Avatar-Based Communications Launching System

• US 20120110473A1
• Filed: 11/02/2010
• Published: 05/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: TSENG, Erick
• Granted Patent: US 9,871,907 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/753
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions

Abstract

In one embodiment, a social networking system automatically establish a connection to a target user by selecting an avatar representing the target user, and establishing a connection by a communication channel based on current context and one or more rules configured by the target user.

Claims

1. A method, comprising

detecting, at a computer system, an activation of an avatar representing a target user;

accessing, automatically in response to the activation, a remote data store of communication channel information of the target user;

receiving a selected communication channel and corresponding communication channel information for the target user based on context data associated with the target user from the remote data store; and

automatically and in response to the receiving the communication channel information, initiating a connection between the initiating user and the target user by the selected communication channel.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the avatar is a graphic icon in a computer user interface.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the avatar is a photographic picture in a computer user interface.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising

if the remote data store is unavailable:

accessing a local data store of communications channel information;

presenting to the initiating user a set of one or more communication channels of the target user; and

receiving from the initiating user a selection of a communication channel from the list of one or more communication channels of the target user.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein each of the one or more communication channels of the target user in the set is represented by a graphic icon.

6. A method, comprising

receiving from a remote client device, at a computer system, indication of activation of an avatar representing a target user;

accessing a remote data store of communication channel information of the target user;

selecting a communication channel for the target user based on a current context associated with the target user; and

transmitting a responsive message including an indication of the selected communications channel and corresponding communication channel information of the target user to the remote client device, the responsive message operative to cause the remote client device to automatically initiate a connection between the initiating user and the target user by the selected communication channel.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the selecting a communication channel further comprises:

adjusting the communication channel selection by one or more configurable rules.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the adjusting the communication channel selection by one or more configurable rules further comprises:

accessing a data store of one or more rules configured by the target user; and

adjusting the communication channel selection by the one or more rules configured by the target user.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the current context comprises time of the day of the target user.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the current context comprises current calendar event of the target user.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the current context comprises one or more current activities of the target user.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein the current context comprises a current communication mode of the target user.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein the current context comprises a current location of the target user.

14. A system comprising:

a memory;

one or more processors; and

a non-transitory, storage medium storing computer-readable instructions operative, when executed, to cause the one or more processors to;

detect an activation of an avatar representing a target user;

access, automatically in response to the activation, a remote data store of communication channel information of the target user;

receive a selected communication channel and corresponding communication channel information for the target user based on context data associated with the target user from the remote data store; and

automatically and in response to the receiving the communication channel information, initiate a connection between the initiating user and the target user by the selected communication channel.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the avatar is a graphic icon in a computer user interface.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the avatar is a photographic picture in a computer user interface.

17. The system of claim 14, further comprising instructions operable to cause the one or more processors to:

if the remote data store is unavailable;

access a local data store of communications channel information;

present to the initiating user a set of one or more communication channels of the target user; and

receive from the initiating user a selection of a communication channel from the list of one or more communication channels of the target user.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein each of the one or more communication channels of the target user in the set is represented by a graphic icon.

19. A system comprising:

a memory;

one or more processors; and

a non-transitory, storage medium storing computer-readable instructions operative, when executed, to cause the one or more processors to;

receive from a remote client device indication of activation of an avatar representing a target user;

access a remote data store of communication channel information of the target user;

select a communication channel for the target user based on a current context associated with the target user; and

transmit a responsive message including an indication of the selected communications channel and corresponding communication channel information of the target user to the remote client device, the responsive message operative to cause the remote client device to automatically initiate a connection between the initiating user and the target user by the selected communication channel.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein to select a communication channel, further comprising instructions operable to cause the one or more processors to:

adjust the communication channel selection by one or more configurable rules.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein to adjust the communication channel selection by one or more configurable rules, further comprising instructions operable to cause the one or more processors to:

access a data store of one or more rules configured by the target user; and

adjust the communication channel selection by the one or more rules configured by the target user.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the current context comprises time of the day of the target user.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the current context comprises current calendar event of the target user.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein the current context comprises one or more current activities of the target user.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein the current context comprises a current communication mode of the target user.

26. The system of claim 19, wherein the current context comprises a current location of the target user.