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:
Nov. 03, 2015
Filed:
Dec. 15, 2009
Thomas R. Haynes, Apex, NC (US);
Steven K. MA, San Jose, CA (US);
Lin Sun, Morrisville, CA (US);
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
An abbreviated user interface for instant messaging (or other type of communications occurring in a graphical user interface environment permitting concurrent running of multiple application) is provided. The abbreviated user interface is different from a related primary user interface and is presented when the primary user interface is instantiated, yet is not on top of a z-order of a graphical environment. The abbreviated user interface can be a light-weight one that permits a user to quickly read messages. In one embodiment, a user can create outgoing messages using the abbreviated user interface. Presentation of the abbreviated user interface can require a user action, such as hovering a pointer over a task bar element for a duration or pressing a hot-key combination. In one embodiment, presentation of an otherwise unread message within the abbreviated interface for a designated time can cause the message to be marked as read.