IP Library Granted Patent US 7,865,839
Granted Patent B2
US 7,865,839 · App. 11/021,009 · Granted Jan 4, 2011

Focus stealing prevention

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,865,839
App. No.
11/021,009
Granted
Jan 4, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

One implementation provides monitoring a user's activity within a first window that is visible to the user in a graphical user interface (GUI), receiving notification of an incoming message intended for the user, and, upon receipt, opening a second window that is visible to the user in the GUI, the second window being distinct from any other window currently open in the GUI. When a predetermined condition is satisfied based upon the user's activity being monitored in the first window, the implementation further provides deactivating the first window in the GUI and activating the second window to provide the user with notification of the incoming message.

Claims (25)

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

monitoring a user's activity within a first window that is visible to the user in a graphical user interface (GUI) and that is active;

receiving a notification of an incoming message that was sent by another user and that is intended for the user;

determining, based on an identity associated with sender of the incoming message, whether to interrupt the user's activity in response to receipt of the incoming message;

if it is determined, based on the identity associated with the sender of the incoming message, that the user's activity is not to be interrupted in response to receipt of the incoming message:

determining, based upon informing gleaned by monitoring the user's activity in the first window in the GUI, if the user's activity in the first window in the GUI satisfies a predetermined condition, and

only after a determination that the user's activity in the first window in the GUI has satisfied the predetermined condition:

automatically causing the first window in the GUI to transition from being active to being inactive, and

automatically causing a second window to become active in the GUI to provide the user with notification of the incoming message; or

if it is determined, based on the identity associated with the sender of the incoming message, that the user's activity is to be interrupted in response to receipt of the incoming message:

automatically causing the first window in the GUI to transition from being active to being inactive, and

automatically causing a second window to become active in the GUI to provide the user with notification of the incoming message.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining, based upon informing gleaned by monitoring the user's activity in the first window in the GUI, if the user's activity in the first window in the GUI satisfies a predetermined condition includes determining that the user's activity in the first window in the GUI satisfies the predetermined if there has been no user activity in the first window for a predetermined amount of time.

3. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving a notification of an incoming message that is intended for a user and that is from another user;

determining that a first window that is visible to the user in a graphical user interface (GUI) presently is active;

after receiving the notification of the incoming message, delaying notification of the incoming message until the user's interaction with the presently active first window satisfies a predetermined condition;

monitoring the user's interaction with the presently active first window;

determining that a predetermined amount of time has elapsed since receiving the notification of the incoming message without the predetermined condition having been satisfied; and

in response to determining that the predetermined amount of time has elapsed since receiving the notification of the incoming message without the predetermined condition having been satisfied, automatically providing an indication to the other user that the user has not yet received notification of the incoming message.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

after providing the indication to the other user that the user has not yet received notification of the incoming message and based on monitoring the user's interaction with the presently active first window, determining that the user's interaction with the presently active first window has satisfied the predetermined condition; and

in response to determining that the user's interaction with the presently active first window has satisfied the predetermined condition:

automatically causing the presently active first window to transition from being active to being inactive, and

automatically causing a second window to become active in the GUI to provide the user with notification of the incoming message.

Assignments (7)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 20, 2021
From: FACEBOOK, INC.
To: META PLATFORMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 058961/0436 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 3, 2012
From: AOL INC.
To: FACEBOOK, INC.
Reel/Frame 028487/0466 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Nov 16, 2010
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N A
To: AOL INC; AOL ADVERTISING INC; GOING INC; LIGHTNINGCAST LLC; MAPQUEST, INC; NETSCAPE COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION; QUIGO TECHNOLOGIES LLC; SPHERE SOURCE, INC; TACODA LLC; TRUVEO, INC; YEDDA, INC
Reel/Frame 025323/0416 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 31, 2009
From: AOL LLC
To: AOL INC.
Reel/Frame 023723/0645 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 14, 2009
From: AOL INC.; AOL ADVERTISING INC.; BEBO, INC.; ICQ LLC; GOING, INC.; LIGHTNINGCAST LLC; MAPQUEST, INC.; NETSCAPE COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION; QUIGO TECHNOLOGIES LLC; SPHERE SOURCE, INC.; TACODA LLC; TRUVEO, INC.; YEDDA, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICAN, N.A. AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 023649/0061 →
CONVERSION Recorded Dec 10, 2008
From: AMERICA ONLINE, INC.
To: AOL LLC, A DELAWARE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY (FORMERLY KNOWN AS AMERICA ONLINE, INC.)
Reel/Frame 021977/0015 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 4, 2005
From: HEIKES, BRIAN DEAN; ODELL, JAMES A.
To: AMERICA ONLINE, INC.
Reel/Frame 016577/0756 →