Instant message communication system for providing notification of one or more events and method therefor

An instant message communication system for providing notification of one or more events comprising:

• a server comprising:
• a server memory for storing a plurality of topic screen names, wherein each of the plurality of topic screen names represents a topic, and for storing a plurality of topic events associated with the topic,
• a server processor coupled to the server memory, wherein the server processor is programmed to activate at least one of the plurality of screen names in response to the presence of at least one topic event associated with the topic represented by the at least one of the plurality of screen names, and
• a server transmitter for sending a notification of the presence of the one or more events;
• and
• one or more instant message devices, wherein each instant message device includes an instant message user interface, wherein the instant message user interface displays for each of the plurality of topic screen names:
• a topic screen name indicator, and
• a topic screen name history, wherein the topic screen name history includes at least one identifier selected from the group of identifiers consisting of an event identifier, an event status, an event presence indicator, an event availability indicator, and an event buddy list, and further wherein at least one identifier changes in response to the instant message device receiving the presence of the event notification.

An instant message communication system for providing notification of one or more events comprising:

• a server for receiving and processing a plurality of content, wherein the plurality of content includes one or more icons associated with one or more events and for sending a notification message including the presence of an icon associated with an event;
• and
• one or more instant message devices coupled to the server, wherein each instant message device comprises:
• a device receiver for receiving the notification message including the presence of the icon,
• a device processor coupled to the device receiver for processing the message including the presence of the icon, wherein the device processor is programmed to send a control signal to an instant message user interface in response to receiving and processing the icon, and
• the instant message user interface coupled to the device processor, wherein the instant message user interface includes at least one identifier selected from the group of identifiers consisting of an event identifier, an event status, an event presence indicator, an event availability indicator, and an event buddy list, and further wherein at least one identifier changes in response to the instant message user interface receiving the control signal from the device processor.

An instant message communication system for providing notification of one or more events comprising:

• a content server comprising:
• a server memory for storing a plurality of screen names, wherein each of the plurality of screen names represents an event, and
• a content processor coupled to the server memory, wherein the content processor is programmed to establish communication with an instant message server utilizing at least one of the plurality of screen names in response to the presence of the event represented by the at least one of the plurality of screen names;
• and
• an instant message server coupled to the content server for managing the communication of one or more instant messages among a plurality of instant message devices, wherein the instant message server sends an instant message in response to the content server establishing communication with the instant message server.

An instant message communication system for providing notification of one or more events comprising:

• a content server comprising:
• a server memory for storing a plurality of screen names, wherein each of the plurality of screen names represents a topic, and
• a content processor coupled to the server memory, wherein the content processor is programmed to establish communication with an instant message server utilizing at least one of the plurality of screen names in response to the presence of at least one event associated with the topic represented by the at least one of the plurality of screen names;
• an instant message server coupled to the content server for managing the communication of one or more instant messages among a plurality of instant message devices, wherein the instant message server sends an instant message in response to the content server establishing communication with the instant message server;
• and
• one or more instant message devices, wherein each instant message device includes an instant message user interface, wherein the instant message user interface displays for each of the plurality of topic screen names:
• a topic screen name indicator, and
• a topic screen name history, wherein the topic screen name history includes at least one identifier selected from the group of identifiers consisting of an event identifier, an event status, an event presence indicator, an event availability indicator, and an event buddy list, and further wherein at least one identifier changes in response to the instant message device receiving the presence of the event notification.

An instant message communication system for providing notification of one or more events comprising:

• a content server for receiving and processing a plurality of content, wherein the plurality of content includes one or more icons associated with one or more events, the content server comprising:
• a server memory for storing the one or more icons associated with the one or more events and further for storing a plurality of screen names, wherein each of the plurality of screen names represents at least one event, and
• a content processor coupled to the server memory, wherein the content processor is programmed to establish communication with an instant message server utilizing at least one of the plurality of screen names in response to the content server receiving at least one icon;
• and
• the instant message server coupled to the content server for managing the communication of one or more instant messages among a plurality of instant message devices, wherein the instant message server sends an instant message in response to the content server establishing communication with the instant message server.

A method for providing notification of one or more events within an instant message communication system having a server, the method comprising:

• in the server:
• storing a plurality of screen names, wherein each screen name represents one or more events;
• detecting the presence of at least one event represented by at least one screen name of the plurality of screen names;
• and
• activating the screen name indicating the presence of the event.

A method for providing notification of one or more events within an instant message communication system having a server, the method comprising:

• in the server:
• storing a plurality of screen names, wherein each screen name represents one or more events;
• detecting the presence of event information associated with at least one event represented by at least one screen name of the plurality of screen names;
• and
• activating the screen name indicating the presence of the event information.

A method for providing notification of one or more events within an instant message communication system having a server, the method comprising:

• in the server:
• storing a plurality of topic screen names, wherein each topic screen name represents at least one topic, wherein each topic includes one or more associated events;
• detecting the presence of a first event associated with a topic represented by at least one topic screen name of the plurality of topic screen names;
• and
• activating the topic screen name indicating the presence of the topic.

A method for providing notification of one or more events within an instant message communication system having a content server, an instant message server, and one or more instant message devices, the method comprising:

• in the content server:
• storing a plurality of screen names, wherein each of the plurality of screen names represents an event;
• detecting the presence of an event represented by a screen name;
• and
• establishing communication with the instant message server;
• and
• in the instant message server:
• sending an instant message to the one or more instant message devices including the screen name.

A method for providing notification of one or more events within an instant message communication system having a content server, an instant message server, and one or more instant message devices, the method comprising:

• in the content server:
• storing a plurality of screen names, wherein each of the plurality of screen names represents an event;
• detecting the presence of event information associated with an event represented by a screen name;
• and
• establishing communication with the instant message server;
• and
• in the instant message server:
• sending an instant message to the one or more instant message devices.

A method for providing notification of one or more events within an instant message communication system having a content server, an instant message server, and one or more instant message devices, the method comprising:

• in the content server:
• storing a plurality of topic screen names, wherein each of the plurality of topic screen names represents a topic;
• detecting the presence of at least one event associated with a topic represented by a topic screen name;
• and
• establishing communication with the instant message server utilizing the topic screen name;
• in the instant message server:
• sending an instant message including the topic screen name and the event;
• in at least one instant message device:
• receiving the instant message;
• and
• displaying a topic screen name indicator on an instant message user interface wherein the topic screen name indicator is associated with the topic screen name.