Updating availability of an instant messaging contact
First Claim
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1. A method for updating availability information of a contact that is stored in a device, the method comprising:
- storing in said device an identifier that identifies said device in an instant messaging system;
determining at said device that said contact is unavailable if a predetermined period of time has elapsed since said device sent an instant message to said contact during which said device has not received an expected notification for said message, wherein said expected notification was a delivered notification for said message;
determining that said contact is unreachable;
enabling a user of said device to request to be notified if and when said contact becomes reachable;
upon receipt of said delivered notification after said predetermined period of time has elapsed, determining that said contact is reachable and notifying said user that said contact is reachable; and
asking said user whether said user wants to send another instant message to said contact.
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Abstract
A contact is determined to be unavailable if a predetermined period of time has elapsed since an instant message was sent to the contact and an expected notification for the instant message was not received during that predetermined period of time by the device that sent the instant message. If the expected notification is a delivered notification, then the contact is deemed unreachable. If the expected notification is a read notification and a delivered notification for the instant message has been received by the device that sent the instant message, then the contact is deemed busy.
13 Citations
7 Claims
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1. A method for updating availability information of a contact that is stored in a device, the method comprising:
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storing in said device an identifier that identifies said device in an instant messaging system; determining at said device that said contact is unavailable if a predetermined period of time has elapsed since said device sent an instant message to said contact during which said device has not received an expected notification for said message, wherein said expected notification was a delivered notification for said message; determining that said contact is unreachable; enabling a user of said device to request to be notified if and when said contact becomes reachable; upon receipt of said delivered notification after said predetermined period of time has elapsed, determining that said contact is reachable and notifying said user that said contact is reachable; and asking said user whether said user wants to send another instant message to said contact.
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2. A device able to communicate in an instant messaging system having one or more types of notifications for instant messages, the device comprising:
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a communication interface through which said device is able to send instant messages to and receive instant messages from a network; a processor coupled to said communication interface; a user input component coupled to said processor through which a user of said device is able to provide content for said instant messages; a user output component coupled to said processor through which said device is able to display said instant messages and selected notifications to said user; and memory to store an identifier that identifies said device in said instant messaging system and to store code which, when executed by said processor, determines that a contact is unavailable if a predetermined period of time has elapsed since said device sent an instant message to said contact during which said device has not received an expected notification for said message. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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Specification