Multi-modal auto complete function for a connection

• US 20070115991A1
• Filed: 11/23/2005
• Published: 05/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: R2 Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cortright, David, Ramani, Ramkumar, Yuan, Bing, Dhomse, Vinod
• Granted Patent: US 7,583,671 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/392
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/274 Converting codes to words; Guess-ahead of partial word inputs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4555 Directories for electronic mail or instant messaging

Abstract

An apparatus, method, and system are directed to managing a multi-modal communication over a network. In one embodiment, the method, apparatus, and system employ an instant messaging client to perform actions. The actions may include receiving contact information associated with a plurality of communication mediums. The contact information includes contact names and addresses that are integrated into a unified contact store. When a user inputs a character for use in initiating a communication, a dynamic search is performed on the unified contact store. The results of the search may be repeatedly updated based on additional input characters. The results display contact names and addresses, where either the contact name or address includes the input character(s). The user may then select an address, and automatically initiate a communication with a contact name associated with the selected address over a communication medium associated with the address.

Claims

1. A client device that is configured for use in initiating a communication over a network, comprising:

a transceiver for receiving and for sending information over the network; and

a messaging client that is arranged to perform actions comprising;

receiving contact information from a plurality of messaging services, each messaging service being associated with a different communication medium and having contact information that includes at least one contact name and an associated address;

integrating the contact information in a unified contact store; and

if at least one character is received;

displaying a list of contact names from the unified contact store based on the at least one received character, each contact name having displayed with it at least one address,

enabling selection of a contact name and address from the displayed list, and

automatically establishing the communication with the selected contact name using a communication medium associated with the selected address.

2. The client device of claim 1, the actions further comprising:

if at least one character is not received;

displaying another list of contact names from the unified contact store based on at least one of a history log, or a default set of contact names, each contact name having displayed with it at least one address;

enabling selection of a contact name and address from the displayed list; and

automatically establishing the communication with the selected contact name using a communication medium associated with the selected address.

3. The client device of claim 1, wherein displaying the list of contact names further comprises:

performing a search within the unified contact store based on the at least one received character; and

selecting for display contact names and addresses that include the at least one character in either the contact name or the address.

4. The client device of claim 1, wherein the at least one character further comprises a portion of a telephone number, a portion of an email address, a portion of an SMS address, a portion of an IM address, or a portion of a contact name.

5. The client device of claim 1, wherein displaying the list of contact names further comprises:

displaying a list of contact names using a weighted ordering of at least one of the contact names or the addresses based on a frequency of communications with the contact name.

6. The client device of claim 1, wherein displaying the list of contact names further comprises:

displaying the list of contact names with at least one contact name in the list of contact names having multiple addresses displayed for the at least one contact name.

7. The client device of claim 1, wherein the messaging client is an instant messaging application.

8. The client device of claim 1, wherein the different communication mediums further comprise at least one of email, SMS, IM, PC to PC voice call, or a PC to PSTN voice call.

9. A method for initiating a communication over a network, comprising:

receiving contact information associated with a plurality of communication mediums, the contact information including at least one contact name with an associated address that employs an associated communication medium; and

if at least one character is received;

displaying a dynamic list of at least one contact name with an associated address, the list being determined based on the at least one received character,

enabling selection an address from the dynamic list, and

automatically initiating the communication using the communications medium associated with the selected address.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

if at least one character is not received;

displaying another list of contact names from the unified contact store based at least in part on a default set of contact names, each contact name having displayed with it at least one address;

enabling selection of a contact name and address from the displayed list; and

automatically establishing the communication with the selected contact name using a communication medium associated with the selected address.

11. An instant messaging client application is configured to include program instructions for performing the method of claim 9.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the communication mediums further comprise at least one of email, SMS, IM, PC to PC voice call, or PC to PSTN voice call.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

integrating the contact information in a unified contact store; and

in response to receiving the at least one character, dynamically repeating a search of the unified contact store for a match of the at least one character within at least one of a contact name or address.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one character further comprises a portion of a telephone number, a portion of an email address, a portion of a SMS address, a portion of an IM address, or a portion of a contact name.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein displaying the dynamic list further comprises displaying presence information associated with the at least one contact name.

16. A modulated data signal is configured to include program instructions for performing the method of claim 9.

17. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps for use in initiating a communication over a network, the steps comprising:

receiving contact information associated with a plurality of communication mediums, the contact information including a contact name and address for each of the plurality of communication mediums;

integrating the contact information in a unified contact store; and

if an input is received comprising at least one character for use in searching;

displaying a list of contact names each contact name having displayed an address, the list being dynamically determined based on the at least one received character,

enabling selection of an address for a contact name from the list of contact names and addresses, and

automatically initiating the communication using a communication medium associated with the selected address.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, the steps further comprising:

if the input comprising at least one character for use in searching is not received;

displaying another list of contact names based on at least a portion of at least one history log, each contact name having displayed with it at least one address;

enabling selection of a contact name and address from the displayed list; and

automatically establishing the communication with the selected contact name using a communication medium associated with the selected address.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein an instant messaging application is configured to include the computer-executable instructions for performing the steps of claim 17.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein displaying the list of contact names and addresses further comprises:

displaying a list of contact names using a weighted ordering of at least one of the contact names or the addresses based on a frequency of communications with the contact and a match of the at least one character to either the contact name or the address.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein displaying the list of contact names and addresses further comprises:

displaying the list of contact names with at least one contact name in the list of contact names having displayed with it multiple addresses.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the communication mediums further comprise at least one of email, SMS, IM, PC to PC voice call, or PC to PSTN voice call.

23. A system for use in initiating a communication over a network, comprising:

a plurality of messaging services, wherein each messaging service being associated with a communication medium and having a list of contact names with an address associated with each contact name in the list of contact names;

an instant messaging (IM) client that is in communication with the plurality of messaging applications, and is arranged to perform actions, comprising;

receiving contact information from the plurality of messaging applications;

integrating the contact information in a unified contact store;

dynamically searching the unified contact store based on receiving of input characters;

displaying a dynamically updated list of contact names, each contact name having displayed with it at least one address, the list being determined based on the dynamic search;

enabling selection of an address from the displayed dynamic list; and

automatically initiating the communication to a contact name using a communication medium associated with the selected address.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the input characters further comprises at least a portion of a telephone number, a portion of an email address, a portion of an IM address, a portion of an SMS address, or a portion of a contact name.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein displaying the dynamic list of contact names and addresses further comprises:

displaying the dynamically updated list of contact names and addresses using a weighted ordering of at least one of a contact name or an address based on a frequency of communications with the contact name.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the communications mediums further comprise at least one of email, SMS, IM, PC to PC voice call, or PC to PSTN voice call.

27. An apparatus useable in initiating a communication over a network, comprising:

data store for use in integrating contact names and associated addresses from a plurality of messaging services, at least two messaging services being associated with different communication mediums; and

program code that is operative to perform actions, including;

automatically displaying contact names and associated addresses from the data store based on a partially entered contact name or address; and

in response to receiving a selection of a displayed address, automatically establishing the communication using the communication medium associated with the selected address.

28. An apparatus useable in initiating a communication over a network, comprising:

means for integrating contact names and addresses into a data store, at least two addresses being associated with a different communication medium; and

means for automatically determining at least one contact name and address for display from the data store based on a partially entered contact name or address; and

means for automatically establishing the communication using the communication medium associated with a selected address from the at least one displayed contact name and address.