Skype Limited

Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Mark McLaughlin

Helen Blackburn

Marek Laasik

Madis Kaal

David Dinka

Gisela Gier

Rachel Eardley

Aram Nicholas Babaian

Veiko Raime

Henrique Penha

Ben Dove

Communicating location information for a first user of a first communication client from a first user terminal over a communications system to a second user terminal is described. A second communication client executed by the second user terminal displays a list of contacts associated with a second user of the second communication client that comprises a first contact representing the first user. The first user terminal determines a location of the first user and stores the determined location in a store of the first user terminal. The first communication client reads the stored location from the store. The first communication client further generates a message comprising a visual indication of the location read from the store and transmits the message to the second user terminal. The visual indication of the location is displayed on the second user terminal in the contact list in association with the first contact.

Location information in a communications system

A method of communicating location information relating to a first user of a first communication client from a first user terminal over a communications system to a second user terminal, the first user terminal executing the first communication client and the second user terminal executing a second communication client, the method comprising: the second communication client displaying a list of contacts associated with a second user of the second communication client, the list of contacts comprising a first contact representing the first user; the first user terminal determining a location of the first user; the first user terminal storing the determined location in a store of the first user terminal; the first communication client reading the stored location from the store; the first communication client generating a message comprising a visual indication of the location read from the store; transmitting the message from the first user terminal to the second user terminal; and displaying the visual indication of the location on the second user terminal in the contact list in association with the first contact.

A user terminal comprising: a positioning system arranged to detect a geographical location of the user terminal; a transceiver for communicating with other user terminals via a communication network; and a communication processing apparatus coupled to the transceiver and positioning system. The communication processing apparatus is arranged to detect communication events occurring via the transceiver and communication network in relation to other user terminals, and to maintain a log of the communication events. Further, the communication processing apparatus is configured to organize the log in dependence on a geographical location detected by the positioning system.

Logging communication events using location information

Embodiments include a television appliance configured to display a selected on-screen viewing activity, and a client application. The client application is configured to maintain a list of contacts and allow a user of the media appliance to establish communication events with contacts via a network interface and packet-based network. The client application is further configured to receive a machine-readable data item via the network interface and packet-based network from a television appliance of one or more of said contacts, the machine-readable data item indicating a current television channel being viewed by the respective contact. In at least some embodiments, the client application may control operation of said user's television appliance in relation to the contact's television appliance based on the data item.

Indicia of contact viewing activity

Techniques for displaying graphical representations of contacts are described. In accordance with one or more embodiments, a group of graphical representations of contacts is displayed at a first size in a display region. In response to a selection of a subgroup of the graphical representations, the subgroup of graphical representations is automatically resized to fit in the display region at a second size.

Displaying graphical representations of contacts

A method of establishing a communication event between a first user and a second user of a communication system; wherein the first user operates a user terminal executing an electronic game application; the method comprising the steps of:

Systems and methods for handling communication events in a computer gaming system

A system comprising: a first user device and at least a second user device for a same user, at least one of the first and second user devices being a household media appliance, and each being installed with a respective instance of a communication client application for conducting voice or video calls over a packet-based network. Each instance is associated with a same user identifier identifying the same user, a first of the instances is associated with a first subidentifier, and a second of the instances is associated with a second subidentifier. The instances are configured so as, during an ongoing call conducted over a first network connection established based on the user identifier and the first sub-identifier, after the call has been answered, to establish a second network connection based on the user identifier and the second sub-identifier and to switch the call to the second network connection.

Switching user devices in a packet-based network

A television appliance comprising: a television receiver for receiving television signals and outputting the television signal of a selected channel to a screen; a network interface for accessing a packet-based network; a memory storing a communication client application; and processing apparatus arranged to execute the communication client application. The client application is configured to maintain a list of contacts and allow a user of the media appliance to establish communication events with the contacts via the network interface and packet-based network. The client application is further configured so as: to receive a machine-readable data item via the network interface and packet-based network from a television appliance of one or more of said contacts, the machine-readable data item indicating a current television channel being viewed by the respective contact; and to process the machine-readable data item so as to control operation of said user's television appliance in relation to the contact's television appliance based on the processed data item.

Television apparatus

A method of transmitting video data comprising: establishing a bidirectional video channel between a first terminal and a second terminal in a packet-based communication network; beginning a live, face-to-face video call over the established channel by generating first video data from a video camera of the first terminal, transmitting the first video data to the second terminal for display on a screen of the second terminal, receiving second video data generated from a video camera of the second terminal, and displaying the second video data on a screen of the first terminal; generating third video data at the first terminal from a source other than the video camera of the first terminal; receiving a user selection at the first terminal; and in response to the user selection, transmitting the third video data to the second user over the established channel of the packet-based communication network.

Communication system and method

A method of initiating a communication event via a packet-based communication network in a media appliance having a processor executing a communication client, comprising: retrieving a stored list comprising a plurality of contacts associated with a user of the communication client; generating a first two-dimensional contact grid comprising a first arrangement of entries; displaying the first contact grid on a display means such that each of a plurality of the entries comprises a graphical representation of a respective one of the plurality of contacts, wherein the graphical representations are sized so as to fit in the entries of the first contact grid; receiving a selection of a subset of the graphical representations in the first contact grid from a user of the communication client; generating a second contact grid comprising a second arrangement of entries corresponding to the selected subset; displaying the second contact grid on the display means in replacement of the first contact grid, such that each of a plurality of the entries comprises a graphical representation of a respective one of the plurality of contacts, and wherein the graphical representations are resized so as to fit in the entries of the second contact grid; receiving a selection of one of the graphical representations in the second contact grid from the user of the communication client; and initiating a communication event with the contact represented by the selected graphical representation via the packet-based communication network.

A media appliance and corresponding method, the media appliance comprising a video signal source such as a TV receiver, and signal processing apparatus for generating a corresponding sequence of frames for output to a screen. The appliance comprises a client application programmed to capture one of the frames and use the captured frame to generate an image to represent a user in relation to bidirectional communications over a packet-based network.

A method of distributing availability information from a first user terminal to at least one further user terminal connected via a communication network, comprising: executing a communication client at the first user terminal; the communication client accessing schedule data stored on a storage means relating to a user of the first user terminal; the communication client analysing the schedule data to determine a current status of the user; mapping the current status of the user to a selected one of a group of predefined availability settings at the communication client; and transmitting a message comprising the selected availability setting over the communication network to the at least one further user terminal.

Distributing presence information

A television receiver system and corresponding method, the television receiver system comprising: a television receiver for receiving broadcast television signals, signal processing apparatus operable to process the received television signals for output to a television screen, and a control device allowing a user to select a viewing activity by controlling the output to the television screen. The television receiver further comprises a memory storing a communication client application; and communications processing apparatus operable to execute the communication client application. The client application is programmed so as when executed to allow the user to establish bidirectional communications with one or more other users via a packet-based communication network, and to provide notifications to the user of incoming communication events from other users. The client application is further programmed to control the notifications of incoming communication events in dependence on the selection of viewing activity.

Growing community of inventors

Surrey, United Kingdom

Mark McLaughlin