System and method for instant messenger busy gauge

• US 20060064646A1
• Filed: 09/15/2004
• Published: 03/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kelso, Scott Edwards, Weksler, Arnold S., Waltermann, Rod David
• Granted Patent: US 7,500,200 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/772
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]

Abstract

A system and method that gathers activity level from users and provides a “busy gauge” to others that indicates the user'"'"'s activity level. In one embodiment, the user'"'"'s activity is computed automatically based upon the user'"'"'s interaction with their computer system. In the automatic method, an input tracking routine records the user'"'"'s input frequency, such as mouse clicks, voice inputs, keyboard inputs, and other inputs in order to determine the user'"'"'s activity level. The recorded activity data is compared with activity level thresholds that can be either default thresholds or user-specified. The user can select to use a manual input level in which the user specifies the user'"'"'s activity level despite the number of input actions received at the user'"'"'s computer.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method comprising:

receiving one or more activity levels, wherein each of the activity levels corresponds to a different instant messaging partner;

identifying a busy gauge icon that corresponds to each of the activity levels; and

displaying the busy gauge icon and a partner name for each of the instant messaging partners, wherein the busy gauge is displayed in a position proximate to the name of the corresponding instant messaging partner.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

automatically computing the activity level for one or more of the instant messaging partners based upon a computer input frequency of the corresponding instant messaging partner.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a manual activity level for one or more of the instant messaging partners, the receiving including;

displaying a dialog of various activity levels; and

receiving a selection from the instant messaging partner that corresponds to one of the various activity levels.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the displaying further comprises:

displaying an indicator corresponding to each of the displayed busy gauges that indicates whether the activity level corresponding to the busy gauge was determined manually or automatically.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

configuring an automatic activity level, the configuring including receiving a plurality of input measurements from a user, wherein each of the plurality of input measurements correspond to a different busy gauge icon.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

automatically computing the activity level of a user of a computer system upon which the computer implemented method is operating; and

transmitting the user'"'"'s activity level to one or more instant messaging partners over a computer network.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a manually identified activity level of a user of a computer system upon which the computer implemented method is operating; and

transmitting the user'"'"'s activity level to one or more instant messaging partners over a computer network.

8. An information handling system comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory accessible by the processors;

a nonvolatile storage device accessible by the processors;

a display screen accessible by the processors; and

a busy gauge tool for providing activity levels of instant messaging partners, the busy gauge tool including software code effective to;

receiving one or more activity levels, wherein each of the activity levels corresponds to a different instant messaging partner;

identifying a busy gauge icon that corresponds to each of the activity levels; and

displaying the busy gauge icon and a partner name for each of the instant messaging partners, wherein the busy gauge is displayed in a position proximate to the name of the corresponding instant messaging partner.

9. The information handling system of claim 8 wherein the busy gauge tool further comprises:

software code effective to automatically compute the activity level for one or more of the instant messaging partners based upon a computer input frequency of the corresponding instant messaging partner.

10. The information handling system of claim 8 wherein the busy gauge tool further comprises:

software code effective to receive a manual activity level for one or more of the instant messaging partners, the software code effective to receive the manual activity level including;

software code effective to display a dialog of various activity levels; and

software code effective to receive a selection from the instant messaging partner that corresponds to one of the various activity levels.

11. The information handling system of claim 8 wherein the software code effective to display further comprises:

software code effective to display an indicator corresponding to each of the displayed busy gauges that indicates whether the activity level corresponding to the busy gauge was determined manually or automatically.

12. The information handling system of claim 8 wherein the busy gauge tool further comprises:

software code effective to configure an automatic activity level, the software code effective to configure including software code effective to receive a plurality of input measurements from a user, wherein each of the plurality of input measurements correspond to a different busy gauge icon.

13. The information handling system of claim 8 wherein the busy gauge tool further comprises:

software code effective to automatically compute the activity level of a user of a computer system upon which the computer implemented information handling system is operating; and

software code effective to transmit the user'"'"'s activity level to one or more instant messaging partners over a computer network.

14. A computer program product stored in a computer operable media, said computer program product comprising software code effective to:

receive one or more activity levels, wherein each of the activity levels corresponds to a different instant messaging partner;

identify a busy gauge icon that corresponds to each of the activity levels; and

display the busy gauge icon and a partner name for each of the instant messaging partners, wherein the busy gauge is displayed in a position proximate to the name of the corresponding instant messaging partner.

15. The computer program product of claim 14 further comprising:

software code effective to automatically compute the activity level for one or more of the instant messaging partners based upon a computer input frequency of the corresponding instant messaging partner.

16. The computer program product of claim 14 further comprising:

software code effective to receive a manual activity level for one or more of the instant messaging partners, the software code effective to receive the manual activity level including;

software code effective to display a dialog of various activity levels; and

software code effective to receive a selection from the instant messaging partner that corresponds to one of the various activity levels.

17. The computer program product of claim 14 further comprising:

software code effective to display an indicator corresponding to each of the displayed busy gauges that indicates whether the activity level corresponding to the busy gauge was determined manually or automatically.

18. The computer program product of claim 14 further comprising:

software code effective to configure an automatic activity level, the software code effective to configure including software code effective to receive a plurality of input measurements from a user, wherein each of the plurality of input measurements correspond to a different busy gauge icon.

19. The computer program product of claim 14 further comprising:

software code effective to automatically compute the activity level of a user of a computer system upon which the computer implemented method is operating; and

software code effective to transmit the user'"'"'s activity level to one or more instant messaging partners over a computer network.

20. The computer program product of claim 14 further comprising:

software code effective to receive a manually identified activity level of a user of a computer system upon which the computer implemented method is operating; and

software code effective to transmit the user'"'"'s activity level to one or more instant messaging partners over a computer network.