The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 07, 2008
Filed:
Nov. 12, 2004
Applicants:
Carmen Zlateff, Kirkland, WA (US);
John S. Holmes, Redmond, WA (US);
Inventors:
Carmen Zlateff, Kirkland, WA (US);
John S. Holmes, Redmond, WA (US);
Assignee:
Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H04Q 7/20 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
Abstract
Strategies are described for establishing a peer-to-peer (P2P) direct coupling channel between two user devices at the commencement of an Instant Messaging (IM) conversation. Provisions are described for gracefully switching to a switchboard coupling channel when the conversation includes more than two participants, and switching back to the P2P coupling channel if the conversation again is restored to two participants (providing that the P2P coupling channel is still active when the conversation is restored to two participants).