Systems and methods for graphically representing users of a messaging system
First Claim
1. A method of graphically representing users of a messaging system, comprising:
- at a client system having one or more processors and memory;
associating a particular graphical user identifier with a first user;
displaying the particular graphical user identifier to a second user in response to user initiated selections by the second user of information items in the messaging system that are associated with the first user;
in a contact information editing mode, displaying to the second user multiple graphical user identifier candidates distinct from the particular graphical user identifier; and
in response to a user selection by the second user, replacing the particular graphical user identifier, for display at the client system, with a second user-selected one of the multiple graphical user identifier candidates;
after the replacing, displaying the second user-selected graphical user identifier to the second user in response to user initiated selections by the second user of information items in the messaging system that are associated with the first user.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a method of graphically representing users of an integrated email and instant messaging (IM) system, the system allows a second user to associate a graphical user identifier with a first user and suggests the graphical user identifier to the first user. The first user may accept or reject the graphical user identifier. If the first user accepts the graphical user identifier, the system displays the graphical user identifier to a third user when the third user accesses any email or IM message associated with the first user. The third user can override the graphical user identifier of the first user with a different graphical user identifier including a new one uploaded into the system by the third user.
125 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method of graphically representing users of a messaging system, comprising:
at a client system having one or more processors and memory; associating a particular graphical user identifier with a first user; displaying the particular graphical user identifier to a second user in response to user initiated selections by the second user of information items in the messaging system that are associated with the first user; in a contact information editing mode, displaying to the second user multiple graphical user identifier candidates distinct from the particular graphical user identifier; and in response to a user selection by the second user, replacing the particular graphical user identifier, for display at the client system, with a second user-selected one of the multiple graphical user identifier candidates; after the replacing, displaying the second user-selected graphical user identifier to the second user in response to user initiated selections by the second user of information items in the messaging system that are associated with the first user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method of graphically representing users of a messaging system, comprising:
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at a client system having one or more processors and memory; associating a graphical user identifier with a first user; associating a display permission, with respect to the graphical user identifier, with a set of second users chosen by the first user in a settings editing mode; and sending messages from the first user to a plurality of message addressees, wherein a first subset of the message addressees are members of the set of second users and wherein a second subset of the message addressees are not members of the set of second users; wherein display of the graphical user identifier to a first respective message addressee in the first subset, in response to user initiated selection by the first respective message addressee of any of the messages sent from the first user, is enabled; and wherein display of the graphical user identifier to a second respective message addressee in the second subset, in response to user initiated selection by the second respective message addressee of any of the messages sent from the first user, is disabled. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of graphically representing users of an email system, comprising:
at a client system having one or more processors and memory; in response to a selection by a second user, replacing in contact information of the second user, a default graphical user identifier of a first user with a second user-selected graphical user identifier; and after the replacing, displaying the second user-selected graphical user identifier to the second user, in response to user initiated selections by the second user of information items in the email system that are associated with the first user, including displaying the second user-selected graphical user identifier in response to selection of an email message associated with the first user. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A computer system, comprising:
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a main memory; a processor; and at least one program, stored in the main memory and executed by the processor, the at least one program further including; instructions for responding to a selection by a second user by replacing, in contact information of the second user, a default graphical user identifier of a first user with a second user-selected graphical user identifier; instructions for displaying the second user-selected graphical user identifier to the second user, in response to user initiated selections by the second user of information items that are associated with the first user, including instructions for displaying the second user-selected graphical user identifier in response to selection of an email message associated with the first user. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A computer program product for use in conjunction with a computer system, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium and a computer program mechanism embedded therein, the computer program mechanism comprising:
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instructions for replacing in contact information of the second user, in response to a selection by a second user, a default graphical user identifier of a first user with a second user-selected graphical user identifier; instructions for displaying the second user-selected graphical user identifier to the second user, in response to user initiated selections by the second user of information items that are associated with the first user, including instructions for displaying the second user-selected graphical user identifier in response to selection of an email message associated with the first user. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A computer system comprising:
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means for replacing, in contact information of the second user, in response to a selection by a second user, a default graphical user identifier of a first user with a second user-selected graphical user identifier; means for displaying the second user-selected graphical user identifier to the second user, in response to user initiated selections by the second user of information items that are associated with the first user, including means for displaying the second user-selected graphical user identifier in response to selection of an email message associated with the first user.
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Specification