Instant messaging activity notification

• US 8,849,934 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 09/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Skype S.Ã R.L. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Mandre, Indrek
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, CHAU D
• Application Number:
  US13/836,562
• Publication Number:
  US 20130205226A1
• Time in Patent Office: 564 Days
• Field of Search: 709204-206
• US Class Current: 709/206
• 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 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• 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 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

User activity is communicated in a messaging system. Communication is performed by monitoring an input region displayed to a first user of the messaging system in a client executed at a user terminal of the first user; responsive to receiving a user activated input at the input region, analyzing the input and using the analysis to match the input to a type of user activity from a predetermined set of user activities; and transmitting a message comprising data representing the type of user activity from the user terminal of the first user to a user terminal of at least one other user of the messaging system over a communications network.

Claims

1. One or more computer-readable storage memory comprising computer-readable instructions which, responsive to execution by at least one processor, are configured to:

monitor an input region of a user interface associated with a messaging system;

receive user activated input via said input region;

responsive to receiving the user activated input, analyze the user activated input to identify a type of user activity from a predetermined set of user activities, wherein the predetermined set of user activities comprises at least a deletion activity, an accidental input activity, and a message completed activity; and

transmit, over a communication network, a message comprising data representing the identified type of user activity from a first user terminal to at least a second user terminal.

2. The computer-readable storage memory of claim 1, wherein the computer-readable instructions are further configured to:

receive at least one message over the communication network;

extract, from the at least one message, data representing a type of user activity; and

update an activity indicator on a user interface based, at least in part, on the extracted type of user activity.

3. The computer-readable storage memory of claim 2, wherein the computer-readable instructions are further configured to:

compare the extracted type of user activity to the predetermined set of user activities effective to determine an extracted activity code associated with the extracted type of user activity; and

identify how to update the activity indicator on the user interface based, at least in part, on the extracted activity code.

4. The computer-readable storage memory of claim 3, wherein the computer-readable instructions are further configured to:

identify a current activity code associated with the activity indicator on the user interface;

compare the current activity code with the extracted activity code effective to determine whether the current activity code matches the extracted activity code;

responsive to determining the current activity code and the extracted activity code match, maintain the activity indicator on the user interface; and

responsive to determining the current activity code and the extracted activity code are different, replace the activity indicator on the user interface with an indicator associated with the extracted activity code.

5. The computer-readable storage memory of claim 4, wherein the computer-readable instructions are further configured to remove the activity indicator from the user interface responsive to determining the extracted activity code indicates user inactivity.

6. The computer-readable storage memory of claim 2, wherein the activity indicator comprises an icon.

7. The computer-readable storage memory of claim 1, wherein the computer-readable instructions are further configured to:

responsive to identifying the type of user activity from a predetermined set of user activities, compare the identified type of user activity to a previous user activity type transmitted to the at least second terminal effective to determine whether the identified type of user activity matches the previous user activity type;

responsive to determining the identified type of user activity and previous user activity type are different, generate the message comprising data representing the identified type of user activity for transmission; and

responsive to determining the identified type of user activity and previous user activity match, determine not to generate and transmit the message.

8. One or more computer-readable storage memory comprising computer-readable instructions which, responsive to execution by at least one processor, are configured to:

display a user interface associated with an instant messaging system, the user interface comprising;

a user input region configured to accept input associated with at least one conversation associated with the instant messaging system;

a contacts region configured to display one or more contacts associated with the at least one conversation; and

a message region configured to display one or more previous messages exchanged between the one or more contacts associated with the at least one conversation; and

monitor the user input region effective to;

identify input via the user input region;

determine a type of user activity associated with the input from a predetermined set of user activities, wherein the predetermined set of user activities comprises at least a deletion activity, an accidental input activity, and a message completed activity; and

transmit a message comprising data associated with the determined type of user activity to the one or more contacts.

9. The computer-readable storage memory of claim 8, wherein the computer-readable instructions are further configured to:

receive one or more messages from at least one of the one or more contacts associated with the instant messaging system;

extract, from each of the one or more messages, data representing a type of user activity associated with the at least one of the one or more contacts; and

update the contacts region of the user interface based, at least in part, on each extracted type of user activity.

10. The computer-readable storage memory of claim 9, wherein the computer-readable instructions are further configured to:

for each extracted type of user activity;

determine a contact from the one more contacts that is associated with said extracted type of user activity; and

update a region in the contacts region that is associated with said contact with an indication of said extracted type user activity.

11. The computer-readable storage memory of claim 10, wherein the computer-readable instructions are further configured to receive at least two messages associated with the instant messaging system, wherein each message is associated with a different contact.

12. The computer-readable storage memory of claim 9, wherein the predetermined set of user activities further comprises:

a typing activity;

an angry user activity; and

a message canceled activity.

13. The computer-readable storage memory of claim 12, wherein the user interface is further configured to display a unique indicator for each activity of the predetermined set of user activities.

14. The computer-readable storage memory of claim 13, wherein each unique indicator comprises an icon.

15. The computer-readable storage memory of claim 8, wherein the user interface is further configured to:

display an avatar for at least some contacts of the one or more contacts;

display a user name for at least some contacts of the one or more contact; and

display a presence indicator for at least some contacts of the one or more contacts.

16. The computer-readable storage memory of claim 10, wherein the computer-readable instructions are further configured to:

update the region in the contacts region that is associated with said contact by replacing an existing indication with a new indication;

update the region in the contacts region that is associated with said contact by removing an existing indication responsive to identifying the type of user activity as a user inactivity notification; and

update the region in the contacts region that is associated with said contact by maintaining an existing indication.

17. The one or more computer-readable storage memory of claim 8, wherein the instant messaging system is configured to connect to one or more contacts over a communications network.

19. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein the instant messaging system is further configured to:

receive at least one message over the communication network;

extract from the at least one message data representing a type of user activity; and

update an activity indicator on the user interface based, at least in part, on the extracted type of user activity.

18. A system comprising:

at least one processor;

computer-readable storage memory embodying one or more computer executable instructions which, responsive to execution by the at least one processor, implement an instant messaging system configured to;

monitor an input region of a user interface;

receive input via said input region;

responsive to receiving the user activated input, analyze the input received via said input region to identify a type of user activity from a predetermined set of user activities, wherein the predetermined set of user activities comprises at least a deletion activity, an accidental input activity, and a message completed activity; and

transmit a message comprising data representing the identified type of user activity over a communications network.

20. The system as recited in claim 18, wherein the user interface is further configured to display:

a contacts region configured to display one or more contacts associated with at least one conversation associated with the instant messaging system, wherein the activity indicator is displayed in the contacts region; and

a message region, the message region configured to display one or more previous messages exchanged between the one or more contacts in the at least one conversation.