Systems and methods for instant messaging persons referenced in an electronic message

• US 9,043,418 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Issued: 05/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Appelman, Barry, Lu, Larry L., Clemmons, Alisa, Weck, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrell, Robert B
• Application Number:
  US13/616,678
• Publication Number:
  US 20130073647A1
• Time in Patent Office: 984 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/206
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]

Abstract

Systems and techniques for transferring electronic data between users of a communications system include a host system structured and arranged to receive and deliver messages of various types between users of the communications system. The host system includes an instant messaging network; a mail gateway; and a configuring network in communication with both the instant messaging network and the mail gateway. The instant messaging network enables instant messaging communication between users of the communications system and has the capability to monitor whether a certain user is capable of receiving an instant message at a particular moment. The mail gateway receives and delivers e-mail messages to users of the communications system. The configuring network is dedicated to automatically configuring instant messaging communication between an intended recipient of an e-mail message and the sender of the e-mail message.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

locating, by at least one processor, an identifier within an electronic message intended for a recipient;

identifying, by at least one processor, a user account of a server-based communications system based on the identifier within the electronic message;

determining, by at least one processor, if the user account is logged into the server-based communications system; and

based on the determination that the user account of the server-based communications system is logged into the server-based communications system, presenting the recipient an option to initiate a communication with a user of the user account of the server-based communications system.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising indicating that the account of the server-based communications system is active.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein indicating that the account of the server-based communications system is active comprises causing an icon to appear.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein causing an icon to appear comprises causing the icon to appear in the electronic message next to the identifier.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the identifier is a name of a sender or another recipient of the electronic message.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the identifier comprises a portion of an address of the sender or the another recipient.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, further comprising:

locating the address within an address field of the electronic message; and

identifying the account of the server-based communications system based on the address.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the electronic message comprises an email message.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein determining if the user account is logged into the server-based communications system comprises sending a request to the server-based communications system for a status of the user account.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein determining if the user account is logged into the server-based communications system comprises receiving an indication of the status of the user account from the server-based communications system.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein presenting the recipient the option to initiate the communication with the user of the user account of the server-based communications system comprises causing a messaging window to open, the messaging window allowing the recipient of the electronic message to compose an instant message to the user of the user account of the server-based communications system.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the communication comprises an instant message.

13. A method comprising:

locating, using at least one processor, an identifier within an electronic message intended for a recipient;

identifying a user subscriber of a server-based communications system based on the identifier;

accessing the server-based communications system to determine if the user subscriber is currently logged into the server-based communications system;

based on the user subscriber being currently logged into the server-based communications system, presenting the recipient an option to initiate a communication with the user subscriber via the server-based communications system.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

locating the identifier within an address field of the electronic message.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the identifier comprises a portion of an address of a sender or another recipient of the electronic message.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the electronic message comprises an email.

17. A system comprising:

at least one processor;

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable instructions that when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to perform steps comprising;

locating an identifier within an electronic message intended for a recipient;

identifying a user account of a server-based communications system based on the identifier within the electronic message;

determining whether the user account is logged into the server-based communications system; and

based on the determination that the user account of the server-based communications system is logged into the server-based communications system, providing a user an option to initiate a communication between the user and the intended recipient of the electronic message using the server-based communications system.

18. The system as recited in claim 17, further comprising computer readable instructions, that when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to perform steps comprising indicating that the user account is active.

19. The system as recited in claim 18, wherein the computer readable instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to indicate that the account is active by including an icon next to the identifier in the electronic message.

20. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein the identifier comprises a portion of an address of the sender or the another recipient.

21. The system as recited in claim 20, further comprising computer readable instructions, that when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to perform steps comprising:

locating the address within an address field of the electronic message; and

identifying the account of the server-based communications system based on the address.

22. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein the computer readable instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to determine whether the user account is logged into the server-based communications system by sending a request to the server-based communications system for a status of the user account.

23. The system as recited in claim 17, further comprising computer readable instructions, that when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to perform steps comprising presenting the option in a pop-up window.

24. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein the identifier is a name of a sender or another recipient of the electronic message.

25. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein the electronic message comprises an email message.