Networking through electronic messaging and mail

• US 20070067392A1
• Filed: 08/25/2005
• Published: 03/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Obasanjo, Oludare, Torres, Michael, Augustine, Matthew, Kountz, John, Fluegel, Jason, Kim, Jacob, Day, DeEtte
• Granted Patent: US 7,797,318 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/043 using or handling presence information

Abstract

A social networking service is integrated with a traditional communication service. The communication service may include an instant messaging service, an electronic mail service, a content page management service, or other communication service. The communication service provides one or more interfaces allowing a user to navigate and manage a contact network. A user may access several layers of contacts, and expand their contact list, by selecting additional contacts within additional contact lists.

Claims

1. A method for providing contact network information to a user, comprising:

providing an electronic mail service to a user over a network, the electronic mail service associated with a mail domain and allowing the user to send electronic mail outside the mail domain, the user associated with a first contact list; and

providing a second contact list in response to input received from the user, the second contact list including a list of contacts associated with a contact selected by the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of providing a second contact list includes:

providing computer code to a browser application at a client, the computer code configured to be executed by the browser application and cause the browser application to access the second contact list.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of providing a second contact list includes:

providing computer code to a mail client application at a client, the computer code configured to cause the mail client application to open a browser application on the client and cause the browser application to access the second contact list.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of providing a second contact list includes:

transmitting computer code to a client, the computer code configured to be executed and retrieve online information for each contact in the second contact list, the online information indicating whether each contact is logged into an instant messaging service.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the online information is retrieved through a messaging client application on the client.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of providing a second contact list includes:

determining that a messaging client application is not available at the client; and

retrieving the online information by a browser application through a web messaging server.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of providing a second contact list includes:

providing profile information for each contact in the second contact list, the profile information including an image and an email address associated with each contact.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of providing a second contact list includes:

determining whether each contact in the second contact list has updated a content page associated with the contact, the content page provided through a content page management system.

9. A method for providing contact information to a user, comprising:

accessing a first contact list having one or more contacts, wherein a first user may send an instant message to one of the one or more contacts through an instant messaging service provided over a network, the first user associated with the first contact list; and

accessing a second contact list in response to user input, the second contact list associated with one of the one or more contacts.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said step of accessing a second contact list includes:

providing computer code to a messaging client application at a client, the computer code configured to cause the messaging client application to open a browser application on the client and cause the browser application to access the second contact list.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said step of accessing a second contact list includes:

transmitting computer code to a client, the computer code configured to be executed and retrieve content page information for each contact in the second contact list, the content page information indicating whether each contact has updated a content page associated with the contact, the content page provided by a content page management service.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein said step of accessing a second contact list includes:

retrieving online information for contacts within the second contact list.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein said step of accessing the second contact list includes:

providing summary module data associated with a first contact from the first contact list; and

providing the second contact list associated with the first contact in response to user input received through the summary module.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein said step of accessing the second contact list includes:

providing profile information for a contact in the second contact list in response to determining the user is in a reverse list associated with the contact.

15. One or more processor readable storage devices having processor readable code embodied on said processor readable storage devices, said processor readable code for programming one or more processors to perform a method comprising:

receiving user input selecting a fist contact; and

retrieving content page code in response to the user input, the content page code able to;

retrieve contact information for each contact within a first contact list associated with the first contact, the contact information including online information for each contact, the online information associated with an instant messaging service; and

provide the contact information in a contact network interface.

16. The one or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 15, wherein:

the first contact is included in a second contact list associated with the user.

17. The one or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 15, wherein retrieving contact information includes:

retrieving the first contact list; and

retrieving profile information for each contact within the first contact list.

18. The one or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 15, wherein retrieve contact information includes:

determine whether an instant messaging application is installed on a local machine; and

retrieving the online information through the instant messaging application.

19. The one or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 15, wherein:

the user input is received through an interface provided by an electronic mail service.

20. The one or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 15, wherein:

the user input is received through an interface provided by an instant messaging service.