Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

John S Holmes

Alexandra K Heron

David Michael Miller

Michael A Smuga

Nicole Danielle Steinbok

Geeven Singh

John T Spivey

Ravi Rao

Cesare John Saretto

Yoram Bernet

Shreedhar Madhavapeddi

Peter Sewall Ford

John R Selbie

Rajesh Sundaram

Scott A Senkeresty

Eyal Schwartz

Walter VonKoch

Carmen Zlateff

David G Thaler

Eric Norman Badger

Timothy David Sharpe

Yikang Xu

Vick Bhaskar Mukherjee

Eric Lawrence Matteson

Walter Von Koch

Raghuveer Simha

Stacia Scott

James Henry Baker, Iii

Katrina M Blanch

Duoc Nguyen

Ahmed Azmy Hassan

Ram Aringunrum

Jennifer L Bayer

Wendy K Cook

Leah Pearlman

Panchapagesan Seshagiri

Methods for establishing simultaneous connections on a plurality of communication devices associated with a user implemented on an instant messaging program by issuing ring tones, audible notifications, or visual indications to the plurality of communication devices and constructing a state diagram for sending the ring tones, the audible notifications, or the visual indications to the plurality of communication devices.

Initiating multiple connections from multiple communication devices

Systems and methods that may be used in instant messaging (IM) environments to allow users in IM environments to share information and render shared information are described herein. In at least one embodiment, a system can receive an indication to publish a geographical location of a client and based on the indication to publish, a system can provide the geographical location of the client and instruction code for rendering an indication of the geographical location of the client within a map. In some embodiments, the geographical location of the client can be presented to one or more users, or contacts, in instant messaging environments.

Self-described rendering of data

An exemplary data package for a network-based instant messaging system includes descriptive data about a user of the instant messaging system and data indicating a network location of a gadget to render the descriptive data, the location accessible by one or more other users of the instant messaging system. Various other exemplary methods, systems, device, etc., are also disclosed.

Methods, computer-readable storage media, and systems for establishing multiple simultaneous connections on an instant messaging program to enhance the user experience. The user receives notifications of request to communicate, an email, or an alert on communication devices. By choosing which communication device to respond on, that particular communication device becomes active, continuing the communication to transmit to and receive from on that communication device. The process also includes mirroring the communication on the other communication devices that are alive (connected) and non-mobile. Furthermore, the other communication devices are kept alive to allow the user to switch from one communication device to another during communication.

User experience for multiple simultaneous connections on an instant messaging program

A strategy is described for constructing bloom filter information and exception information. The bloom filter information is constructed to express a set of items in a lossy compressed form. The exception information reveals occasions in which the bloom filter information erroneously indicates that a candidate item is a member of the set. The strategy can apply the bloom filter information and the exception information to select a representative device among a group of devices on which a user may maintain simultaneous presence.

Strategies for compressing information using bloom filters

An exemplary method involves creating a master session over a first connection through a server; and creating a virtual channel over the connection, the virtual channel operable to communicate a feature session. The method may involve establishing a direct connection that bypasses the server, and switching communication of the feature session to the direct connection. A system for network communication includes a plurality of transport bridges, each transport bridge corresponding to an active network device configuration, and a switching module operable to choose one of the transport bridges to form a connection between two computing devices based on the active network device configuration.

Transport system for instant messaging

Secure instant messaging is described. In an embodiment, a messaging device encrypts a challenge identifier to generate an encrypted challenge message, and communicates the encrypted challenge message via a peer-to-peer communication link to a recipient messaging device. The recipient messaging device decrypts the encrypted challenge message and encrypts the challenge identifier as a return challenge identifier to generate an encrypted challenge return. The messaging device receives the encrypted challenge return from the recipient messaging device, decrypts the encrypted challenge return, and verifies that the return challenge identifier matches the challenge identifier to establish that communications are secure when communicated via the peer-to-peer communication link and, optionally, to establish control policies pertaining to a communication received at the recipient messaging device.

Secure instant messaging

The claimed method and system provides a method and interface for enabling an existing, single-transport P2P API to communicate with nodes of a P2P network using multiple different transport protocols.

Transport abstraction for multiparty replication

Various embodiments utilize a presence-based network to provide a suite of services that build upon the presence-based or instant messaging foundation. In at least some embodiments, the presence-based network is utilized to implement a number of location-aware applications. In at least some embodiments, as part of a user's presence information, their particular location is ascertained and made available to others on the presence-based network. Location can be a physical location or a logical location. Their particular physical location can be visually represented to others by, for example, displaying a map that indicates the user's location.

Presence-based location and/or proximity awareness

Asynchronous voice messaging is employed to enable individuals to send voice clips back and forth over a network. In at least some embodiments, the voice clips reside in the form of discrete, manageable objects that can be easily managed by the user. In addition, some embodiments described provide hand-free/eyes-free functionality that can permit a user to create and send (or receive and play) a voice message without having to physically enter an intended recipient's address or otherwise digitally manipulate the device over which the message is sent or received.

Asynchronous discrete manageable instant voice messages

Various embodiments provide a standardized way to interact with and extend instant messaging applications. A platform is provided and enables developers and other third parties to create extensions for instant messaging applications. Through a set of APIs, interacting applications or plug-ins are 'sandboxed' in their own areas where they are unable to perform unpermitted or unauthorized actions. The plug-in platform or architecture is integrated with the platform of the instant messaging application and can allow developers to create plug-ins that can interact with a local user and their buddies. Any number of various types of plug-ins can be developed and incorporated into the instant messaging application in a standardized manner.

Instant messaging plug-ins

Multi-participant online activities are described. In one or more implementations, a protocol is described which ties an online activity (e.g., an online game) to an instant messaging infrastructure. For example, an online game may leverage the instant messaging infrastructure to form rosters of participants for participation in the online game, Once the roster is formed, the instant messaging infrastructure may further manage the presence of the participants in the online activity, such as which users join and cease participation in the online activity and notify other users of these changes. Further, the state of participation in the online activity may be stored such that the users may continue between sessions.

Multi-participant online activities

Growing community of inventors

Redmond, WA, United States of America

John S Holmes