System, method and apparatus for playing a sound identifier based on connection status

• US 7,996,527 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2009
• Issued: 08/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Isaacs, Ellen, Ranganathan, Dipti, Walendowski, Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): OSMAN, RAMY M
• Application Number:
  US12/503,355
• Publication Number:
  US 20100023590A1
• Time in Patent Office: 755 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 709/206, 709/224, 709/227, 715/753, 379/88.01, 379/373.01, 379/373.02
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/234 for tracking messages

Abstract

A system, method and apparatus for facilitating communication among a number of distributed clients in a distributed network is disclosed. A user, such as through a personal digital assistant device, may select one or more instant messages for transmission to one or more other users in the network. The instant messages may be sound instant message and/or text instant messages. During messaging, message status indicators provide users with the status of their respective messages. In one embodiment, the messages may be deemed to be either pending or received as distinguished by a pending status indicator and a received status indicator.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a computing device, a connection status of a buddy associated with a user, the connection status including a device identifier identifying a first device used by the buddy; and

playing a sound identifier to the user based on a change in the connection status of the buddy, wherein the sound identifier played is associated with the first device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sound identifier uniquely identifies the connection status.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending one or more pending messages to the device based on the connection status.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending one or more pending messages to a second device in response to not receiving acknowledgement of receipt of the one or more pending messages from the buddy, and receiving further connection status indicating the second device is being used by the buddy.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending one or more pending messages to the buddy based on the connection status.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising receiving acknowledgement of receipt of the one or more pending messages from the buddy.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the sound identifier uniquely identifies the buddy.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the sound identifier is created by the buddy.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising changing the connection status based on inactivity during a predetermined amount of time.

10. A system comprising:

means for receiving a connection status of a buddy associated with a user, the connection status including a device identifier identifying a first device used by the buddy; and

means for playing a sound identifier to the user based on a change in the connection status of the buddy, wherein the sound identifier played is associated with the first device.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the sound identifier uniquely identifies the connection status.

12. The system of claim 10, further comprising means for sending one or more pending messages to the device based on the connection status.

13. The system of claim 10, further comprising means for sending one or more pending messages to a second device in response to not receiving acknowledgement of receipt of the one or more pending messages from the buddy, and receiving a further connection status indicating the second device is being used by the buddy.

14. The system of claim 10, further comprising means for sending one or more pending messages to the buddy based on the connection status.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising means for receiving acknowledgement of receipt of the one or more pending messages from the buddy.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the sound identifier uniquely identifies the buddy.

17. The system of claim 10, further comprising means for changing the connection status based on inactivity during a predetermined amount of time.