Preventing messaging of co-users on user definable co-user lists

• US 8,667,397 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2012
• Issued: 03/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Appelman, Barry
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cao Kevin
• Application Number:
  US13/720,250
• Publication Number:
  US 20130111608A1
• Time in Patent Office: 440 Days
• Field of Search: 715758-759, 715763-765, 715/733, 715/853, 715751-753, 715/744
• US Class Current: 715/733
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/903 Querying for retrieval from the web G06F16/953
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/01 Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer G06F3/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/043 using or handling presence information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/10 Multimedia information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users

Abstract

A real time notification system that tracks, for each user, the logon status of selected co-users of an on-line or network system and displays that information in real time to the tracking user in a unique graphical interface. The invention provides user definable on-line co-user lists, or “buddy lists”, that track specific co-users in real-time automatically. A user can create many separate buddy lists of co-users, either with intersecting or disjoint lists of users, and label these buddy lists according to the user'"'"'s preference. The user can update a buddy list or create new buddy lists whenever necessary. When a user logs on to a system, the user'"'"'s set of buddy lists is presented to the buddy list system. The buddy list system attempts to match co-users currently logged into the system with the entries on the user'"'"'s buddy list. Any matches are displayed to the user. As co-users logon and loge, a user'"'"'s buddy list is updated to reflect these changes. An indication can also be added to show that a co-user just logged on or just left the system.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

maintaining, in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, a first list of co-users associated with a first user of a communication system, the first user being able to send electronic messages to co-users on the first list using the communication system;

maintaining, in the non-transitory computer readable storage medium, a second list of co-users for a second user of the communication system, the second user being able to send electronic messages to co-users on the second list using the communication system;

receiving an indication from the first user to block electronic messages sent from the second user; and

preventing, using at least one processor, the first user from receiving an electronic message from the second user.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein receiving the indication comprises receiving a request from the first user to block the second user.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising maintaining, in the non-transitory computer readable storage medium, a list of co-users selected to be blocked by the first user.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein receiving the indication comprises receiving an indication that the first user has added the second user to the list of co-users selected to be blocked by the first user.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein receiving the indication comprises receiving an indication from the first user to block all co-users.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising blocking the addition of the first user to the second list.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising preventing the second user from perceiving a status of the first user.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the second list of co-users comprises co-users selected by the second user.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the electronic messages comprise instant messages.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising presenting a graphical display of the second list of co-users to the second user when the second user logs into the communication system.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, further comprising indicating on the graphical display of the second list whether at least one co-user on the second list is currently logged into the communication system.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, further comprising adding the first user to the second list.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising preventing the second user from perceiving a status of the first user.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the status comprises whether or not the first user is logged into the communication system.

15. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein indicating on the graphical display of the second list whether at least one co-user on the second list is currently logged into the communication system comprises placing a symbol next to a name of the at least one co-user on the graphical display of the second list.

16. The method as recited in claim 10, further comprising indicating on the graphical display of the second list a status of at least one co-user.

17. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising blocking the second user from sending electronic messages to the first user.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including a set of instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to perform steps comprising:

maintaining a first list of co-users associated with a first user of a communication system, the first user being able to send electronic messages to co-users on the first list using the communication system;

maintaining a second list of co-users for a second user of the communication system, the second user being able to send electronic messages to co-users on the second list using the communication system;

receiving an indication from the first user to block electronic messages sent from the second user; and

preventing the first user from receiving an electronic message from the second user.

19. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 18, wherein receiving the indication comprises receiving a request from the first user to block the second user.

20. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 19, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one processor to maintain a list of co-users selected to be blocked by the first user.

21. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 20, wherein receiving the indication comprises receiving an indication that the first user has added the second user to the list of co-users selected to be blocked by the first user.

22. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 21, wherein receiving the indication comprises receiving an indication from the first user to block all co-users.

23. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 18, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to block the addition of the first user to the second list.

24. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 23, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one processor to prevent the second user from perceiving a status of the first user.

25. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 18, wherein the second list of co-users comprises co-users selected by the second user.

26. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 18, wherein the electronic messages comprise instant messages.

27. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 18, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one processor to present a graphical display of the second list of co-users to the second user when the second user logs into the communication system.

28. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 27, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one processor to indicate on the graphical display of the second list whether at least one co-user on the second list is currently logged into the communication system.

29. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 28, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one processor to add the first user to the second list.

30. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 29, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one processor to prevent the second user from perceiving a status of the first user.

31. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 30, wherein the status comprises whether or not the first user is logged into the communication system.

32. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 28, wherein indicating on the graphical display of the second list whether at least one co-user on the second list is currently logged into the communication system comprises placing a symbol next to a name of the at least one co-user on the graphical display of the second list.

33. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 27, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one processor to indicate on the graphical display of the second list a status of at least one co-user.

34. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 18, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to block the second user from sending electronic messages to the first user.

35. A system comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions thereon that, when executed by the at least on processor, cause the system to;

maintain, in the at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium, a first list of co-users associated with a first user of a communication system, the first user being able to send electronic messages to co-users on the first list using the communication system;

maintain, in the at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium, a second list of co-users for a second user of the communication system, the second user being able to send electronic messages to co-users on the second list using the communication system; and

prevent the first user from receiving an electronic message from the second user.

36. The system as recited in claim 35, wherein receiving the indication comprises receiving a request from the first user to block the second user.

37. The system as recited in claim 35, further comprising instructions thereon that, when executed by the at least on processor, cause the system to maintain, in the at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium, a list of co-users selected to be blocked by the first user.

38. The system as recited in claim 37, wherein receiving the indication comprises receiving an indication that the first user has added the second user to the list of co-users selected to be blocked by the first user.

39. The system as recited in claim 35, wherein receiving the indication comprises receiving an indication from the first user to block all co-users.

40. The system as recited in claim 35, further comprising instructions thereon that, when executed by the at least on processor, cause the system to block the addition of the first user to the second list.

41. The system as recited in claim 35, further comprising instructions thereon that, when executed by the at least on processor, cause the system to prevent the second user from perceiving a status of the first user.

42. The system as recited in claim 35, wherein the second list of co-users comprises co-users selected by the second user.

43. The system as recited in claim 35, wherein the electronic messages comprise instant messages.

44. The system as recited in claim 35, further comprising instructions thereon that, when executed by the at least on processor, cause the system to present a graphical display of the second list of co-users to the second user when the second user logs into the communication system.

45. The system as recited in claim 44, further comprising instructions thereon that, when executed by the at least on processor, cause the system to indicate on the graphical display of the second list whether at least one co-user on the second list is currently logged into the communication system.

46. The system as recited in claim 45, further comprising instructions thereon that, when executed by the at least on processor, cause the system to add the first user to the second list.

47. The system as recited in claim 46, further comprising instructions thereon that when executed by the at least on processor, cause the system to prevent the second user from perceiving a status of the first user.

48. The system as recited in claim 47, wherein the status comprises whether or not the first user is logged into the communication system.

49. The system as recited in claim 45, wherein indicating on the graphical display of the second list whether at least one co-user on the second list is currently logged into the communication system comprises placing a symbol next to a name of the at least one co-user on the graphical display of the second list.

50. The system as recited in claim 44, further comprising instructions thereon that, when executed by the at least on processor, cause the system to indicate on the graphical display of the second list a status of at least one co-user.

51. The system as recited in claim 35, further comprising instructions thereon that, when executed by the at least on processor, cause the system to block the second user from sending electronic messages to the first user.