Method, apparatus and computer readable medium for multiple messaging session management with a graphical user interface

• US 6,981,223 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2002
• Issued: 12/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ecrio, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ecrio, Inc.
• Inventors: Becker, Michael, Narayanan, Krishnakumar
• Primary Examiner(s): Cabeca, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): BASOM, BLAINE T
• Application Number:
  US10/052,087
• Publication Number:
  US 20020130904A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,440 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 709/205, 709/206, 709/207, 715/758, 715/755, 715/751, 715/783, 715/804, 715/752, 715/777, 715/759, 715/753, 715/767, 715/772, 715/776, 715/778, 715/779, 715/793, 715/790, 715/794, 715/802, 715/803
• US Class Current: 715/753
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]

Abstract

A graphical user interface displays a unique graphical indexing element such as a tab for each engaged and non-engaged messaging session. The user chooses which messaging session to make engaged by selecting its graphical indexing element. The graphical indexing elements have various distinctive characteristics to indicate the status of their respective messaging sessions, such as engaged, non-engaged with no unread messages, or non-engaged with at least one unread message. The messaging sessions may all be docked, in which event the engaged messaging session is displayed in a window pane set and the other messaging sessions are not displayed, or may be selectively undocked, in which event the engaged messaging session and the undocked messaging sessions are displayed in respective window pane sets. The engaged window pane set supports the communication of original or predefined messages between the user'"'"'s digital device and the pal'"'"'s messaging-enabled digital device, regardless of capability.

Claims

1. A messaging-enabled digital device comprising:

a messaging facility;

a user input facility; and

a graphical user interface comprising;

a plurality of graphical indexing elements respectively representing a plurality of messaging sessions being handled by the messaging facility, one of the graphical indexing elements being selected in response to the user input facility and the messaging session represented by the selected graphical indexing element being engaged;

a message history window pane displaying information from the engaged messaging session; and

a composition window pane displaying information for the engaged messaging session;

wherein a first one of the graphical indexing elements other than the selected graphical indexing element represents a non-engaged messaging session having no unread messages;

wherein a second one of the graphical indexing elements other than the selected graphical indexing element represents a non-engaged messaging session having at least one unread message;

wherein the message history window pane and the selected graphical indexing element are displace with a first characteristic to indicate the engaged messaging session;

wherein the first graphical indexing element is displayed with a second characteristic different than the first characteristic;

wherein the second graphical indexing element is displayed with a third characteristic different than the first and second characteristics; and

wherein a third one of the graphical indexing elements other than the selected graphical indexing element represents a non-engaged messaging session having at least one unread and recently received message, the third graphical indexing element being displayed with a fourth characteristic different than the first, second and third characteristics.

2. A computer-readable medium carrying computer executable components for multiple messaging session management on a messaging-enabled digital device, the computer executable components comprising:

a messaging component;

a user input component;

a window pane component for displaying a plurality of graphical indexing elements respectively representing a plurality of messaging sessions handled by the messaging component, one of the graphical indexing elements being selected in response to the user input component and the messaging session represented by the selected graphical indexing element being engaged;

a component for displaying a message history window pane containing information from the engaged messaging session; and

a component for displaying a composition window cane containing information for the engaged messaging session;

wherein a first one of the graphical indexing elements other than the selected graphical indexing element represents a non-engaged messaging session having no unread messages;

wherein a second one of the graphical indexing elements other than the selected graphical indexing element represents a non-engaged messaging session having at least one unread message;

wherein the computer-executable components further comprise;

a component for displaying the message history window pane and the selected graphical indexing element with a first characteristic to indicate the engaged messaging session;

a component for displaying the first graphical indexing element with a second characteristic different than the first characteristic; and

a component for displaying the second graphical indexing element with a third characteristic different than the first and second characteristics;

wherein a third one of the graphical indexing elements other than the selected graphical indexing element represents a non-engaged messaging session having at least one unread and recently received message; and

wherein the computer-executable components further comprise a component for displaying the third graphical indexing element with a fourth characteristic different than the first, second and third characteristics.