| 摘要 |
In an interactive multimedia environment, the invention includes automated presence management on an instant messaging network, a message notification priority scheme based on a message recipient's preferences, and message notification based on the results of the scheme. Presence management, the ability to detect others connected to the network and to inform others connected to the network of the user's presence, may be automated based on the activity the user is engaged in, such as viewing a video stream. The user registers preferred video streams during the viewing of which the user does not want to be interrupted. When such a video stream is being viewed, the user is taken offline so that the user is not "present" on the instant messaging network. When the video stream changes, it is again determined whether the user wants his or her presence to be known during the new video stream. The message notification priority scheme may include several notification levels (e.g., low, medium, high, and urgent), one of which is assigned to a message based on the video stream being viewed, the identity of the message sender, and/or the urgency of the message. The user is then notified of the message based on the determined notification level. A user may be notified of a message having a lower notification level by an unobtrusive light being illuminated on the set-top box, whereas a message having a higher notification level may be flashed across the TV screen.
|
