Patent · US Active

Systems and methods for graphically representing users of a messaging system

US7627828B1 · kind B1 · utility

109Cited by
1References
25Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 19, 2006
Grant dateDec 1, 2009
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 14, 2027

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04L51/04
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

In a method of graphically representing users of an integrated email and instant messaging (IM) system, the system allows a second user to associate a graphical user identifier with a first user and suggests the graphical user identifier to the first user. The first user may accept or reject the graphical user identifier. If the first user accepts the graphical user identifier, the system displays the graphical user identifier to a third user when the third user accesses any email or IM message associated with the first user. The third user can override the graphical user identifier of the first user with a different graphical user identifier including a new one uploaded into the system by the third user.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.