IM conversation counter and indicator

• US 7,281,215 B1
• Filed: 07/31/2002
• Issued: 10/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AOL LLC (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Myers, Linda Nols, Carbone, Kenneth, Willis, Gregory Alan, Van Lenten, Thomas E., Canfield, James Andrew, Colburn, David Fairlie
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid; Kristine
• Assistant Examiner(s): PITARO, RYAN F
• Application Number:
  US10/208,187
• Time in Patent Office: 1,896 Days
• Field of Search: 715/752, 715/753, 715/754, 715/755, 715/756, 715/757, 715/758
• US Class Current: 715/752
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]

Abstract

A user interface that enables user perception of status regarding communications that leverage an instant messaging platform may be rendered on a display. The user interface includes an instant messaging application user interface that enables perception and selection of instant messages for an instant messaging user, and a status indicator that provides a perceivable indication to the user of statistics regarding concurrent instant messaging sessions.

Claims

1. A user interface on a display that enables user perception of status regarding communications that leverage an instant messaging platform, the user interface comprising:

an instant messaging application user interface that enables perception and selection of instant messages for an instant messaging user, the instant messaging application user interface including;

an instant messaging conversation display area configured to display instant messages exchanged in instant messaging conversations of the user,

interface actionable items, each interface actionable item being associated with a sender and configured to enable display on an instant messaging conversation between the sender and the user in the instant messaging conversation display area when activated, and

an interface actionable item display area configured to, if the interface actionable items exceeds a maximum number, display the maximum number of interface actionable items as visible interface actionable items and maintain the interface actionable items not displayed as hidden interface actionable items; and

a status indicator providing a perceivable indication to the user of statistics comprising a first number making perceivable a number of senders from whom at least one unacknowledged instant message has been received and a second number making perceivable a total number of senders with which the user is engaging in concurrent instant messaging sessions, the statistics including senders associated with each of the interface actionable items that are visible and hidden.

2. The user interface of claim 1 further comprising one or more instant messaging sub-interfaces that represent distinct and concurrent instant messaging communications sessions.

3. The user interface of claim 1 further comprising a perceivable status indication that a new message is pending in at least one concurrent instant messaging session.

4. The user interface of claim 1 further comprising a mechanism to determine the statistics.

5. The user interface of claim 1 in which the statistics further comprise a third number making perceivable a number of new instant messaging sessions.

6. The user interface of claim 1 in which the statistics further comprise a third number making perceivable a number of new senders from whom at least one unacknowledged instant message has been received and a fourth number making perceivable a number of old senders from whom at least one unacknowledged instant message has been received.

7. The user interface of claim 1 in which the statistics further comprise a third number making perceivable a total number of new instant messages.

8. The user interface of claim 1 in which the user interface comprises a visual interface.

9. The user interface of claim 1 in which the user interface comprises an audible interface.

10. The user interface of claim 1 in which the statistics are rendered in a title bar.

11. The user interface of claim 1 in which the statistics are rendered in a tab header in an interface having persistent tabs.

12. The user interface of claim 1 in which the statistics are rendered in an operating system tray.

13. The user interface of claim 1 in which the statistics are rendered in a user interface toolbar.

14. The user interface of claim 1 in which the statistics are rendered in a general interface that persists beyond active display of the user interface.

15. The user interface of claim 1 in which the statistics are rendered in a general interface actionable item that is arranged in a position on the display and that persists beyond active display of the user interface, the general interface actionable item being configured to enable activation of the user interface.

46. The user interface of claim 1 further comprising a perceivable status indicator for each concurrent instant messaging session, each perceivable status indicator indicating whether or not the corresponding instant messaging session has at least one new message.

47. The user interface of claim 46 in which at least one perceivable status indicator is hidden from the user and at least one perceivable status indicator is visible to the user.

48. The user interface of claim 1 further comprising an actionable item that reveals at least one hidden interface actionable item when activated.

49. The user interface of claim 48 in which the actionable item includes a perceivable status indicator whether or not at least one hidden interface actionable item is associated with a sender from whom at least one unacknowledged instant message has been received.

50. The user interface of claim 1 further comprising an actionable item configured to enable the user to indicate a message as acknowledged.

51. The user interface of claim 1 wherein, upon initiation of a new instant messaging session, the interface actionable item display area is configured to, if the interface actionable items exceeds a maximum number, maintain a new interface actionable item corresponding to the new instant messaging session as a hidden interface actionable item, and

the status indicator is configured to display updated statistics based on the new instant messaging session.

52. The user interface of claim 1 wherein, upon initiation of a new instant messaging session, the interface actionable item display area is configured to, if the interface actionable items exceeds a maximum number, display a new interface actionable item corresponding to the new instant messaging session as a visible interface actionable item and maintain an old interface actionable item, displayed in the interface actionable item display area prior to the initiation of the new instant messaging session, as a hidden interface actionable item.

53. The user interface of claim 52 wherein the instant messaging conversation display area is configured to maintain an existing display of instant messages associated with an old instant messaging session such that instant messages associated with the new instant messaging session are not displayed unless the user activates the new interface actionable item.

54. The user interface of claim 1 wherein, upon initiation of a new instant messaging session, the interface actionable item display area is configured to display a new interface actionable item corresponding to the new instant messaging session, and

the instant messaging conversation display area is configured to maintain an existing display of instant messages associated with an old instant messaging session such that instant messages associated with the new instant messaging session are not displayed unless the user activates the new interface actionable item.

16. An article comprising a storage medium having encoded thereon software for implementing a user interface on a display that enables user perception of status regarding communications that leverage an instant messaging platform, the software including instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

render a user interface on a display that enables user perception of status regarding communications that leverage an instant messaging platform, the user interface comprising an instant messaging application user interface that enables perception and selection of instant messages for an instant messaging user, the instant messaging application user interface including;

an instant messaging conversation display area configured to display instant messages exchanged in instant messaging conversations of the user;

interface actionable items, each interface actionable item being associated with a sender and configured to enable display of an instant messaging conversation between the sender and the user in the instant messaging conversation displaying area when activated, and an interface actionable item display area configured to, if the interface actionable items exceeds a maximum number, display the maximum number of interface actionable items as visible interface actionable items and maintain the interface actionable items not displayed as hidden interface actionable items; and

render a status indicator providing a perceivable indication to the user to statistics comprising a first number making perceivable a number of senders from who at least one unacknowledged instant message has been received and a second number making perceivable a total number of senders with which the user is engaging in concurrent instant messaging sessions, the statistics including senders associated with each of the interface actionable items that are visible and hidden.

17. The article of claim 16 further comprising instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to render one or more instant messaging sub-interfaces that represent distinct and concurrent instant messaging communications sessions.

18. The article of claim 16 further comprising instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to render a perceivable status indication that a new message is pending in at least one concurrent instant messaging session.

19. The article of claim 16 further comprising instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to determine the statistics.

20. The article of claim 16 in which the statistics further comprise a third number making perceivable a number of new instant messaging sessions.

21. The article of claim 16 in which the statistics further comprise a third number making perceivable a number of new senders from whom at least one unacknowledged instant message has been received and a fourth number making perceivable a number of old senders from whom at least one unacknowledged instant message has been received.

22. The article of claim 16 in which the statistics further comprise a third number making perceivable a total number of new instant messages.

23. The article of claim 16 further comprising instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to render the user interface as a visual interface.

24. The article of claim 16 further comprising instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to render the user interface as an audible interface.

25. The article of claim 16 further comprising instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to render the statistics in a title bar.

26. The article of claim 16 further comprising instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to render the statistics in a tab header in an interface having persistent tabs.

27. The article of claim 16 further comprising instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to render the statistics in an operating system tray.

28. The article of claim 16 further comprising instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to render the statistics in a user interface toolbar.

29. The article of claim 16 further comprising instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to render the statistics in a general interface that persists beyond active display of the user interface.

30. The article of claim 16 further comprising instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to render the statistics in a general interface actionable item that is arranged in a position on the display and that persists beyond active display of the user interface, the general interface actionable item being configured to enable activation of the user interface.

31. An electronic system comprising:

means for rendering a user interface on a display that enables user perception of status regarding communications that leverage an instant messaging platform, the user interface comprising an instant messaging application user interface that enables perception and selection of instant messages for an instant messaging user, the instant messaging application user interface including;

an instant messaging conversation display are configured to display instant messages exchanged in instant messaging conversation of the user,

interface actionable items, each interface actionable item being associated with a sender and configured to enable display of an instant messaging conversation between the sender and the user in the instant messaging conversation display area when active, and

an interface actionable item display area configured to, if the interface actionable items exceeds a maximum number, display the maximum number of interface actionable items as visible interface actionable items and maintain the interface actionable items not displayed as hidden interface actionable items; and

means for rendering a status indicator providing a perceivable indication to the user of statistics comprising a first number making perceivable a number of senders from whom at least one unacknowledged instant message has been received and a second number making perceivable a total number of senders with which the user is engaging in concurrent instant messaging sessions, the statistics including senders associated with each of the interface actionable items that are visible and hidden.

32. The electronic system of claim 31 further comprising means for rendering one or more instant messaging sub-interfaces that represent distinct and concurrent instant messaging communications sessions.

33. The electronic system of claim 31 further comprising means for rendering a perceivable status indication that a new message is pending in at least one concurrent instant messaging session.

34. The electronic system of claim 31 further comprising means for determining the statistics.

35. The electronic system of claim 31 in which the statistics further comprise a third number making perceivable a number of new instant messaging sessions.

36. The electronic system of claim 31 in which the statistics further comprise a third number making perceivable a number of new senders from whom at least one unacknowledged instant message has been received and a fourth number making perceivable a number of old senders from whom at least one unacknowledged instant message has been received.

37. The electronic system of claim 31 in which the statistics further comprise a third number making perceivable a total number of new instant messages.

38. The electronic system of claim 31 in which the user interface comprises a visual interface.

39. The electronic system of claim 31 in which the user interface comprises an audible interface.

40. The electronic system of claim 31 in which the statistics are rendered in a title bar.

41. The electronic system of claim 31 in which the statistics are rendered in a tab header in an interface having persistent tabs.

42. The electronic system of claim 31 in which the statistics are rendered in an operating system tray.

43. The electronic system of claim 31 in which the statistics are rendered in a user interface toolbar.

44. The electronic system of claim 31 in which the statistics are rendered in a general interface that persists beyond active display of the user interface.

45. The electronic system of claim 31 in which the statistics are rendered in a general interface actionable item that is arranged in a position on the display and that persists beyond active display of the user interface, the general interface actionable item being configured to enable activation of the user interface.