Enhanced buddy list interface

• US 9,621,502 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2016
• Issued: 04/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AOL Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Green, Mitchell Chapin, Chickering, Roger, Gang, David
• Primary Examiner(s): SALOMON, PHENUEL S
• Application Number:
  US15/206,059
• Publication Number:
  US 20160323228A1
• Time in Patent Office: 277 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4594 Address books, i.e. directories containing contact information about correspondents telephone directories in user terminals H04M1/27453
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/45 related to voicemail messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems

Abstract

A graphical user interface between a user of a computer service and the computer service includes a list of other users of the computer service selected by the user as significant to the user and an icon associated with one of the other listed users indicating that a communication has occurred between the user and the other user.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for providing message notifications, the method comprising the following operations performed with one or more processors:

displaying, in a graphical user interface, messages associated with a first messaging service, the graphical user interface comprising a plurality of identifiers corresponding to multiple entities on a contact list for the first messaging service;

monitoring when a message notification is received from a first one of the entities in connection with a second message service that is different from the first messaging service; and

displaying, in the graphical user interface and in association with the identifier corresponding to the first entity, a graphical element that indicates that one or more unattended notifications have been received from the first entity and remain unattended.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, in response to selection of the graphical element by a user, an indication of the number of unattended notifications that remain unattended by the user.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

activating, in response to selection of the graphical element by a user, an application to attend to the one or more unattended notifications.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the message notification is associated with a message type selected from the group consisting of email message, voicemail message, telephone call, and calendar event.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein:

monitoring when a message notification is received from a first one of the entities comprises monitoring when an email message is received from a first one of the entities; and

displaying a graphical element that indicates that one or more unattended notifications have been received from the first entity and remain unattended comprises displaying a graphical element that indicates that one or more email messages have been received from the first entity and remain unattended.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein:

monitoring when a message notification is received from a first one of the entities comprises monitoring when a voicemail message is received from a first one of the entities; and

displaying a graphical element that indicates that one or more unattended notifications have been received from the first entity and remain unattended comprises displaying a graphical element that indicates that one or more voicemail messages have been received from the first entity and remain unattended.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein:

monitoring when a message notification is received from a first one of the entities comprises monitoring when a telephone call is received from a first one of the entities; and

displaying a graphical element that indicates that one or more unattended notifications have been received from the first entity and remain unattended comprises displaying a graphical element that indicates that one or more telephone calls have been received from the first entity and remain unattended.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein:

monitoring when a message notification is received from a first one of the entities comprises monitoring when a calendar event is received from a first one of the entities; and

displaying a graphical element that indicates that one or more unattended notifications have been received from the first entity and remain unattended comprises displaying a graphical element that indicates that one or more calendar events have been received from the first entity and remain unattended.

9. A system for providing message notifications, comprising:

a memory that stores instructions;

at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured with the instructions to;

display, in a graphical user interface, messages associated with a first messaging service, the graphical user interface comprising a plurality of identifiers corresponding to multiple entities on a contact list for the first messaging service;

monitor when a message notification is received from a first one of the entities in connection with a second message service that is different from the first messaging service; and

display, in the graphical user interface and in association with the identifier corresponding to the first entity, a graphical element that indicates that one or more unattended notifications have been received from the first entity and remain unattended.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

display, in response to selection of the graphical element by a user, an indication of the number of unattended notifications that remain unattended by the user.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

activate, in response to selection of the graphical element by a user, an application to attend to the one or more unattended notifications.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the message notification is associated with a message type selected from the group consisting of email message, voicemail message, telephone call, and calendar event.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein:

monitoring when a message notification is received from a first one of the entities comprises monitoring when an email message is received from a first one of the entities; and

displaying a graphical element that indicates that one or more unattended notifications have been received from the first entity and remain unattended comprises displaying a graphical element that indicates that one or more email messages have been received from the first entity and remain unattended.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein:

monitoring when a message notification is received from a first one of the entities comprises monitoring when a voicemail message is received from a first one of the entities; and

displaying a graphical element that indicates that one or more unattended notifications have been received from the first entity and remain unattended comprises displaying a graphical element that indicates that one or more voicemail messages have been received from the first entity and remain unattended.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein:

monitoring when a message notification is received from a first one of the entities comprises monitoring when a telephone call is received from a first one of the entities; and

displaying a graphical element that indicates that one or more unattended notifications have been received from the first entity and remain unattended comprises displaying a graphical element that indicates that one or more telephone calls have been received from the first entity and remain unattended.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein:

monitoring when a message notification is received from a first one of the entities comprises monitoring when a calendar event is received from a first one of the entities; and

displaying a graphical element that indicates that one or more unattended notifications have been received from the first entity and remain unattended comprises displaying a graphical element that indicates that one or more calendar events have been received from the first entity and remain unattended.

17. A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium including instructions that are executed by at least one processor, to cause the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:

displaying, in a graphical user interface, messages associated with a first messaging service, the graphical user interface comprising a plurality of identifiers corresponding to multiple entities on a contact list for the first messaging service;

monitoring when a message notification is received from a first one of the entities in connection with a second message service that is different from the first messaging service; and

displaying, in the graphical user interface and in association with the identifier corresponding to the first entity, a graphical element that indicates that one or more unattended notifications have been received from the first entity and remain unattended.

18. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions further cause the at least one processor to:

display, in response to selection of the graphical element by a user, an indication of the number of unattended notifications that remain unattended by the user.

19. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions further cause the at least one processor to:

activate, in response to selection of the graphical element by a user, an application to attend to the one or more unattended notifications.

20. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the message notification is associated with a message type selected from the group consisting of email message, voicemail message, telephone call, and calendar event.

21. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein:

monitoring when a message notification is received from a first one of the entities comprises monitoring when an email message is received from a first one of the entities; and

displaying a graphical element that indicates that one or more unattended notifications have been received from the first entity and remain unattended comprises displaying a graphical element that indicates that one or more email messages have been received from the first entity and remain unattended.

22. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein:

monitoring when a message notification is received from a first one of the entities comprises monitoring when a voicemail message is received from a first one of the entities; and

displaying a graphical element that indicates that one or more unattended notifications have been received from the first entity and remain unattended comprises displaying a graphical element that indicates that one or more voicemail messages have been received from the first entity and remain unattended.

23. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein:

monitoring when a message notification is received from a first one of the entities comprises monitoring when a telephone call is received from a first one of the entities; and

displaying a graphical element that indicates that one or more unattended notifications have been received from the first entity and remain unattended comprises displaying a graphical element that indicates that one or more telephone calls have been received from the first entity and remain unattended.

24. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein:

monitoring when a message notification is received from a first one of the entities comprises monitoring when a calendar event is received from a first one of the entities; and

displaying a graphical element that indicates that one or more unattended notifications have been received from the first entity and remain unattended comprises displaying a graphical element that indicates that one or more calendar events have been received from the first entity and remain unattended.