# US 2010/0169801 A1 · Multiple avatar personalities > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2010/0169801 A1 - Document ID: US20100169801A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/644,711 - Filed: 2009-12-22 - Published: 2010-07-01 - Earliest claimed: 2002-11-21 - Assignees: AOL Inc. - Inventors: Patrick D. Blattner; John D. Robinson; Andrew C. Weaver - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100169801A1 ## CPC - H04L 65/403: Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences (data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15) - H04L 12/1822: {Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission} - H04L 51/04: Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM] - H04L 67/306: User profiles - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract Perception of multiple online personas is enabled in an instant messaging communications session. At least two identities within a communications environment to whom messages may be directed are identified. A first persona of a user is enabled to be projected to a first of the identities while a second persona of the same user is enabled to be concurrently projected to a second of the identities. The first and second personas each include an avatar capable of being animated, and the first persona and the second persona differ. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method for enabling perception of multiple online personas in an instant messaging communications session, the method comprising: identifying at least two identities within a communications environment to whom messages may be directed; and enabling a first persona of a user to be projected to a first of the identities while enabling a second persona of the same user to be concurrently projected to a second of the identities, wherein: the first and second personas each comprise an avatar capable of being animated, and the first persona and the second persona differ. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the first persona differs from the second persona such that first persona invokes a different avatar than an avatar invoked by the second persona. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein: the first persona invokes a first avatar, the second persona invokes a second avatar, the first avatar and the second avatar are the same avatar, and an animation associated with the first avatar is different from animations associated with the second avatar. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein: the first persona invokes a first avatar, the second persona invokes a second avatar, the first avatar and the second avatar are the same avatar, and an appearance associated with the first avatar is different from appearances associated with the second avatar. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the avatars comprises an avatar that is associated with multiple sounds. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the avatars comprises an avatar capable of being animated persona based on text of a message sent in the instant message communications session. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the avatars comprises an avatar capable of being animated to send an out-of-band communication. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising associating the first persona with a first group of identities so that the first persona is projected in communications sessions with members of the first group of identities. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8 further comprising associating the second persona with a second group of identities so that the second persona is projected in communications sessions with members of the second group of identities. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising associating a persona with the first of the identities and associating a different persona with a group of the identities with which the first of the identities is associated, wherein the first persona projected to the first of the identities comprises an amalgamation of the persona associated with the first of the identities and the different persona associated with the group of the identities. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein the persona associated with the first of the identities overrides the different persona associated with the group of the identities to the extent a conflict exists. ### Claim 12 A computer-readable medium or propagated signal having embodied thereon a computer program configured to enable perception of multiple online personas in an instant messaging communications session, the medium or signal comprising one or more code segments configured to identify at least two identities within a communications environment to whom messages may be directed; and enable a first persona of a user to be projected to a first of the identities while enabling a second persona of the same user to be concurrently projected to a second of the identities, wherein: the first and second personas each comprise an avatar capable of being animated, and the first persona and the second persona differ. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The medium of claim 12 wherein the first persona differs from the second persona such that first persona invokes a different avatar than an avatar invoked by the second persona. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The medium of claim 12 wherein: the first persona invokes a first avatar, the second persona invokes a second avatar, the first avatar and the second avatar are the same avatar, and an animation associated with the first avatar is different from animations associated with the second avatar. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The medium of claim 12 wherein: the first persona invokes a first avatar, the second persona invokes a second avatar, the first avatar and the second avatar are the same avatar, and an appearance associated with the first avatar is different from appearances associated with the second avatar. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The medium of claim 12 wherein at least one of the avatars comprises an avatar capable of being animated based on text of a message sent in the instant message communications session. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The medium of claim 12 wherein at least one of the avatars comprises an avatar capable of being animated to send an out-of-band communication. ### Claim 18 A system for enabling perception of multiple online personas in an instant messaging communications session, the system comprising a processor connected to a storage device and one or more input/output devices, wherein the processor is configured to: identify at least two identities within a communications environment to whom messages may be directed; and enable a first persona of a user to be projected to a first of the identities while enabling a second persona of the same user to be concurrently projected to a second of the identities, wherein: the first and second personas each comprise an avatar capable of being animated, and the first persona and the second persona differ. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18 wherein the first persona differs from the second persona such that first persona invokes a different avatar than an avatar invoked by the second persona. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18 wherein: the first persona invokes a first avatar, the second persona invokes a second avatar, the first avatar and the second avatar are the same avatar, and an animation associated with the first avatar is different from animations associated with the second avatar.