Facilitating communications between computer users across a network
First Claim
1. A method of facilitating communications across a network between users of at least one communications program including an instant messaging program, the method comprising:
- providing a file that represents one or more contacts of a user in the instant messaging program, wherein an operating system represents the file as a stand-alone graphical object, that is configured to allow the user to perform an action otherwise available through an interface of the instant messaging program, regardless of whether the instant messaging program is running when an operation corresponding to the action is performed;
receiving status information regarding the one or more contacts from the instant messaging program; and
updating, regardless of whether the instant messaging program is running, a visual representation of the stand-alone graphical object in response to the received status information, such that the visual representation of the graphical object conveys the status information of the one or more contacts.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A stand-alone icon (i.e., an icon that is not part of an application interface) is provided to facilitate communications across a network between users of at least one communications program. The icon represents a contact or a set of contacts. Status information regarding the contact or set of contacts is received and displayed using the icon or in response to an operation performed on the icon. The icon additionally may provide an interface for performing actions related to the contact or set of contacts. The actions may generally include, for example, retrieving profile information about the contact, setting an alert to indicate that the contact'"'"'s network/login status (e.g., login, logout, or idle) has changed, or performing communications with the contact.
-
Citations
15 Claims
-
1. A method of facilitating communications across a network between users of at least one communications program including an instant messaging program, the method comprising:
-
providing a file that represents one or more contacts of a user in the instant messaging program, wherein an operating system represents the file as a stand-alone graphical object, that is configured to allow the user to perform an action otherwise available through an interface of the instant messaging program, regardless of whether the instant messaging program is running when an operation corresponding to the action is performed; receiving status information regarding the one or more contacts from the instant messaging program; and updating, regardless of whether the instant messaging program is running, a visual representation of the stand-alone graphical object in response to the received status information, such that the visual representation of the graphical object conveys the status information of the one or more contacts. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
-
6. A tangible non-transitory computer-usable storage medium storing a computer program for facilitating communications across a network between users of at least one communications program including an instant messaging program, the computer program comprising instructions for causing a computer to:
-
provide a file that represents one or more contacts of a user in the instant messaging program, wherein an operating system represents the file as a stand-alone graphical object, that is configured to allow the user to perform an action otherwise available through an interface of the instant messaging program, regardless of whether the instant messaging program is running when an operation corresponding to the action is performed; receive status information regarding the one or more contacts from the instant messaging program; and update, regardless of whether the instant messaging program is running, a visual representation of the stand-alone graphical object in response to the received status information, such that the visual representation of the graphical object conveys the status information of the one or more contacts. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A system for facilitating communications across a network between users of at least one communications program including an instant messenger, the system comprising:
-
means for providing a file that represents one or more contacts of a user in the instant messaging program, wherein an operating system represents the file as a stand-alone graphical object, that is configured to allow the user to perform an action otherwise available through an interface of the instant messaging program, regardless of whether the instant messaging program is running when an operation corresponding to the action is performed; means for receiving status information regarding the one or more contacts from the instant messaging program; and means for updating, regardless of whether the instant messaging program is running, a visual representation of the stand-alone graphical object in response to the received status information, such that the visual representation of the graphical object conveys the status information of the one or more contacts. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
-
Specification