claims

1. A graphical user interface associated with a group interaction application for facilitating a group interaction among a first user and one or more other users, the graphical user interface comprising:

a group identification area configured to display visual representations of a plurality of online social groups in which the first user is a member, wherein the visual representations of online social groups are automatically arranged by at least one of a geographic location associated with a member of one of the online social groups, a date and time of a most recent communication between the first user and another member of one of the online social groups, and a frequency of communication between the first user and another member of one of the online social groups.

2. The graphical user interface as recited in claim 1 wherein a selected group is represented by one of the visual representations, the graphical user interface further comprising a group details area configured to display a group name associated with the selected group.

3. The graphical user interface as recited in claim 1 wherein the visual representations of online social groups are filtered, at least in part, based on geographical location information associated with one or more members of the online social groups.

4. The graphical user interface as recited in claim 1 wherein the visual representations of online social groups are filtered, at least in part, based on frequency of communication between the first user and one or more members of the online social groups.

5. The graphical user interface as recited in claim 1 wherein the visual representations of online social groups are filtered, at least in part, based on a date and time of a most recent communication between the first user and one or more members of the online social groups.

6. The graphical user interface as recited in claim 1 further comprising a personal representation area configured to display a configurable avatar associated with the first user.

7. The graphical user interface as recited in claim 6 wherein the avatar comprises a visual representation of the first user that is displayed to other online members of online social groups to which the user belongs.

8. The graphical user interface as recited in claim 6 wherein the avatar comprises a visual representation of the first user that is displayed to other online individuals with which the first user has a relationship.

9. The graphical user interface as recited in claim 6 wherein the personal representation area is further configured to display a username and presence information associated with the first user wherein the username and presence information may be displayed to other online members of online social groups to which the user belongs.

10. The graphical user interface as recited in claim 6 wherein the personal representation area is further configured to display a username and presence information associated with the first user wherein the username and presence information may be displayed to other online individuals with which the first user has a relationship.

11. The graphical user interface as recited in claim 6 wherein the personal representation area is further configured to display a username associated with the first user.

12. The graphical user interface as recited in claim 1 further comprising a group details area configured to display data associated with a selected one of the plurality of online social groups.

13. The graphical user interface as recited in claim 12 wherein the data comprises at least one of a group name associated with the selected group, presence information associated with the selected group, presence information associated with online members of the selected group, and a visual representation of an activity in which one or more online members of the selected group are participating.

14. The graphical user interface as recited in claim 1 further comprising a group activities menu comprising one or more selectable items representing social activities in which the first user, as a member of a selected group may participate.

15. The graphical user interface as recited in claim 14 wherein the social activities represented by the selectable items of the group activities menu are selected from a group of social activities comprising calling, inviting, sending a wink, sending a bubble, sending a file, sharing an image, sharing audio, sending a calling card, and viewing group history.

16. The graphical user interface as recited in claim 14 wherein the group activities in which a member of the selected group who is logged on via a mobile device may participate comprise a subset of group activities in which a member of the selected group who is logged on via a non-mobile device may participate.

17. The graphical user interface as recited in claim 16 wherein the non-mobile device comprises a desktop computer system.

18. The graphical user interface as recited in claim 14 wherein the social activities in which a mobile member of the selected group may participate comprise a group of activities that are available to group members who are mobile but that are not available to a group member who is logged on via a non-mobile device.

19. The graphical user interface as recited in claim 18 wherein the non-mobile device comprises a desktop computer system.

20. The graphical user interface as recited in claim 1 implemented on a mobile device.

21. The graphical user interface as recited in claim 20 wherein the mobile device comprises at least one of a cellular telephone, a personal digital assistant, a car stereo system, a portable television, a portable DVD player, a portable stereo system, a wearable computing device, a watch, a bracelet, a necklace, a pendant, and a digital picture frame.

22. A mobile device comprising the graphical user interface as recited in claim 1.

23. A method comprising:

displaying a mobile device user interface to a user of a mobile device, the mobile device user interface comprising a first group icon associated with a first group comprising the user and at least one other user; and

automatically sending a communication to a computing device used by the at least one other user to initiate an online group interaction between the user and the at least one other user.

24. The method as recited in claim 23 wherein the mobile device comprises a cellular telephone.

25. The method as recited in claim 23 wherein the computing device used by the at least one other user comprises a mobile device.

26. The method as recited in claim 23 wherein the computing device used by the at least one other user comprises a non-mobile device.

27. The method as recited in claim 26 wherein the non-mobile device comprises a desktop computer system.

28. The method as recited in claim 23 wherein the sending a communication comprises establishing a peer-to-peer connection between the mobile device and the computing device used by the at least one other user.

29. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to implement the method as recited in claim 23.

30. A method comprising:

identifying a plurality of online social groups in which a user is a member; and

ordering the plurality of online social groups based on at least one of a frequency of communication between the user and other members of the groups, a time since a last communication between the user and other members of the groups, and a relationship between a geographic location associated with the user and geographic locations associated with other members of the groups.

31. The method as recited in claim 30 further comprising filtering the plurality of online social groups based on at least one of a frequency of communication between the user and other members of the groups, a time since a last communication between the user and other members of the groups, and a relationship between a geographic location associated with the user and geographic locations associated with other members of the groups.

32. One or more computer-readable media comprising computer-readable instructions which, when executed, cause a computer system to:

present a graphical user interface that displays visual representations of a plurality of groups, each of the groups comprising two or more members, wherein the visual representations of the plurality of groups are arranged based on at least one of a relationship between geographic locations associated with the groups, a frequency of communication between a first member of the groups and other members of the groups; and

automatically establish a connection between the computer system being used by a first member of the groups and a second computer system being used by another member of at least one of the groups.

33. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 32 wherein the computer system comprises a mobile device.

34. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 32 wherein the second computer system comprises a mobile device.

35. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 32 wherein the second computer system comprises a non-mobile device.

36. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 32 further comprising computer-readable instructions which, when executed, cause a computer system to:

receive a user selection of a graphical element and an audio element; and

transmit the graphical and audio elements to a group member such that in an event that the group member is online, the graphical and audio elements are automatically presented to the group member.

37. A mobile device comprising:

a device-specific processor;

a communication interface configured to establish a connection between the mobile device an another device; and

a user interface configured to enable a user of the mobile device to participate in an online group interaction with one or more other members of a group.

38. The mobile device as recited in claim 37, implemented as a cellular telephone.

39. The mobile device as recited in claim 37, wherein the online group interaction is selected from a group of online group interactions comprising a group instant messaging activity, a group image sharing activity, a group video sharing activity, a group audio sharing activity, transmission of an electronic wink to one or more members of the group, and transmission of an electronic message bubble to one or more members of the group.