Associating multiple visibility profiles with a user of a real-time communication system
US7451190B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 9, 2004 |
| Grant date | Nov 11, 2008 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 2, 2026 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L51/04
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Visibility profiles associated with a substantially real time messaging environment are disclosed. Additionally, techniques for managing visibility profiles are disclosed, which include associating a first visibility profile with a first situation, and associating a second visibility profile with a second situation, A visibility profile indicates a set of friends, of a particular user, that are allowed, or disallowed, to view the particular user as available when the particular user is in the associated situation. A situation refers to one or more of a particular time period that a user is logged in, a particular location of the user, a particular device that the user is currently using, or a particular log-in that the user is currently using. Visibility profiles are used to manage the appearance of a user to other users/friends for communication using applications such as instant messaging, electronic mail, web-based mail programs, or other types of data communication exchange applications.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.