Message notification in instant messaging

• US 20080307061A1
• Filed: 05/29/2008
• Published: 12/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Snap, Inc.
• Inventors: JACOVI, Michal, SOROKA, Vladimir
• Granted Patent: US 9,071,464 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails

Abstract

Methods, apparatus and systems for message notification in instant messaging are provided in which a message in an instant messaging session is received at a client application. The content of the received message is compared with a set of entries and the content is matched with an entry. Notification of a new message is displayed in a form representing the matched entry. Each entry may be associated with a category and the step of displaying notification represents the category of the matched entry. The entries may be any one of or a combination of words, phrases and/or symbols which commonly appear in messages such that a user can determine the category of a message content without focusing on the message.

Claims

1. A method for message notification in instant messaging comprising:

receiving a message;

comparing the content of the received message with a set of entries;

matching the content with an entry; and

displaying notification of the message in a form representing a matched entry.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein each entry is associated with a category and the step of displaying notification is provided in a form representing the category of the matched entry.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the entries are at least one of:

words, phrases and symbols.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method includes:

displaying an instant messaging session in a window; and

displaying a representation of the session when the window is out of focus, wherein the step of displaying notification alters the representation of the session.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the altering of the representation of the session includes at least one of:

a visual alteration including color, blinking or the addition of an icon, and an audio indication.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of matching matches the whole content of the message to an entry.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of matching matches part of the content of a message and the form of displaying notification is represented accordingly.

8. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the categories include positive and negative categories of entry.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein entries are added or removed to or from the set of entries.

20. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

each entry is associated with a category and the step of displaying notification is provided in a form representing the category of the matched entry;

the entries are at least one of;

words, phrases and symbols;

the method includes;

displaying an instant messaging session in a window; and

displaying a representation of the session when the window is out of focus, the step of displaying notification alters the representation of the session;

the altering of the representation of the session includes at least one of;

a visual alteration including color, blinking or the addition of an icon, and an audio indication;

the step of matching matches the whole content of the message to an entry;

the step of matching matches part of the content of a message and the form of displaying notification is represented accordingly;

the categories include positive and negative categories of entry; and

entries are added or removed to or from the set of entries.

10. A system for message notification in instant messaging comprising:

means for receiving a message;

a database of entries;

mean for comparing the content of a received message with the entries in order to match the content with an entry;

means for displaying notification of the message in a form representing a matched entry.

11. A system as claimed in claim 10, wherein means are provided to associate each entry with a category and forms of displaying notification are provided for each category.

12. A system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the entries are any one of or a combination of words, phrases and/or symbols.

13. A system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the system includes:

a window display of an instant messaging session; and

a representation of the session when the window is out of focus;

wherein the means for displaying notification alters the representation of the session.

14. A system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the altering of the representation of the session includes any one or more of a visual alteration including colour, blinking or the addition of an icon, and/or an audio indication.

15. A system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the means for comparing compares the whole content of the message to an entry.

16. A system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the means for comparing compares part of the content of a message to an entry and the means for displaying notification displays the message in a form representing a part content match.

17. A system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the categories include positive and negative categories of entry.

18. A system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the system includes means for adding or removing entries to or from the database.

21. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing message notification in instant messaging, the computer readable program code means in said computer program product comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect the functions of claim 10.

19. A computer program product stored on a computer readable storage medium, comprising computer readable program code means for message notification in instant messaging, the code means performing the steps of:

receiving a message;

comparing the content of the received message with a set of entries;

matching the content with an entry; and

displaying notification of the message in a form representing a matched entry.