Instant messaging communications network with selectable responses to active status queries, made to individual user display stations by other user stations, personalized to such other querying user stations

摘要

A network distribution network for instant messaging including a plurality of display stations operated by a group of users enabled to send and receive displayable messages to other group members comprising storage for each individual station in the plurality of display stations for storing a list of identified other display stations authorized for instant message exchange with users at these display stations in combination with standard means at each individual station in the group of display stations enabling a user at the individual display station to activate such individual station for instant message exchange. There is a conventional implementation at each individual station of the plurality of display stations for querying as to whether a selected other display station operated by a user in the group is activated. However, in response to such a status query there are provided means at each individual user operated display station for making a selected status response personalized to the identified display station. There are means at each individual station of the plurality of display stations for displaying the stored list of authorized other identified display stations and the status of each of the other identified user operated display stations including any instant message relative to such status. There also may be provided at each individual user operated station in the plurality of display stations an implementation for displaying the stored list of authorized other identified display stations, including any personalized status response sent from the individual station to any of said other identified display stations.