Announcing new users of an electronic communications system to existing users
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for populating participant lists for users of an electronic communications system, the method comprising:
- accessing, from a memory device, information from one or more contact lists associated with a first user of an electronic communications system, wherein the first user is identified with a plurality of identifiers;
identifying a second user of the electronic communications system known to the first user based on the accessed information from the one or more contact lists associated with the first user;
calculating a plurality of identifier communications strengths between the first user and the identified second user, each identifier communications strength representing a relationship between the second user and a respective identifier among the plurality of identifiers of the first user;
calculating an overall communications strength between the first user and the identified second user as a weighted average of the plurality of identifier communications strengths, the overall communications strength being a numerical measure representing the strength of the relationship between the first user and the identified second user;
adding an identifier for the identified second user to a participant list associated with the first user in the electronic communications system, based on the calculated overall communications strength and a maximum capacity of the participant list;
determining whether or not the identified second user belongs to any of one or more groups existing currently in the participant list; and
upon determining that the identified second user does not belong to any of the one or more existing groups in the participant list, creating a new group within the participant list for the identified second user.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Announcing new users of an electronic communications system includes receiving an indication of a new user of an electronic communications system. The new user has an identifier for the electronic communications system. Existing users of the electronic communications system that are known to the new user are identified. The identified existing users are sent a message notifying the identified existing users of the identifier of the new user. The identified existing users may be enabled to add the identifier of the new user to participant lists used by the identified existing users. The new user may be enabled to add identifiers of the identified existing users to a participant list of the electronic communications system used by the new user.
165 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for populating participant lists for users of an electronic communications system, the method comprising:
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accessing, from a memory device, information from one or more contact lists associated with a first user of an electronic communications system, wherein the first user is identified with a plurality of identifiers; identifying a second user of the electronic communications system known to the first user based on the accessed information from the one or more contact lists associated with the first user; calculating a plurality of identifier communications strengths between the first user and the identified second user, each identifier communications strength representing a relationship between the second user and a respective identifier among the plurality of identifiers of the first user; calculating an overall communications strength between the first user and the identified second user as a weighted average of the plurality of identifier communications strengths, the overall communications strength being a numerical measure representing the strength of the relationship between the first user and the identified second user; adding an identifier for the identified second user to a participant list associated with the first user in the electronic communications system, based on the calculated overall communications strength and a maximum capacity of the participant list; determining whether or not the identified second user belongs to any of one or more groups existing currently in the participant list; and upon determining that the identified second user does not belong to any of the one or more existing groups in the participant list, creating a new group within the participant list for the identified second user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A system for populating participant lists for users of an electronic communications system, the system comprising:
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a processor; a memory including processor-readable instructions, which when executed by the processor, configure the processor to perform a plurality of functions, including functions to; access, from a memory device, information from one or more contact lists associated with a first user of an electronic communications system, wherein the first user is identified with a plurality of identifiers; identify a second user of the electronic communications system known to the first user based on the accessed information from the one or more contact lists associated with the first user; calculate a plurality of identifier communications strengths between the first user and the identified second user, each identifier communications strength representing a relationship between the second user and a respective identifier among the plurality of identifiers of the first user; calculate an overall communications strength between the first user and the identified second user as a weighted average of the plurality of identifier communications strengths, the overall communications strength being a numerical measure representing the strength of the relationship between the first user and the identified second user; add an identifier for the identified second user to a participant list associated with the first user in the electronic communications system, based on the calculated overall communications strength and a maximum capacity of the participant list; determine whether or not the identified second user belongs to any of one or more groups existing currently in the participant list; and upon determining that the identified second user does not belong to any of the one or more existing groups in the participant list, create a new group within the participant list for the identified second user. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform functions to:
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access, from a memory device, information from one or more contact lists associated with a first user of an electronic communications system, wherein the first user is identified with a plurality of identifiers; identify a second user of the electronic communications system known to the first user based on the accessed information from the one or more contact lists associated with the first user; calculate a plurality of identifier communications strengths between the first user and the identified second user, each identifier communications strength representing a relationship between the second user and a respective identifier among the plurality of identifiers of the first user; calculate an overall communications strength between the first user and the identified second user as a weighted average of the plurality of identifier communications strengths, the overall communications strength being a numerical measure representing the strength of the relationship between the first user and the identified second user; add an identifier for the identified second user to a participant list associated with the first user in the electronic communications system, based on the calculated overall communications strength and a maximum capacity of the participant list; determine whether or not the identified second user belongs to any of one or more groups existing currently in the participant list; and upon determining that the identified second user does not belong to any of the one or more existing groups in the participant list, create a new group within the participant list for the identified second user.
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Specification