Ease of use feature for audio communications within chat conferences

摘要

Methods and arrangements to communicate aurally during a chat conference are contemplated. Embodiments include transformations, code, state machines or other logic to communicate aurally during a chat conference by receiving through a user interface for the chat conference the designation of a participant in the chat conference, receiving through the user interface for the chat conference a command to capture audio, capturing audio, and transmitting the captured audio to the participant based upon the designation of the participant. In some embodiments, a participant may be designated by a mouse click on a name representing the participant. In some embodiments, the command to capture audio may be expressed by holding down a mouse button. In alternate embodiments, the command to capture audio may be expressed by a pop-up menu. In further embodiments, the captured audio may be stored and transmitted to additional participants.

主权项

1. A method for transmitting an audio message during a chat conference, the method comprising the steps of:
a computer displaying a user interface for the chat conference, the user interface comprising a graphical record button, a graphical send previous message button, and a list identifying one or more participants of the chat conference; the computer receiving a user selection of an identification of a first participant of the one or more participants identified in the list, and in response, the computer activating the graphical record button so that the graphical record button is selectable in the user interface; after the step of the computer activating the graphical record button, the computer detecting a user selection of the graphical record button in the user interface, and in response, the computer capturing the audio message and the computer transmitting the audio message to a computer of the first participant based upon the identification of the first participant; the computer retaining the audio message in storage; and the computer detecting a user selection of the graphical send previous message button in the user interface and receiving a user selection of an identification of a second participant of the one or more participants identified in the list, and in response, the computer transmitting the audio message from storage to a computer of the second participant, the audio message having previously been transmitted to the computer of the first participant.