User interface for a communication suite

• US 8,108,469 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2003
• Issued: 01/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kent, Larry G. Jr., Malik, Dale W., Daniell, W. Todd
• Primary Examiner(s): Backer, Firmin
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUI, JONATHAN A
• Application Number:
  US10/685,651
• Publication Number:
  US 20050080851A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,031 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 709/206
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

Embodiments, among others, of the present disclosure provide systems and methods for integrating communication services. Briefly described, in architecture, one embodiment of the system, among others, can be implemented as follows. An association of communications services is created. Accordingly, options are specified for a first communication services this is included in the association. Therefore, when one of the communication services in the association is actively utilized by a user, then the specified options are implemented for the first communications service in a first graphical display area for the first communications service. Other systems and methods are provided.

Claims

1. A system for integrating electronic communication messaging services, comprising:

a computer processor;

a plurality of communication suites of electronic communication messaging services, each respective communication suite comprising;

a plurality of communication accounts, each communication account associated with one of a plurality of electronic communication messaging services, the plurality of electronic communication messaging services comprising a first electronic communication messaging service; and

a respective option configuration comprising at least one configurable option for each electronic communication messaging service associated within the respective communication suite, wherein each communication suite has a setting for each configurable option within the respective communication suite;

a local service interface layer associated with each communication suite, wherein the local service interface layer instantiates a local user agent for each electronic communication messaging service of the communication suite; and

a local tray manager that instantiates each of the local service interface layers and regulates a level of communications that occurs between a respective local service interface layer and local user agents associated with the local service interface layer, wherein the local tray manager detects when a desktop component that is associated with one of the plurality of communication suites is active and then directs the local service interface layer associated with the communication suite to assume an active status and directs a remainder of communication suites to assume an inactive status while still remaining instantiated, whereby the local user agents of inactive communication suites remain instantiated and notify associated electronic communication messaging services of the inactive states of the communication suites,

wherein the local service interface layer for an active communication suite is directed by the local tray manager to communicate directly to a local user interface and a local service interface layer for an inactive communication suite is directed by the local tray manager to suppress communications with the local user interface thereby causing the local user agents of the inactive communication suite to not receive and display message notifications for the inactive plurality of communication accounts associated with the inactive communication suite,

wherein the setting associated with each of the electronic communication messaging services associated with the active communication suite is implemented for the first electronic communication messaging service in lieu of recognizing the setting associated with each of the electronic communication messaging services of the inactive communication suite,

wherein the desktop component that is associated with one of the plurality of communication suites is detected to be active when the desktop component is instantiated and in focus.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the setting corresponds to a configuration setting on configuring message retention folders within a messaging user interface associated with the first electronic communication messaging service.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a first user interface to the first electronic communication messaging service, wherein the first user interface is configured to determine which of the at least one of the plurality of communication accounts is actively being utilized by a user.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein each respective communication suite further comprises:

a username for accessing the respective communication suite;

a password for accessing the respective communication suite;

a label identifying the respective communication suite;

customized rules for implementing the first electronic communication messaging service; and

a class type, wherein a particular operation may be not be performed for a particular class type.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first electronic communication messaging service is an email service.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a first graphical display area displaying information associated with the first electronic communication messaging service for a respective communication suite of communication accounts that is being actively utilized by the user; and

a second graphical display area displaying information associated with the first electronic communication messaging service for a respective communication suite of communication accounts that is not being actively utilized by the user.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the second graphical display area is smaller than the first graphical display area.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the respective option configuration includes a folder list for sorting email messages.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein the plurality of communication accounts includes an account to the email service.

10. A system for integrating electronic communication messaging services, comprising:

a computer processor;

a plurality of communication suites of electronic communication messaging services, each respective communication suite comprising;

a plurality of communication accounts, each communication account associated with one of a plurality of electronic communication messaging services, the plurality of electronic communication messaging services comprising a first electronic communication messaging service, wherein a first communication suite comprises a first communication account and a second communication account and a second communication suit comprises a third communication account; and

a respective option configuration comprising at least one configurable option for each electronic communication messaging service associated within the respective communication suite, wherein each communication suite has a setting for each configurable option within the respective communication suite;

a local service interface layer associated with each communication suite, wherein the local service interface layer instantiates a local user agent for each electronic communication messaging service of the communication suite; and

a local tray manager that instantiates each of the local service interface layers and regulates a level of communications that occurs between a respective local service interface layer and local user agents associated with the local service interface layer, wherein the local tray manager detects when a desktop component that is associated with one of the plurality of communication suites is active and then directs the local service interface layer associated with the communication suite to assume an active status and directs a remainder of communication suites to assume an inactive status while still remaining instantiated, whereby the local user agents of inactive communication suites remain instantiated and notify associated electronic communication messaging services of the inactive states of the communication suites,

wherein the local service interface layer for an active communication suite is directed by the local tray manager to communicate directly to a local user interface and a local service interface layer for an inactive communication suite is directed by the local tray manager to suppress communications with the local user interface thereby causing the local user agents of the inactive communication suite to not receive and display message notifications for the inactive plurality of communication accounts associated with the inactive communication suite,

wherein the setting associated with each of the electronic communication messaging services associated with the active communication suite is implemented for the first electronic communication messaging service in lieu of recognizing the setting associated with each of the electronic communication messaging services of the inactive communication suite,

wherein the desktop component that is associated with one of the plurality of communication suites is detected to be active when the desktop component is instantiated and in focus, and

a user interface display displaying, upon the detection of the desktop component being actively utilized, in a large display area, information received from the first electronic communication messaging service via the first communication account according to a first options configuration, wherein the first options configuration is associated with the first communication suite; and

restricting, upon the detection of the desktop component being actively utilized, the display of information associated with the third communication account to a small display area.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the one of the communication accounts detected to be active is the first communication account.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the one of the communication accounts detected to be active is the second communication account.

13. A method for integrating electronic communication messaging services, comprising:

maintaining a plurality of communication suites of electronic communication messaging services, each respective communication suite comprising;

a plurality of communication accounts, each communication account associated with one of a plurality of electronic communication messaging services, the plurality of electronic communication messaging services comprising a first electronic communication messaging service, wherein a first communication suite comprises a first communication account and a second communication account and a second communication suit comprises a third communication account; and

a respective option configuration comprising at least one configurable option for each electronic communication messaging service associated within the respective communication suite, wherein each communication suite has a setting for each configurable option within the respective communication suite;

associating a local service interface layer with each communication suite,

instantiating, by the local service interface layer, a local user agent for each electronic communication messaging service of the communication suite; and

instantiating each of the local service interface layers and regulating a level of communications that occurs between a respective local service interface layer and local user agents associated with the local service interface layer, wherein a local tray manager detects when a desktop component that is associated with one of the plurality of communication suites is active and then directs the local service interface layer associated with the communication suite to assume an active status and directs a remainder of communication suites to assume an inactive status while still remaining instantiated, whereby the local user agents of inactive communication suites remain instantiated and notify associated electronic communication messaging services of the inactive states of the communication suites,

directing the local service interface layer for an active communication suite to communicate directly to a local user interface;

directing a local service interface layer for an inactive communication suite to suppress communications with the local user interface thereby causing the local user agents of the inactive communication suite to not receive and display message notifications for the inactive plurality of communication accounts associated with the inactive communication suite,

implementing the setting associated with each of the electronic communication messaging services associated with the active communication suite for the first electronic communication messaging service in lieu of recognizing the setting associated with each of the electronic communication messaging services of the inactive communication suite,

detecting the desktop component that is associated with one of the plurality of communication suites to be active when the desktop component is instantiated and in focus,

upon detection of the desktop component being actively utilized, displaying in a large display area, information received from the first electronic communication messaging service via the first communication account according to a first options configuration, wherein the first options configuration is associated with the first communication suite; and

upon detection of the desktop component being actively utilized, restricting the display of information associated with the third communication account to a small display area.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the one of the communication accounts detected to be active is the first communication account.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the one of the communication accounts detected to be active is the second communication account.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

associating a second options configuration with the second communication suite, wherein the second options configuration comprises at least one configurable option of the first electronic communication messaging service;

wherein before the detecting step, the large display area displayed information received from the first electronic communication messaging service of the third communication account according to the second options configuration and the second display area displayed information associated with the first communication account.

17. The method of claim 16, the first options configuration including a first folder list of communication messages and the second options configuration including a second folder list of communication messages, wherein after the detecting step, the large display area displayed a complete version of the first folder list and the small display area displayed an incomplete version of the second folder list.

18. The method of claim 13, the displaying step further comprising:

determining a particular communication account that is actively being utilized;

identifying that the particular communication account is associated with the first communication suite; and

determining that the first electronic communication messaging service and the first options configuration are associated with the first communication suite.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the particular communication account is an email account and the first options configuration includes a folder list for email messages.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

creating a first identity that is associated with the first communication suite, wherein the identity has a first username and a first password;

wherein the detecting step further comprises;

recognizing that a user has assumed the first identity by providing the first username and the first password for the first identity;

associating the first identity with the first communication suite; and

determining that the first communication account and the first options configuration are associated with the first communication suite.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the first communication electronic communication messaging is an email service.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein the first electronic communication messaging service is an Internet call waiting service.

23. The method of claim 13, wherein the first electronic communication messaging service is an instant messaging service.

24. The method of claim 13, wherein the first electronic communication messaging service is a videoconferencing service.

25. A method for integrating electronic communication messaging services, comprising:

maintaining a plurality of communication suites of electronic communication messaging services, each respective communication suite comprising;

a plurality of communication accounts, each communication account associated with one of a plurality of electronic communication messaging services, the plurality of electronic communication messaging services comprising a first electronic communication messaging service, wherein a first communication suite comprises a first communication account for a first electronic communication messaging service and a second communication account for a second electronic communication messaging service; and

a respective option configuration comprising at least one configurable option for each electronic communication messaging service associated within the respective communication suite, wherein each communication suite has a setting for each configurable option within the respective communication suite;

associating a local service interface layer with each communication suite,

instantiating, by the local service interface layer, a local user agent for each electronic communication messaging service of the communication suite; and

instantiating each of the local service interface layers and regulating a level of communications that occurs between a respective local service interface layer and local user agents associated with the local service interface layer, wherein a local tray manager detects when a desktop component that is associated with one of the plurality of communication suites is active and then directs the local service interface layer associated with the communication suite to assume an active status and directs a remainder of communication suites to assume an inactive status while still remaining instantiated, whereby the local user agents of inactive communication suites remain instantiated and notify associated electronic communication messaging services of the inactive states of the communication suites,

directing the local service interface layer for an active communication suite to communicate directly to a local user interface;

directing a local service interface layer for an inactive communication suite to suppress communications with the local user interface thereby causing the local user agents of the inactive communication suite to not receive and display message notifications for the inactive plurality of communication accounts associated with the inactive communication suite,

implementing the setting associated with each of the electronic communication messaging services associated with the active communication suite for the first electronic communication messaging service in lieu of recognizing the setting associated with each of the electronic communication messaging services of the inactive communication suite, wherein the desktop component that is associated with one of the plurality of communication suites is detected to be active when the desktop component is instantiated and in focus.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the one of the plurality of communication accounts associated with the first communication suite that is being actively utilized is not a communication account for the first electronic communication messaging service.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the first electronic communication messaging service is an email service.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the options configurations include customized email settings for the email service.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the one of the plurality of communication accounts associated with the first communication suite that is being actively utilized is an account to an instant messaging service.