Method and apparatus for message display
View Patent ↗Methods and apparatuses for displaying chat messages in selectable balloon styles. In one aspect of the present invention, a method to display a chat message includes: receiving a chat message and a balloon style; and displaying the chat message in a balloon of the received balloon style. In one example, the chat message and the balloon style are received from a network connection; and, the balloon style is selected by a user who sent the chat message. In one example, the chat message and the balloon style are received from input devices for user interaction; and, the chat message and the balloon style is also transmitted to a remote device for display. In one example, the balloon style indicates an emotional state (e.g., happy, angry) associated with the message. In another example, the balloon style indicates a predetermined message (e.g., the user is in the process of preparing a message). In one example, the balloon style is user customized (or user defined).
1. A method to display a chat message, the method comprising:
receiving a chat message and a balloon style, wherein the balloon style includes at least one user-drawn balloon element or a user combination of a set of standard balloon constructing elements; and
displaying the chat message in a balloon, the displaying of the balloon corresponding to the balloon style.
2. A method as in claim 1 , wherein the chat message and the balloon style are received from a network connection.
3. A method as in claim 2 , wherein the balloon style is selected by a user who sent the chat message.
4. A method as in claim 1 , wherein receiving a chat message and a balloon style further comprises receiving the balloon style prior to receiving the chat message.
5. A method as in claim 4 , further comprising:
transmitting the chat message and the balloon style to a remote device for display.
6. A method as in claim 1 , wherein the balloon style indicates an emotional state associated with the message and was selected from a library of balloon styles.
7. A method as in claim 1 , wherein the balloon style indicates a predetermined message.
8. A method as in claim 7 , wherein the balloon style indicates that the user is in the process of preparing a message.
9. A method as in claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a text explanation of the balloon style.
10. A method as in claim 9 , wherein the definition of the balloon style is received with the chat message through a network connection.
11. A machine readable storage medium containing executable computer program instructions which when executed by a digital processing system cause said system to perform a method to display a chat message, the method comprising:
receiving a chat message and a balloon style through a network, wherein the balloon style includes at least one user-drawn balloon element or a user combination of a set of standard balloon constructing elements; and
displaying the chat message in a balloon, the displaying of the balloon corresponding to the balloon style.
12. A machine readable storage medium as in claim 11 , wherein the balloon style indicates an emotional state associated with the message and was selected from a library of balloon styles.
13. A machine readable storage medium as in claim 11 , wherein the method further comprises:
receiving a definition of the balloon style.
14. A machine readable storage medium as in claim 13 , wherein the definition of the balloon style is user created.
15. A data processing system to display a chat message, the data processing system comprising:
means for receiving a chat message and a balloon style, wherein the balloon style includes at least one user-drawn balloon element or a user combination of a set of standard balloon constructing elements; and
means for displaying the chat message in a balloon, the displaying of the balloon corresponding to the balloon style.
16. A data processing system as in claim 15 , wherein the chat message and the balloon style are received from a network connection.
17. A data processing system as in claim 16 , wherein the balloon style is selected by a user who sent the chat message.
18. A data processing system as in claim 15 , wherein the balloon style indicates an emotional state associated with the message and was selected from a library of balloon styles.
19. A data processing system as in claim 15 , wherein the balloon style indicates a predetermined message.
20. A data processing system as in claim 19 , wherein the balloon style indicates that the user is in the process of preparing a message.
21. A data processing system as in claim 15 , further comprising:
means for receiving a definition of the balloon style.
22. An apparatus to display a chat message, the apparatus comprising:
a display device;
memory; and
a processor coupled to the display device and the memory, the processor receiving a chat message and a balloon style and causing the display device to display the chat message in a balloon, the display of the balloon corresponding to the balloon style, wherein the balloon style includes at least one user-drawn balloon element or a user combination of a set of standard balloon constructing elements.
23. An apparatus as in claim 22 , further comprising:
a communication device coupled to the processor, the processor receiving the chat message and the balloon style through the communication device.
24. An apparatus as in claim 23 , wherein the balloon style is selected by a user who sent the chat message.
25. An apparatus as in claim 22 , further comprising:
input devices coupled to the processor, the processor receiving the chat message and the balloon style from the input devices through user interaction.
26. An apparatus as in claim 25 , further comprising:
a communication device coupled to the processor, the processor causing the communication device to transmit the chat message and the balloon style to a remote device for display.
27. An apparatus as in claim 22 , wherein the balloon style indicates an emotional state associated with the message and was selected from a library of balloon styles.
28. An apparatus as in claim 22 , wherein the balloon style indicates a predetermined message.
29. An apparatus as in claim 28 , wherein the balloon style indicates that the user is in the process of preparing a message.
30. An apparatus as in claim 22 , wherein the processor receives a definition of the balloon style.
31. A method to send a chat message, the method comprising:
receiving a user input to select a balloon style for a text message, wherein the balloon style includes at least one user-drawn balloon element or a user combination of a set of standard balloon constructing elements;
transmitting the balloon style and the text message to a remote device for display of the text message in a balloon, the display of the balloon corresponding to the balloon style.
32. A method as in claim 31 , wherein the balloon style indicates an emotional state associated with the message.
33. A method as in claim 31 , further comprising:
transmitting a definition of the balloon style to the remote device.
34. A machine readable storage medium containing executable computer program instructions which when executed by a digital processing system cause said system to perform a method to send a chat message, the method comprising:
receiving a user input to select a balloon style for a text message, wherein the balloon style includes at least one user-drawn balloon element or a user combination of a set of standard balloon constructing elements;
transmitting the balloon style and the text message to a remote device for display of the text message in a balloon, the display of the balloon corresponding to the balloon style.
35. A machine readable storage medium as in claim 34 , wherein the balloon style indicates an emotional state associated with the message.
36. A machine readable storage medium as in claim 34 , wherein the balloon style is selected from a set of pre-determined balloon styles.
37. A machine readable storage medium as in claim 34 , wherein the method further comprises:
transmitting a definition of the balloon style to the remote device.
38. An apparatus to send a chat message, the apparatus comprising:
a user input device to receive a text message and a user input to select a balloon style for a text message, wherein the balloon style includes at least one user-drawn balloon element or a user combination of a set of standard balloon constructing elements;
memory coupled to the user input device, the memory storing the text message; and
a network communication device coupled to the memory, the network communication device transmitting the balloon style and the text message to a remote device for display of the text message in a balloon, the display of the balloon corresponding to the balloon style.
39. An apparatus as in claim 38 , wherein the balloon style indicates an emotional state associated with the message.
40. An apparatus as in claim 38 , wherein the memory further stores a definition of the balloon style; and, the network communication device further transmits the definition of the balloon style to the remote device.
41. An apparatus as in claim 40 , wherein the definition of the balloon style is user created through the user input device.
42. A machine readable storage medium containing executable computer program instructions which when executed by a digital processing system cause said system to perform a method to customize a chat message, the method comprising:
receiving user input to define a balloon style including at least one user-drawn balloon element or a user combination of a set of standard balloon constructing elements; and
storing a definition of the balloon style;
wherein the definition of the balloon style is transmitted to a remote device for display of a chat message in a balloon, the display of the balloon corresponding to the balloon style.
43. A machine readable storage medium as in claim 42 , wherein the balloon style indicates an emotional state associated with the message and was selected from a library of balloon styles.
44. A machine readable storage medium as in claim 42 , wherein the user input comprises input to select at least one pre-designed balloon part to define the balloon style.
45. A machine readable storage medium as in claim 44 , wherein the user input comprises input to draw at least one portion of a balloon representing the balloon style.
46. A machine readable storage medium containing executable computer program instructions which when executed by a digital processing system cause said system to perform a method to customize a chat message, the method comprising:
receiving a definition of a balloon style from a first remote device, wherein the balloon style includes at least one user-drawn balloon element or a user combination of a set of standard balloon constructing elements; and
storing the definition of the balloon style;
wherein, when received, a chat message associated with the balloon style is displayed in a balloon, the display of the balloon corresponding to the balloon style.
47. A machine readable storage medium as in claim 46 , wherein the balloon style indicates an emotional state associated with the message.
48. A machine readable storage medium as in claim 46 , further comprising:
transmitting the definition of the balloon style to a second remote device.
49. A machine readable storage medium containing balloon style data usable with executable computer program instructions which when executed by a digital processing system cause said system to perform a method to customize a chat message, the method comprising:
displaying a chat message specified with a balloon style in a balloon, the displaying of the balloon corresponding to the balloon style according to the balloon style data, wherein the balloon style includes at least one user-drawn balloon element or a user combination of a set of standard balloon constructing elements.
50. A machine readable storage medium as in claim 49 , wherein the balloon style indicates an emotional state associated with the message.
51. A machine readable storage medium as in claim 50 , wherein the emotional state comprises one of:
a) envy;
b) anger;
c) happy;
d) enthusiastic; and
e) cool, less friendly.
52. A machine readable storage medium as in claim 50 , wherein the balloon style data comprises definitions of a plurality of pre-designed balloon styles.
53. A machine readable storage medium as in claim 50 , wherein the balloon style data comprises a definition of a user defined balloon style.
54. A machine readable storage medium as in claim 53 , wherein the balloon style data comprises definitions of a plurality of pre-designed balloon parts; and, the a definition of a user defined balloon style makes references to at least one of the definitions of the plurality of pre-designed balloon parts.