Methods and devices for quickly launching applications
Intuitive indicators are presented to the user of a communications device in order to reduce the time it takes the user to launch an application and carry out a communication session, such as an on-line game. Each indicator may be updated by an agent that acts as a proxy for the device even when the device is inactive. Some examples of the indicators presented are: those individuals presently available to play a specific game with the user; the games that are played most often by the user; and those individuals that the user plays games with most often.
1 . A method for launching an application comprising:
collecting information regarding the activity and preferences of a user;
identifying one or more patterns from the collected information; and
forwarding messages to update one or more indicators of a device, through which the user accesses one or more applications, based on the identified patterns.
2 . The method as in claim 1 wherein the application is a game and the indicators are gaming indicators.
3 . The method as in claim 1 wherein the collected information comprises the type of games played by the user.
4 . The method as in claim 1 wherein the collected information comprises the individuals the user plays games with most often.
5 . The method as in claim 4 wherein the collected information further comprises whether one of the individuals the user plays games with most often is presently available to play a game.
6 . The method as in claim 1 wherein the collected information further comprises the games the user plays most often.
7 . The method as in claim 1 further comprising forwarding the messages after receiving signals indicating that the device is active.
8 . The method as in claim 1 further comprising:
identifying an individual to include in a communication session with a user, wherein the individual is selected from the group consisting of at least: an individual who the user plays games with most often, an anonymous individual, and a group of individuals the user plays games with most often.
9 . The method as in claim 8 further comprising identifying the individual from a group of anonymous individuals.
10 . A method for launching an application comprising:
presenting at least one indicator representing individuals presently available to carry out a communication session with a user, wherein the indicator represents an application.
11 . The method as in claim 10 wherein the application is a game.
12 . The method as in claim 10 further comprising presenting at least one indicator representing individuals presently available to play a game with the user.
13 . The method as in claim 10 further comprising presenting a plurality of indicators, each indicator representing a group of individuals that are presently available to play a game with the user.
14 . The method as in claim 10 further comprising presenting at least one indicator representing individuals the user plays games with most often.
15 . The method as in claim 10 further comprising presenting at least one indicator representing games the user plays most often.
16 . A device for launching an application operable to:
collect information regarding the activity and preferences of a user;
identify one or more patterns from the collected information; and
forward messages to update one or more indicators of a device, through which the user accesses one or more applications, based on the identified patterns.
17 . The device as in claim 16 wherein the application is a game and the indicators are gaming indicators.
18 . The device as in claim 16 wherein the collected information comprises the type of games played by the user.
19 . The device as in claim 16 wherein the collected information comprises the individuals the user plays games with most often.
20 . The device as in claim 16 wherein the collected information further comprises the games the user plays most often.
21 . The device as in claim 16 further operable to forward the messages after receiving signals indicating that the device is active.
22 . A device for launching an application operable to identify an individual to include in a communication session with a user, wherein the identified individual is selected from the group consisting of: an individual who the user plays game with most often, an anonymous individual, and an individual from a group of individuals the user plays games with most often.
23 . The device as in claim 22 further operable to identify the individual from a group of anonymous individuals.
24 . The device as in claim 23 further operable to select one or more anonymous individuals whose skill level is similar to the skill level of the user.
25 . A device for quickly launching an application operable to:
present at least one indicator representing individuals presently available to carry out a communication session with a user.
26 . The device as in claim 25 wherein the indicator represents a game.
27 . The device as in claim 25 further operable to present at least one indicator representing individuals presently available to play a game with the user.
28 . The device as in claim 25 further operable to present a plurality of indicators, each indicator representing a group of individuals that are presently available to play a game with the user.
29 . The device as in claim 25 further operable to present at least one indicator representing individuals the user plays games with most often.
30 . The device as in claim 25 further operable to present at least one indicator representing games the user plays most often.