Buddy list-based sharing of electronic content
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for sharing electronic content, the method comprising:
- enabling access to a contacts list user interface that makes perceivable user-identified online identities and real time presence information for at least some of those online identities;
based on user manipulation of the contacts list user interface, enabling designation of several online identities that constitute a subset of the online identities for whom presence is indicated within the contacts list;
receiving from the user an indication of content to be shared with each of the online identities designated;
determining which of the designated online identities are presently online;
resolving a cascaded delivery rule to choose one or more delivery mechanisms for communicating the content to the designated online identities;
using the chosen delivery mechanisms to independently communicate the content to the designated online identities, including;
establishing separate communications with each of the online identities designated by the user,communicating the content to the designated online identities that are presently online using instant messaging, andcommunicating the content to the designated online identities that are not presently online using a communications program other than instant messaging.
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Abstract
Instant messaging (IM) entities may be invited to an electronic calendar event using an instant message. Selecting the IM entities as invitees to the event may include dragging and dropping names of the IM entities from a buddy list of an IM application to an event from an electronic calendar application, or vice versa. A method of inviting an entity to a calendar event includes providing a calendar event from a calendar application and recognizing, by the calendar application, an IM entity as an invitee to the event.
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Citations
65 Claims
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1. A method for sharing electronic content, the method comprising:
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enabling access to a contacts list user interface that makes perceivable user-identified online identities and real time presence information for at least some of those online identities; based on user manipulation of the contacts list user interface, enabling designation of several online identities that constitute a subset of the online identities for whom presence is indicated within the contacts list; receiving from the user an indication of content to be shared with each of the online identities designated; determining which of the designated online identities are presently online; resolving a cascaded delivery rule to choose one or more delivery mechanisms for communicating the content to the designated online identities; using the chosen delivery mechanisms to independently communicate the content to the designated online identities, including; establishing separate communications with each of the online identities designated by the user, communicating the content to the designated online identities that are presently online using instant messaging, and communicating the content to the designated online identities that are not presently online using a communications program other than instant messaging. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A computer system for sharing electronic content, the computer system comprising:
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an access module configured to enable access to a contacts list user interface that makes perceivable user-identified online identities and real time presence information for at least some of those online identities; a user designation module configured to enable designation of several online identities that constitute a subset of the online identities for whom presence is indicated within the contacts list based on user manipulation of the contacts list user interface; a content selection module configured to receive from the user an indication of content to be shared with each of the designated online identities; a presence-determining module configured to determine which of the designated online identities presently are online; a rule resolution module configured to resolve a cascaded delivery rule to choose one or more delivery mechanisms for communicating the content to the designated online identities; a communications module configured to use the chosen delivery mechanisms to independently communicate the content to the designated online identities by; establishing separate communications with each of the online identities designated by the user, communicating the content to the designated online identities that are presently online using instant messaging, and communicating the content to the designated online identities that are not presently online using a communications program other than instant messaging. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. An apparatus for sharing electronic content, the apparatus comprising:
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access means for enabling access to a contacts list user interface that makes perceivable user-identified online identities and real time presence information for at least some of those online identities; user designation means for enabling designation of several online identities that constitute a subset of the online identities for whom presence is indicated within the contacts list based on user manipulation of the contacts list interface; content selection means for receiving from the user an indication of content to be shared with each of the designated online identities; a presence-determining means for determining which of the designated online identities presently are online; a rule resolution means for resolving a cascaded delivery rule to choose one or more delivery mechanisms for communicating the content to the designated online identities; a communications means for using the chosen delivery mechanisms to independently communicate the content to the designated online identities by; establishing separate communications with each of the online identities designated by the user, communicating the content to the designated online identities that are presently online using instant messaging, and communicating the content to the designated online identities that are not presently online using a communications program other than instant messaging.
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38. A method of sharing electronic content, the method comprising:
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enabling user generation of application-specific, sharable electronic content; receiving user selection of a first instant messaging entity and a second instant messaging entity; generating a single message that includes the application-specific, shareable electronic content and that is to be associated with the first instant messaging entity and the second instant messaging entity; enabling the user to send the message, using an instant messaging platform, concurrently to the first instant messaging entity and the second instant messaging entity; determining which of the first and second instant messaging entities are online; resolving a cascaded delivery rule to choose one or more delivery mechanisms for communicating the message to the first and second instant messaging entities; using the chosen delivery mechanisms to independently communicate the message to the first and second instant messaging entities, including; establishing separate communications with the first and second instant messaging entities, communicating the message to an instant messaging entity that is presently online using instant messaging, and communicating the message to an instant messaging entity that is not presently online using a communications program other than instant messaging; and mediating responses received from the first and the second instant messaging entities. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59)
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60. A method of sharing electronic content, the method comprising:
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enabling access to user designation of contacts for whom presence is maintained; enabling user selection of one or more of the contacts; recognizing user selection of a first contact and a second contact from the contacts; accessing an electronic message associated electronically with the first contact and the second contact as recipients; determining which of the first contact and the second contact are online; resolving a cascaded delivery rule to choose one or more delivery mechanisms for communicating the message to the first contact and the second contact; using the chosen delivery mechanisms to independently communicate the content to the designated online identities, including; sending the electronic message to a contact that is presently online using an instant messaging system, and sending the electronic message to a contact that is not presently online using a communications program other than instant messaging. - View Dependent Claims (61, 62, 63)
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64. An apparatus comprising a computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon that when executed by a machine result in at least the following:
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enabling access to user designation of contacts for whom presence is maintained; enabling user selection of one or more of the contacts; recognizing user selection of a first contact and a second contact from the contacts; accessing an electronic message associated electronically with the first contact and the second contact as recipients; determining which of the first contact and the second contact are online; resolving a cascaded delivery rule to choose one or more delivery mechanisms for communicating the message to the first contact and the second contact; using the chosen delivery mechanisms to independently communicate the content to the designated online identities, including; sending the electronic message to a contact that is presently online using an instant messaging system, and sending the electronic message to a contact that is not presently online using a communications program other than instant messaging.
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65. An apparatus comprising a computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon that when executed by a machine result in at least the following:
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enabling user generation by an application of electronic content to be shared with at least a first recipient and a second recipient using an instant messaging system; recognizing by the application user selection of a first instant messaging entity as the first recipient and a second instant messaging entity as the second recipient; generating a message including the electronic content, the message being associated with the first instant messaging entity and the second instant messaging entity; determining which of the first instant messaging entity and the second instant messaging entity are presently online; resolving a cascaded delivery rule to choose one or more delivery mechanisms for communicating the message to the first and second instant messaging entities; enabling the user to send the message concurrently to the first instant messaging entity and the second instant messaging entity using the application, including; sending the message to an entity that is presently online as an instant message, and sending the electronic message to a contact that is not presently online as a communication other than an instant message; and receiving a response to the message from the first instant messaging entity that is not sent to the second instant messaging entity or from the second instant messaging entity that is not sent to the first instant messaging entity.
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Specification