SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CONVEYING INFORMATION TO AN INSTANT MESSAGING CLIENT

• US 20080155018A1
• Filed: 12/21/2006
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BCE Incorporated
• Original Assignee: BCE Incorporated
• Inventors: Murray, Sean MacLean, Fortier, Stephane Maxime Francois
• Granted Patent: US 8,943,128 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/23 Reliability checks, e.g. acknowledgments or fault reporting

Abstract

A method, comprising: providing a first client of an instant messaging service, the first client enabling a data service; receiving a request for the data service from a second client of the instant messaging service; and rendering client-controlled information regarding the first client available for persistent conveyance to the second client, the client-controlled information regarding the first client including data related to the data service. This allows a user associated with the second client to become aware of the data in a non-intrusive manner.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

providing a first client of an instant messaging service, the first client enabling a data service;

receiving a request for the data service from a second client of the instant messaging service;

rendering client-controlled information regarding the first client available for persistent conveyance to the second client, the client-controlled information regarding the first client including data related to the data service.

2. The method defined in claim 1, said persistence conveyance being implemented by the instant messaging service.

3. The method defined in claim 1, said instant messaging service having a distributed architecture.

4. The method defined in claim 3, said first and second clients being peers.

5. The method defined in claim 1, said instant messaging service having a server-centric architecture comprising a server.

6. The method defined in claim 5, said first and second clients communicating via said server.

7. The method defined in claim 1, wherein providing the first client comprises providing an applet, the applet implementing the data service.

8. The method defined in claim 7, wherein to implement the data service, the applet retrieves the data related to the data service from at least one data source.

9. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the data related to the data service is publicly accessible.

10. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the data related to the data service is customized to a user of the second client.

11. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the data related to the data service is protected by credentials associated with a user of the second client.

12. The method defined in claim 11, further comprising supplying the credentials to the data source in order to obtain said data related to the data service.

13. The method defined in claim 1, further comprising responding to a request from the second client to view further information related to the data service by rendering said further information available for conveyance to the second client.

14. The method defined in claim 13, further comprising modifying the data related to the data service as a function of observation by a user of the second client of said further information related to the data service.

15. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the first and second clients are linked to one another.

16. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the first and second clients are linked to one another via respective contact lists.

17. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the data service comprises a share price reporting service.

18. The method defined in claim 17, wherein the data related to the data service comprises the share price of a given company.

19. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the data service comprises a weather reporting service.

20. The method defined in claim 19, wherein the data related to the data service comprises a weather report for a given city.

21. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the data service comprises a sports reporting service.

22. The method defined in claim 21, wherein the data related to the data service comprises the current score in a sporting event.

23. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the data service comprises a web monitoring service.

24. The method defined in claim 23, wherein the data related to the data service comprises an indication of a recent addition to a blog or website.

25. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the data service comprises a general traffic reporting service.

26. The method defined in claim 25, wherein the data related to the data service comprises an indication of the traffic conditions on certain roads or bridges.

27. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the data service comprises a news reporting service on specific topics.

28. The method defined in claim 27, wherein the data related to the data service comprises news regarding the specific topics.

29. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the data service comprises a movie listing service.

30. The method defined in claim 29, wherein the data related to the data service comprises a schedule or price grid for movies being shown at a certain movie theater.

31. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the data service comprises a horoscope service.

32. The method defined in claim 31, wherein the data related to the data service comprises commentary about each zodiac sign.

33. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the data service comprises a lottery results service.

34. The method defined in claim 33, wherein the data related to the data service comprises the result of recent prize draws.

35. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the data service comprises a transportation schedule service.

36. The method defined in claim 35, wherein the data related to the data service comprises current information regarding at least one of trains, flights and public transit.

37. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the data service comprises a product pricing service.

38. The method defined in claim 37, wherein the data related to the data service comprises information regarding the movement in the price of a certain product available from one or more suppliers.

39. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the data service comprises an advertisement service.

40. The method defined in claim 39, wherein the data related to the data service comprises an advertisement for a product or service.

41. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the data service comprises a stock portfolio reporting service customized for a user of the second client.

42. The method defined in claim 41, wherein the data related to the data service comprises the share price of companies in a user-selected portfolio.

43. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the data service comprises a news reporting service customized for a user of the second client.

44. The method defined in claim 43, wherein the data related to the data service comprises the headline news from news sources in a user-selected set of news sources or regarding user-specific topics.

45. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the data service comprises a traffic reporting service customized for a user of the second client.

46. The method defined in claim 45, wherein the data related to the data service comprises the current traffic synopsis for a user-selected travel route.

47. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the data service comprises a web search service customized for a user of the second client.

48. The method defined in claim 47, wherein the data related to the data service comprises a feature of an online search.

49. The method defined in claim 48, wherein the feature includes at least one of current status, number of results and result relevancy score.

50. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the data service comprises a real estate service customized for a user of the second client.

51. The method defined in claim 50, wherein the data related to the data service comprises an availability of a property meeting user-defined criteria.

52. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the data service comprises a dating service customized for a user of the second client.

53. The method defined in claim 52, wherein the data related to the data service comprises an availability of a person of interest matching a user-defined profile.

54. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the data service comprises a job search service customized for a user of the second client.

55. The method defined in claim 54, wherein the data related to the data service comprises an availability of a position matching user-defined criteria.

56. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the data service comprises a shopping service customized for a user of the second client.

57. The method defined in claim 56, wherein the data related to the data service comprises an availability of an item or service meeting user-defined criteria.

58. The method defined in claim 57, wherein the user-defined criteria comprises a price.

59. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the data service comprises a web monitoring customized for a user of the second client.

60. The method defined in claim 59, wherein the data related to the data service comprises an indication of the most recent addition to a user-selected set of blogs or websites.

61. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the data service comprises a link to a voice mail system subscribed to by a user of the second client.

62. The method defined in claim 61, wherein the data related to the data service comprises a feature of voice mail messages in a voice mail box of the user.

63. The method defined in claim 62, wherein the feature includes at least one of message urgency, number of messages, number of new messages and content of messages.

64. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the data service comprises a link to a financial institution subscribed to by a user of the second client.

65. The method defined in claim 64, wherein the data related to the data service comprises a feature regarding the user'"'"'s account.

66. The method defined in claim 65, wherein the feature includes at least one of a current balance and a transaction listing.

67. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the data service comprises a link to a home security system subscribed to by a user of the second client.

68. The method defined in claim 67, wherein the data related to the data service comprises the current status of at least one sensor in the user'"'"'s home.

69. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the data service comprises a link to an email system subscribed to by a user of the second client.

70. The method defined in claim 69, wherein the data related to the data service comprises a feature of email messages in an electronic mailbox of the user.

71. The method defined in claim 70, wherein the feature includes at least one of message urgency, number of messages, number of unread messages, content of messages.

72. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the data service comprises a link to a vehicle management system subscribed to by a user of the second client.

73. The method defined in claim 72, wherein the data related to the data service comprises a feature of at least one vehicle in a fleet.

74. The method defined in claim 73, wherein the feature includes at least one of vehicle location and vehicle diagnostics.

75. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the data service comprises a link to a mapping system subscribed to by a user of the second client.

76. The method defined in claim 75, wherein the data related to the data service comprises the location of at least one items associated with an account of the user.

77. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the data service comprises a link to a telephony presence feature subscribed to by a user of the second client.

78. The method defined in claim 77, wherein the data related to the data service comprises an indication of whether a given potential called party is engaged in a telephone conversation.

79. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the data service comprises a link to a text messaging system subscribed to by a user of the second client.

80. The method defined in claim 79, wherein the data related to the data service comprises a feature of text messages in a text message mailbox of the user.

81. The method defined in claim 80, wherein the feature includes at least one of message urgency, number of text messages, number of unread text messages, content of text messages.

88. The method defined in claim 13, said request being received via an instant message.

89. The method defined in claim 13, further comprising causing said further information to be conveyed to the second client via an instant message.

90. The method defined in claim 88, further comprising causing said further information to be conveyed to the second client via an instant message.

82. A system, comprising:

an applet associated with a first client of an instant messaging service, the applet enabling a data service;

a communication device associated with a second client of the instant messaging service, the second client configured to generate a request for the data service;

the applet being configured to respond to said request by rendering client-controlled information regarding the first client available for persistent conveyance to the second client, the client-controlled information regarding the first client including data related to the data service.

83. The system defined in claim 82, said persistence conveyance being implemented by the instant messaging service.

84. The system defined in claim 82, said instant messaging service having a distributed architecture.

85. The system defined in claim 84, said first and second clients being peers.

86. The system defined in claim 82, said instant messaging service having a server-centric architecture comprising a server.

87. The system defined in claim 86, said first and second clients communicating via said server.