USING AVATARS TO COMMUNICATE

摘要

A graphical user interface on a display device for using a computer to communicate using an avatar includes an instant message sender display. The instant message sender display includes a sender portion that displays a sender avatar capable of displaying multiple animations. The sender avatar i s animated in response to a trigger related to content of a message sent from a sender to a recipient and may be animated to send to another user an out-of- band communication that conveys information independent of information conveyed directly in the text message sent. An avatar also may be included i n one or more of multiple online personas enabled for a user an instant messaging communications session. An avatar may be animated in response to t he animation of another avatar in the same communications session.