Method, system, and graphical user interface for meeting-spot-related contact lists

• US 7,797,642 B1
• Filed: 09/13/2006
• Issued: 09/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Shah, Divya, Karam, Joseph F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ke; Simon
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stitt; Erik V
• Application Number:
  US11/522,548
• Time in Patent Office: 1,462 Days
• Field of Search: 715/810, 715/764, 715/753, 715/768, 751/751, 707/102, 345/473, 345/419
• US Class Current: 715/810
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

A method, system, and graphical user interface for meeting-spot-related contact lists are disclosed. A “meeting spot” is a specific physical location where two or more people can arrange to meet face to face. One aspect of the invention involves a computer-implemented method in which a computer generates a contact list for a first user, wherein the contact list includes an identifier for a meeting spot and an adjacent list of contact information for other users associated with the meeting spot.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

identifying a meeting spot associated with a first user, who is currently online and active;

identifying a plurality of other users, who are currently online and active, that have currently selected the meeting spot;

selecting a subset of the identified other users based on predefined criteria, wherein each user of the subset has currently selected two or more meeting spots that are also currently selected by the first user; and

generating for presentation in a display region a list of user contact information that corresponds to the selected subset of users.

2. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

at a server computer,

associating a first user, who is currently online and active, with a meeting spot;

identifying a plurality of users other than the first user that have currently selected the meeting spot, wherein the plurality of users are currently online and active;

selecting at least some of the identified users based on predefined criteria, wherein each user of the subset has currently selected two or more meeting spots that are also currently selected by the first user; and

sending user contact information that corresponds to the selected users to a client device associated with the first user for presentation.

3. The method of claim 2, including sending the user contact information for display in a contact list of the first user.

4. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

at a client device associated with a first user who is currently online and active,

receiving from a server computer contact information for a plurality of users, who are currently online and active, that have currently selected a meeting spot; and

displaying, in a contact list of the first user, an identifier for the meeting spot and at least some of the contact information for the plurality of users that have currently selected the meeting spot, wherein each user in the plurality of users has currently selected two or more meeting spots that are also currently selected by the first user.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first user is associated with the meeting spot.

6. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

generating a contact list for a first user, who is currently online and active, wherein the contact list includes an identifier for a meeting spot and an adjacent list of contact information for other users, who are currently online and active, that have currently selected the meeting spot, wherein each of the other users has currently selected two or more meeting spots that are also currently selected by the first user.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first user is associated with the meeting spot.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the method is performed by a client device associated with the first user.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the method is performed by a server computer remote from a client device associated with the first user.

10. A graphical user interface on a client device, comprising:

a contact list for a first user, who is currently online and active;

in the contact list, an identifier for a meeting spot; and

a list of contact information for a plurality of users, who are currently online and active, that have currently selected the meeting spot, wherein each user in the plurality of users has currently selected two or more meeting spots that are also currently selected by the first user.

11. The graphical user interface of claim 10, wherein the identifier is a name or logo for the meeting spot.

12. The graphical user interface of claim 10, wherein the contact list is divided into sections and the list of contact information is included in a section having a section heading comprising the identifier for the meeting spot.

13. The graphical user interface of claim 10, wherein the list of contact information is adjacent to the identifier for the meeting spot.

14. The graphical user interface of claim 10, wherein the list of contact information includes links for the plurality of users.

15. The graphical user interface of claim 14, wherein activation of a link for a particular user initiates online communications with the particular user.

16. The graphical user interface of claim 10, wherein the meeting spot is associated with the first user.

17. The graphical user interface of claim 16, wherein the meeting spot is associated with the first user by a reference to the meeting spot in a record for the first user.

18. The graphical user interface of claim 17, wherein the reference to the meeting spot is added to the record for the first user when the first user activates an icon corresponding to the meeting spot.

19. The graphical user interface of claim 11, wherein the icon corresponding to the meeting spot is displayed on a digital geographic map.

20. The graphical user interface of claim 10, wherein the meeting spot is associated with the plurality of users by respective identifiers for the meeting spot in respective records for the plurality of users.

21. A server, comprising:

one or more processors;

memory; and

a program, wherein the program is stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the program including;

instructions for associating a first user, who is currently online and active, with a meeting spot;

instructions for identifying a plurality of users other than the first user that have currently selected the meeting spot, wherein the plurality of users are currently online and active;

instructions for selecting at least some of the identified users based on predefined criteria, wherein each user of the subset has currently selected two or more meeting spots that are also currently selected by the first user; and

instructions for sending user contact information that corresponds to the selected users to a client device associated with the first user for presentation.

22. A client device, comprising:

one or more processors;

memory; and

a program, wherein the program is stored in the memory and executed by the one or more processors, the program including;

instructions for receiving from a server computer contact information for a plurality of users, who are currently online and active, that have currently selected a meeting spot; and

instructions for displaying, in a contact list of a first user who is currently online and active, an identifier for the meeting spot and at least some of the contact information for the plurality of users associated with the meeting spot, wherein each user in the plurality of users has currently selected two or more meeting spots that are also currently selected by the first user.