Searching electronic content in instant-messaging applications

• US 20060259474A1
• Filed: 09/29/2005
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AOL Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Granito, Jennifer
• Granted Patent: US 7,814,100 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/234 for tracking messages

Abstract

Searching electronic content in an instant-messaging application includes obtaining input that specifies a search criterion and that further identifies a first set of users. Each user in the first set has stored electronic content that provides information about that user. The stored electronic content associated with each user in the first set is searched, and a second set of users that includes users in the first set with stored electronic content that satisfies the specified search criterion is identified. An indication of the identified users within the second set is provided.

Claims

1. A method of searching electronic content in an instant-messaging application, the method comprising:

obtaining input that specifies a search criterion and that further identifies a first set of users, wherein each user in the first set has stored electronic content that provides information about that user;

searching the stored electronic content associated with each user in the first set;

identifying a second set of users that includes users in the first set with stored electronic content that satisfies the specified search criterion; and

providing an indication of the identified users within the second set.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the search criterion indicates an event that the users in the first set may attend, the electronic content stored for a user in the first set indicates an event that the user is attending, and identifying a second set of users comprises identifying a second set of users that includes users in the first set with stored electronic content that indicates the event indicated by the search criterion.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the search criterion indicates an activity in which the users in the first set may participate, the electronic content stored for a user in the first set indicates an activity in which the user may participate, and identifying a second set of users comprises identifying a second set of users that includes users in the first set with stored electronic content that indicates the activity indicated by the search criterion.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the search criterion indicates a characteristic of the users in the first set, the electronic content stored for a user in the first set indicates a characteristic of the user, and identifying a second set of users comprises identifying a second set of users that includes users in the first set with stored electronic content that indicates the characteristic indicated by the search criterion.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the search criterion indicates a location at which the users in the first set may be located, the electronic content stored for a user in the first set indicates a location of the user, and identifying a second set of users comprises identifying a second set of users that includes users in the first set with stored electronic content that indicates the location indicated by the search criterion.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the search criterion indicates a physical geographic location at which the users in the first set may be located, and the electronic content stored for a user in the first set indicates a physical geographic location of the user, and identifying a second set of users comprises identifying a second set of users that includes users in the first set with stored electronic content that indicates the physical geographic location indicated by the search criterion.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the search criterion indicates multiple locations at which the users in the first set may be located, and identifying a second set of users comprises identifying a second set of users that includes users in the first set with stored electronic content that indicates at least one of the multiple locations indicated by the search criterion.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein identifying a second set of users comprises identifying a second set of users that includes users in the first set with stored electronic content that indicates a location that is within a threshold distance of the location indicated by the search criterion.

9. The method of claim 5 further comprising identifying whether the location indicated by the search criterion and the location indicated by the stored electronic content represent different names for a common location.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the stored electronic content for a user in the first set comprises an electronic message indicating the availability of the user to send and receive electronic messages.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the electronic message includes audio data, video data, graphical data, or text.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the stored electronic content for a user is an indication of the location of the user that is specified by the user.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein providing an indication of the identified users within the second set comprises providing an indication of at least some of the stored electronic content that satisfies the search criterion.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein providing an indication of at least some of the stored electronic content that satisfies the search criterion comprises enabling the user to identify at least one of the identified users whose electronic content will be provided.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein providing an indication of the identified users within the second set comprises providing a visual indication of the identified users.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein providing a visual indication of the identified users comprises:

determining that at least one of the identified users has an identifier that is included within a list of identifiers of users for which presence information is monitored for the user; and

highlighting the identifier of the at least one user within the list of identifiers.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein providing a visual indication of the identified users comprises:

determining that at least one of the identified users has an identifier that is included within a list of identifiers of users for which presence information is monitored for the user; and

displaying a graphical icon in proximity to the identifier of the at least one user within the list of identifiers.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein providing a visual indication of the identified users comprises:

determining that at least one of the identified users has an identifier that is included within a list of identifiers of users for which presence information is monitored for the user; and

including the identifier of the at least one user in a group within the list for identifiers of users with stored electronic content that satisfies the specified search criterion.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising adding the group to the list of identifiers.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein adding the group comprises adding the group when more than a threshold number of identifiers of users are to be included in the group.

21. The method of claim 15 wherein providing a visual indication of the identified users comprises displaying a graphical user interface that includes indications of the identified users as users with stored electronic content that satisfies the specified search criterion.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein providing an indication of the identified users within the second set comprises providing an audible indication of the identified users.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein obtaining input from a user that specifies a search criterion comprises obtaining the search criterion from a text-entry field on a user interface that is used by the user.

24. The method of claim 1 wherein obtaining input from a user that specifies a search criterion comprises obtaining a search criterion that was previously specified by the user.

25. The method of claim 1 wherein:

obtaining input from a user comprises obtaining input from a personal computing device used by the user; and

providing an indication of the identified users within the second set comprises providing the indication of the identified users to the personal computing device.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the personal computing device is a mobile device.

27. The method of claim 1 wherein the first set of users includes all users for which presence information is monitored for the user.

28. The method of claim 1 wherein the first set of users comprises a group of users sharing a characteristic.

29. The method of claim 1 wherein the first set of users includes at least two users for which presence information is monitored for the user.

30. The method of claim 1 wherein obtaining input comprises obtaining input from a user of a list of users for which online presence information is monitored and that includes the first set of users.

31. The method of claim 1 wherein obtaining input comprises automatically identifying the input.

32. A machine-accessible medium that, when accessed, results in a machine performing operations for searching electronic content in an instant-messaging application, comprising:

obtaining input that specifies a search criterion and that further identifies a first set of users, wherein each user in the first set has stored electronic content that provides information about that user;

searching the stored electronic content associated with each user in the first set;

identifying a second set of users that includes users in the first set with stored electronic content that satisfies the specified search criterion; and

providing an indication of the identified users within the second set.

33. A system comprising:

means for obtaining input that specifies a search criterion and that further identifies a first set of users, wherein each user in the first set has stored electronic content that provides information about that user;

means for searching the stored electronic content associated with each user in the first set;

means for identifying a second set of users that includes users in the first set with stored electronic content that satisfies the specified search criterion; and

means for providing an indication of the identified users within the second set.