SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SWITCHING BETWEEN CONVERSATIONS IN INSTANT MESSAGING APPLICATIONS

• US 20100217808A1
• Filed: 02/24/2009
• Published: 08/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Benninger, Bradley
• Granted Patent: US 9,935,792 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]

Abstract

A system and method are provided for switching between conversations in instant messaging applications. The instant messaging application is configured for displaying a list of conversations upon detecting selection of the option within a menu or link within the conversation screen and permit navigation to another conversation. The conversations may be prioritized based first on whether the conversation has any unread messages and within the grouping of those conversations having unread messages, may be prioritized based on when the last activity occurred. In this way, the user has easiest access to conversations with the most recent activity with the ability to scroll down the list of conversations to continue an older conversation if desired.

Claims

1. A method for switching between conversations in an instant messaging application comprising the steps of:

providing an option for displaying a list of conversations while in a first conversation screen;

upon detecting selection of said option, displaying a list of conversations in said first conversation screen, said list of conversations comprising a plurality of other conversations ordered according to a comparison of recent activity in said other conversations; and

upon detecting selection of a desired one of said other conversations, displaying a second conversation screen for said desired one of said other conversations.

2. The method according claim 1 wherein said recent activity comprises the presence of unread messages, said list of conversations being ordered with a first group of conversations having said unread messages coming before a second group of conversations without unread messages.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein said recent activity further comprises a time at which a most recent message was sent or received, said first group of conversations being ordered based on said time and said second group of conversations being separately ordered based on time.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein said recent activity comprises a time at which a most recent message was sent or received, said list of conversations being ordered based on said time.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein said option is provided in a menu, said method further comprising:

upon detecting a first input, displaying said menu in said first conversation screen and including said option in said menu.

6. The method according to claim 5 wherein said menu is a condensed menu including another option for initiating a full menu.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein said option is provided by displaying a link within said first conversation screen and selection of said link selects said option.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein said selection of said link comprises receiving a first input via a touch event or detecting movement of a trackball towards said link.

9. A computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions for switching between conversations in an instant messaging application, said computer executable instructions comprising instructions for:

providing an option for displaying a list of conversations while in a first conversation screen;

upon detecting selection of said option, displaying a list of conversations in said first conversation screen, said list of conversations comprising a plurality of other conversations ordered according to a comparison of recent activity in said other conversations; and

upon detecting selection of a desired one of said other conversations, displaying a second conversation screen for said desired one of said other conversations.

10. The computer readable medium according claim 9 wherein said recent activity comprises the presence of unread messages, said list of conversations being ordered with a first group of conversations having said unread messages coming before a second group of conversations without unread messages.

11. The computer readable medium according to claim 10 wherein said recent activity further comprises a time at which a most recent message was sent or received, said first group of conversations being ordered based on said time and said second group of conversations being separately ordered based on time.

12. The computer readable medium according to claim 9 wherein said recent activity comprises a time at which a most recent message was sent or received, said list of conversations being ordered based on said time.

13. The computer readable medium according to claim 9 wherein said option is provided in a menu, said computer readable medium further comprising instructions for:

upon detecting a first input, displaying said menu in said first conversation screen and including said option in said menu.

14. The computer readable medium according to claim 13 wherein said menu is a condensed menu including another option for initiating a full menu.

15. The computer readable medium according to claim 9 wherein said option is provided by displaying a link within said first conversation screen and selection of said link selects said option.

16. The computer readable medium according to claim 15 wherein said selection of said link comprises receiving a first input via a touch event or detecting movement of a trackball towards said link.

17. A mobile device comprising a display, a processor, one or more input mechanisms and the computer readable medium according to claim 9.