IP Library Granted Patent US 9,621,502
Granted Patent B2
US 9,621,502 · App. 15/206,059 · Granted Apr 11, 2017

Enhanced buddy list interface

Inventors: Mitchell Chapin Green (Fort Collins, CO); Roger Chickering (Granite Bay, CA); David Gang (Oakton, VA)
Assignee: AOL Inc.
H04L51/24G06F3/0482G06F3/04817G06F3/04842G06Q10/107H04L12/581H04L51/04H04L61/1594H04M3/533H04M2203/45
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,621,502
App. No.
15/206,059
Granted
Apr 11, 2017
Kind
B2
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 (65)

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.

Assignments (6)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 19, 2021
From: VERIZON MEDIA INC.
To: VERIZON PATENT AND LICENSING INC.
Reel/Frame 057453/0431 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 26, 2020
From: OATH INC.
To: VERIZON MEDIA INC.
Reel/Frame 054258/0635 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 24, 2017
From: AOL INC.
To: OATH INC.
Reel/Frame 043672/0369 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 18, 2016
From: GREEN, MITCHELL CHAPIN; CHICKERING, ROGER; GANG, DAVID
To: AMERICA ONLINE, INC.
Reel/Frame 039178/0808 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 18, 2016
From: AOL LLC
To: AOL INC.
Reel/Frame 039378/0923 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 18, 2016
From: AMERICA ONLINE, INC.
To: AOL LLC
Reel/Frame 039379/0007 →
Continuity (5)
Continuation 14802923 · Jul 17, 2015
Continuation 10715205 · Nov 18, 2003
Provisional Application 60479918 · Jun 20, 2003
Provisional Application 60426815 · Nov 18, 2002
Related Publication 20160323228A1 · Nov 3, 2016