Automatically Sharing a User's Personal Message

• US 20080313256A1
• Filed: 06/13/2007
• Published: 12/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Joy, George, Kanazawa, Keiji, Gordon, Stephen R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,224,897 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/201
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0242 Determining effectiveness of advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0264 based upon schedule
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0272 Period of advertisement exposure
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]

Abstract

Described techniques enable a particular user to automatically share a piece of content with a group of users. To share the content, the particular user navigates to a Website or the like to identify the desired piece of content. The particular user then chooses to share the piece of content by actuating a button, an icon, or the like displayed within the content (e.g., Web content) or displayed within the browser'"'"'s toolbar. In some embodiments, the users with whom the piece of content is then shared each include the particular user within a contact list. This document also describes techniques capable of enabling the particular user to allow a third party to select and share a piece of content. In some instances, the piece of content comprises an advertisement. This piece of content may be shared with a group of users that include the particular user as a contact.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

presenting a web browser interface that includes a piece of content;

receiving, from a particular user, a selection of the piece of content; and

transmitting the piece of content for sharing the piece of content with a group of users, wherein each of the users in the group specifies the particular user as a contact.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the web browser interface includes content from a web server, and wherein the content presents an icon to enable selection by the particular user of the piece of content.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the web browser interface includes a browser toolbar, and wherein the browser toolbar presents an icon to enable selection by the particular user of the piece of content.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the piece of content comprises one or more of:

a web link, a video, an image, an animation, audio, and an executable program.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the transmitting comprises distributing the piece of content to instant messaging clients corresponding to each user of the group of users.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the transmitting comprises sending the piece of content to an instant-messaging client of the particular user for distribution to instant messaging clients corresponding to each user of the group of users.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the transmitting comprises transferring the piece of content to a distribution server for distribution to instant messaging clients corresponding to each user of the group of users.

8. A method comprising:

selecting, by a third party, a piece of content on behalf of a particular user; and

sharing the piece of content with a group of users, each of which includes the particular user as a contact.

9. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein the piece of content comprises an advertisement.

10. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein the sharing comprises transmitting the piece of content to the group of users to enable association between the piece of content and the particular user on a contacts list of each user of the group of users.

11. A method as recited in claim 8, further comprising receiving the particular user'"'"'s consent to allow the third party to select the piece of content and share the piece of the content with the group of users.

12. A method as recited in claim 8, further comprising receiving a notification that a user of the group of users selected the piece of content in response to the sharing.

13. A method as recited in claim 8, further comprising bestowing a benefit upon the particular user in response a user of the group of users selecting the piece of content in response to the sharing.

14. A method as recited in claim 8, further comprising bestowing a benefit upon the particular user in response to a user of the group of users purchasing an item associated with the piece of content in response to the sharing.

15. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein the piece of content is a first piece of content, and further comprising:

selecting, by the third party, a second piece of content on behalf of the particular user; and

sharing the second piece of content with the group of users.

16. One or more computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed on one or more processors, performs acts comprising:

receiving an advertisement from a third party responsive to a user granting the third party authority to determine a personal message of the user; and

distributing the advertisement in the form of the personal message of the user.

17. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 16, wherein the personal message of the user appears within an instant messaging client or within a social networking website.

18. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 16, wherein the user is a first user, and wherein the advertisement is distributed to a second user that has chosen to monitor the first user.

19. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 16, wherein the advertisement is a first advertisement, and further comprising:

receiving a second advertisement from the third party; and

cycling through distributing the first advertisement in the form the personal message of the user and distributing the second advertisement in the form of the personal message of the user.

20. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 16, wherein the distributing of the advertisement is effective to display the personal message of the user as the advertisement at a first time and content chosen by the user at a second time.