# US 2019/0379760 A1 · Targeted profile picture selection > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0379760 A1 - Document ID: US20190379760A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/537,040 - Filed: 2019-08-09 - Published: 2019-12-12 - Earliest claimed: 2017-01-25 - Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation - Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation - Inventors: Kwan Yin Andrew CHAU; Asela J. MALLAWAARATCHY; Vatsla NAGPAUL; Mark T.H. TAYLOR - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190379760A1 ## CPC - H04L 67/306: User profiles - H04L 51/04: Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM] - H04L 51/046: Interoperability with other network applications or services - H04L 51/063: Content adaptation, e.g. replacement of unsuitable content - H04L 51/10: Multimedia information - G06F 3/04847: Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract Targeted profile picture selection includes providing for a first user of a messaging service contextual parameter categories upon which contextual messaging service profile picture selection for the first user is available to be made, receiving a definition of selection rule(s) for each of one or more categories of the plurality, prioritizing how the selection rule(s) of each of the one or more categories is applied in profile picture selection for the first user, ascertaining a current context under which a selected profile picture for the first user is to be conveyed to a messaging client of a second user of the messaging service, the current context indicating a respective parameter for each of the one or more categories, and based on the prioritizing and the ascertained current context, selecting the profile picture for conveyance to the messaging client of the second user. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method comprising: maintaining a definition of a selection rule for a contextual parameter category upon which contextual messaging service profile picture selection is to be made for a first user of a messaging service; ascertaining a current context under which a profile picture for the first user is to be conveyed to a messaging client of a second user of the messaging service, the current context indicating a parameter for the contextual parameter category; and based on the ascertained current context and the selection rule, selecting the profile picture for conveyance to the messaging client of the second user. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the definition of the selection rule for the contextual parameter category is part of a plurality of definitions of selection rules for one or more contextual parameter categories upon which the contextual messaging service profile picture selection is available to be made for the first user, and wherein the method further comprises maintaining the plurality of definitions of the selection rules for the one or more contextual parameter categories. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising prioritizing how the selection rules are to be applied in the contextual messaging service profile picture selection to select the profile picture, wherein the selecting the profile picture is further based on the prioritizing. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting the profile picture comprises selecting from a plurality of profile pictures for the first user, the plurality of profile pictures available for simultaneous conveyance to other users. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the contextual parameter category is user identity, wherein the selection rule indicates a particular profile picture to be selected based on an identity of the second user, wherein the selected profile picture is the particular profile picture indicated by the selection rule, and wherein users with different identities are associated with different profile pictures for the first user. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the indication of the particular picture is made by reference to a user group in which the second user is grouped, wherein the selecting comprises correlating the second user to the user group and selecting the particular profile picture based on the correlating. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the contextual parameter category is location of the first user, wherein the selection rule indicates a particular profile picture to be selected based on the location of the first user when conveyance of the selected profile picture to the messaging client of the second user is to be made, wherein the selected profile picture is the particular profile picture indicated by the selection rule, and wherein different locations are associated with different profile pictures for the first user. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the particular profile picture conveys an image indicating the location. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the contextual parameter category is current connection of a device of the first user, wherein the selection rule indicates a particular profile picture to be selected based on the current connection of the device when conveyance of the selected profile picture to the messaging client of the second user is to be made, wherein the selected profile picture is the particular profile picture indicated by the selection rule, and wherein different connections are associated with different profile pictures for the first user. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the contextual parameter category is status of the first user, wherein the selection rule indicates a particular profile picture to be selected based on a current status of the first user when conveyance of the selected profile picture to the messaging client of the second user is to be made, wherein the selected profile picture is the particular profile picture indicated by the selection rule, and wherein different statuses are associated with different profile pictures for the first user. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the contextual parameter category is current time, wherein the selection rule indicates a particular profile picture to be selected based on a current time when conveyance of the selected profile picture to the messaging client of the second user is to be made, wherein the selected profile picture is the particular profile picture indicated by the selection rule, and wherein different times are associated with different profile pictures for the first user. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting comprises dynamically constructing the profile picture for the first user by overlaying an image over an existing profile picture for the user. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising storing, on a messaging server through which conveyance of the profile picture to the messaging client of the second user is to be made, a definition of at least one selection rule for each contextual parameter category of a plurality of contextual parameter categories as profile picture settings for the first user, wherein the messaging server performs the selecting the profile picture using the stored profile picture settings for the first user. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising storing, on a device of the first user, a definition of at least one selection rule for each contextual parameter category of a plurality of contextual parameter categories as profile picture settings for the first user, wherein the device of the first user performs the selecting the profile picture using the stored profile picture settings for the first user and provides an indication of the selected profile picture to a messaging server through which conveyance of the profile picture to the messaging client of the second user is to be made. ### Claim 15 A computer system comprising: a memory; and a processor in communication with the memory, wherein the computer system is configured to perform a method, the method comprising: maintaining a definition of a selection rule for a contextual parameter category upon which contextual messaging service profile picture selection is to be made for a first user of a messaging service; ascertaining a current context under which a profile picture for the first user is to be conveyed to a messaging client of a second user of the messaging service, the current context indicating a parameter for the contextual parameter category; and based on the ascertained current context and the selection rule, selecting the profile picture for conveyance to the messaging client of the second user. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The computer system of claim 15, wherein the definition of the selection rule for the contextual parameter category is part of a plurality of definitions of selection rules for one or more contextual parameter categories upon which the contextual messaging service profile picture selection is available to be made for the first user, and wherein the method further comprises maintaining the plurality of definitions of the selection rules for the one or more contextual parameter categories. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The computer system of claim 16, wherein the method further comprises prioritizing how the selection rules are to be applied in the contextual messaging service profile picture selection to select the profile picture, wherein the selecting the profile picture is further based on the prioritizing. ### Claim 18 A computer program product comprising: a computer readable storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method comprising: maintaining a definition of a selection rule for a contextual parameter category upon which contextual messaging service profile picture selection is to be made for a first user of a messaging service; ascertaining a current context under which a profile picture for the first user is to be conveyed to a messaging client of a second user of the messaging service, the current context indicating a parameter for the contextual parameter category; and based on the ascertained current context and the selection rule, selecting the profile picture for conveyance to the messaging client of the second user. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the definition of the selection rule for the contextual parameter category is part of a plurality of definitions of selection rules for one or more contextual parameter categories upon which the contextual messaging service profile picture selection is available to be made for the first user, and wherein the method further comprises maintaining the plurality of definitions of the selection rules for the one or more contextual parameter categories. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the method further comprises prioritizing how the selection rules are to be applied in the contextual messaging service profile picture selection to select the profile picture, wherein the selecting the profile picture is further based on the prioritizing.