US7185285B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
User interface and content enhancements for real-time communication
Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC
•
Filing: 2003-02-19
•
Granted: 2007-02-27
•
Expires: 2023-02-19
Abstract
Abstract Several enhancements to a real-time communications user interface are provided to add functionality and personality in such communications as instant messaging. These enhancements are geared at least in part to making the user interface more personalized between users in a real-time communication session, including personalized fonts, spacing, extensible emoticons, etc. Other enhancements are geared in part toward enhancing the use of the interface. For example, a dynamically changing input box may remove a need for scroll bars, and edit control of previous messages may remove the need to send corrective messages. A number of these enhancements may be accomplished through the use of markup languages in the user interface. One or more of the disclosed enhancements may improve the immediacy, readability, and functionality of instant message conversations.
Inventors
- 👤 Cornelis K. Van Dok
- 👤 Peyman Oreizy
- 👤 Sean O. Blagsvedt
- 👤 Donna Ghosh
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 20:25
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M1/00; H04M1/72; H04M1/724; H04M1/72403; H04M1/7243; H04M1/72439; G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/048; G06F3/0481; G06F40/00; G06F40/10; G06F40/103; G06F40/109; H04L; H04L51/00; H04L51/04; H04L51/06; H04L51/063; H04L51/21; H04L51/216
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
191 words
In a computerized communication environment that allows a plurality of users to communicate with each other in real time, a method of real time communication that provides a sending system enhanced flexibility with respect to the type of content that may be included in a real time message and enhanced control over the presentation of the real time message at a receiving system, the method comprising acts of: at the sending system, receiving content to be included in a real time message from a first user; formatting the received content at the sending system in accordance with a markup language that either influences the presentation of the received content at the receiving system, or allows some level of flexibility for the type of content allowed in the received content, or both, wherein formatting the received content comprises the sending system automatically applying a default format which visually distinguishes the content received from the first user from other content provided by a second user at the receiving system; and sending to the receiving system, the real time message, including the received content which has been formatted in accordance with the markup language.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
191 words
In a computerized communication environment that allows a plurality of users to communicate with each other in real time, a method of real time communication that provides a sending system enhanced flexibility with respect to the type of content that may be included in a real time message and enhanced control over the presentation of the real time message at a receiving system, the method comprising acts of: at the sending system, receiving content to be included in a real time message from a first user; formatting the received content at the sending system in accordance with a markup language that either influences the presentation of the received content at the receiving system, or allows some level of flexibility for the type of content allowed in the received content, or both, wherein formatting the received content comprises the sending system automatically applying a default format which visually distinguishes the content received from the first user from other content provided by a second user at the receiving system; and sending to the receiving system, the real time message, including the received content which has been formatted in accordance with the markup language.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the markup language comprises at least one of eXtensible Markup Language and HyperText Markup Language.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the received content comprises at least one of a data file, an image file, a user defined emoticon, and a multimedia file.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the formatting specifies at least one of a particular font and a particular font color selected to identify the user.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the automatic formatting specifies at least one of a particular font and a particular font color.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the received content corresponds to a previously sent real time message that is being edited at the sending system.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the received content is being entered by a user into an input box of an initial size, the method further comprising an act of automatically increasing the size of the input box as the received content approaches the initial size of the input box so that the user can see the received content without scrolling.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the received content comprises rich content which is received from a paste operation.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein applying a default format comprises indenting content received from the first user and the second user, and wherein each of the first and second users has a different indentation assigned thereto.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising: displaying identification indicia for identifying the content provided by each of the first and second users; and abstaining from displaying the identification indicia after a predetermined number of real time messages have been exchanged between the first user and the second user.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising displaying a message at the receiving system indicating when the first user at the sending system is providing but has not yet submitted content, wherein the displayed message is provided within the context of real time messages provided by the first and second users.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
206 words
For a computerized communication environment that allows a plurality of users to communicate with each other in real time, a computer program product comprising a computer readable medium carrying computer executable instructions for implementing a method of real time communication that provides a sending system enhanced flexibility with respect to the type of content that may be included in a real time message and enhanced control over the presentation of the real time message at a receiving system, the method comprising acts of: at the sending system, receiving content to be included in a real time message from a first user; formatting the received content at the sending system in accordance with a markup language that either influences the presentation of the received content at the receiving system, or allows some level of flexibility for the type of content allowed in the received content, or both, wherein formatting the received content comprises the sending system automatically applying a default format which visually distinguishes the content received from the first user from other content provided by a second user at the receiving system; and sending to the receiving system, the real time message, including the received content which has been formatted in accordance with the markup language.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
206 words
For a computerized communication environment that allows a plurality of users to communicate with each other in real time, a computer program product comprising a computer readable medium carrying computer executable instructions for implementing a method of real time communication that provides a sending system enhanced flexibility with respect to the type of content that may be included in a real time message and enhanced control over the presentation of the real time message at a receiving system, the method comprising acts of: at the sending system, receiving content to be included in a real time message from a first user; formatting the received content at the sending system in accordance with a markup language that either influences the presentation of the received content at the receiving system, or allows some level of flexibility for the type of content allowed in the received content, or both, wherein formatting the received content comprises the sending system automatically applying a default format which visually distinguishes the content received from the first user from other content provided by a second user at the receiving system; and sending to the receiving system, the real time message, including the received content which has been formatted in accordance with the markup language.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
The computer program product of claim 12 , wherein the markup language comprises at least one of eXtensible Markup Language and HyperText Markup Language.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
31 words
The computer program product of claim 12 , wherein the received content comprises at least one of a data file, an image file, a user defined emoticon, and a multimedia file.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
29 words
The computer program product of claim 12 , wherein the formatting specifies at least one of a particular font and a particular font color selected to identify the user.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 12 , wherein the automatic formatting specifies at least one of a particular font and a particular font color.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
28 words
The computer program product of claim 12 , wherein the received content corresponds to a previously sent real time message that is being edited at the sending system.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
64 words
The computer program product of claim 12 , wherein the received content is being entered by a user into an input box of an initial size, the method further comprising an act of automatically increasing the size of the input box as the received content approaches the initial size of the input box so that the user can see the received content without scrolling.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
22 words
The computer program product of claim 12 , wherein the received content comprises rich content which is received from a paste operation.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5450538A
Cited
US5583981A
Cited
US5715415A
Cited
US5874953A
Cited
US5898431A
Cited
US6052121A
Cited
US6396487B1
Cited
US6411312B1
Cited
US6310632B1
Cited
US6964010B1
Cited
US20040150673A1
Cited
US20030023684A1
Cited
US6865599B2
Cited
US20060031772A1
Cited
US20030189594A1
Cited
US20030225846A1
Cited
US20040148346A1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2010-02-26 | 2010-08-28 | 2011-02-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2014-02-26 | 2014-08-28 | 2015-02-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2018-02-26 | 2018-08-28 | 2019-02-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |