CHAT MATCHING

• US 20100057857A1
• Filed: 08/27/2008
• Published: 03/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Oath Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Oath Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Szeto, Christopher T.
• Application Number:
  US12/199,553
• Publication Number:
  US 20100057857A1
• 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]

Abstract

Techniques for communicating via an instant messaging service are provided. In one technique, a user of an instant messaging application selects a particular status that indicates that the user wants to chat. In response to the selection, the instant messaging application displays a list of references to other users that have also selected the particular status. In another technique, the user selects a topic about which the user wishes to discuss. References to other users that have selected the same or similar topic are displayed to the user.

Claims

1. A method of communicating with other users through an instant messaging application, wherein the instant messaging application includes a plurality of status options, the method comprising:

receiving input from a user of the instant messaging application, wherein the input indicates the selection of a particular status option from the plurality of status options; and

in response to receiving the input, providing, to the user, a plurality of references, wherein each reference of the plurality of references indicates a different user (a) that is using a different instance of the instant messaging application and (b) that has selected the particular status option,

wherein one or more of the references in the plurality of references indicate one or more users that have not previously established, through the instant messaging application, a relationship with the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the instant messaging application is one of a client-based application or a web-based application.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more other references in the plurality of references indicate one or more other users that have previously established, through the instant messaging application, a relationship with the user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein each reference of a subset of the plurality of references indicates a distinct user that is a member of a social network in which the user is a member.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

providing the plurality of references includes selecting the plurality of references from a larger plurality of references.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein:

selecting the plurality of references from the larger plurality of references includes comparing first information with second information;

the first information is information about the user; and

the second information is information about the user associated with each reference of the larger plurality of references.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein:

one or more of the first information and the second information includes profile information.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein:

one or more of the first information and the second information includes web history.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of references are a first plurality of references, the method further comprising:

receiving second input from the user; and

in response to receiving the second input, providing, to the user, a second plurality of references, wherein the second plurality of references are references of the same type as the first plurality of references, wherein the second plurality of references is different than the first plurality of references.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from the user, second input that indicates that the user wants to communicate with a particular user, wherein the particular user is associated with a reference of the plurality of references; and

generating a window in response to receiving the second input;

receiving, within the window, third input from the user;

sending the third input to the particular user; and

after sending the third input, receiving a message from the particular user.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from the user, second input that indicates that the user wants to add the particular user to a contact list of the user, wherein the particular user is associated with a reference of the plurality of references; and

in response to receiving the second input, sending a message to the particular user, wherein the message indicates to the particular user that the user wants to add the particular user to the contact list; and

if the particular user accepts the invitation, adding the particular user to the contact list.

16. A machine-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the method recited in claim 1.

17. A machine-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the method recited in claim 2.

18. A machine-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the method recited in claim 3.

19. A machine-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the method recited in claim 4.

20. A machine-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the method recited in claim 5.

21. A machine-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the method recited in claim 6.

22. A machine-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the method recited in claim 7.

23. A machine-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the method recited in claim 8.

24. A machine-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the method recited in claim 9.

25. A machine-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the method recited in claim 10.

26. A machine-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the method recited in claim 11.

12. A method of communicating with other users through an instant messaging application, the method comprising:

receiving input from a user of the instant messaging application, wherein the instant messaging application is associated with a particular status of a plurality of possible statuses, wherein the input indicates a particular topic about which the user intends to communicate with another user;

in response to receiving the input, comparing the particular topic to a plurality of topics, wherein each topic of the plurality of topics is associated with a separate user of a plurality of users, wherein each user of the plurality of users is associated with the particular status;

providing, to the user, a plurality of references, wherein each reference of the plurality of references indicates a different user (a) that is using a different instance of the instant messaging application, (b) that has selected the particular status, and (c) that indicated a topic that is similar to the particular topic.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising, before receiving the input from the user:

providing, to the user, a particular set of references, wherein each reference of the particular set indicates a distinct user (a) that is using a different instance of the instant messaging application and (b) that has selected the particular status;

wherein the particular set of references is a different set of references than the plurality of references.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein providing the particular set of references is performed regardless of any topics associated with each distinct user indicated by a reference of the particular set.

27. A machine-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the method recited in claim 12.

28. A machine-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the method recited in claim 13.

29. A machine-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the method recited in claim 14.

15. A method for searching for one or more users, the method comprising:

receiving search criteria from a user of an instant messaging application, wherein the search criteria indicates a status;

in response to receiving the search criteria, identifying a plurality of other users that are associated with the same status, wherein each user of the plurality of other users set their respective status; and

providing, to the user, a plurality of references, wherein each reference of the plurality of references corresponds to a different user of the plurality of other users.

30. A machine-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform the method recited in claim 15.