Social Networking Tool

• US 20100037148A1
• Filed: 08/06/2008
• Published: 02/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Gosset, Philip, Banks, Richard, Harper, Richard
• Application Number:
  US12/187,081
• Publication Number:
  US 20100037148A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/752
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services

Abstract

A social networking tool is described for use with a display. In an embodiment, the display is permanently located in an enterprise office and facilitates social interaction between users some of whom are remote of the display and at least one of whom is physically local to the display. In an embodiment messages comprising content are received from remote users and the content displayed. One display region for each remote user is displayed concurrently and content received from any particular remote user is only displayed in the display region for that remote user. In an embodiment a user local to the display is able to send a message to a remote user by selecting the appropriate display region. In another embodiment a user local to the display is able to change the position of the display regions on the display and may also annotate the display.

Claims

1. A social networking tool for use by a plurality of users physically remote from a display and at least one user physically local to the display comprising:

a processor arranged to control the display and to provide a user interface associated with the display,

an input arranged to access address information of the plurality of remote users;

an input arranged to receive messages comprising content from the remote users;

the processor being arranged to display the content using a plurality of display regions concurrently present on the display, each display region being associated with only one of the remote users and whereby content received from any particular remote user is only displayed in a display region associated with that remote user;

the processor being arranged to generate a message on the basis of input by the local user at the user interface that input being associated with one of the display regions, the message comprising content and to send that message to the remote user associated with the display region.

2. A social networking tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the processor is arranged to control a situated display which is permanently associated with a particular physical location.

3. A social networking tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the input arranged to receive messages has an associated address selected from any of an email address and a telephone number.

4. A social networking tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the message is only sent if the display region associated with the remote user already comprises content received from that remote user.

5. A social networking tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the processor is arranged to generate the message such that any information about the local user is absent from that message.

6. A social networking tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the processor is arranged to generate the message such that it is any of an email, an SMS message, and a telephone message.

7. A social networking tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the processor is arranged to control the display and user interface such that positions of the display regions on the display may be changed in order to group the display regions as a result of local user input at the user interface.

8. A social networking tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the processor is arranged to control the display and user interface such that positions of the display regions on the display may be changed in order to group the display regions only as a result of local user input at the user interface.

9. A social networking tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the processor is arranged to control the display and user interface such that annotations may be made to the display only as a result of local user input at the user interface.

10. A method of providing a social networking tool for use by a plurality of users physically remote from a display and at least one user physically local to the display comprising:

using a processor to control the display and to provide a user interface associated with the display,

accessing address information of the plurality of remote users;

receiving messages comprising content from the remote users;

arranging the processor to display the content using a plurality of display regions concurrently present on the display, each display region being associated with only one of the remote users and whereby content received from any particular remote user is only displayed in a display region associated with that remote user;

generating a message on the basis of input by the local user at the user interface that input being associated with one of the display regions, the message comprising content; and

sending that message to the remote user associated with the display region.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10 which comprises providing an email address associated with the display at which at least some of the messages are received from the remote users.

12. A method as claimed in claim 10 which further comprises only sending a message to the remote user if the display region associated with the remote user already comprises content received from that remote user.

13. A method as claimed in claim 10 which comprises generating the message such that any information about the local user is absent from that message.

14. A method as claimed in claim 10 which comprises generating the message such that it is any of an email, an SMS message, and a telephone message.

15. A method as claimed in claim 10 which comprises controlling the display and user interface such that positions of the display regions on the display may be changed in order to group the display regions as a result of local user input at the user interface.

16. A method as claimed in claim 10 which comprises controlling the display and user interface such that positions of the display regions on the display may be changed in order to group the display regions only as a result of local user input at the user interface.

17. A method as claimed in claim 10 which comprises controlling the display and user interface such that annotations may be made to the display only as a result of local user input at the user interface.

18. A method of providing a social networking tool for use by a plurality of users physically remote from a display, being a situated display permanently associated with a physical location, and at least one user physically local to the display comprising:

using a processor to control the display and to provide a user interface associated with the display,

accessing address information of the plurality of remote users;

receiving messages comprising social networking content from the remote users;

arranging the processor to display the content using a plurality of display regions concurrently present on the display, each display region being associated with only one of the remote users and whereby social networking content received from any particular remote user is only displayed in a display region associated with that remote user;

generating a message on the basis of input by the local user at the user interface that input being associated with one of the display regions, the message comprising social networking content;

sending that message to the remote user associated with the display region; and

controlling the display and user interface such that positions of the display regions on the display may be changed in order to group the display regions as a result of local user input at the user interface.

19. A method as claimed in claim 18 which comprises controlling the display and user interface such that positions of the display regions on the display may only be changed in order to group to display regions as a result of local user input at the user interface.

20. A method as claimed in claim 18 which comprises controlling the display and user interface such that annotations may be made to the display only as a result of local user input at the user interface