System and method for facilitating integrated social group instant messaging
First Claim
1. A method executed on one or more computing devices for providing integrated instant messaging functionality in a social networking service, the method comprising:
- providing for display a plurality of selectable social group icons, each selectable social group icon representative of a respective social group of contacts selected from a collection of social contacts in an online social relationship with a first user account at a social networking service;
receiving a user selection of a first social group icon of the plurality of selectable social group icons;
expanding, in response to receiving the user selection, the first social group icon from a first size to a larger second size to reveal within the first social group icon a first social group of contacts associated with the first user account represented by the first social group icon, wherein each of the revealed contacts is graphically displayed within the first social group icon and has a user account at the social networking service and is associated with a social profile;
determining, using the one or more computing devices, for each of the revealed contacts, if the revealed contact is associated with an instant messaging account maintained by an instant messaging service or the social networking service, and displaying a status for the revealed contact indicating whether the revealed contact is available for instant messaging communication with a user of the first user account using the instant messaging account;
receiving a user selection of two or more revealed contacts that are available for instant messaging communication with the user, and a request to engage in instant messaging with the selected two or more revealed contacts; and
in response to receiving the user selection of the two or more revealed contacts and the request to engage, initiating an instant messaging communication session between the user and the selected two or more revealed contacts.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and machine-implemented method for providing integrated instant messaging functionality in a social networking service, the method including receiving a request from a user having a first user account at a social networking service to view contacts belonging to a social group associated with the first user account, wherein the social group is maintained at the social networking service, identifying one or more contacts belonging to the social group in response to the request, determining a status associated with a user account for each of the identified one or more contacts, the status indicating whether each of the one or more contacts is available for instant messaging communication and providing a listing including the identified one or more contacts and the status associated with each of the identified one or more contacts for display to the user at a social networking site of the social networking service.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method executed on one or more computing devices for providing integrated instant messaging functionality in a social networking service, the method comprising:
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providing for display a plurality of selectable social group icons, each selectable social group icon representative of a respective social group of contacts selected from a collection of social contacts in an online social relationship with a first user account at a social networking service; receiving a user selection of a first social group icon of the plurality of selectable social group icons; expanding, in response to receiving the user selection, the first social group icon from a first size to a larger second size to reveal within the first social group icon a first social group of contacts associated with the first user account represented by the first social group icon, wherein each of the revealed contacts is graphically displayed within the first social group icon and has a user account at the social networking service and is associated with a social profile; determining, using the one or more computing devices, for each of the revealed contacts, if the revealed contact is associated with an instant messaging account maintained by an instant messaging service or the social networking service, and displaying a status for the revealed contact indicating whether the revealed contact is available for instant messaging communication with a user of the first user account using the instant messaging account; receiving a user selection of two or more revealed contacts that are available for instant messaging communication with the user, and a request to engage in instant messaging with the selected two or more revealed contacts; and in response to receiving the user selection of the two or more revealed contacts and the request to engage, initiating an instant messaging communication session between the user and the selected two or more revealed contacts. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A system for providing integrated instant messaging functionality in a social networking service, the system comprising:
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one or more processors; and a machine-readable medium comprising instructions stored therein;
which when executed by the processors, cause the processors to perform operations comprising;providing for display a plurality of selectable social group icons, each selectable social group icon representative of a respective social group of contacts selected from a collection of social contacts in an online social relationship with a first user account at a social networking service; receiving a user selection of a first social group icon of the plurality of selectable social group icons; expanding, in response to receiving the user selection, the first social group icon from a first size to a larger second size to reveal within the first social group icon a first social group of contacts represented by the first social group icon, wherein each of the revealed contacts is graphically displayed within the first social group icon; determining, using the one or more computing devices, for each of the revealed contacts, if the revealed contact is associated with an instant messaging account maintained by an instant messaging service or the social networking service, and displaying a status for the revealed contact indicating whether the revealed contact is available for instant messaging communication with a user of the first user account using the instant messaging account; receiving a user selection of two or more revealed contacts that are available for instant messaging communication with the user, and a request to engage in instant messaging with the selected two or more revealed contacts; and in response to receiving the user selection of the two or more revealed contacts and the request to engage, initiating an instant messaging communication session between the user and the selected two or more revealed contacts. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising instructions stored therein, which when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:
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providing for display a plurality of selectable social group icons, each selectable social group icon representative of a respective social group of contacts selected from a collection of social contacts in an online social relationship with a first user account at a social networking service; receiving a user selection of a first social group icon of the plurality of selectable social group icons; expanding, in response to receiving the user selection, the first social group icon from a first size to a larger second size to reveal within the first social group icon a first social group of contacts represented by the first social group image, wherein each of the revealed contacts is graphically displayed within the first social group icon; determining, using the one or more computing devices, for each of the revealed contacts, if the revealed contact is associated with an instant messaging account maintained by an instant messaging service or the social networking service, and displaying a status for the revealed contact indicating whether the revealed contact is available for instant messaging communication with a user of the first user account using the instant messaging account; receiving a user selection of two or more revealed contacts that are available for instant messaging communication with the user, and a request to engage in instant messaging with the selected two or more revealed contacts; and in response to receiving the user selection of the two or more revealed contacts and the request to engage, initiating an instant messaging communication session between the user and the selected two or more revealed contacts. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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Specification