Facilitating communications between computer users across a network
First Claim
1. A method of facilitating communications across a network between users of at least one instant messaging program, the method comprising:
- providing an icon that represents a contact or set of contacts of a user, wherein the icon is configured to allow a user to initiate and perform actions available from an interface of an instant messaging program that are associated with the contact or set of contacts without using the interface of the instant messaging program and regardless of whether an instant messaging program is running when an operation is performed on the icon;
recognizing that an operation has been performed on the icon by a user; and
executing at least one action in response to the operation performed on the icon, wherein the action is the same as an action that would be executed in response to an operation performed on a representation of the contact or set of contacts in the user interface of the instant messaging program.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An icon or file is provided to facilitate communications across a network. The icon or file represents a contact or set of contacts and is separate from the communications program'"'"'s user interface. At least one action is executed in response to an operation performed on the icon or a command issued to the file. The actions may generally include, for example, retrieving profile information about the contact, setting an alert to indicate that the contact'"'"'s network/login status has changed (e.g., login, logout, or idle), or performing communications with the contact. The action may be the same action that would be executed in response to an operation performed on a representation of the contact or set of contacts in a user interface of a communications program.
76 Citations
90 Claims
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1. A method of facilitating communications across a network between users of at least one instant messaging program, the method comprising:
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providing an icon that represents a contact or set of contacts of a user, wherein the icon is configured to allow a user to initiate and perform actions available from an interface of an instant messaging program that are associated with the contact or set of contacts without using the interface of the instant messaging program and regardless of whether an instant messaging program is running when an operation is performed on the icon; recognizing that an operation has been performed on the icon by a user; and executing at least one action in response to the operation performed on the icon, wherein the action is the same as an action that would be executed in response to an operation performed on a representation of the contact or set of contacts in the user interface of the instant messaging program. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of facilitating the transfer of information between computer users of at least one instant messaging program on a network:
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providing a first icon that represents a contact or set of contacts of a user and that is configured to allow a user to initiate and perform actions actions available from an interface of an instant messaging program that are associated with the contact or set of contacts without using the interface of the instant messaging program and regardless of whether an instant messaging program is running when an operation is performed on the icon; recognizing that a second icon has been dropped onto the first icon, wherein the second icon represents information to be transmitted to the contact or set of contacts represented by the first icon; and automatically transmitting the information represented by the second icon to the contact or set of contacts in response to the second icon being dropped on the first icon. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of facilitating communications across a network between users of at least one instant messaging program, the method comprising:
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providing a file that is associated with a contact or set of contacts of a user, wherein the file is configured to allow a user to initiate and perform actions available from an interface of an instant messaging program that are associated with the contact or set of contacts without using the interface of the instant messaging program and regardless of whether an instant messaging program is running when a command is issued to the file; recognizing that a command has been issued to the file; and executing at least one action in response to the command issued to the file, wherein the action is the same as an action that would be executed in response to an operation performed on a representation of the contact or set of contacts in a user interface of the instant messaging program. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A tangible computer-usable storage medium storing a computer program for facilitating communications across a network between users of at least one instant messaging program, the computer program comprising instructions for causing a computer to:
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provide an icon that represents a contact or set of contacts of a user, wherein the icon is configured to allow a user to initiate and perform actions available from an interface of an instant messaging program that are associated with the contact or set of contacts without using the interface of the instant messaging program and regardless of whether an instant messaging program is running when an operation is performed on the icon; recognize that an operation has been performed on the icon by a user; and execute at least one action in response to the operation performed on the icon, wherein the action is the same as an action that would be executed in response to an operation performed on a representation of the contact or set of contacts in the user interface of the instant messaging program. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A tangible computer-usable storage medium storing a computer program for facilitating the transfer of information between computer users of at least one instant messaging program on a network, the computer program comprising instructions for causing a computer to:
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provide a first icon that represents a contact or set of contacts of a user and that is configured to allow a user to initiate and perform actions available from an interface of an instant messaging program that are associated with the contact or set of contacts without using the interface of the instant messaging program and regardless of whether an instant messaging program is running when an operation is performed on the icon; recognize that a second icon has been dropped onto the first icon, wherein the second icon represents information to be transmitted to the contact or set of contacts represented by the first icon; and automatically transmit the information represented by the second icon to the contact or set of contacts in response to the second icon being dropped on the first icon. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A tangible computer-usable storage medium storing a computer program for facilitating communications across a network between users of at least one instant messaging program, the computer program comprising instructions for causing a computer to:
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provide a file that is associated with a contact or set of contacts of a user, wherein the file is configured to allow a user to initiate and perform actions available from an interface of an instant messaging program that are associated with the contact or set of contacts without using the interface of the instant messaging program and regardless of whether an instant messaging program is running when a command is issued to the file; recognize that a command has been issued to the file; and execute at least one action in response to the command issued to the file, wherein the action is the same as an action that would be executed in response to an operation performed on a representation of the contact or set of contacts in a user interface of the instant messaging program. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
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61. A device comprising:
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at least one processor; at least one data storage system; wherein the data storage system has a program stored therein, the program having instructions that cause the processor to perform the following; provide an icon that represents a contact or set of contacts of a user, wherein the icon is configured to allow a user to initiate and perform actions available from an interface of an instant messaging program that are associated with the contact or set of contacts without using the interface of the instant messaging program and regardless of whether an instant messaging program is running when an operation is performed on the icon; recognize that an operation has been performed on the icon by a user; and execute at least one action in response to the operation performed on the icon, wherein the action is the same as an action that would be executed in response to an operation performed on a representation of the contact or set of contacts in the user interface of the instant messaging program. - View Dependent Claims (62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72)
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73. A device comprising:
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at least one processor; at least one data storage system; wherein the data storage system has a program stored therein, the program having instructions that cause the processor to perform the following; provide a first icon that represents a contact or set of contacts of a user and that is configured to allow a user to initiate and perform actions available from an interface of an instant messaging program that are associated with the contact or set of contacts without using the interface of the instant messaging program and regardless of whether an instant messaging program is running when an operation is performed on the icon; recognize that a second icon has been dropped onto the first icon, wherein the second icon represents information to be transmitted to the contact or set of contacts represented by the first icon; and automatically transmit the information represented by the second icon to the contact or set of contacts in response to the second icon being dropped on the first icon. - View Dependent Claims (74, 75, 76, 77)
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78. A device comprising:
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at least one processor; at least one data storage system; wherein the data storage system has a program stored therein, the program having instructions that cause the processor to perform the following; provide a file that is associated with a contact or set of contacts of a user, wherein the file is configured to allow a user to initiate and perform actions available from an interface of an instant messaging program that are associated with the contact or set of contacts without using the interface of the instant messaging program and regardless of whether an instant messaging program is running when a command is issued to the file; recognize that a command has been issued to the file; and execute at least one action in response to the command issued to the file, wherein the action is the same as an action that would be executed in response to an operation performed on a representation of the contact or set of contacts in a user interface of the instant messaging program. - View Dependent Claims (79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90)
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Specification