Passive personalization of lists

• US 7,765,484 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2002
• Issued: 07/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AOL Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Roskind, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pitaro; Ryan F
• Application Number:
  US10/134,437
• Publication Number:
  US 20030065721A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,010 Days
• Field of Search: 715/758
• US Class Current: 715/752
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users

Abstract

Personalizing communications typically includes accessing status information for instant messaging sessions involving an instant messaging identity and passively configuring a buddy group associated with the instant messaging identity to persistently reflect a list of participant identities from instant messaging sessions in which the instant messaging identity recently participated. The buddy group may be configured without action from the instant messaging identity. The list of participant identities may be maintained persistently beyond logout of the instant messaging identity. The list of participant identities may be maintained independent of a device used for the instant messaging sessions during which the list was created such that the buddy group is accessible from one or more different devices.

Claims

1. A method of personalizing communications, the method comprising:

accessing status information for instant messaging sessions involving an instant messaging identity;

maintaining, on behalf of the instant messaging identity, a list of other instant messaging identities that is configured to enable the instant messaging identity to monitor the on-line presence of the other instant messaging identities and to initiate instant messaging sessions with the other instant messaging identities;

distinguishing, based on information within the accessed status information that reveals recent participation with the instant messaging identity during instant messaging sessions, a set of participant identities who recently participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity;

identifying, from among the set of participant identities who recently participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity, at least one participant identity who is not otherwise included in the list of other instant messaging identities maintained on behalf of the instant messaging identity; and

passively configuring a group of instant messaging identities maintained within the list of other instant messaging identities maintained on behalf of the instant messaging identity to reflect that at least some of the participant identities from the set of participant identities recently participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity, wherein passively configuring the group includes adding, to the group, the at least one participant identity identified as not otherwise being included in the list of other instant messaging identities maintained on behalf of the instant messaging identity.

2. The method as in claim 1 wherein passively configuring the group includes configuring the group without action from the instant messaging identity.

3. The method as in claim 1 wherein passively configuring the group includes maintaining the passively configured beyond logout of the instant messaging identity.

4. The method as in claim 1 wherein passively configuring the group includes retaining the set of participant identities within the group after an instant messaging session with the instant messaging identity is terminated.

5. The method as in claim 1 wherein passively configuring the group includes retaining the set of participant identities within the group independent of a device used for the instant messaging sessions during which the group was passively configured such that the passively configured group is accessible from one or more different devices.

6. The method as in claim 1 wherein passively configuring the group includes adding a screen name of a participant identity to the group only when an instant messaging session with the participant identity is closed.

7. The method as in claim 1 wherein passively configuring the group includes adding a screen name of a participant identity to the group only when an instant messaging session with the participant identity is closed and the screen name of the participant identity is not already included in the group.

8. The method as in claim 1 wherein passively configuring the group includes adding a screen name of a participant identity to the group when an instant messaging session with the participant identity is established.

9. The method as in claim 1 wherein passively configuring the group includes adding a screen name of a participant identity to the group when an instant messaging session with the participant identity is established and the screen name of the participant identity is not already included in the group.

10. The method in claim 1 wherein passively configuring the group includes limiting the group to exclude participant identities from which an instant message is received but not accepted.

11. The method as in claim 1 wherein passively configuring the group includes adding a screen name of a participant identity to the group from which an instant message is received but not accepted.

12. The method as in claim 1 wherein passively configuring the group includes configuring the group such that the group includes participant identities that included on at least one other list for the instant messaging identity.

13. The method as in claim 1 wherein passively configuring the group includes passively configuring the group such that a size of the group is limited.

14. The method as in claim 1 wherein passively configuring the group includes establishing a size of the group based on a selection by the instant messaging identity.

15. The method as in claim 1 wherein passively configuring the group includes initially establishing a size of the group based on a default value.

16. The method as in claim 1 wherein passively configuring the group includes sequencing participant identities within the group using a least recently used methodology.

17. The method as in claim 1 wherein passively configuring the group includes sequencing participant identities within the group using a first-in first-out methodology.

18. The method as in claim 1 wherein passively configuring the group includes arranging participant identities within the group such that a most recent participant identity is listed first.

19. The method as in claim 1 wherein passively configuring the group includes arranging participant identities within the group such that a least recently used participant identity is omitted whether or not the least recently used participant identity was first-in within the group.

20. The method as in claim 1 further comprising displaying the passively configured group.

21. The method as in claim 20 wherein displaying the group includes displaying an online status for each participant identity in the group.

22. The method as in claim 1 further comprising updating a log associated with the instant messaging identity, the log including a chronological record of instant messaging characteristics, wherein passively configuring the group includes passively configuring the group based on the updated log.

23. The method as in claim 22 wherein updating the log includes recording a screen name of a participant identity from an instant messaging session.

24. The method as in claim 22 wherein updating the log includes recording a time when an instant messaging session is established.

25. The method as in claim 1 wherein passively configuring the group includes passively configuring the group to include only participant identities from the identified set of participant identities that recently participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity.

26. The method as in claim 1 wherein passively configuring the group includes passively configuring the group to include only participant identities not otherwise included in the list of other instant messaging identities maintained on behalf of the instant messaging identity.

27. A system for personalizing communications, comprising:

a processor; and

a storage component that stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

access status information for instant messaging sessions involving an instant messaging identity;

maintain, on behalf of the instant messaging identity, a list of other instant messaging identities that is configured to enable the instant messaging identity to monitor the on-line presence of the other instant messaging identities and to initiate instant messaging sessions with the other instant messaging identities;

distinguish, based on information within the accessed status information that reveals recent participation with the instant messaging identity during instant messaging sessions, a set of participant identities who recently participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity;

identify, from among the set of participant identities who recently participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity, at least one participant identity who is not otherwise included in the list of other instant messaging identities maintained on behalf of the instant messaging identity; and

passively configure a group of instant messaging identities maintained within the list of other instant messaging identities maintained on behalf of the instant messaging identity to reflect that at least some of the participant identities from the set of participant identities recently participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity, wherein the instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to passively configure the group include instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to add, to the group, the at least one participant identity identified as not otherwise being included in the list of other instant messaging identities maintained on behalf of the instant messaging identity.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to passively configure the group include instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to configure the group without action from the instant messaging identity.

29. The system of claim 27 wherein the instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to passively configure the group include instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to maintain the passively configured group beyond logout of the instant messaging identity.

30. The system of claim 27 wherein the instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to passively configure the group include instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to retain the participant identities within the group after an instant messaging session with the instant messaging identity is terminated.

31. The system of claim 27 wherein the instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to passively configure the group include instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to retain the participant identities within the group independent of a device used for the instant messaging sessions during which the group was passively configured such that the passively configured group is accessible from one or more different devices.

32. The system of claim 27 wherein the instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to passively configure the group include instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to add a screen name of a participant identity to the group only when an instant messaging session with the participant identity is closed.

33. The system of claim 27 wherein the instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to passively configure the group include instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to add a screen name of a participant identity to the group only when an instant messaging session with the participant identity is closed and the screen name of the participant identity is not already included in the group.

34. The system of claim 27 wherein the instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to passively configure the group include instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to add a screen name of a participant identity to the group when an instant messaging session with the participant identity is established.

35. The system of claim 27 wherein the instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to passively configure the group include instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to add a screen name of a participant identity to the group when an instant messaging session with the participant identity is established and the screen name of the participant identity is not already included in the group.

36. The system of claim 27 wherein the instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to passively configure the group include instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to limit the group to exclude participant identities from which an instant message is received but not accepted.

37. The system of claim 27 wherein the instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to passively configure the group include instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to add a screen name of a participant identity to the group from which an instant message is received but not accepted.

38. The system of claim 27 wherein the instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to passively configure the group include instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to configure the group such that the group includes participant identities that are included on at least one other list for the instant messaging identity.

39. The system of claim 27 wherein the instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to passively configure the group include instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to passively configure the group such that a size of the group is limited.

40. The system of claim 27 wherein the instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to passively configure the group include instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to establish a size of the group based on a selection by the instant messaging identity.

41. The system of claim 27 wherein the instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to passively configure the group include instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to initially establish a size of the group based on a default value.

42. The system of claim 27 wherein the instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to passively configure the group include instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to sequence participant identities within the group using a least recently used methodology.

43. The system of claim 27 wherein the instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to configure the group include instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to sequence the participant identities within the group using a first-in first-out methodology.

44. The system of claim 27 wherein the instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to passively configure the group include instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to arrange participant identities within the group such that a most recent participant identity is listed first.

45. The system of claim 27 wherein the instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to passively configure the group include instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to arrange participant identities within the group such that a least recently used participant identity is omitted whether or not the least recently used participant identity was first-in within the group.

46. The system of claim 27 wherein the storage component further stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to display the passively configured group.

47. The system of claim 46 wherein the instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to display the group include instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to display an online status for each participant identity in the group.

48. The system of claim 27 wherein the storage component further stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to update a log associated with the instant mess aging identity, the log including a chronological record of instant messaging characteristics, wherein the instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to passively configure the group include instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to passively configure the group based on the updated log.

49. The system of claim 48 wherein the instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to update the log include instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to record a screen name of a participant identity from an instant messaging session.

50. The system of claim 48 wherein the instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to update the log include instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to record a time when an instant messaging session is established.

51. A tangible computer readable storage medium storing a computer program for personalizing communications, comprising:

an accessing code segment that causes a computer to access status information for instant messaging sessions involving an instant messaging identity;

a maintaining code segment that causes the computer to maintain, on behalf of the instant messaging identity, a list of other instant messaging identities that is configured to enable the instant messaging identity to monitor the on-line presence of the other instant messaging identities and to initiate instant messaging sessions with the other instant messaging identities;

an distinguishing code segment that causes the computer to distinguish, based on information within the accessed status information that reveals recent participation with the instant messaging identity during instant messaging sessions, a set of participant identities who recently participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity;

an identifying code segment that causes the computer to identify, from among the set of participant identities who recently participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity, at least one participant identity who is not otherwise included in the list of other instant messaging identities maintained on behalf of the instant messaging identity; and

a configuration code segment that causes the computer to passively configure a group of instant messaging identities maintained within the list of other instant messaging identities maintained on behalf of the instant messaging identity to reflect that at least some of the participant identities from the set of participant identities recently participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity, wherein the configuration code segment causes the computer to acid, to the group, the at least one participant identity identified as not otherwise being included in the list of other instant messaging identities maintained on behalf of the instant messaging identity.

52. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 51 wherein the configuration code segment causes the computer to configure the group without action from the instant messaging identity.

53. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 51 wherein the configuration code segment causes the computer to maintain the group beyond logout of the instant messaging identity.

54. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 51 wherein the configuration code segment causes the computer to retain the participant identities within the group after an instant messaging session with the instant messaging identity is terminated.

55. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 51 wherein the configuration code causes the computer to retain the participant identities within the group independent of a device used for the instant messaging sessions during which the group was passively configured such that the passively configured group is accessible from one or more different devices.

56. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 51 wherein the configuration code segment causes the computer to add a screen name of a participant identity to the group only when an instant messaging session with the participant identity is closed.

57. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 51 wherein the configuration code segment causes the computer to add a screen name of a participant identity to the group only when an instant messaging session with the participant identity is closed and the screen name of the participant identity is not already included in the group.

58. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 51 wherein the configuration code segment causes the computer to add a screen name of a participant identity to the group when an instant messaging session with the participant identity is established.

59. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 51 wherein the configuration code segment causes the computer to add a screen name of a participant identity to the group when an instant messaging session with the participant identity is established and the screen name of the participant identity is not already included in the group.

60. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 51 wherein the configuration code segment causes the computer to limit the group to exclude participant identities from which an instant message is received but not accepted.

61. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 51 wherein the configuration code segment causes the computer to add a screen name of a participant identity to the group from which an instant message is received but not accepted.

62. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 51 wherein the configuration code segment causes the computer to configure the group such that the group includes participant identities that are included on at least one other list for the instant messaging identity.

63. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 51 wherein the configuration code segment causes the computer to passively configure the group such that a size of the group is limited.

64. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 51 wherein the configuration code segment causes the computer to establish a size of the group based on a selection by the instant messaging identity.

65. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 51 wherein the configuration code segment causes the computer to initially establish a size of the group based on a default value.

66. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 51 wherein the configuration code segment causes the computer to sequence participant identities within the group using a least recently used methodology.

67. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 51 wherein the configuration code segment causes the computer to sequence participant identities within the group using a first-in first-out methodology.

68. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 51 wherein the configuration code segment causes the computer to arrange participant identities within the group such that a most recent participant identity is listed first.

69. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 51 wherein the configuration code segment causes the computer to arrange participant identities within the group such that a least recently used participant identity is omitted whether or not the least recently used participant identity was first-in on the group of participant identities.

70. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 51 further comprising a displaying code segment that causes the computer to display the passively configured group.

71. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 70 wherein the displaying code segment causes the computer to display an online status for each participant identity in the group.

72. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 51 further comprising an updating code segment that causes the computer to update a log associated with the instant messaging identity, the log including a chronological record of instant messaging characteristics, wherein the configuration code segment causes the computer to passively configure the group based on the updated log.

73. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 72 wherein the updating code segment causes the computer to record a screen name of a participant identity from an instant messaging session.

74. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 72 wherein the updating code segment causes the computer to record a time when an instant messaging session is established.

75. A method comprising:

maintaining, for an instant messaging identity, a collection of other instant messaging identities;

causing a display, to the instant messaging identity, of an instant messaging graphical user interface that includes representations of instant messaging identities from the collection of other instant messaging identities, the displayed representations of the other instant messaging identities being configured to enable the instant messaging identity to initiate instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identities that correspond to the displayed representations;

with respect to each of the other instant messaging identities that correspond to the displayed representations, reflecting information about a present availability to communicate with the instant messaging identity using at least instant messaging;

maintaining a log for tracking instant messaging activity of the instant messaging identity, the log including records of instant messaging sessions between the instant messaging identity and other participant identities;

identifying, based on the log, a subset of the participant identities that participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities, the identified subset including an individual participant identity that is not already included in the collection of other instant messaging identities maintained for the instant messaging identity; and

based on having identified the subset of the participant identities that participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities, passively triggering an updating of the displayed instant messaging graphical user interface to make perceivable that one or more of the identified subset of participant identities participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities, including triggering an addition of a representation of the individual participant identity to the displayed instant messaging graphical user interface and an updating of the displayed instant messaging graphical user interface to make perceivable that the individual participant identity participated in an instant messaging session with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities.

76. The method of claim 75 wherein identifying the subset of the participant identities that participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities comprises limiting the subset of participant identities that participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities to a threshold number of participant identities such that the subset of the participant identities includes no more than a threshold number of participant identities with whom the instant messaging identity has participated in instant messaging sessions recently relative to other of the participant identities.

77. The method of claim 75 wherein:

causing a display of an instant messaging graphical user interface that includes representations of instant messaging identities from the collection of other instant messaging identities comprises causing a display of an instant messaging graphical user interface that includes a recent contacts group of participant identities; and

passively triggering an updating of the displayed instant messaging graphical user interface to make perceivable that one or more of the identified subset of participant identities participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities comprises populating the recent contacts group with one or more representations corresponding to one or more of the participant identities that participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities.

78. The method of claim 77 wherein:

identifying a subset of the participant identities that participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities comprises determining, based on the log, a relative chronological order of the instant messaging sessions between the instant messaging identity and the participant identities that participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities; and

populating the recent contacts group comprises ordering the representations of the participant identities included in the recent contacts group to reflect the relative chronological order of the instant messaging sessions between the instant messaging identity and the participant identities that participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities.

79. The method of claim 78 wherein:

determining a relative chronological order of the instant messaging sessions between the instant messaging identity and the participant identities that participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities comprises determining a particular participant identity with whom the instant messaging identity participated in an instant messaging session most recently; and

ordering the representations of the participant identities included in the recent contacts group to reflect the relative chronological order of the instant messaging sessions between the instant messaging identity and the participant identities that participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities comprises promoting a representation of the particular participant identity with whom the instant messaging identity participated in an instant messaging session most recently to a first relative position among the representations of the participant identities included in the recent contacts group.

80. The method of claim 79 further comprising:

establishing an instant messaging session between the instant messaging identity and a new participant identity;

updating the log to reflect the instant messaging session between the instant messaging identity and the new participant identity;

determining that the new participant identity participated in an instant messaging session with the instant messaging identity more recently than the particular participant identity;

in response to determining at least that the new participant identity participated in an instant messaging session with the instant messaging identity more recently than the particular participant identity, promoting a representation of the new participant identity to the first relative position among the representations of the participant identities included in the recent contacts collection and demoting the representation of the particular participant identity to a second relative position among the representations of the participant identities included in the recent contacts collection.

81. The method of claim 78 wherein:

determining a relative chronological order of the instant messaging sessions between the instant messaging identity and the participant identities that participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities comprises determining a relative chronological order of the instant messaging sessions based on a relative order of initiation of the instant messaging sessions between the instant messaging identity and the participant identities that participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities; and

ordering the representations of the participant identities included in the recent contacts group to reflect the relative chronological order of the instant messaging sessions between the instant messaging identity and the participant identities that participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities comprises ordering the representations of the participant identities included in the recent contacts group based on the relative order of initiation of the instant messaging sessions between the instant messaging identity and the participant identities that participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities.

82. The method of claim 78 wherein:

determining a relative chronological order of the instant messaging sessions between the instant messaging identity and the participant identities that participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities comprises determining a relative chronological order of the instant messaging sessions based on a relative order of termination of the instant messaging sessions between the instant messaging identity and the participant identities that participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities; and

ordering the representations of the participant identities included in the recent contacts group to reflect the chronological order of the instant messaging sessions between the instant messaging identity and the participant identities that participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities comprises ordering the representations of the participant identities included in the recent contacts group based on the relative order of termination of the instant messaging sessions between the instant messaging identity and the participant identities that participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities.

83. The method of claim 78 further comprising:

establishing an instant messaging session between the instant messaging identity and a particular participant identity;

updating the log to reflect the instant messaging session between the instant messaging identity and the particular participant identity;

determining, based on the updated log, that the particular participant identity participated in an instant messaging session with the instant messaging identity more recently than other participant identities included in the recent contacts group;

determining if a representation of the particular participant identity already is included in the recent contacts group; and

based on a determination that the representation of the particular participant identity already is included in the recent contacts group, reordering the representations of the participant identities included in the recent contacts group to reflect that the particular participant identity participated in an instant messaging session with the instant messaging identity more recently than the other participant identities for whom representations are included in the recent contacts group.

84. The method of claim 83 wherein:

reordering the representations of the participant identities in the recent contacts group to reflect that the particular participant identity participated in an instant messaging session with the instant messaging identity more recently than the other participant identities for whom representations are included in the recent contacts group comprises removing the representation of the particular participant identity from a current position among the representations of participant identities included in the recent contacts group and promoting the representation of the particular participant identity to a first relative position among the representations of the participant identities in the recent contacts group.

85. The method of claim 77 wherein at least one of the instant sessions between the instant messaging identity and the participant identities that participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities was initiated by a participant identity such that:

identifying a subset of the participant identities that participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities comprises identifying a subset of the participant identities that participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities that includes a participant identity that initiated an instant messaging session with the instant messaging identity; and

populating the recent contacts group comprises populating the recent contacts group with a representation of a participant identity that initiated an instant messaging session with the instant messaging identity.

86. The method of claim 85 wherein the instant messaging identity did not send a responsive communication to the at least one instant messaging session that was initiated by a participant identity such that:

identifying a subset of the participant identities that participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities comprises identifying a subset of the participant identities that participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities that includes a participant identity that initiated an instant messaging session with the instant messaging identity despite the fact that the instant messaging identity did not send a responsive communication to the instant messaging session initiated by the participant identity; and

populating the recent contacts group comprises populating the recent contacts group with a representation of a participant identity that initiated an instant messaging session with the instant messaging identity despite the fact that the instant messaging identity did not send a responsive communication to the instant messaging session initiated by the participant identity.

87. The method of claim 78 further comprising:

establishing an instant messaging session between the instant messaging identity and a particular participant identity;

updating the log to reflect the instant messaging session between the instant messaging identity and the particular participant identity;

determining if a representation of the particular participant identity already is included in the recent contacts group;

based on a determination that a representation of the particular participant identity is not already included in the recent contacts group, adding a representation of the participant identity to the recent contacts group.

88. The method of claim 78 further comprising:

establishing an instant messaging session between the instant messaging identity and a particular participant identity;

updating the log to reflect the instant messaging session between the instant messaging identity and the particular participant identity;

determining if a representation of the particular participant identity already is included in the recent contacts group; and

based on a determination that a representation of the particular participant identity already is included in the recent contacts group, maintaining the recent contacts group in an unchanged state.

89. The method of claim 75 further comprising:

establishing an instant messaging session between the instant messaging identity and a particular participant identity;

updating the log to reflect the instant messaging session between the instant messaging identity and the particular participant identity;

determining, from among the identified subset of the participant identities that participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities, a participant identity that participated in an instant messaging session with the instant messaging identity least recently;

removing the participant identity determined to have participated in an instant messaging session with the instant messaging identity least recently from the subset of participant identities that participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities, wherein populating the recent contacts group comprises removing a representation of the participant identity that participated in an instant messaging session with the instant messaging identity least recently from the recent contacts group.

90. The method of claim 75 further comprising determining whether participant identities from among the identified subset of participant identities that participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities are currently on-line, wherein passively triggering an updating of the displayed instant messaging graphical user interface to make perceivable that one or more of the identified subset of participant identities participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities comprises passively triggering an updating of the displayed instant messaging graphical user interface to make perceivable that one or more of the identified subset of participant identities participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities and are currently on-line.

91. The method of claim 75 wherein passively triggering an updating of the displayed instant messaging graphical user interface to make perceivable that one or more of the identified subset of participant identities participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities comprises automatically triggering, without user intervention, an updating of the displayed instant messaging graphical user interface to make perceivable that one or more of the identified subset of participant identities participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities.

92. The method of claim 75 further comprising:

establishing an instant messaging session between the instant messaging identity and a particular participant identity;

updating the log to reflect the instant messaging session between the instant messaging identity and the particular participant identity;

updating the identified subset of participant identities that participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities to include the particular participant identity; and

passively triggering another updating of the displayed instant messaging graphical user interface to make perceivable that the particular participant identity participated in an instant messaging session with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities.

93. The method of claim 75 further comprising:

determining that the individual participant identity is not already included in the collection of other instant messaging identities maintained for the instant messaging identity;

as a consequence of identifying the subset of the participant identities that participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities and determining that the individual participant identity is not already included in the collection of other instant messaging identities maintained for the instant messaging identity, adding the individual participant identity to the collection of other instant messaging identities maintained for the instant messaging identity, wherein triggering an addition of a representation of the individual participant identity to the displayed instant messaging graphical user interface and an updating to make perceivable that the individual participant identity participated in an instant messaging session with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities includes triggering an addition of a representation of the individual participant identity to the displayed instant messaging graphical user interface and an updating to make perceivable that the individual participant identity participated in an instant messaging session with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities as a consequence of having determined that the individual participant identity is not already included in the collection of other instant messaging identities maintained for the instant messaging identity.

94. A communications system comprising:

a processor; and

a storage component that stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

maintain, for an instant messaging identity, a collection of other instant messaging identities;

cause a display, to the instant messaging identity, of an instant messaging graphical user interface that includes representations of instant messaging identities from the collection of other instant messaging identities, the displayed representations of the other instant messaging identities being configured to enable the instant messaging identity to initiate instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identities that correspond to the displayed representations;

reflect, with respect to each of the other instant messaging identities that correspond to the displayed representations, information about a present availability to communicate with the instant messaging identity using at least instant messaging;

maintain, a log for tracking instant messaging activity of the instant messaging identity, the log including records of instant messaging sessions between the instant messaging identity and other participant identities;

identify, based on the log, a subset of the participant identities that participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities, the identified subset including an individual participant identity that is not already included in the collection of other instant messaging identities maintained for the instant messaging identity; and

based on having identified the subset of the participant identities that participated in instant sessions with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities, passively trigger an updating of the displayed instant messaging graphical user interface to make perceivable that one or more of the identified subset participant identities participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities, including trigger an addition of a representation of the individual participant identity to the displayed instant messaging graphical user interface and an updating of the displayed instant messaging graphical user interface to make perceivable that the individual participant identity participated in an instant messaging session with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities.

95. The communications system of claim 94 wherein:

the storage component further stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

determine that the individual participant identity is not already included in the collection of other instant messaging identities maintained for the instant messaging identity; and

add the individual participant identity to the collection of other instant messaging identities maintained for the instant messaging identity as a consequence of identifying the subset of the participant identities that participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities and determining that the individual participant identity is not already included in the collection of other instant messaging identities maintained for the instant messaging identity; and

the instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to trigger an addition of a representation of the individual participant identity to the displayed instant messaging graphical user interface and an updating of the displayed instant messaging graphical user interface to make perceivable that the individual participant identity participated in an instant messaging session with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities include instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to trigger an addition of a representation of the individual participant identity to the displayed instant messaging graphical user interface and an updating of the displayed instant messaging graphical user interface to make perceivable that the individual participant identity participated in an instant messaging session with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities as a consequence of having determined that the individual participant identity is not already included in the collection of other instant messaging identities maintained for the instant messaging identity.

96. A tangible computer readable storage medium having embodied thereon a computer program, the computer program including instructions that, when executed, cause a computer to:

maintain, for an instant messaging identity, a collection of other instant messaging identities;

cause a display, to the instant messaging identity, of an instant messaging graphical user interface that includes representations of instant messaging identities from the collection of other instant messaging identities, the displayed representations of the other instant messaging identities being configured to enable the instant messaging identity to initiate instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identities that correspond to the displayed representations;

reflect, with respect to each of the other instant messaging identities that correspond to the displayed representations, information about a present availability to communicate with the instant messaging identity using at least instant messaging;

maintain a log for tracking instant messaging activity of the instant messaging identity, the log including records of instant messaging sessions between the instant messaging identity and other participant identities;

identify, based on the log, a subset of the participant identities that participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities, the identified subset including an individual participant identity that is not already included in the collection of other instant messaging identities maintained for the instant messaging identity; and

based on having identified the subset of the participant identities that participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities, passively trigger an updating of the displayed instant messaging graphical user interface to make perceivable that one or more of the identified subset of participant identities participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities, including trigger an addition of a representation of the individual participant identity to the displayed instant messaging graphical user interface and an updating of the displayed instant messaging graphical user interface to make perceivable that the individual participant identity participated in an instant messaging session with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities.

97. The tangible computer readable storage medium of claim 96 wherein:

the computer program further includes instructions that, when executed, cause a computer to;

determine that the individual participant identity is not already included in the collection of other instant messaging identities maintained for the instant messaging identity; and

add the individual participant identity to the collection of other instant messaging identities maintained for the instant messaging identity as a consequence of identifying the subset of the participant identities that participated in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities and determining that the individual participant identity is not already included in the collection of other instant messaging identities maintained for the instant messaging identity; and

the instructions that, when executed, cause a computer to trigger an addition of a representation of the individual participant identity to the displayed instant messaging graphical user interface and an updating of the displayed instant messaging graphical user interface to make perceivable that the individual participant identity participated in an instant messaging session with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities include instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to trigger an addition of a representation of the individual participant identity to the displayed instant messaging graphical user interface and an updating of the displayed instant messaging graphical user interface to make perceivable that the individual participant identity participated in an instant messaging session with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other of the participant identities as a consequence of having determined that the individual participant identity is not already included in the collection of other instant messaging identities maintained for the instant messaging identity.

98. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a request for an instant messaging identity be logged in to an instant messaging system;

in response to receiving the request for the instant messaging identity to be logged in to the instant messaging system, logging the instant messaging identity in to the instant messaging system;

as a consequence of logging the instant messaging identity in to the instant messaging system, enabling display of an instant messaging graphical user interface that includes a list of other instant messaging identities, the list of other instant messaging identities including a sub-group of instant messaging identities who are not otherwise listed within the list of other instant messaging identities and who have engaged in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other users of the instant messaging system, the graphical user interface being configured to display on-line presence information for each of the other instant messaging identities, to enable the instant messaging identity to initiate instant messaging sessions with each of the other instant messaging identities, and to display the list of other instant messaging identities such that at least one listed instant messaging identity who is not included in the sub-group and at least one listed instant messaging identity who is included in the sub-group are visible concurrently;

while the instant messaging identity remains logged in to the instant messaging system, moderating an instant messaging session between the instant messaging identity and an unlisted instant messaging identity;

determining, based on moderating the instant messaging session between the instant messaging identity and the unlisted instant messaging identity, that the unlisted instant messaging identity has engaged in an instant messaging session with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other users of the instant messaging system;

determining that the unlisted instant messaging identity is not included within the list of other instant messaging identities; and

as a consequence of having determined that the unlisted instant messaging identity has engaged in an instant messaging session with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other users of the instant messaging system and that the unlisted instant messaging identity is not included within the list of other instant messaging identities, causing the displayed graphical user interface to be updated to include the unlisted instant messaging identity within the sub-group of instant messaging identities who are not otherwise listed within the list of other instant messaging identities and who have engaged in instant messaging sessions with the instant messaging identity recently relative to other users of the instant messaging system without otherwise including the unlisted instant messaging identity within the list of other instant messaging identities.