Method and system for authorizing a restricted callable status in an instant messaging system

• US 20050223075A1
• Filed: 03/31/2004
• Published: 10/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Swearingen, Craig Ardner, Tannenbaum, Alan Richard
• Granted Patent: US 7,606,862 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/207
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]

Abstract

A method, an apparatus, a system, and a computer program product are presented for managing availability status values in an instant messaging application. A user of the instant messaging application is able to select a “do not disturb” status that is to be associated with the user, thereby preventing most users from being able to initiate an instant messaging session with the user. In addition, the user of the instant messaging application can selectively authorize a subset of users to have the privilege of being able to start instant messaging sessions with the user while maintaining an indication to all other users that the user is in a “do not disturb” status.

Claims

1. A method for managing user status values in an instant messaging system, wherein the user status values indicate the availability of a user to participate in an instant messaging session, the method comprising:

receiving a first request from a user to designate the user status value that is associated with the user such that a group of one or more users cannot initiate a new instant messaging session with the user; and

receiving a second request from the user to designate a subset of the group of one or more users such that the subset of the group of one or more users is authorized to initiate a new instant messaging session with the user while a remainder of the group of one or more users cannot initiate a new instant messaging session with the user.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a request from an other user to initiate a new instant messaging session with the user; and

in response to a determination that the other user is not included in the subset of the group of one or more users, denying a new instant messaging session with the user.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a request from an other user to initiate a new instant messaging session with the user; and

in response to a determination that the other user is included in the subset of the group of one or more users, starting a new instant messaging session with the user.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying information associated with a buddy object within a window of the instant messaging application, wherein a buddy object represents an other user in the group of one or more users;

receiving a request from a user to designate the buddy object as being included within the subset of the group of one or more users; and

in response to receiving the request from the user, displaying information associated with the buddy object in the window of the instant messaging application that indicates that the buddy object is authorized to initiate a new instant messaging session with the user.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying information associated with a group of buddy objects within a window of the instant messaging application, wherein a buddy object represents an other user in the group of one or more users;

receiving a request from a user to designate the group of buddy objects as being included within the subset of the group of one or more users; and

in response to receiving the request from the user, displaying information associated with the group of buddy objects in the window of the instant messaging application that indicates that the group of buddy objects is authorized to initiate a new instant messaging session with the user.

6. A computer program product on a computer readable medium for managing user status values in an instant messaging system, wherein the user status values indicate the availability of a user to participate in an instant messaging session, the computer program product comprising:

means for receiving a first request from a user to designate the user status value that is associated with the user such that a group of one or more users cannot initiate a new instant messaging session with the user; and

means for receiving a second request from the user to designate a subset of the group of one or more users such that the subset of the group of one or more users is authorized to initiate a new instant messaging session with the user while a remainder of the group of one or more users cannot initiate a new instant messaging session with the user.

7. The computer program product of claim 6 further comprising:

means for receiving a request from an other user to initiate a new instant messaging session with the user; and

means for denying a new instant messaging session with the user in response to a determination that the other user is not included in the subset of the group of one or more users.

8. The computer program product of claim 6 further comprising:

means for receiving a request from an other user to initiate a new instant messaging session with the user; and

means for starting a new instant messaging session with the user in response to a determination that the other user is included in the subset of the group of one or more users.

9. The computer program product of claim 6 further comprising:

means for displaying information associated with a buddy object within a window of the instant messaging application, wherein a buddy object represents an other user in the group of one or more users;

means for receiving a request from a user to designate the buddy object as being included within the subset of the group of one or more users; and

means for displaying information associated with the buddy object in the window of the instant messaging application that indicates that the buddy object is authorized to initiate a new instant messaging session with the user in response to receiving the request from the user.

10. The computer program product of claim 6 further comprising:

means for displaying information associated with a group of buddy objects within a window of the instant messaging application, wherein a buddy object represents an other user in the group of one or more users;

means for receiving a request from a user to designate the group of buddy objects as being included within the subset of the group of one or more users; and

means for displaying information associated with the group of buddy objects in the window of the instant messaging application that indicates that the group of buddy objects is authorized to initiate a new instant messaging session with the user in response to receiving the request from the user.

11. An apparatus for managing user status values in an instant messaging system, wherein the user status values indicate the availability of a user to participate in an instant messaging session, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a first request from a user to designate the user status value that is associated with the user such that a group of one or more users cannot initiate a new instant messaging session with the user; and

means for receiving a second request from the user to designate a subset of the group of one or more users such that the subset of the group of one or more users is authorized to initiate a new instant messaging session with the user while a remainder of the group of one or more users cannot initiate a new instant messaging session with the user.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising:

means for receiving a request from an other user to initiate a new instant messaging session with the user; and

means for denying a new instant messaging session with the user in response to a determination that the other user is not included in the subset of the group of one or more users.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising:

means for receiving a request from an other user to initiate a new instant messaging session with the user; and

means for starting a new instant messaging session with the user in response to a determination that the other user is included in the subset of the group of one or more users.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising:

means for displaying information associated with a buddy object within a window of the instant messaging application, wherein a buddy object represents an other user in the group of one or more users;

means for receiving a request from a user to designate the buddy object as being included within the subset of the group of one or more users; and

means for displaying information associated with the buddy object in the window of the instant messaging application that indicates that the buddy object is authorized to initiate a new instant messaging session with the user in response to receiving the request from the user.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising:

means for displaying information associated with a group of buddy objects within a window of the instant messaging application, wherein a buddy object represents an other user in the group of one or more users;

means for receiving a request from a user to designate the group of buddy objects as being included within the subset of the group of one or more users; and

means for displaying information associated with the group of buddy objects in the window of the instant messaging application that indicates that the group of buddy objects is authorized to initiate a new instant messaging session with the user in response to receiving the request from the user.