System and method for dynamically grouping messaging buddies in an electronic network

• US 7,512,653 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2003
• Issued: 03/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Krishnasamy, Jayakumar, Wiggeshoff, Elke
• Primary Examiner(s): Boutah; Alina N.
• Application Number:
  US10/638,762
• Publication Number:
  US 20050038856A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,059 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/207, 709/204, 709/205, 709/228, 715/758, 715751-753, 715/739, 707/3
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/185 with management of multicast group membership
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

A system and method for dynamically grouping messaging buddies in an electronic network may include a user device that communicates with a server device in the electronic network for transmitting message information to one or more selected buddy devices in the electronic network. The server device may include a profile database that is configured to store profiles which each include designated profile attributes for a corresponding one of the messaging buddies. A device user may utilize a messaging application of the user device to enter a dynamic grouping mode for generating a dynamic buddy list from a static buddy list based upon a grouping query of the various profiles in the profile database.

Claims

1. A system for dynamically grouping messaging buddies from an electronic network, comprising:

a profile database configured to store profiles that each include profile attributes of one of said messaging buddies;

a messaging application of a user device coupled to said electronic network for transmitting message information to buddy devices corresponding to said messaging buddies, said messaging application entering a dynamic grouping mode, said messaging application generating a dynamic buddy list based upon comparing a grouping query to said profiles in said profile database, said grouping query being from a device user of said user device, said dynamic buddy list including target buddies that form a subset of messaging buddies from a static buddy list, said profile database being implemented as part of a server which coordinates communications between said user device and said buddy devices over said electronic network, said device user of said user device instructing said messaging application to enter said dynamic grouping mode by utilizing a user interface of said user device, said device user of said user device utilizing said messaging application and said user interface to create and submit said grouping query for generating said dynamic buddy list, said grouping query including a query target identifier which specifies buddy groups from said static buddy list to which said grouping query is directed; and

a processor device coupled to said user device for controlling said messaging application to thereby dynamically group said messaging buddies from said electronic network.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said messaging buddies in said electronic network initially each utilize a corresponding one of said buddy devices to create one or more of said profiles that include said profile attributes that describe specified characteristics of corresponding ones of said messaging buddies.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said profile attributes include a buddy residence location, one or more buddy interests, one or more buddy food preferences, one or more buddy sports interests, a buddy birthday, a buddy nationality, one or more buddy services, and a buddy description.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein said messaging buddies each utilize said corresponding one of said buddy devices to store said one or more of said profiles into said profile database of said server.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said device user of said user device utilizes said messaging application to log-in to said server of said electronic network.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said server provides said static buddy list to said user device to specify static buddy groups of said messaging buddies in said electronic network.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said messaging application displays said static buddy list upon a user interface of said user device.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said grouping query includes one or more query attributes that said messaging application utilizes for matching with said profile attributes of said profiles from said profile database.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein said messaging application performs a dynamic grouping procedure by analyzing profile attributes of designated ones of said profiles from said profile database to dynamically regroup said static buddy list into said dynamic buddy list.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said messaging application automatically generates new dynamic group names for said dynamic buddy list based upon query attributes from said grouping query.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein said messaging application compares query attributes of said grouping query against said profile attributes of said profiles to determine matching characteristics of selected ones of said messaging buddies.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said messaging application groups one or more of said messaging buddies into a found set that indicates a positive result for said grouping query where said matching characteristics are found, remaining ones of said messaging buddies being placed into an unfound set that indicates a negative result for said grouping query.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein said messaging application displays said dynamic buddy list upon said user interface of said user device for viewing by said device user.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said device user utilizes said messaging application and said dynamic buddy list to transmit said message information to one or more of said buddy devices corresponding to one or more of said messaging buddies on said dynamic buddy list.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein said messaging application provides static buddy list indications in said dynamic buddy list to show from which static buddy groups of said static buddy list said messaging buddies of said dynamic buddy list originated, said static buddy indications being listed individually for each of said messaging buddies on said dynamic buddy list.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein said device user of said user device utilizes said messaging application to perform a dynamic sub-grouping procedure upon said dynamic buddy list by entering a dynamic sub-grouping mode for submitting a sub-grouping query to examine specified target profiles from said profile database for regenerating said dynamic buddy list to include sub-groups that are nested within a pre-existing dynamic buddy group.

17. A method for dynamically grouping messaging buddies in an electronic network, comprising the steps of:

providing a profile database that is configured to store profiles that each include profile attributes of one of said messaging buddies;

transmitting message information to buddy devices corresponding to said messaging buddies by utilizing a messaging application of a user device coupled to said electronic network, said messaging application entering a dynamic grouping mode, said messaging application generating a dynamic buddy list based upon comparing a grouping query to said profiles in said profile database, said grouping query being from a device user of said user device, said dynamic buddy list including target buddies that form a subset of messaging buddies from a static buddy list, said profile database being implemented as part of a server which coordinates communications between said user device and said buddy devices over said electronic network, said device user of said user device instructing said messaging application to enter said dynamic grouping mode by utilizing a user interface of said user device, said device user of said user device utilizing said messaging application and said user interface to create and submit said grouping query for generating said dynamic buddy list, said grouping query including a query target identifier which specifies buddy groups from said static buddy list to which said grouping query is directed; and

controlling said messaging application with a processor device coupled to said user device to thereby dynamically group said messaging buddies from said electronic network.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said messaging buddies in said electronic network initially each utilize a corresponding one of said buddy devices to create one or more of said profiles that include said profile attributes that describe specified characteristics of corresponding ones of said messaging buddies.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein said profile attributes include a buddy residence location, one or more buddy interests, one or more buddy food preferences, one or more buddy sports interests, a buddy birthday, a buddy nationality, one or more buddy services, and a buddy description.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein said messaging buddies each utilize said corresponding one of said buddy devices to store said one or more of said profiles into said profile database of said server.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein said device user of said user device utilizes said messaging application to log-in to said server of said electronic network.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein said server provides said static buddy list to said user device to specify static buddy groups of said messaging buddies in said electronic network.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein said messaging application displays said static buddy list upon a user interface of said user device.

24. The method of claim 17 wherein said grouping query includes one or more query attributes that said messaging application utilizes for matching with said profile attributes of said profiles from said profile database.

25. The method of claim 17 wherein said messaging application performs a dynamic grouping procedure by analyzing profile attributes of designated ones of said profiles from said profile database to dynamically regroup said static buddy list into said dynamic buddy list.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein said messaging application automatically generates new dynamic group names for said dynamic buddy list based upon query attributes from said grouping query.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein said messaging application compares query attributes of said grouping query against said profile attributes of said profiles to determine matching characteristics of selected ones of said messaging buddies.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein said messaging application groups one or more of said messaging buddies into a found set that indicates a positive result for said grouping query where said matching characteristics are found, remaining ones of said messaging buddies being placed into an unfound set that indicates a negative result for said grouping query.

29. The method of claim 25 wherein said messaging application displays said dynamic buddy list upon said user interface of said user device for viewing by said device user.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein said device user utilizes said messaging application and said dynamic buddy list to transmit said message information to one or more of said buddy devices corresponding to one or more of said messaging buddies on said dynamic buddy list.

31. The method of claim 17 wherein said messaging application provides static buddy list indications in said dynamic buddy list to show from which static buddy groups of said static buddy list said messaging buddies of said dynamic buddy list originated, said static buddy indications being listed individually for each of said messaging buddies on said dynamic buddy list.

32. The method of claim 17 wherein said device user of said user device utilizes said messaging application to perform a dynamic sub-grouping procedure upon said dynamic buddy list by entering a dynamic sub-grouping mode for submitting a sub-grouping query to examine specified target profiles from said profile database for regenerating said dynamic buddy list to include sub-groups that are nested within a pre-existing dynamic buddy group.

33. The method of claim 17 wherein said buddy devices and said user device are implemented as portable electronic devices.

34. The method of claim 17 wherein said static buddy list and said dynamic buddy list are separate entities.

35. The method of claim 17 wherein said dynamic buddy list includes only query results from said grouping query.

36. The method of claim 17 wherein at least one of said messaging buddies on said static buddy list is an electronic online service that is configured to provide online services upon request.

37. The method of claim 17 wherein said device user formulates said grouping query with one or more query terms that are not listed in said profile attributes of said device user.

38. A device for dynamically grouping messaging buddies from an electronic network, comprising:

a messaging application of a user device coupled to said electronic network for transmitting message information to buddy devices corresponding to said messaging buddies, said messaging application entering a dynamic grouping mode, said messaging application generating a dynamic buddy list based upon comparing a grouping query to profiles stored in a profile database, each of said profiles including profile attributes of one of said messaging buddies, said grouping query being from a device user of said user device, said dynamic buddy list including target buddies that form a subset of messaging buddies from a static buddy list, said profile database being implemented as part of a server which coordinates communications between said user device and said buddy devices over said electronic network, said device user of said user device instructing said messaging application to enter said dynamic grouping mode by utilizing a user interface of said user device, said device user of said user device utilizing said messaging application and said user interface to create and submit said grouping query for generating said dynamic buddy list, said grouping query including a query target identifier which specifies buddy groups from said static buddy list to which said grouping query is directed; and

a processor device of said user device for controlling said messaging application to thereby dynamically group said messaging buddies from said electronic network.