IM Contact List Entry as Game in Progress Designate
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current instant messaging (IM) systems lack an efficient interface to seamlessly switch between ongoing conversations and games, making it difficult for users to manage and engage with both IM conversations and games in progress within the same contact list.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a method that allows a contact list entry to designate a game in progress, enabling users to switch between IM conversations and games using the same interface, with game-in-progress data maintained for easy resumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If users separate IM conversations and games into different interfaces, then each interface can be optimized for its specific function, but users cannot efficiently switch between conversations and games
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the IM contact list and game management into a single unified interface. Contact list entries serve dual purposes: displaying IM contacts and indicating game status. This consolidation allows users to access both IM conversations and game information from one place, eliminating the need to switch between separate interfaces while maintaining functional clarity through visual indicators like icons and color-coding.
Solution Approach 2:
The contact list entry is designed as a multi-functional element that simultaneously represents an IM contact and a game indicator. Each entry can display contact information, IM status, and game status (such as current player, game in progress). This universal design allows a single interface element to convey multiple types of information and enable multiple actions (starting IM, starting game, resuming game) without requiring separate specialized interfaces.
2Loss of information
If the contact list displays detailed game information, then users can easily manage and resume games, but the contact list becomes cluttered and harder to read
Solution Approach 1:
The contact list entry is segmented into distinct visual zones or layers: basic contact information (name, avatar) occupies the primary display area, while game-specific information (game icon, game status indicator, current player) is presented as supplementary elements. This segmentation allows the interface to display comprehensive information without overwhelming the user, as each type of information is visually separated and can be accessed at different levels of detail.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs color-coding and visual indicators to convey game status information efficiently. Different colors or icon states indicate whether a game is in progress, paused, or completed. This visual encoding allows users to quickly scan the contact list and identify game-related entries without reading detailed text, maintaining readability while preserving game information visibility through intuitive visual cues.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method and apparatus for enabling a game application on the electronic device to utilize a contact list of an instant messaging (IM) application to play games with contacts in the contact list, and during game play with a particular contact in the contact list, preparing game messages to be sent to the particular contact by including data in an IM message and an identifier to associate the data with the game application.