System and method for a messaging interface

• US 8,943,422 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2014
• Issued: 01/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AOL Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Artman (Arad), Ronen
• Primary Examiner(s): LEGGETT, ANDREA C.
• Application Number:
  US14/444,556
• Publication Number:
  US 20140337766A1
• Time in Patent Office: 183 Days
• Field of Search: 715/758, 715/759
• US Class Current: 715/758
• 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 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• 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 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services

Abstract

Computer-implemented systems and methods for a simplified messaging interface are provided for allowing users to initiate and engage in messaging conversations. In various embodiments, the systems and methods reduce the overhead involved in initiating and/or engaging in messaging conversations. In some embodiments, the messaging interface allows users to initiate and/or engage in conversations without having to open a separate standard messaging window for every conversation. In some embodiments, the simplified messaging interface may be used in conjunction with a standard messaging interface.

Claims

1. A method of providing an electronic messaging interface, the method comprising the following operations performed by one or more processors:

providing instructions to display a contact list in a graphical user interface, the contact list including a separate graphical region within the contact list for each contact in the list;

receiving a selection of a contact in the contact list;

providing instructions to display a message-entry field in the separate graphical region for the selected contact;

receiving a message into the message-entry field in the separate graphical region for the selected contact; and

sending the message to the selected contact.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a response message from the selected contact;

providing instructions to display a response notification window, the response notification window including an additional message-entry field for receiving one or more additional messages.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising initiating a standard messaging window after a threshold message size is received into the message-entry field.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the threshold message size is significantly less than the amount displayed in a standard messaging window.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the threshold message size is 20 characters.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the threshold message size is 100 characters.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the threshold message size is based on the type of language is used to compose the message.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically opening the message-entry field after a response is received from a contact.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the selection is a first selection, the contact is a first contact, the message-entry field is a first message-entry field, and the message is a first message;

and

wherein the method further comprises;

receiving a second selection of a second contact;

providing instructions to display a second message-entry field in the separate graphical region for the second contact, the separate graphical region for the second contact differing from the separate graphical region for the first contact;

receiving a second message into the second message-entry field; and

sending the second message to the second contact.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the threshold message size is 100 characters.

10. A system for providing an electronic messaging interface, comprising:

a processing system comprising one or more processors; and

a memory system that stores instructions, the instructions being executable by the processing system to perform operations comprising;

providing instructions to display a contact list in a graphical user interface, the contact list including a separate graphical region within the contact list for each contact in the list;

receiving a selection of a contact in the contact list;

providing instructions to display a message-entry field in the separate graphical region for the selected contact;

receiving a message into the message-entry field in the separate graphical region for the selected contact; and

sending the message to the selected contact.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the operations performed by the processing system further comprise:

receiving a response message from the selected contact;

providing instructions to display a response notification window, the response notification window including an additional message-entry field for receiving one or more additional messages.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the operations performed by the processing system further comprise:

initiating a standard messaging window after a threshold message size is received into the message-entry field.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the threshold message size is significantly less than the amount of message displayed in a standard messaging window.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the threshold message size is 20 characters.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the threshold message size is based on the type of language used to compose the message.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the operations performed by the processing system further comprise:

automatically opening the message-entry field after a response is received from a contact.

18. A computer-implemented method of providing a messaging interface, comprising:

display a contact list in a graphical user interface, the contact list including a separate graphical region within the contact list for each contact in the list;

receiving a selection of a contact in the contact list;

displaying a first message-entry field in the separate graphical region for the selected contact;

detecting that a message entered into the first message-entry field has exceeded a threshold message size;

displaying a separate window in response to detecting that the message has exceeded the threshold message size, wherein the separate window includes a second message-entry field containing the message that the user entered into the first message-entry field and provides functionality for receiving a message that exceeds the threshold message size;

receiving an indication to send the message in the second message-entry field to the selected contact; and

sending the message to the selected contact.