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Communication system allowing users to know online or network status of sought users

  • US 7,818,371 B2
  • Filed: 11/13/2006
  • Issued: 10/19/2010
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/06/1996
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A communications system comprising:

  • a communications network;

    a multiplicity of communications terminals which are connectable to said communications network and which can be employed by a plurality of users to communicate via said communications network, wherein a given user of said plurality of users is not necessarily identified with a given communications terminal;

    a monitor operative to monitor whether or not a specific user of said plurality of users is connected to said communications network irrespective of which of said multiplicity of communications terminals said specific user is employing;

    an annunciator operative to annunciate to at least one seeking user of said plurality of users, currently connected to said communications network via any of said multiplicity of communications terminals, network connection status information relating to at least one other user who is in a set of sought users, said set of sought users being definable by said at least one seeking user; and

    an authorization request manager operative to;

    transmit an authorization request to said at least one other user, when said at least one other user is connected to said communications network;

    receive a response to said authorization request from said at least one other user; and

    transmit said response to said authorization request to said annunciator prior to said annunciator annunciating said network connection status information relating to said at least one other user.

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