A method comprising: providing a first client of an instant messaging service, the first client enabling a data service; receiving a request for the data service from a second client of the instant messaging service; and rendering client-controlled information regarding the first client available for persistent conveyance to the second client, the client-controlled information regarding the first client including data related to the data service. This allows a user associated with the second client to become aware of the data in a non-intrusive manner.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A method for execution by a first client of an instant messaging service, comprising: obtaining data from a data source; causing client-controlled information regarding the first client to be included in a contact list for a second client of the instant messaging service when a data service associated with the first client is requested by the second client; and causing the client-controlled information regarding the first client to include said data.
2. The method defined in claim 1 , further comprising: creating a generic address associated with the first client.
3. The method defined in claim 2 , further comprising: using the generic address to identify the first client to the instant messaging service.
4. The method defined in claim 2 , further comprising: informing the second client of the generic address associated with the first client.
5. The method defined in claim 1 , wherein said obtaining is triggered by instantiation of the first client.
6. The method defined in claim 1 , wherein said obtaining comprises pulling said data from the data source.
7. The method defined in claim 1 , wherein said obtaining comprises receiving said data that is pushed from the data source.
8. The method defined in claim 7 , further comprising communicating with the data source to cause said data to be pushed from the data source.
9. The method defined in claim 1 , further comprising, prior to said obtaining: receiving and storing a client-specific address associated with at least one authorized client.
10. The method defined in claim 9 , further comprising: receiving a client-specific address associated with the second client; determining whether the client-specific address associated with the second client matches the client-specific address of at least one of the at least authorized client, wherein said causing is performed only if the client-specific address associated with the second client marches the client-specific address of at least one of the at least one authorized client.
11. A method for execution by each respective first client from a plurality of first clients of an instant messaging service, comprising: obtaining respective data from a respective data source; causing client-controlled information regarding the respective first client to be included in a respective contact list for a respective second client of the instant messaging service when a data service associated with the respective first client is requested by the respective second client; and causing the client-controlled information regarding the respective first client to include said respective data.
12. The method defined in claim 11 , further comprising: creating a plurality of specific addresses respectively associated with the plurality of first clients.
13. The method defined in claim 12 , further comprising: using the plurality of specific addresses to respectively identify the plurality of first clients to the instant messaging service.
14. The method defined in claim 13 , further comprising: informing each of the second clients of the respective one of the plurality of first clients.
15. The method defined in claim 14 , further comprising: creating a generic address collectively associated with the plurality of first clients.
16. The method defined in claim 15 , further comprising: using the generic address to collectively identify the plurality of first clients to the instant messaging service.
17. The method defined in claim 15 , further comprising: informing each of the second clients of the generic address.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
January 26, 2015
February 23, 2016
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