Chat Room Patents (Class 715/758)
  • Patent number: 9003307
    Abstract: One embodiment provides a system of exchanging information between at least two parties over a network. The system includes a chat room generator module, executed by one or more processors, to receive a comparison result between an existing first key word search from a first party and a subsequent second key word search from a second party via a network, and to generate a new chat room embedded into a search result web page associated with the second party, when the comparison result indicates no substantial similarity between the first key word search and the second key word search.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: eBay Inc.
    Inventor: Xin Li
  • Patent number: 9002409
    Abstract: A mobile terminal adapted to process a received call signal or message signal by mapping a response mode corresponding to present user status information and a method thereof are provided. The method includes confirming user status information in the mobile terminal according to the received radio frequency signal, mapping a response mode corresponding to the confirmed user status information, and processing the radio frequency signal according to the mapped response mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Sung Kyu Chie
  • Publication number: 20150095809
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a system for displaying micro-blog messages, which includes: when the users look up the list roster, the micro-blog terminal sends an obtaining request to the micro-blog server, receives and display the list roster fed back by the micro-blog server; when any one of the micro-blog list is selected from the list roster, the micro-blog terminal writes a name of the chosen micro-blog list into a new displaying page, and sending a message list request to the micro-blog server; the micro-blog terminal receives the message list of the chosen micro-blog list that is fed back from the micro-blog server, and displaying the message list of the chosen micro-blog list on the new message displaying page. It is disclosed a micro-blog terminal, server thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventors: Li Zhang, Jingjing Li, Heng Wang
  • Patent number: 8997005
    Abstract: A method and system for conducting a chat session with multiple chat members. The chat system receives chat comments from the chat members. The chat system attempts to identify a topic or subject of the chat comment. The chat system may then retrieve product or product category advertisements relevant to the identified topic. The chat system then effects the display of the chat comment along with the retrieved advertisements to each chat member. The chat system thus dynamically recognizes the topic of chat comments and displays relevant additional information along with the chat comments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hilliard B. Siegel, Ashish Agrawal, Ezra Cooper, Robert Frederick
  • Patent number: 8994881
    Abstract: An example method and apparatus for audio-visual communication is provided. In some examples, a method as disclosed herein may include receiving an incoming call indication comprising a conversation request from a remote party, wherein the outgoing call request is displayed in a visual communication screen area on a display; establishing a communication link with the remote party in an instance in which an answering signal has been received, the communication link enabling a multi-directional audio and visual conversation; and causing a received video of the remote party to be displayed in the visual communication screen area, wherein the display is operable to display multimedia content in a multimedia screen area simultaneously with the received video of the remote party in the visual communication screen area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: AmTRAN Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Fang-Yuan Shyu
  • Patent number: 8990698
    Abstract: Social network service synchronization techniques are described. In an implementation, a determination is made by a client that a browser has been used to navigate to a website. A prompt is displayed by the client, responsive to the determination, that is selectable to cause data that describes activities that are performable in conjunction with the website to be communicated to a social network service to be stored in conjunction with a user account of the user at the social network service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Wissam S. Kazan, Felipe Luis Naranjo, Shazaan T. Bahrainwala, Mona Akmal, Francislav P. Penov, Patrick R. Jakubowski
  • Patent number: 8990775
    Abstract: In a distributed system that includes a debug server and debug clients coupled for data communications through a data communications network, where the debug server includes a debug administrator, a message router, a back-end debugger, and a debuggee, collaborative software debugging includes receiving application-level messages, including receiving, a request to establish a chat session associated with a location in source code of the debuggee; routing the application-level messages among the debug clients, the debug administrator, and the back-end debugger; returning client-specific debug results, including sending, to the debug clients, a notification of an established chat session; and administering, by the message router, chat content for the established chat session among debug clients. Debug clients display the chat content in a chat box at the location in source code when the view of source code includes the location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Cary L. Bates
  • Patent number: 8988202
    Abstract: In an apparatus and method for processing a virtual world, haptic information regarding a virtual object in the virtual world, the haptic information corresponding to sensed information, is extracted and transmitted to a haptic feedback device. Accordingly, interaction between a real world and the virtual world is achieved. The processing speed of the haptic information with respect to the virtual object may be increased by varying data structures according to types of the virtual object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae Joon Han, Seung Ju Han, Won Chul Bang, Do Kyoon Kim
  • Patent number: 8984063
    Abstract: A group communication system is disclosed. The group communication system integrates a number of electronic communication tools to meet various communication needs among registered users in the system. To facilitate private communication among members in a group, a user directory is provided to allow an initiator to clearly view who he/she wants to communicate with. The user directory includes icons respectively associated with members in a group. Each of the icons can be enlarged when activated. Data from the communication is transported via a server device in the system based on respective identifiers (not email addresses) of the participants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Back Micro Solutions LLC
    Inventors: Jinsheng Wang, Lu Wang
  • Patent number: 8982178
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and device for acquiring real-time video images of a terminal, sad method comprising: acquiring light intensity of an existing environment when the terminal acquires the real-time video images; comparing the light intensity of the existing environment with a light intensity threshold value set by the terminal system; acquiring images preset by the terminal and sending the preset images to an existing receiver which is communicating with the terminal if the light intensity of the existing environment is lower than the light intensity threshold value set by the terminal system. The present invention can ensure the quality of video conversation when the light intensity is weak, save power energy, improve the user experience, and is beneficial to promote the video communication terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Huizhou TCL Mobile Communication Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Zhibing Yang
  • Patent number: 8984421
    Abstract: Provided is a system and method for displaying a graphic on a crew user interface. The system comprises a crew user interface comprising an input and an output, a server accessed by the crew user interface comprising a display application program that retrieves screen configuration data stored in a non-volatile memory of a database connected to the server and an aircraft entertainment system connected to the crew user interface. The output comprises the graphic that is produced during run-time by the application program interpreting the screen configuration data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Thales Avionics, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Canal, Carla Ree Arnold, Pennie Walley
  • Patent number: 8984422
    Abstract: A system and method for presenting a group conversation on an electronic device of a user, via displaying, on a graphical user interface of the device, a group of contacts with which the user can communicate, the group of contacts comprising one or more individual contacts and one or more social circles which define a preset collection of contacts associated with one another. User input is received via the graphical user interface, the user input specifying a selection of participants from the group of contacts for a group conversation. The group conversation provides for sharing communication messages among the participants. A conversation window is presented on the graphical user interface. The conversation window displays a collection of contact icons with each contact icon respectively corresponding to one of the selected participants of the group conversation, and a conversation thread with the shared communication messages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin David Eidelson, Gregory Matthew Marra, Jason B. Prado, Fred Peter Gilbert, Ye-Jeong Kim, Punit Singh Soni, Aaron David Kemp, Sharvil Nanavati, Jonathan Gordon Sharkey, Anish Acharya, Sean Yaoxing Liu, William C. Ferrell
  • Patent number: 8984120
    Abstract: A device communicatively linked with a text exchange session can be identified. The device can be a computing device associated with a computing resource. The resource can be associated with a state and state information. The device can be associated with a text exchange application. State information associated with the computing resource can be obtained. The state information can be a resource identifier and a resource value. A computing resource state change can be determined. The determination can be responsive to a disconnect event associated with the device. The disconnect event can result in the device not communicatively linked to the text exchange session.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Pukhraj Saxena, Radhika Sohoni
  • Publication number: 20150074560
    Abstract: A system and method for providing an enhanced second screen experience is provided includes a content-rich second screen user interface with information relative to an event and event participants as well as social media aspects relative to the event and event participants.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2013
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Applicant: Fox Sprots Productions, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael P. Conley, Brian Rogers
  • Patent number: 8977970
    Abstract: A method and system for handling media at a communication entity, wherein the media is associated with a communication session that is capable of entering an active state and an inactive state. The method comprises determining when the communication session is in an inactive state, causing the media associated with the communication session to be stored when the communication session has entered an inactive state, and causing the stored media to be conveyed to a user of the communication entity upon determination that the communication session has re-entered an active state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: BCE Inc.
    Inventors: Denis Mercier, Simon Ruel, Benoit Landry, Richard-Philippe Wafer, Philippe Lefebvre
  • Publication number: 20150067545
    Abstract: An example method is provided and includes causing display of a visual representation of calendar information that comprises at least one meeting indicator, determining a visual meeting path that comprises at least one visual meeting path node that corresponds to the meeting indicator, determining an attendance status of the meeting, such that the attendance status corresponds with the visual meeting path node, and causing communication of the attendance status of the meeting to an organizer of the meeting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2013
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Applicant: CISCO TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventor: Keith Griffin
  • Publication number: 20150058758
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes determining available shows from one or more content sources, providing at least a portion of the available shows for display in a programming guide on a display device of a user, receiving a selection by the user of a particular entry in the programming guide, determining a plurality of modules for the particular show, and providing a show page that includes the determined modules for display on the display device in response to the selection by the user. The entries of the programming guide are each associated with one of the available shows. At least one of the determined modules includes social content from a social graph of the social-networking system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventor: Erick Tseng
  • Publication number: 20150058757
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes providing a show page for display on a display device of a user in response to a selection by the user of an entry in a programming guide displayed on the display device, determining that the show page has previously been claimed by a content owner, accessing a content-owner module provided by the content owner, and providing the content-owner module for display on the show page. The show page includes a plurality of modules, and the show page is associated with particular media content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventor: Erick Tseng
  • Patent number: 8959166
    Abstract: A method in accordance with the present disclosure may include identifying a first set of visits to one or more webpages by a first participant of a social network, determining whether the first participant received a social annotation during the visit to the webpages, calculating a first total number of missed social annotations for each of the webpages for the first participant of the social network based on the first set of visits to the webpages and the determined social annotations received during the visit to the webpages, determining a combined calculation of missed social annotations for each of the webpages based at least in part on the total number of missed social annotations for each of the webpages for the first participant and the total number of missed social annotations for each of the webpages for the second participant, generating an indication for a third participant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Gregory Matthew Marra
  • Patent number: 8954849
    Abstract: A method for supporting communication among avatars representing users in a virtual world shared by a plurality of users' client terminals and a server connected with each other through a network. The method includes the steps of: accumulating statistical information, which includes (i) a combination of a component of a message transmitted by one or more avatars and avatar motion matching the component, and (ii) a degree of usage of the combination; generating a keyword group from the components of a message transmitted by the one or more avatars in response to the transmission of the message; searching through the statistical information; obtaining one or more avatar motion candidates; and presenting the candidates to the user of the avatar. A system for supporting communication among avatars and a communication support server device in a virtual world are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jun Doi, Kaori Fujiwara, Michiaki Tatsubori
  • Patent number: 8954866
    Abstract: Techniques are provided herein for establishing at a network management server a presence on a network. A presence associated with one or more managed devices on the network is detected. An instant messaging (IM) session is established with the one or more managed devices. The IM session forms a virtual chat room for performing a management function on the one or more managed devices, and IM messages are sent that are configured to perform the management function on the one or more managed devices. Techniques are also provided herein for establishing on a network an enriched presence by a network management server that is configured to perform a management function via a presence function of a messaging and presence protocol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Carlos Maria Pignataro, Joseph Michael Clarke, Rajesh Kumar, Mohammed Baseer Khan, Mohamed Saad Mostafa, Sanjeev S. Ukhalkar, Michel Khouderchah, Mark Allan Son-Bell
  • Patent number: 8954865
    Abstract: A stand-alone icon (i.e., an icon that is not part of an application interface) is provided to facilitate communications across a network between users of at least one communications program. The icon represents a contact or a set of contacts. Status information regarding the contact or set of contacts is received and displayed using the icon or in response to an operation performed on the icon. The icon additionally may provide an interface for performing actions related to the contact or set of contacts. The actions may generally include, for example, retrieving profile information about the contact, setting an alert to indicate that the contact's network/login status (e.g., login, logout, or idle) has changed, or performing communications with the contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott A. Quillen, Ira Rosenblatt
  • Publication number: 20150039423
    Abstract: A facility for coordinating an online discussion is described. The facility receives an indication that a user has captured a machine-readable symbol encoding an identifier that identifies a particular online discussion. In response, the facility incorporates into an online forum that hosts this online discussion an indication that this user captured a symbol encoding an identifier that identifies this online discussion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventors: John-Alistair C. George, Adam Connelly
  • Publication number: 20150040037
    Abstract: Computer system, method and program product for managing a chat session having a plurality of participants. A server sends to each participant in the chat session, a current local time of each other participant in the chat session. A workstation of each participant in the chat session displays an identity and current local time of each other participant in the chat session. The current local time of each other participant in the chat session can be represented by a graphical representation of the current local time of each other participant in the chat session. The server also sends to each participant in the chat session a current date of each other participant in the chat session. The workstation of each participant in the chat session displays the current date of each other participant in the chat session.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventor: William J. Hladik, JR.
  • Patent number: 8949725
    Abstract: A method and graphical user interface intended to simplify interaction between a user and a chat information system running on a portable electronic device that includes a touch screen. User interfaces and methods include user input controls (i.e., a virtual keyboard or voice recognition devices). The system also includes output trays, means for viewing chat history, means for displaying the Internet content and means for displaying graphical elements and avatars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Speaktoit, Inc.
    Inventors: Artem Goncharuk, Ilya Gelfenbeyn, Pavel Sirotin
  • Patent number: 8949718
    Abstract: Methods and systems for providing visual audio links for digital audio content include playing the digital audio content on an electronic device that has a display; displaying on the display visual audio links associated with terms of relevance from the digital audio content as the terms of relevance are played during playing of the digital audio content, wherein each of the visual audio links is a reference to additional content associated with the corresponding term of relevance; in response to receiving a user's selection of one of the visual audio links, presenting the additional content associated with the corresponding term of relevance, wherein the user is granted a license to the additional content; and when presentation of the additional content completes, playing the digital audio content at a point where the corresponding term of relevance was mentioned, such that the user is granted rewind rights based on the terms of relevance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Lemi Technology, LLC
    Inventors: Alfredo C. Issa, Gregory M. Evans
  • Publication number: 20150033155
    Abstract: A device and a method are disclosed including Conversation-Integrated Action System (CIAS) having networking facilities to allow multiple remote users of a social network to enter into a social conversation. CIAS is further configured to allow specific and relevant actions to be presented to achieve specific and definite results. Such integrated actions may include, but are not limited to, marking the status of the conversation, marking a part of the conversation as a decision with which the users agree, deleting the conversation, managing the conversation, editing the conversation, granting various action permissions to various users, opening or closing the conversation, concluding the conversation, saving the conversation, searching for previous conversations, generating statistical and measured data based on the conversation, starting another related conversation, triggering actions by a third party work flow system, and the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Inventors: Michael Camacho, Olivia Teich
  • Patent number: 8943422
    Abstract: Computer-implemented systems and methods for a simplified messaging interface are provided for allowing users to initiate and engage in messaging conversations. In various embodiments, the systems and methods reduce the overhead involved in initiating and/or engaging in messaging conversations. In some embodiments, the messaging interface allows users to initiate and/or engage in conversations without having to open a separate standard messaging window for every conversation. In some embodiments, the simplified messaging interface may be used in conjunction with a standard messaging interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: AOL Inc.
    Inventor: Ronen Artman (Arad)
  • Publication number: 20150026605
    Abstract: An instant messaging user may use a buddy list that includes a user-selected list of potential instant messaging recipients (“buddies”) to identify another instant messaging user with whom instant messages are to be exchanged. An instant messaging user also may use a buddy list for other purposes, such as to initiate playing of an on-line game or to invite participants to play an on-line game. Techniques are provided to transform a buddy list from one messaging-mode to another messaging-mode. The transformation may include, for example, substitution or re-ordering of groups of buddies, substitution of buddy icons associated with buddies, substitution of information displayed about buddies, and substitution of controls for directing operation of the buddy list.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2014
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Applicant: Bright Sun Technologies
    Inventors: Edmund J. Fish, Allen J. Eichler
  • Publication number: 20150026604
    Abstract: Systems, apparatus, and methods for implementing enterprise level social and business information networking are provided. Users can receive relevant information about a database system and its users at an appropriate time. Users can then use this relevant information to reduce errors and limit redundant efforts. For example, an update of a record in the database can be identified, and a story created automatically about the update and sent to the users that are following the record. Other events besides updating of records can also be tracked. A variety of enhanced features and functions are also presented in the context of an enterprise level social and business information networking environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2013
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Applicant: Salesforce.com, inc.
    Inventors: Viswanath Mulukuri, Ashok Gadamsetty, Zach Perkins, Sundar Subramanian, Yaseen Shaik
  • Patent number: 8938669
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method is executed on a server having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs to be executed by the one or more processors. The method includes receiving document editing commands, for editing a respective document, from one or more users in a document editing session, and editing the respective document in accordance with the commands received from the users. The received commands including document text for the document. The method further includes detecting, within the respective document text, an embedded request to invite a specified user to access the respective document, and responding by sending an invitation to the specified user, and, if needed, adding the specified user to an access control list of the respective document to enable the specified user to access the document in response to detecting the embedded request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Gabriel Cohen
  • Patent number: 8935338
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for improving management of user information in instant messaging systems. Expiration criteria are defined, whereby one or more users or user groups may be considered as having “expired” from consideration by instant messaging functions such as presence determination. In particular, instant messaging activity is preferably used as an expiration criterion. Absence of inbound or outbound messages for a specified amount of time (or since a particular date/time) can therefore be used as a trigger for treating a user or group of users as expired. As a result, efficiency of an instant messaging system is improved by omitting the expired users and groups from subsequent management operations. Optionally, an expired user or group may be revived upon occurrence of certain events (such as a newly-arriving instant message from, or a change in presence status of, the user or group). “On-demand” expiration and revival are preferably provided as well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Christopher K. Karstens
  • Patent number: 8935619
    Abstract: A context sensitive slider content area provides a slide out mechanism that is automatically actuated when additional information is needed during a chat session between an agent and a visitor, e.g. where a pre-chat and/or exit form is to be completed. The context sensitive slide out content area also provides problem resolution information to the visitor to help in solving problems, e.g. the top five problems; and also provides a self-service step-by-step wizard. A history section is provided with which the visitor can track back all previous steps carried out within the smart client. A history bar provides an iconic representation of all previous activities. A technique is also disclosed for executing various actions, such as form filling or requests for additional services, in a chat session.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: 24/7 Customer, Inc.
    Inventors: Pallipuram V. Kannan, Mohit Jain
  • Publication number: 20150012848
    Abstract: Described are computer-based methods and apparatuses, including computer program products, for allowing a user to switch between interfacing with a service through a network or through short message service (SMS). A chat service is executed through which a first user at a first computer can communicate directly with a second user at a second computer. A request is received from the first computer to enable the first user to interface with the chat service through a mobile device of the first user using SMS instead of through the network using the first computer. The chat service is configured to interface with the mobile device through SMS, including communicating chat information through SMS to the first user's mobile device, and communicating control information through SMS to the first user's mobile device such that the first user can control a full functionality of the chat service using SMS.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2014
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Inventors: Matan Barak, Arnon-Naftally Kehat, Noam Yagil
  • Patent number: 8930828
    Abstract: Technologies are described herein for distinguishing between conference participants associated with different groups. A communication is received from a participant during a conference. The participant's group affiliation is determined and a representation attribute corresponding to the group is used to render the communication within the conference. As a result, the communications from participants of like groups are displayed with like representation attributes to visually distinguish the communications according to group affiliations. An administrator may designate the representation attributes so that all of the communications from participants of the same group are similarly distinguished without action from the participants. Participants may filter the communications as desired according to the groups and corresponding representation attributes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Serr, Scott Alan Huddleston, Mark McClelland, Mark Timothy Madsen, Allyson Straka
  • Patent number: 8930829
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for monitoring availability of a contact are described. The apparatus includes an interface module for receiving a selection from a user that indicates the contact to be monitored. The apparatus also includes a presence change alert manager that is coupled to the interface module and is coupled to a network. The presence changer alert manager is configured to determine at least one relevant type of availability for the contact and to determine if availability information obtained from the network corresponds to a change in a relevant type of availability for the contact. The apparatus further includes a notification manager coupled to the presence change alert manager. If the presence change alert manager determines that the obtained availability information corresponds to a change of a relevant type of availability for the contact, the notification manager generates a notification alerting the user of the change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Shoretel, Inc.
    Inventors: AshvinKumar Patel, Glen Okita, Meigy Tsai, Michael Tovino
  • Publication number: 20150007063
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes displaying a plurality of tiles on a user's computer screen, each of the tiles comprising shared data, and receiving new shared data and processing the new shared data to update the shared data displayed on the user's computer screen. The shared data is collected at a centralized device and distributed by the centralized device to the user, the centralized device operable to organize and transmit the shared data contained in one or more of the tiles to a plurality of users. An apparatus and logic are also disclosed herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Applicant: CISCO TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventor: Brad DeGrazia
  • Patent number: 8924861
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for displaying an Instant Messaging (IM) message are provided. The method includes, when the size of a picture to be processed is greater than the size of a container, setting the display size of the picture to be processed to be not greater than the size of the container; and drawing the picture to be processed according to the set display size. As such, a picture to be processed having the size greater than the container size can be adapted to the size of a container in IM software, and the IM software can directly display the entirety of the picture that is originally greater than the container size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Tencent Technology (Shenzhen) Company Limited
    Inventors: Chunhua Zhang, Shuo Min
  • Patent number: 8924866
    Abstract: A method for controlling display of a messaging window displays a messaging window including a message input region and a message output region, receives a plurality of incoming messages which are successively displayed in the message output region, and selectively freezes the message output region such that incoming messages that are received while the message output region is selectively frozen are not displayed in the message output region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Joon Hun Shin, Young Hee Rhee, Sang Min Lee
  • Publication number: 20140380198
    Abstract: A method for processing includes detecting a gesture operation to a session in a current session interface, determining whether the gesture operation is identified, and performing a corresponding processing to the session in the current session interface according to the gesture operation if the gesture operation is identified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Applicant: XIAOMI INC.
    Inventors: Bin WANG, Daokuan LIU, Haibin WENG
  • Patent number: 8918727
    Abstract: Systems and techniques for transferring electronic data between users of a communications system by receiving, at an instant messaging host, a video file from a sender and intended for a recipient; authenticating the video file; and sending the video file to the intended recipient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Noel Enete, Wayne Packard, Harry W. Morris
  • Patent number: 8914070
    Abstract: A mobile wireless communication terminal includes a wireless communication module and a controller. The wireless communication module is configured to communicate with other communication terminals over at least one direct point-to-point wireless interface. The controller is configured to establish a connection with each of a plurality of participant wireless communication terminals via the wireless communication module, to receive an image send command from a user, and to send a digital image file over the at least one direct point-to-point wireless interface to each of the plurality of participant wireless communication terminals as a group responsive to the image send command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventor: Tomas Karl-Axel Wässingbo
  • Publication number: 20140365923
    Abstract: A home screen sharing method and apparatus are provided. The method includes generating a home screen including a private area including private data, and a shared area including shared data; displaying the home screen including the private area and the shared area; sharing the shared area with a cloud server; detecting changes to the shared area; and storing the changes to the shared area in the cloud server.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2014
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventors: Do-Hyung LEE, Min-Chul Kim, Suk-Jae Lee, Ki-Hong Im
  • Publication number: 20140365922
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus and a method for providing a service thereof are provided. The method for providing the service of the electronic apparatus includes: executing an interactive application which integrates a plurality of services and provides the plurality of services, in response to selection of at least one of the plurality of services, performing a first displaying operation to display a chatting screen for chatting with the at least one selected service, and in response to input of a user message through the chatting screen, analyzing the user message according to the at least one selected service and performing a function of the at least one selected service corresponding to the user message.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2014
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventor: Ji-yun YANG
  • Publication number: 20140365924
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for accessing a chat room are provided. A shortcut of the chat room to be accessed can be detected. When that a user clicks on the shortcut of the chat room to be accessed is detected, a room identification of the chat room to be accessed and protocol name information of a protocol used by a voice client can be obtained from the shortcut of the chat room to be accessed. The chat room to be accessed can then be accessed according to the room identification of the chat room to be accessed and the protocol name information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2014
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventor: BING HAN
  • Publication number: 20140365921
    Abstract: A computer implemented method and apparatus for enabling participation in a web conference as a virtual participant. The method comprises establishing a web conference comprising at least one virtual participant; receiving at least one message via a web conference user interface; displaying the message in the web conference user interface; and sending the message to the at least one virtual participant via a selected method of message delivery for the at least one virtual participant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2013
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventors: Sumeet Gupta, Mili Sharma
  • Patent number: 8910056
    Abstract: Entries within a participant list of an electronic communications system may be categorized automatically into one or more groups based on attributes of users represented in the participant list. Categorizing users includes maintaining a list of identifiers that are selected by a first user and for which online presence information is made perceivable through the list. The list includes one or more categories into which the identifiers are categorized. At least one attribute associated with an identifier for which online presence information is to be made perceivable through the list and attributes stored relative to at least one of the categories are accessed. The attributes associated with the identifier are compared to the stored attributes. Based on results of the comparison, at least one category within the list that corresponds to the identifier is identified, and the identifier is categorized into the identified category.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventor: Judson Valeski
  • Patent number: 8910059
    Abstract: A facility for coordinating an online discussion is described. The facility receives an indication that a user has captured a machine-readable symbol encoding an identifier that identifies a particular online discussion. In response, the facility incorporates into an online forum that hosts this online discussion an indication that this user captured a symbol encoding an identifier that identifies this online discussion. Having captured the machine-readable symbol, the user may interact with the content associated with the identifier encoded in the machine-readable symbol. On capturing the machine-readable symbol, an advertisement related to the content associated with the identifier encoded in the machine-readable symbol may be displayed to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: John-Alistair George, Adam Connelly
  • Publication number: 20140359487
    Abstract: A method of controlling group chatting in a portable device, and a portable device performing the same, which are capable of extracting and displaying a dialog of a certain conversation partner on a sub-chatting window are provided. The method includes detecting a request for an extraction of a dialog for at least one certain conversation partner from conversation partners in the group chat, extracting the dialog of the at least one certain conversation partner from one or more dialogs in the group chat, and displaying the extracted dialog on a sub-chatting window.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Eunyeung LEE
  • Patent number: 8903928
    Abstract: A method for organizing a message thread containing one or more messages. A root message and reply groupings are identified, each reply grouping depending from the root message. Each reply grouping has one or more child reply messages depending from a common parent message. The child reply messages within each reply grouping are ordered in chronological order based on the time of each of the one or more child reply messages was received or sent. The reply groupings are hierarchically ordering based on a relationship between the reply grouping and its parent message. A single display allows a user to view the message thread and the content of all of the messages in accordance with the hierarchical ordering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: AOL Inc.
    Inventor: Eric Staats