IP Library Granted Patent US 10,652,182
Granted Patent B1
US 10,652,182 · App. 16/177,547 · Granted May 12, 2020

Unlocking emoticons based on professional skills

Inventors: Lisa Seacat DeLuca (Baltimore, MD); Kelley Anders (East New Market, MD); Jeremy R. Fox (Georgetown, TX); Jeremy A. Greenberger (San Jose, CA)
Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
H04L51/10G06F3/04817G06F16/5866H04L51/32H04L67/306
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,652,182
App. No.
16/177,547
Granted
May 12, 2020
Kind
B1
Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method, computer program product, and system for unlocking emoticons based on professional skills. The computer may receive a user message or an emoticon database search term from a user, wherein a user's professional skill and an associated emoticon is determined based on the user message or the emoticon database search term. A plurality of user professional skills may be retrieved from a professional skills site. It may be determined whether a number of endorsements for the user's professional skill exceeds a threshold value, wherein the threshold value is set for each emoticon in an emoticon database. In response to it being determined that the number of endorsements for the user's professional skill does exceed the threshold value, an unlocking action may be performed that gives the user access to the associated emoticon in one or more messaging applications based on the determination.

Claims (45)

1. A method for unlocking emoticons based on professional skills, the method comprising:

receiving, by a computer, a user message or an emoticon database search term from a user, wherein a user's professional skill and an associated emoticon is determined based on the user message or the emoticon database search term;

retrieving a plurality of user professional skills from a professional skills site;

determining whether a number of endorsements for the user's professional skill exceeds a threshold value, wherein the threshold value is set for each emoticon in an emoticon database; and

in response to determining that the number of endorsements for the user's professional skill does exceed the threshold value, performing an unlocking action that gives the user access to the associated emoticon in one or more messaging applications based on the determination.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

linking the one or more messaging applications to the professional skills site.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

displaying the associated emoticon in one or more messaging applications.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the action further comprises:

in response to determining that the number of endorsements for the user's professional skill does not exceed the threshold value, sending a message to the user stating that the associated emoticon is locked.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the message to the user contains a plurality of information on how to unlock the associated emoticon and a number of endorsements that are needed for the user to unlock the associated emoticon.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of user professional skills is manually entered into the professional skills site, voted on by at least one peer, or automated based on a specific membership to the professional skills site and a duration of the specific membership.

7. The method of 1 , further comprising:

sending an update to the user when the associated emoticon has been updated or changed.

8. A computer program product for unlocking emoticons based on professional skills, the computer program product comprising:

one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media and program instructions stored on the one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media capable of performing a method, the method comprising:

receiving, by a computer, a user message or an emoticon database search term from a user, wherein a user's professional skill and an associated emoticon is determined based on the user message or the emoticon database search term;

retrieving a plurality of user professional skills from a professional skills site;

determining whether a number of endorsements for the user's professional skill exceeds a threshold value, wherein the threshold value is set for each emoticon in an emoticon database; and

in response to determining that the number of endorsements for the user's professional skill does exceed the threshold value, performing an unlocking action that gives the user access to the associated emoticon in one or more messaging applications based on the determination.

9. The computer program product of claim 8 , further comprising:

linking the one or more messaging applications to the professional skills site.

10. The computer program product of claim 8 , further comprising:

displaying the associated emoticon in one or more messaging applications.

11. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein performing the action further comprises:

in response to determining that the number of endorsements for the user's professional skill does not exceed the threshold value, sending a message to the user stating that the associated emoticon is locked.

12. The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein the message to the user contains a plurality of information on how to unlock the associated emoticon and a number of endorsements that are needed for the user to unlock the associated emoticon.

13. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of user professional skills is manually entered into the professional skills site, voted on by at least one peer, or automated based on a specific membership to the professional skills site and a duration of the specific membership.

14. The computer program product of claim 8 , further comprising:

sending an update to the user when the associated emoticon has been updated or changed.

15. A computer system for unlocking emoticons based on professional skills, the computer system comprising:

one or more computer processors, one or more computer-readable storage media, and program instructions stored on one or more of the computer-readable storage media for execution by at least one of the one or more processors capable of performing a method, the method comprising:

receiving, by a computer, a user message or an emoticon database search term from a user, wherein a user's professional skill and an associated emoticon is determined based on the user message or the emoticon database search term;

retrieving a plurality of user professional skills from a professional skills site;

determining whether a number of endorsements for the user's professional skill exceeds a threshold value, wherein the threshold value is set for each emoticon in an emoticon database; and

in response to determining that the number of endorsements for the user's professional skill does exceed the threshold value, performing an unlocking action that gives the user access to the associated emoticon in one or more messaging applications based on the determination.

16. The computer system of claim 15 , further comprising:

linking the one or more messaging applications to the professional skills site.

17. The computer system of claim 15 , further comprising:

displaying the associated emoticon in one or more messaging applications.

18. The computer system of claim 15 , wherein performing the action further comprises:

in response to determining that the number of endorsements for the user's professional skill does not exceed the threshold value, sending a message to the user stating that the associated emoticon is locked.

19. The computer system of claim 18 , wherein the message to the user contains a plurality of information on how to unlock the associated emoticon and a number of endorsements that are needed for the user to unlock the associated emoticon.

20. The computer system of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of user professional skills is manually entered into the professional skills site, voted on by at least one peer, or automated based on a specific membership to the professional skills site and a duration of the specific membership.

Assignments (2)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE SUPPORTING DOCUMENT FOR INVENTOR JEREMY A. GREENBERGER PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 047381 FRAME: 0155. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT . Recorded Jan 30, 2019
From: DELUCA, LISA SEACAT; ANDERS, KELLEY; FOX, JEREMY R.; GREENBERGER, JEREMY A.
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 048183/0314 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 1, 2018
From: DELUCA, LISA SEACAT; ANDERS, KELLEY; FOX, JEREMY R.; GREENBERGER, JEREMY A.
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 047381/0155 →