Facilitating communications between computer users across a network
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- providing, by at least one processor, a stand-alone graphical object that conveys information regarding one or more contacts of a user in at least one messaging communications program that facilitates communications across a network, the stand-alone graphical object being configured to allow the user to perform an action otherwise available through an interface of the at least one messaging communications program regardless of whether the interface of the at least one messaging communications program is running when an operation corresponding to the action is performed;
receiving status information regarding the one or more contacts of the user; and
updating, regardless of whether the interface of the at least one messaging communications 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 stand-alone graphical object conveys the status information of the one or more contacts.
6 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.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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providing, by at least one processor, a stand-alone graphical object that conveys information regarding one or more contacts of a user in at least one messaging communications program that facilitates communications across a network, the stand-alone graphical object being configured to allow the user to perform an action otherwise available through an interface of the at least one messaging communications program regardless of whether the interface of the at least one messaging communications program is running when an operation corresponding to the action is performed; receiving status information regarding the one or more contacts of the user; and updating, regardless of whether the interface of the at least one messaging communications 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 stand-alone graphical object conveys the status information of the one or more contacts. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions, which when executed on at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform a method comprising:
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providing a stand-alone graphical object that conveys information regarding one or more contacts of a user in at least one messaging communications program that facilitates communications across a network, the stand-alone graphical object being configured to allow the user to perform an action otherwise available through an interface of the at least one messaging communications program regardless of whether the interface of the at least one messaging communications program is running when an operation corresponding to the action is performed; receiving status information regarding the one or more contacts of the user; and updating, regardless of whether the interface of the at least one messaging communications 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 stand-alone graphical object conveys the status information of the one or more contacts. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 20)
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17. An apparatus comprising:
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a memory device storing instructions; at least one processor executing the instructions to; provide a stand-alone graphical object that conveys information regarding one or more contacts of a user in at least one messaging communications program that facilitates communications across a network, the stand-alone graphical object being configured to allow the user to perform an action otherwise available through an interface of the at least one messaging communications program regardless of whether the interface of the at least one messaging communications program is running when an operation corresponding to the action is performed; receive status information regarding the one or more contacts of the user; and update, regardless of whether the interface of the at least one messaging communications 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 stand-alone graphical object conveys the status information of the one or more contacts. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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Specification