User definable co-user lists
Systems and methods are disclosed for tracking and displaying the logon status of selected co-users of an on-line or network system in real time to a tracking user in a unique graphical interface. The invention provides user definable on-line co-user lists, or “buddy lists,” which track specific co-users in real-time automatically. When a user logs on to a system, one or more of the user's buddy lists are presented to the buddy list system. The buddy list system attempts to match co-users currently logged into the system with the entries on the user's buddy list. Any matches are displayed to the user. As co-users logon and logoff, a user's buddy list is updated to reflect these changes. An indication can also be added to show that a co-user just logged on or just left the system.
1. A method comprising:
maintaining a co-user list in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, the co-user list comprising a list of co-users of a communications system selected by a user of the communications system;
determining, using at least one processor, that a first co-user on the co-user list is logged into the communications system;
determining, using the least one processor, that a second co-user on the co-user list is not logged into the communications system; and
providing a first indication when the user logs into the communications system, the first indication indicating that the first co-user is currently logged into the communications system.
2. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising: displaying a first username associated with the first co-user when the user logs into the communications system.
3. The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein the first indication comprises a symbol next to the first username.
4. The method as recited in claim 3 , wherein the symbol comprises a checkmark.
5. The method as recited in claim 3 , further comprising:
determining that the first co-user has logged out of the communications system; and
changing the first indication to a second indication to signal that the first co-user has logged out of the communication system.
6. The method as recited in claim 5 , wherein changing the first indication to the second indication comprises removing the symbol next to the first username.
7. The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein the first indication comprises bolding the first username.
8. The method as recited in claim 2 , further comprising:
determining that a third co-user on the co-user list has logged into the communications system; and
providing an indication that the third co-user is logged into the communications system.
9. The method as recited in claim 2 , further comprising updating in real time the first indication and the second indication to reflect the real-time log in status of the first co-user and the second co-user.
10. The method as recited in claim 2 , further comprising facilitating the exchange of electronic messages between the user and the first co-user upon selection of the first username by the user.
11. The method as recited in claim 10 , wherein the electronic messages comprise instant messages.
12. The method as recited in claim 2 , further comprising providing a third indication that signals which co-user on the co-user list was the most recent co-user to log into the communications system.
13. The method as recited in claim 12 , wherein the third indication comprises a symbol next to a username of the co-user that was the most recent co-user to log into the communications system.
14. The method as recited in claim 2 , further comprising providing a fourth indication that indicates which co-user on the co-user list was the most recent co-user to log out of the communications system.
15. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein determining, using at least one processor, that a co-user on the co-user list is logged into the communications system comprises:
accessing one or more logon records, the one or more logon records being maintained by a logon system; and
comparing the co-user list to the one or more logon records.
16. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising providing a second indication when the user logs into the communications system, the second indication indicating that the second co-user is currently logged out of the communications system.
17. The method as recited in claim 16 , wherein the second indication comprises a lack of the first indication.
18. The method as recited in claim 16 , further comprising displaying a second username associated with the second co-user when the user logs into the communications system; and
wherein the second indication comprises graying the second username.
19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including a set of instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to perform steps comprising:
maintaining a co-user list, the co-user list comprising a list of co-users of a communications system selected by a user of the communications system;
determining that a first co-user on the co-user list is logged into the communications system;
determining that a second co-user on the co-user list is not logged into the communications system; and
providing a first indication when the user logs into the communications system, the first indication indicating that the first co-user is currently logged into the communications system.
20. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 19 , further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to:
display a first username associated with the first co-user when the user logs into the communications system.
21. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 20 , wherein the first indication comprises a symbol next to the first username.
22. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 21 , wherein the symbol comprises a checkmark.
23. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 21 , further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor:
determine that the first co-user has logged out of the communications system; and
change the first indication to a second indication to signal that the co-user has logged out of the communication system.
24. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 23 , wherein changing the first indication to the second indication comprises removing the symbol next to the first username.
25. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 20 , wherein the first indication comprises bolding the first username.
26. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 20 , further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor:
determine that a third co-user on the co-user list has logged into the communications system; and
provide an indication that the third co-user is logged into the communications system.
27. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 20 , further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to update in real time the first indication to reflect the real-time log in status of the first co-user.
28. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 20 , further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to facilitate the exchange of electronic messages between the user and the first co-user upon selection of the first username by the user.
29. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 28 , wherein the electronic messages comprise instant messages.
30. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 20 , further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to provide a third indication that indicates which co-user on the co-user list was the most recent co-user to log into the communications system.
31. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 30 , wherein the third indication comprises a symbol next to a username of the co-user that was the most recent co-user to log into the communications system.
32. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 20 , further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to provide a fourth indication that indicates which co-user on the co-user list was the most recent co-user to log out of the communications system.
33. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 19 , wherein determining that one or more co-users on the co-user list are logged into the communications system comprises:
accessing one or more logon records, the one or more logon records being maintained by a logon system; and
comparing the co-user list to the one or more logon records.
34. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 19 , further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to provide a second indication when the user logs into the communications system, the second indication indicating that the second co-user is currently logged out of the communications system.
35. The computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 34 , wherein the second indication comprises graying of a second username associated with the second co-user.
36. A system comprising:
at least one processor; and
at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions hereon that, when executed by the at least on processor, cause the system to:
maintain, in the at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium, a co-user list comprising a list of co-users of a communications system selected by a user of the communications system;
determine that a first co-user on the co-user list is logged into the communications system;
determine that a second co-user on the co-user list is not logged into the communications system; and
provide a first indication when the user logs into the communications system that the first co-user is currently logged into the communications system.
37. The system as recited in claim 33 , further comprising instructions thereon that, when executed by the at least on processor, cause the system to:
display a first username associated with the first co-user when the user logs into the communications system.
38. The system as recited in claim 37 , wherein the first indication comprises a symbol next to the first username.
39. The system as recited in claim 38 , wherein the symbol comprises a checkmark.
40. The system as recited in claim 37 , wherein the first indication comprises bolding the first username.
41. The system as recited in claim 38 , further comprising instructions thereon that, when executed by the at least on processor, cause the system to:
determine that the first co-user has logged out of the communications system; and
changing the first indication to a second indication to signal that the first co-user has logged out of the communication system.
42. The system as recited in claim 41 , wherein changing the first indication to the second indication comprises removing the symbol next to the first username.
43. The system as recited in claim 37 , further comprising instructions thereon that, when executed by the at least on processor, cause the system to:
determine that a third co-user on the co-user list has logged into the communications system; and
provide an indication that the third co-user is logged into the communications system.
44. The system as recited in claim 37 , further comprising instructions thereon that, when executed by the at least on processor, cause the system to update in real time the first indication to reflect the real-time log in status of the first co-user.
45. The system as recited in claim 37 , further comprising instructions thereon that, when executed by the at least on processor, cause the system to facilitate the exchange of electronic messages between the user and the first co-user upon selection of the first username by the user.
46. The system as recited in claim 45 , wherein the electronic messages comprise instant messages.
47. The system as recited in claim 37 , further comprising instructions thereon that, when executed by the at least on processor, cause the system to provide a third indication that signals which co-user on the co-user list was the most recent co-user to log into the communications system.
48. The system as recited in claim 47 , wherein the third indication comprises a symbol next to a username of the co-user that was the most recent co-user to log into the communications system.
49. The system as recited in claim 37 , further comprising instructions thereon that, when executed by the at least on processor, cause the system to provide a fourth indication that signals which co-user on the co-user list was the most recent co-user to log out of the communications system.
50. The system as recited in claim 37 , further comprising instructions thereon that, when executed by the at least on processor, cause the system to provide a second indication when the user logs into the communications system that the second user is not currently logged into the communications system.
51. The system as recited in claim 50 , wherein the second indication comprises graying a second username associated with the second co-user.
52. The system as recited in claim 36 , wherein determining, using at least one processor, that one or more co-users on the co-user list are logged into the communications system comprises:
accessing one or more logon records, the one or more logon records being maintained by a logon system; and
comparing the co-user list to the one or more logon records.