Enhanced buddy list interface

• US 9,100,218 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2003
• Issued: 08/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AOL Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Green, Mitchell Chapin, Chickering, Roger, Gang, David
• Primary Examiner(s): SALOMON, PHENUEL S
• Application Number:
  US10/715,205
• Publication Number:
  US 20040172455A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,277 Days
• Field of Search: 345/733, 715/715, 715/840, 715/752, 715/751, 715/753, 715/758, 709/206, 709/207, 709/223, 709/224
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• 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 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4594 Address books, i.e. directories containing contact information about correspondents telephone directories in user terminals H04M1/27453
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/45 related to voicemail messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems

Abstract

A graphical user interface between a user of a computer service and the computer service includes a list of other users of the computer service selected by the user as significant to the user and an icon associated with one of the other listed users indicating that a communication has occurred between the user and the other user.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing an instant messaging service to a user;

displaying, to the user, a graphical user interface of the instant messaging service, the graphical user interface comprising a window that includes a contacts list listing identifiers corresponding to multiple co-users of the instant messaging service, the contacts list being configured to make online presence information for the co-users perceivable to the user and to enable the user to initiate communication sessions with the co-users;

receiving a notification from an e-mail client when an email message is received from a first one of the co-users;

determining, in response to the notification, a number of unread e-mail messages sent by the first one of the co-users to the user that remain unread by the user;

conditioned on the number of unread e-mail messages being greater than zero, displaying, within the window that includes the contacts list and in association with the identifier corresponding to the first co-user, a first graphical element that indicates that one or more unread e-mail messages have been sent by the first co-user to the user and remain unread by the user, wherein the first graphical element is automatically displayed in response to the notification and independent of a selection of the identifier by the user;

enabling the user to select the first graphical element;

receiving a selection of the first graphical element by the user; and

in response to the selection of the first graphical element by the user, displaying to the user the number of unread e-mail messages sent by the first co-user to the user that remain unread by the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a selection of the first graphical element comprises receiving an indication that the user has moved a graphical pointer over the graphical element corresponding to the first co-user in the contacts list.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the one or more unread email messages in response to a second selection of the first graphical element by the user.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a list of one or more unread email messages exchanged between the user and the first co-user in response to a second selection of the first graphical element by the user, the list of one or more unread email messages being limited to email messages exchanged between the user and the first co-user.

5. The method of claim 1,

wherein displaying, within the window that includes the contacts list and in association with the identifier corresponding to the first co-user, a first graphical element that indicates that unread e-mail messages have been sent by the first co-user to the user that remain unread by the user includes displaying the first graphical element adjacent to the identifier in the contacts list that corresponds to the first co-user;

and

further comprising displaying, within the window that includes the contacts list and in association with the identifier corresponding to a second co-user, a second graphical element, different from the first graphical element, that indicates that a meeting has been scheduled that involves the user and the second co-user.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein displaying, within the window that includes the contacts list and in association with the identifier corresponding to the second co-user, a second graphical element that indicates that a meeting has been scheduled that involves the user and the second co-user includes displaying the second graphical element that indicates that a meeting has been scheduled that involves the user and the second co-user concurrently with the first graphical element that indicates that a number of unread e-mail messages have been sent by the first co-user to the user and remain unread by the user.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first graphical element comprises a first icon and the second graphical element comprises a second and different icon.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising

determining that a second one of the co-users has sent a number of e-mail messages to the user that remain unread by the user;

and

conditioned on the number of unread e-mail messages sent by the second co-user to the user being greater than zero, displaying, within the window that includes the contacts list and in association with the identifier corresponding to the second co-user, a second graphical element configured to inform the user that the second co-user has sent one or more e-mail messages to the user that remain unread by the user.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

enabling the user to select the second graphical element;

receiving a selection of the second graphical element by the user; and

in response to the selection of the second graphical element by the user, displaying to the user the number of unread e-mail messages sent by the second co-user to the user that remain unread by the user.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining that a second one of the co-users has left a voicemail message for the user; and

in response to determining that the second co-user left a voicemail message for the user, displaying, within the window that includes the contacts list and in association with the identifier corresponding to the second co-user, a second graphical element, different from the first graphical element, configured to inform the user that the second co-user left a voicemail message for the user.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first graphical element comprises an icon.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying to the user the number of unread e-mail messages sent by the first co-user to the user includes displaying the number in a pop-up window or a dialog box that appears in response to selection of the first graphical element by the user, the pop-up window or the dialog box displaying the number without displaying a list of e-mails received by the user.

8. The method of 5, wherein the first graphical element comprises a first icon and the second graphical element comprises a second and different icon.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having embodied thereon a computer program, the computer program including instructions that, when executed, cause a computer to:

display, to a user of an instant messaging system, a graphical user interface of an instant messaging service, the graphical user interface comprising a window that includes a contacts list listing identifiers corresponding to multiple co-users of the instant messaging service, the contacts list being configured to make online presence information for the co-users perceivable to the user and to enable the user to initiate communication sessions with the co-users;

receive a notification from an e-mail client when an email message is received from a first one of the co-users;

determine, in response to the notification, a number of unread e-mail messages sent by the first one of the co-users to the user that remain unread by the user;

conditioned on the number of unread e-mail messages being greater than zero, display, within the window that includes the contacts list and in association with the identifier corresponding to the first co-user, a first graphical element that indicates that one or more unread e-mail messages have been sent by the first co-user to the user and remain unread by the user, wherein the first graphical element is automatically displayed in response to the notification and independent of a selection of the identifier by the user;

enable the user to select the first graphical element;

receive a selection of the first graphical element by the user; and

in response to the selection of the first graphical element by the user, display to the user the number of unread e-mail messages sent by the first co-user to the user that remain unread by the user.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the computer program further includes instructions that, when executed, cause a computer to open or activate an application to read the unread email messages when the first graphical element is again selected by the user.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the computer program further includes instructions that, when executed, cause a computer to open or activate an application listing multiple email messages exchanged between the user and the first co-user.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the first graphical element comprises an icon.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the computer program further includes instructions that, when executed, cause a computer to:

determine a number of unread e-mail messages sent by a second one of the co-users to the user that remain unread by the user; and

conditioned on the determined number of unread e-mail messages sent by the second co-user to the user being greater than zero, display, within the window that includes the contacts list and in association with the identifier corresponding to the second co-user, a second graphical element that indicates that one or more unread email messages have been sent by the second co-user to the user and remain unread by the user.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the computer program further includes instructions that, when executed, cause a computer to:

enable the user to select the second graphical element;

receive a selection of the second graphical element by the user; and

in response to the selection of the second graphical element by the user, display to the user the number of unread e-mail messages sent by the second co-user to the user that remain unread by the user.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the instructions for causing a computer to display to the user the number of unread e-mail messages sent by the first co-user to the user include instructions for causing the computer to display the number in a pop-up window or a dialog box that appears in response to selection of the first graphical element by the user, the pop-up window or the dialog box displaying the number without displaying a list of e-mails received by the user.

21. A method comprising:

displaying, to a user of an instant messaging system, a graphical user interface of an instant messaging service, the graphical user interface comprising a window that includes a contacts list listing identifiers corresponding to multiple co-users of the instant messaging service, the contacts list being configured to make online presence information for the co-users perceivable to the user and to enable the user to initiate communication sessions with the co-users;

receiving a notification from an e-mail client when an email message is sent to a first one of the co-users;

determining, in response to the notification, a number of unread e-mail messages sent by the user to the first one of the co-users that remain unread by the first co-user;

conditioned on the number of unread e-mail messages being greater than zero, displaying, within the window that includes the contacts list and in association with the identifier corresponding to the first co-user, a first graphical element that indicates that one or more unread e-mail messages have been sent by the user to the first co-user and remain unread by the first co-user, wherein the first graphical element is automatically displayed in response to the notification and independent of a selection of the identifier by the user;

enabling the user to select the first graphical element;

receiving a selection of the first graphical element by the user; and

in response to the selection of the first graphical element by the user, displaying to the user the number of unread e-mail messages sent by the first user to the first co-user that remain unread by the first co-user.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising displaying the one or more unread email messages in response to a second selection of the first graphical element by the user.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising displaying a list of one or more unread email messages exchanged between the user and the first co-user in response to a second selection of the first graphical element by the user, the list of one or more unread email messages being limited to email messages exchanged between the user and the first co-user.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein displaying to the user the number of unread e-mail messages sent by the user to the first co-user includes displaying the number in a pop-up window or a dialog box that appears in response to selection of the first graphical element by the user, the pop-up window or the dialog box displaying the number without displaying a list of e-mails received by the user.

25. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

determining that the user has sent a number of e-mail messages to a second one of the co-users that remain unread by the second co-user; and

conditioned on the number of unread e-mail messages sent by the user to the second co-user being greater than zero, displaying, within the window that includes the contacts list and in association with the identifier corresponding to the second co-user, a second graphical element configured to inform the user that the user has sent one or more e-mail messages to the second co-user that remain unread by the second co-user.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

enabling the user to select the second graphical element;

receiving a selection of the second graphical element by the user; and

in response to the selection of the second graphical element by the user, displaying to the user the number of unread e-mail messages sent by the user to the second co-user that remain unread by the second co-user.

27. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having embodied thereon a computer program, the computer program including instructions that, when executed, cause a computer to:

display, to a user of an instant messaging system, a graphical user interface of an instant messaging service, the graphical user interface comprising a window that includes a contacts list listing identifiers corresponding to multiple co-users of the instant messaging service, the contacts list being configured to make online presence information for the co-users perceivable to the user and to enable the user to initiate communication sessions with the co-users;

receive a notification from an e-mail client when an email message is sent to or received from a first co-user;

determine, based on the notification, whether unread e-mail messages sent by the user to the first co-user or received by the user from the first co-user are available for access;

conditioned on determining that unread e-mail messages sent by the user to a first co-user or received by the user from the first co-user are available for access, display within the window that includes the contacts list and in association with the identifier corresponding to the first co-user a graphical element that indicates to the user that unread e-mail messages are available for access, wherein the graphical element is automatically displayed in response to the notification and independent of a selection of the identifier by the user; and

conditioned on determining that no unread e-mail messages sent by the user to a first co-user or received by the user from the first co-user are available for access, not display within the window and in association with the identifier corresponding to the first co-user any graphical element related to e-mails or e-mail inbox content.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 27, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a computer to no longer display the graphical element within the window upon subsequently determining that the user accessed previously unread e-mail messages such that no unread e-mail messages from the first co-user remain presently available for access.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 27, wherein:

the instructions that cause a computer to determine whether unread e-mail messages sent by the user to a first co-user or received by the user from the first co-user are available for access comprise instructions that cause a computer to determine whether unread e-mail messages sent by the user to the first co-user are available for access by the first co-user; and

the instructions that cause a computer to display within the window that includes the contacts list and in association with the identifier corresponding to the first co-user a graphical element that indicates to the user that unread e-mail messages are available for access comprise instructions that cause a computer to, conditioned on determining that unread e-mail messages sent by the user to the first co-user are available for access by the first co-user, display within the window that includes the contacts list and in association with the identifier corresponding to the first co-user a graphical element configured to inform the user that e-mail messages sent by the user to the first co-user have not been read by the first co-user and remain not read by the first co-user.

30. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 27, wherein:

the instructions that cause a computer to determine whether unread e-mail messages sent by the user to a first co-user or received by the user from the first co-user are available for access comprise instructions that cause a computer to determine whether unread e-mail messages received by the user from the first co-user are available for access by the user; and

the instructions that cause a computer to display within the window that includes the contacts list and in association with the identifier corresponding to the first co-user a graphical element that indicates to the user that unread e-mail messages are available for access comprise instructions that cause a computer, conditioned on determining that unread e-mail messages received by the user from the first co-user are available for access by the user, display within the window that includes the contacts list and in association with the identifier corresponding to the first co-user a graphical element configured to inform the user that e-mail messages sent by the first co-user to the user have not been read by the user and remain not read by the user.

31. The non-transitory method of claim 27, wherein automatically displaying the graphical element in response to the e-mail message comprises displaying the graphical element upon receiving the e-mail message without manual intervention by the user.

32. A method comprising:

providing an instant messaging service to a user;

displaying, to the user, a graphical user interface of the instant messaging service, the graphical user interface comprising a window that includes a contacts list listing identifiers corresponding to multiple co-users of the instant messaging service, the contacts list being configured to make online presence information for the co-users perceivable to the user and to enable the user to initiate communication sessions with the co-users;

receiving a notification from an e-mail client when an email message is received from a first one of the co-users;

determining, in response to the notification, a number of unread e-mail messages sent by the first one of the co-users to the user that remain unread by the user;

determining a number of unread e-mail messages sent by the user to the first co-user that remain unread by the first co-user;

conditioned on the number of unread e-mail messages sent by the first co-user to the user being greater than zero or conditioned on the number of unread e-mail messages sent by the user to the first co-user being greater than zero, displaying, within the window that includes the contacts list and in association with the identifier corresponding to the first co-user, a first graphical element that indicates that one or more unread e-mail messages associated with the first co-user are available for access, wherein the first graphical element is automatically displayed in response to the notification and independent of a selection of the identifier by the user;

enabling the user to select the first graphical element;

receiving a selection of the first graphical element by the user; and

in response to the selection of the first graphical element by the user, displaying to the user at least one of the number of unread e-mail messages sent by the first co-user to the user that remain unread by the user and the number of unread e-mail messages sent by the user to the first co-user that remain unread by the first co-user.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising displaying a list of one or more unread email messages exchanged between the user and the first co-user in response to a second selection of the graphical element by the user, the list of one or more unread email messages being limited to email messages exchanged between the user and the first co-user.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein displaying to the user at least one of the number of unread e-mail messages sent by the first co-user to the user and the number of unread e-mail messages sent by the user to the first co-user includes displaying the at least one number in a pop-up window or a dialog box that appears in response to selection of the first graphical element by the user, the pop-up window or the dialog box displaying the at least one number without displaying a list of e-mails received by the user.

35. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having embodied thereon a computer program, the computer program including instructions that, when executed, cause a computer to:

display, to a user of an instant messaging system, a graphical user interface of an instant messaging service, the graphical user interface comprising a window that includes a contacts list listing identifiers of other users, the identifiers of other users including a set of identifiers corresponding to co-users of the instant messaging service, the contacts list being configured to make online presence information for the co-users perceivable to the user and to enable the user to initiate communication sessions with the co-users;

receive a notification from an e-mail client when an email message is sent to a first one of the co-users;

determine, in response to the notification, a number of unread e-mail messages sent by the user to the first one of the co-users that remain unread by the first co-user;

display, within the interface that includes the contacts list and in association with the identifier in the list corresponding to the first co-user, a graphical element that displays the number of unread e-mail messages sent by the user to the first co-user that remain unread by the first co-user, wherein the graphical element is automatically displayed in response to the notification and independent of a selection of the identifier by the user.

36. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 35, wherein the instructions for causing a computer to display, within the interface that includes the contacts list and in association with the identifier corresponding to the first co-user, a graphical element that indicates the number of unread e-mail messages sent by the user to the first co-user includes instructions for causing a computer to display a pop-up window or a dialog box that overlays the window and that displays the number of unread e-mail messages to the user, the pop-up window or the dialog box displaying the number without displaying a list of e-mails received by the user.

37. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 36, wherein the instructions for causing a computer to display the pop-up window or dialog box comprise instructions for causing the computer to display the pop-up window or dialog box in response to the user scrolling over the identifier corresponding to the first co-user in the window.