System and method for instant messenger busy gauge
US7500200B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 15, 2004 |
| Grant date | Mar 3, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 17, 2026 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L51/04
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A system and method that gathers activity level from users and provides a “busy gauge” to others that indicates the user's activity level. In one embodiment, the user's activity is computed automatically based upon the user's interaction with their computer system. In the automatic method, an input tracking routine records the user's input frequency, such as mouse clicks, voice inputs, keyboard inputs, and other inputs in order to determine the user's activity level. The recorded activity data is compared with activity level thresholds that can be either default thresholds or user-specified. The user can select to use a manual input level in which the user specifies the user's activity level despite the number of input actions received at the user's computer.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.