Microsoft "activity monitoring" patent. Are you typing now?

"Bob Wyman" <[email protected]> Tue, 11 Feb 2003 12:43:04 -0500
Newsgroups gmane.network.jabber.im-patents
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Today, Microsoft received a patent on "Activity Monitoring" for Instant
Messaging systems. This patent would seem to cover the MSN Messenger
messages that say: "Sally is typing now..."
=20
See:
http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?patentnumber=3D6519639
United States Patent  6,519,639  Microsoft,  February 11, 2003 =20
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System and method for activity monitoring and reporting in a computer
network=20

Abstract
A system for monitoring user activity in an instant messaging session on
a computer network periodically sends an activity message to other
participants in the instant messaging session if the user has actively
entered data during a first predetermined time interval. The system
periodically sends a new activity message at intervals corresponding to
the first predetermined time interval so long as the user is actively
entering data during each time interval. If the user has not entered
data during the first predetermined time interval, the system will not
send an activity message. Other participants in the instant messaging
session receive the activity message and generate an activity indicator
on their respective displays. The computer receiving the activity
message displays an activity indicator on the computer display in
response to receipt of an activity message and starts a timer to measure
a second predetermined time interval. If another activity message is not
received within the second predetermined time interval, the activity
indicator is deleted from the display.=20


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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN class=3D796292717-11022003>Today, =
Microsoft=20
received a patent on "Activity Monitoring" for Instant Messaging =
systems. This=20
patent would seem to cover the MSN Messenger messages that say: "Sally =
is typing=20
now..."</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D796292717-11022003></SPAN></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D796292717-11022003>See:</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><A=20
href=3D"http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?patentnumber=3D6519639"=
>http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?patentnumber=3D6519639</A><BR>=
United=20
States Patent&nbsp; 6,519,639 &nbsp;Microsoft,&nbsp; February 11, 2003=20
&nbsp;<BR>---------------------------------------------------------------=
-----------------<BR>System=20
and method for activity monitoring and reporting in a computer network=20
<BR><BR>Abstract<BR>A system for monitoring user activity in an instant=20
messaging session on a computer network periodically sends an activity =
message=20
to other participants in the instant messaging session if the user has =
actively=20
entered data during a first predetermined time interval. The system =
periodically=20
sends a new activity message at intervals corresponding to the first=20
predetermined time interval so long as the user is actively entering =
data during=20
each time interval. If the user has not entered data during the first=20
predetermined time interval, the system will not send an activity =
message. Other=20
participants in the instant messaging session receive the activity =
message and=20
generate an activity indicator on their respective displays. The =
computer=20
receiving the activity message displays an activity indicator on the =
computer=20
display in response to receipt of an activity message and starts a timer =
to=20
measure a second predetermined time interval. If another activity =
message is not=20
received within the second predetermined time interval, the activity =
indicator=20
is deleted from the display. <BR></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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