Off record chat
First Claim
1. A method for providing enhanced user participation in a chat application, said chat application being selectively operable wherein a user is enabled, after logging on to said chat application, to input information at a user terminal and said information is caused to be immediately displayed on display devices of other individuals participating in said chat application, said method comprising:
- providing a selection menu to said user prior to said logging on to said chat application; and
enabling said user to make a selection from said menu to disable predetermined functions of said other individuals with respect to information input by said user after logging on to said chat application.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and implementing instant messaging processing system are provided in which a user'"'"'s presence and on-line status in a chat session are not broadcast to the chat or instant messaging participants until the user chooses to allow or enable such broadcast. Additionally, the user is enabled to selectively exclude other specified users from seeing the user'"'"'s on-line status. A “preferences” screen is presented to a user to enable the user to input his or her privacy preferences during a subsequent chat session before the user actually logs-into the chat session. The instant messaging system includes means by which a local instant messaging user is enabled to view all remote users within the chat application who are monitoring the user'"'"'s on-line status as a result of having the user included in the remote users'"'"' buddy lists, as well as the ability to view the on-line state of those remote users. Further, an “off the record” mode may be selectively enabled by the user to preclude remote users from recording the communications being transmitted during a chat session.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method for providing enhanced user participation in a chat application, said chat application being selectively operable wherein a user is enabled, after logging on to said chat application, to input information at a user terminal and said information is caused to be immediately displayed on display devices of other individuals participating in said chat application, said method comprising:
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providing a selection menu to said user prior to said logging on to said chat application; and enabling said user to make a selection from said menu to disable predetermined functions of said other individuals with respect to information input by said user after logging on to said chat application. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A storage medium including machine readable coded indicia, said storage medium being selectively coupled to a reading device, said reading device being selectively coupled to processing circuitry within a computer system, said reading device being selectively operable to read said machine readable coded indicia and provide program signals representative thereof, said program signals being effective for providing enhanced user participation in a chat application, said chat application being selectively operable wherein a user is enabled, after logging on to said chat application, to input information at a user terminal and said information is caused to be immediately displayed on display devices of other individuals participating in said chat application, said program signals being further effective for:
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providing a selection menu to said user prior to said logging on to said chat application; and enabling said user to make a selection from said menu to disable predetermined functions of said other individuals with respect to information input by said user after logging on to said chat application. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A system for providing enhanced user participation in a chat application, said chat application being selectively operable wherein a user is enabled, after logging on to said chat application, to input information at a user terminal and said information is caused to be immediately displayed on display devices of other individuals participating in said chat application, said system comprising:
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a chat server; a plurality of chat user terminals, said chat user terminals and said chat server being coupled together through an interconnection network, each of said user terminals including a display device and a user input device, each of said user terminals being selectively operable for providing a selection menu to said user prior to said logging on to said chat application by which said user is enabled to make a selection from said menu to disable predetermined functions of said other individuals with respect to information input by said user after logging on to said chat application.
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Specification