Organizing entries in participant lists based on communications strengths

• US 7,716,287 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2004
• Issued: 05/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AOL Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Appelman, Barry, Fish, Edmund J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bruckart; Benjamin R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ampagoomian; David
• Application Number:
  US11/015,424
• Publication Number:
  US 20050198172A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,968 Days
• Field of Search: 709205-206
• US Class Current: 709/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1859 adapted to provide push services, e.g. data channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/234 for tracking messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4594 Address books, i.e. directories containing contact information about correspondents telephone directories in user terminals H04M1/27453
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading

Abstract

Organizing a participant list includes maintaining a participant list of users of an electronic communications system to be used by a first user of the electronic communications system. Communications strengths between the first user and each of the users included in the participant list are determined. The users included in the participant list are organized based on the corresponding communications strengths. Communications strengths may be determined for users included in a group within the participant list, and the users within the group may be organized within the group based on communications strength. An additional group in the participant list in which some or all of the users included in the participant list are organized based on communications strength may be provided.

Claims

1. A method for organizing a participant list, the method comprising:

maintaining a participant list of users of an electronic communications system to be used by a first user of the electronic communications system, the participant list including a first group of users of the electronic communications system and a second group of users of the electronic communications system that is different from the first group of users;

determining communications strengths between the first user and each of the users included in the first group of users;

determining communications strengths between the first user and each of the users included in the second group of users;

determining an order in which to list the users in the first group of users based on the determined communications strengths between the first user and each of the users included in the first group of users;

determining an order in which to list the users in the second group of users based on the determined communications strengths between the first user and each of the users included in the second group of users; and

causing a visual display of the participant list including;

the first group of users listed in the order determined for the first group of users based on the determined communications strengths between the first user and each of the users included in the first group of users; and

the second group of users listed in the order determined for the second group of users based on the determined communications strengths between the first user and each of the users included in the second group of users,

wherein;

determining the communications strengths between the first user and each of the users included in the first group of users includes;

determining, for each of the users included in the first group of users, if a contact list maintained on behalf of the user lists the first user as an entry,

determining, for each of the users included in the first group of users, if a contact list maintained on behalf of the first user lists the user as an entry, and

calculating communications strengths between the first user and each of the users included in the first group of users based on results of the determinations of whether contact lists maintained on behalf of each of the users included in the first group of users list the first user as an entry and whether the contact list maintained on behalf of the first user lists users included in the first group of users as entries; and

determining the order in which to list the users in the first group of users based on the determined communications strengths between the first user and each of the users in the first group of users includes ordering the users in the first group of users based on the calculated communications strengths between the first user and each of the users included in the first group of users;

wherein;

calculating communications strengths between the first user and each of the users included in the first group of users based on results of the determinations of whether contact lists maintained on behalf of each of the users included in the first group of users list the first user as an entry and whether the contact list maintained on behalf of the first user lists users included in the first group of users as entries includes assigning the users in the first group of users for whom contact lists maintained on their behalf list the first user as an entry and who are listed as entries in the contact list maintained on behalf of the first user higher communications strengths than the users in the first group of users for whom contact lists maintained on their behalf do not list the first user as an entry and who are not listed as entries in the contact list maintained on behalf of the first user; and

ordering the users in the first group of users based on the calculated communications strengths between the first user and each of the users included in the first group of users includes ordering the users in the first group of users for whom contact lists maintained on their behalf list the first user as an entry and who are listed as entries in the contact list maintained on behalf of the first user before the users in the first group of users for whom contact lists maintained on their behalf do not list the first user as an entry and who are not listed as entries in the contact list maintained on behalf of the first user.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing an additional group in the participant list in which the users included in the participant list are organized based on communications strength.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing an additional group in the participant list that includes the users included in the participant list with the highest communications strengths.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the order in which to list the users in the first group of users based on the determined communications strengths between the first user and each of the users in the first group of users includes ordering the users in the first group of users with higher communications strengths before the users with lower communications strengths.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising maintaining, within at least one additional group of users included in the participant list, an order of the users included in the at least one additional group, without regard for communications strengths between the first user and each of the users included in the at least one additional group.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein determining communications strengths between the first user and each of the users included in the first group of users includes determining the communications strengths based on criteria consisting of recency of communications.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein determining communications strengths between the first user and each of the users included in the first group of users includes determining the communications strengths based on criteria consisting of frequency of communications.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein causing a visual display of the participant list includes:

causing a visual display of a graphical user interface configured to display the participant list and to facilitate communication with constituent users listed in the participant list using the electronic communication system;

causing a visual display, within the graphical user interface, of the first group of users in a manner that visually distinguishes the first group of users from other users listed within the displayed participant list, the users belonging to the first group of users being listed within the visual display of the first group of users in the order determined for the first group of users based on the determined communications strengths between the first user and each of the users belonging to the first group of users; and

causing, concurrently with the visual display of the first group of users, a visual display, within the graphical user interface, of the second group of users in a manner that visually distinguishes the second group of users from other users listed within the displayed participant list including the first group of users, the users belonging to the second group of users being listed within the visual display of the second group of users in the order determined for the second group of users based on the determined communications strengths between the first user and each of the users included in the second group of users.

9. A method for or organizing a participant list, the method comprising:

maintaining a participant list of users of an electronic communications system to be used by a first user of the electronic communications system, the participant list including a first group of users of the electronic communications system and a second group of users of the electronic communications system that is different from the first group of users;

determining communications strengths between the first user and each of the users included in the first group of users;

determining communications strengths between the first user and each of the users included in the second group of users;

determining an order in which to list the users in the first group of users based on the determined communications strengths between the first user and each of the users included in the first group of users;

determining an order in which to list the users in the second group of users based on the determined communications strengths between the first user and each of the users included in the second group of users; and

causing a visual display of the participant list including;

the first group of users listed in the order determined for the first group of users based on the determined communications strengths between the first user and each of the users included in the first group of users; and

the second group of users listed in the order determined for the second group of users based on the determined communications strengths between the first user and each of the users included in the second group of users,

wherein;

determining the communications strengths between the first user and each of the users included in the first group of users includes;

determining, for each of the users included in the first group of users, whether the first user subscribes to contact information published by the user such that changes made to the contact information by the user automatically are propagated to the first user,

determining, for each of the users included in the first group of users, whether the user subscribes to contact information published by the first user such that changes made to the contact information by the first user automatically are propagated to the user, and

calculating communications strengths between the first user and each of the users included in the first group of users based on results of the determinations of whether the first user subscribes to contact information published by each of the users included in the first group of users and whether each of the users in the first group of users subscribes to contact information published by the first user; and

determining the order in which to list the users in the first group of users based on the determined communications strengths includes ordering the users in the first group of users based on the calculated communications strengths between the first user and each of the users included in the first group of users;

wherein;

calculating communications strengths between the first user and each of the users included in the first group of users based on results of the determinations of whether the first user subscribes to contact information published by each of the users included in the first group of users and whether each of the users included in the first group of users subscribes to contact information published by the first user includes assigning the users in the first group of users who subscribe to contact information published by the first user and who publish contact information to which the first user subscribes higher communications strengths than the users in the first group of users who do not subscribe to contact information published by the first user and who publish contact information to which the first user does not subscribe; and

ordering the users in the first group of users based on the calculated communications strengths between the first user and each of the users included in the first group of users includes ordering the users in the first group of users who subscribe to contact information published by the first user and who publish contact information to which the first user subscribes before the users in the first group of users who do not subscribe to contact information published by the first user and who publish contact information to which the first user does not subscribe.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising removing users with a communications strength below a minimum allowable communications strength from the participant list.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the participant list is a buddy list of an instant messaging system.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the participant list is an address book of an e-mail system.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the participant list is a social network of the first user.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the electronic communications system is an instant messaging system.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein the electronic communications system is a chat system.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein the electronic communications system is an e-mail system.

17. A method for or organizing a participant list, the method comprising:

maintaining a participant list of users of an electronic communications system to be used by a first user of the electronic communications system, the participant list including a first group of users of the electronic communications system and a second group of users of the electronic communications system that is different from the first group of users;

determining communications strengths between the first user and each of the users included in the first group of users;

determining communications strengths between the first user and each of the users included in the second group of users;

determining an order in which to list the users in the first group of users based on the determined communications strengths between the first user and each of the users included in the first group of users;

determining an order in which to list the users in the second group of users based on the determined communications strengths between the first user and each of the users included in the second group of users; and

causing a visual display of the participant list including;

the first group of users listed in the order determined for the first group of users based on the determined communications strengths between the first user and each of the users included in the first group of users; and

the second group of users listed in the order determined for the second group of users based on the determined communications strengths between the first user and each of the users included in the second group of users,

wherein;

determining the communications strengths between the first user and each of the users included in the first group of users includes;

determining, for each of the users in the first group of users, a number of contact addresses stored for the user in an electronic contacts collection maintained on behalf of the first user, and

calculating communications strengths between the first user and each of the users included in the first group of users based on the determined number of contact addresses stored for the user in the electronic contacts collection maintained on behalf of the first user; and

determining the order in which to list the users in the first group of users based on the determined communications strengths includes ordering the users in the first group of users based on the calculated communications strengths between the first user and each of the users included in the first group of users;

wherein;

calculating communications strengths between the first user and each of the users included in the first group of users based on the determined number of contact addresses stored for the user in the electronic contacts collection maintained on behalf of the first user includes assigning the users included in the first group of users for whom relatively large numbers of contact addresses are stored in the electronic contacts collection maintained on behalf of the first user higher communications strengths than the users included in the first group of users for whom relatively small numbers of contact addresses are stored in the electronic contacts collection maintained on behalf of the first user; and

ordering the users in the first group of users based on the calculated communications strengths between the first user and each of the users included in the first group of users includes ordering the users in the first group of users in order of decreasing numbers of contact addresses stored in the electronic contacts collection maintained on behalf of the first user.