System and method for providing a roster list of temporary contacts having expiration periods designated by a user in an instant messaging environment
First Claim
1. A system for providing temporary contacts in a messaging environment comprising:
- an electronic chat database system for maintaining at least one roster list of contacts for at least one user, the contacts corresponding to entities that the at least one user is capable of communicating with via an electronic chat client;
wherein the at least one roster list includes at least one temporary contact and at least one permanent contact;
a service manager operable to access the at least one roster lists list maintained in the electronic chat database system, the service manager configured to request the electronic chat database system to add a new contact to the at least one roster list of the at least one user so that the at least one user is able to communicate with an entity associated with the newly added contact, the service manager further operable to request the electronic chat database system to designate the new contact as a temporary contact, the temporary contact being assigned an expiration period as the temporary contact is added to the at least one roster list and the at least one permanent contact not having an expiration period, wherein;
prior to a scheduled removal of the temporary contact from the at least one roster list, the service manager is operable to provide the at least one user with an option to convert the temporary contact having the expiration period to a permanent contact not having an expiration period; and
after the expiration period expires, the service manager is operable to request the temporary contact to be removed by the electronic chat database system, the service manager being further configured to update the at least one user as to a current network statuses of the contacts contained on the at least one roster list of the at least one user so that the at least one user is made aware, via the electronic chat client, of which contacts are currently available for communicating with the at least one user.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for providing temporary contact aliases is provided. A representative system includes a database system operable to store at least one resource list comprising a plurality of contacts associated with at least one user. The plurality of contacts comprising at least one temporary contact at the instruction of said at least one user, stored in said at least one resource list associated with said at least one user. The system further includes a network interface operable to communicate with a plurality of users, including said at least one user, over a network which is operable to provide a communication medium between the plurality of users. Methods and other systems for temporary contact alias are also provided.
84 Citations
39 Claims
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1. A system for providing temporary contacts in a messaging environment comprising:
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an electronic chat database system for maintaining at least one roster list of contacts for at least one user, the contacts corresponding to entities that the at least one user is capable of communicating with via an electronic chat client; wherein the at least one roster list includes at least one temporary contact and at least one permanent contact; a service manager operable to access the at least one roster lists list maintained in the electronic chat database system, the service manager configured to request the electronic chat database system to add a new contact to the at least one roster list of the at least one user so that the at least one user is able to communicate with an entity associated with the newly added contact, the service manager further operable to request the electronic chat database system to designate the new contact as a temporary contact, the temporary contact being assigned an expiration period as the temporary contact is added to the at least one roster list and the at least one permanent contact not having an expiration period, wherein; prior to a scheduled removal of the temporary contact from the at least one roster list, the service manager is operable to provide the at least one user with an option to convert the temporary contact having the expiration period to a permanent contact not having an expiration period; and after the expiration period expires, the service manager is operable to request the temporary contact to be removed by the electronic chat database system, the service manager being further configured to update the at least one user as to a current network statuses of the contacts contained on the at least one roster list of the at least one user so that the at least one user is made aware, via the electronic chat client, of which contacts are currently available for communicating with the at least one user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for providing temporary contacts in a messaging environment comprising:
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storing at least one roster list of contacts for at least one user, the contacts corresponding to entities that the at least one user is capable of communicating with via an electronic chat client wherein the at least one roster list includes at least one temporary contact and at least one permanent contact; providing to the at least one user current network statuses of the entities associated with the contacts contained in the at least one roster list of the at least one user; receiving a request to add a new contact to the at least one roster list of the at least one user so that the at least one user is able to communicate with an entity associated with the newly added contact; receiving a designation for the new contact, the designation indicating the new contact is to be a temporary contact, the temporary contact being assigned an expiration period as the temporary contact is added to the at least one roster list and the at least one permanent contact not having an expiration period; prior to a scheduled removal of the temporary contact, prompting the at least one user to choose to convert the temporary contact to a permanent contact and to allow the temporary contact to be removed, where the temporary contact has an expiration period that has expired; and after the expiration period of the temporary contact expires, automatically removing the temporary contact from the at least one roster list of the at least one user. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A computer readable storage medium having a program for providing temporary contacts in a messaging environment, the program having instructions for performing the steps of:
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storing at least one roster list of contacts for at least one user, the contacts corresponding to entities that the at least one user is capable of communicating with via an electronic chat client, wherein the at least one roster list includes at least one temporary contact and at least one permanent contact; providing to the at least one user current network statuses of the entities associated with the contacts contained in the at least one roster list of the at least one user; receiving a request to add a new contact to the at least one roster list of the at least one user so that the at least one user is able to communicate with an entity associated with the newly added contact; receiving a designation for the new contact, the designation indicating the new contact is to be a temporary contact, the temporary contact being assigned an expiration period as the temporary contact is added to the at least one roster list and the at least one permanent contact not having an expiration period; prior to a scheduled removal of the temporary contact, prompting the at least one user to choose to convert the temporary contact to a permanent contact and to allow the temporary contact to be removed, where the temporary contact has an expiration period that has expired; and after the expiration period of the temporary contact expires, automatically removing the temporary contact from the at least one roster list of the at least one user. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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Specification