METHODS AND SYSTEMS OF GRAPHICALLY CONVEYING A STRENGTH OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN USERS

• US 20100080412A1
• Filed: 09/30/2008
• Published: 04/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Data Services LLC (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Zafar, Shadman, Roberts, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 8,514,226 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/203 Drawing of straight lines or curves
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/40 Filling a planar surface by adding surface attributes, e.g. colour or texture
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/065 related to network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements

Abstract

An exemplary method includes generating a graphic configured to represent a strength of communication between a user and another user and modifying the graphic based on at least one factor associated with one or more communications between the users. An exemplary system includes a storage facility configured to maintain data associated with a strength of communication between a user and another user and a strength of communication facility configured to generate a graphic configured to graphically represent the strength of communication in accordance with the data. The strength of communication facility is further configured to modify the graphic based on a change in at least one factor associated with one or more communications between the users.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

generating a graphic configured to represent a strength of communication between a user and another user; and

modifying said graphic based on at least one factor associated with one or more communications between said user and said another user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying said graphic.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said modifying is performed in accordance with a predefined heuristic.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

acquiring strength of communication data associated with of said one or more communications between said user and said another user; and

using said data to modify said graphic.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising generating a personality profile based on said data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said graphic comprises at least one arrow, and wherein said modifying comprises adjusting at least one attribute of said at least one arrow to convey a change in said strength of communication.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said at least one arrow comprises:

a first arrow configured to represent one or more communications initiated by said user; and

a second arrow configured to represent one or more communications initiated by said another user.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said at least one arrow comprises an arrow having first and second heads, and wherein said modifying comprises:

adjusting at least one attribute of said first head to convey a change in a strength of communication initiated by said user; and

adjusting at least one attribute of said second head to convey a change in a strength of communication initiated by said another user.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one factor associated with said one or more communications comprises at least one of an amount, a frequency, a type, a relative quality, a source, and a duration of said one or more communications.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising weighting at least one of said at least one factor and modifying said graphic based on said weighted at least one of said at least one factor.

11. The method of claim 1, tangibly embodied as computer-executable instructions on at least one computer-readable medium.

12. A system comprising:

a storage facility configured to maintain data associated with a strength of communication between a user and another user; and

a strength of communication facility configured to generate a graphic configured to graphically represent said strength of communication in accordance with said data;

wherein said strength of communication facility is further configured to modify said graphic based on a change in at least one factor associated with one or more communications between said user and said another user.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said strength of communication facility is further configured to generate said graphic in accordance with a predefined heuristic.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein said predefined heuristic is configured to weight at last one of said at least one factor.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein said graphic comprises at least one arrow, and wherein said strength of communication facility is configured to modify said graphic by adjusting at least one attribute of said at least one arrow to convey a change in said strength of communication.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said at least one arrow comprises:

a first arrow configured to represent one or more communications initiated by said user; and

a second arrow configured to represent one or more communications initiated by said another user.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein said at least one arrow comprises an arrow having first and second heads, and wherein said strength of communication facility is further configured to modify said graphic by:

adjusting at least one attribute of said first head to convey a change in a strength of communication initiated by said user; and

adjusting at least one attribute of said second head to convey a change in a strength of communication initiated by said another user.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein said at least one factor associated with said one or more communications comprises at least one of an amount, a frequency, a type, a relative quality, a source, and a duration of said one or more communications.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein said graphic comprises a first object configured to represent said user and a second object configured to represent said another user, and wherein said strength of communication facility is configured to modify said graphic by adjusting at least one attribute of at least one of said first and second objects to convey a change in said strength of communication.

20. An apparatus comprising:

a processing facility configured to generate a graphic configured to represent a strength of communication between a user and another user; and

a display communicatively coupled to said processing facility and configured to display said graphic;

wherein said processing facility is further configured to modify said graphic based on at least one factor associated with one or more communications between said user and said another user.