1. A user device comprising:
a display having an available display area;
a network interface configured to transmit and receive messages between the user device and a communication network in an instant messaging communication session, the messages constituting a sequence of messages in which a user of the user device is engaged by instigating transmission of new messages in response to receipt of received messages in the communication session;
one or more processors configured to run a client application having a user interface capable of operating in a conversation mode to display one or more of the messages in the available display area or in an engagement mode to display one or more of the messages, each displayed message in the engagement mode occupying a larger respective proportion of the available display area than in the conversation mode;
wherein the client application is configured to detect a condition indicative of the level of engagement of the user by analyzing the user’s activity at the user device and responsive to the detected condition to modify the client user interface, when configured to operate in one of said modes, to operate in the other of said modes instead.
2. A user device according to claim 1 wherein the detected condition is a detected frequency at which the messages are transmitted and received between the user device and the communication network.
3. A user device according to claim 1 wherein the detected condition is a presence status of the user, the presence status indicating a current state of the user.
4. A user device according to claim 3 wherein the client is configured to set the presence status automatically by analyzing the user’s activity at the user device.
5. A user device according to claim 3 wherein the user’s presence status indicates whether the user is online, away or busy.
6. A user device according to claim 1 comprising an access component for accessing computer storage configured to store information about at least one previous interaction between the user and another user, the stored information identifying a relationship between the user and the other user;
wherein the instant messages are transmitted and received in the instant messaging session between the user device and at least another device associated with the other user via the communication network; and
wherein the client is configured to access the computer storage to identify the relationship between the user and the other user from the stored information, responsive to which the client modifies the client user interface to operate in the other mode.
7. A user device according to claim 1 wherein the client is further responsive to user inputs at the user device to enable the user to control the user interface;
wherein the user device comprises an access component for accessing computer storage configured to store information about previous control of the user interface by the user, the stored information identifying a user interface mode preference of the user; and
wherein the client is configured to access the computer storage to identify the user interface mode preference of the user from the stored information, responsive to which the client modifies the client user interface to operate in the other mode.
8. A user device according to claim 1 wherein the client is configured to display at least one of the messages in the engagement mode as a rich media message by displaying additional media pertaining to that message in the engagement mode which is not displayed in the conversation mode.
9. A user device according to claim 8 wherein the client is configured to extract at least part of the additional media from the at least one message.
10. A user device according to claim 8 wherein at least part of the additional media is stored in computer storage accessible to the client and wherein the client is configured to process the at least one message and to access the computer storage to select the stored additional media based on said processing.
11. A user device according to claim 8 wherein the additional media comprises one or more static images andor one or more videos.
12. A user device according to claim 8 wherein the at least one message contains text and is displayed in the engagement mode using a font other than that used to display the at least one message in the conversation mode.
13. A user device according to claim 1 wherein the available display area is the whole of the area of a display screen of the device.
14. A user device according to claim 1 comprising an access component for accessing computer storage configured to store the transmitted and received messages, wherein the client is further responsive to the detected condition to access the computer storage to automatically identify the most recently received of the stored messages and to display the most recently received message in the engagement mode.
15. A user device according to claim 1 comprising an access component for accessing computer storage configured to store the transmitted and received messages, wherein the client is further responsive to the detected condition to access the computer storage to automatically identify the most recently transmitted message of the stored messages and to display the most recently transmitted message in the engagement mode.
16. A user device according to claim 1 wherein the client user interface is operable to display, in both the engagement mode and the conversation mode, text input by the user to be transmitted in a message of the communication session but which has not yet been transmitted.
17. A user device according to claim 16 wherein the input text occupies a greater portion of the available display area in the engagement mode than in the conversation mode.
18. A user device according to claim 1 wherein messages containing text are displayed in the engagement mode at a larger text size than in the conversation mode.
19. At least one computer readable medium storing a client application having a user interface and which, when executed on a user device comprising a display having an available display area, is configured to:
transmit and receive messages between the user device and a communication network in an instant messaging communication session, the messages constituting a sequence of messages in which a user of the user device is engaged by instigating transmission of new messages in response to receipt of received messages in the communication session;
operate the user interface in a first mode to display one or more of the messages in the available display area;
detect a condition indicative of the level of engagement of the user by analyzing the user’s activity at the user device; and
responsive to the detected condition, modify the client user interface to operate in a second mode to display one or more of the messages; wherein one of said modes is an engagement mode and the other is a conversation mode, each displayed message in the engagement mode occupying a larger respective proportion of the available display area than in the conversation mode.
20. An instant messaging communication method implemented by a client application when executed on a user device comprising a display having an available display area, the method comprising:
transmitting and receive messages between the user device and a communication network in an instant messaging communication session, the messages constituting a sequence of messages in which a user of the user device is engaged by instigating transmission of new messages in response to receipt of received messages in the communication session;
operating the user interface in a conversation mode to display one or more of the messages in the available display area;
detecting a condition indicative of the level of engagement of the user by analyzing the user’s activity at the user device, said detection comprising detecting a frequency at which the messages are transmitted and received between the user device and the communication network; and
responsive to the detected condition, modifying the client user interface to operate in an engagement mode to display one or more of the messages, whereby each displayed message in the engagement mode occupies a larger respective proportion of the available display area than in the conversation mode.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A data storage device comprising:
an endless continuous band defining:
an internal housing recess formed by opposing sides extending between first and second major surfaces,
an access window formed in one of the first and second major surfaces and communicating with the internal housing recess; and
a memory device assembly disposed in the internal housing recess;
wherein flexing the continuous band exposes a port of the memory device assembly through the access window.
2. The data storage device of claim 1, wherein the memory device assembly includes:
a printed circuit board; and
a data port coupled to one end of the printed circuit board.
3. The data storage device of claim 1, wherein the memory device assembly includes:
a printed circuit board; and
a case coupled to and enclosing the printed circuit board, the case including a board side opposite an open data port.
4. The data storage device of claim 3, wherein the case comprises stainless steel and the open data port is a USB data port.
5. The data storage device of claim 3, wherein the memory device assembly comprises a flash memory device that is removably disposed within the internal housing recess.
6. The data storage device of claim 1, wherein the continuous band is integrally molded about the memory device assembly.
7. The data storage device of claim 1, wherein the continuous band comprises indicia on one of the first and second major surfaces.
8. The data storage device of claim 1, wherein the continuous band is color-coded to relate to data stored on the memory device assembly.
9. The data storage device of claim 1, wherein the continuous band is elastically deformable and defines an unstretched inside diameter, the continuous band stretchable between 20% and 200% relative to the unstretched inside diameter and configured to flex over a wrist of a wearer.
10. The data storage device of claim 1, wherein the access window is formed in the second major surface, and farther wherein the second major surface defines at least one flexible flange at a boundary of the access window.
11. The data storage device of claim 10, wherein the second major surface defines three flexible flanges around a perimeter of the boundary of the access window.
12. The data storage device of claim 1, wherein the continuous band is a one-piece band.
13. A method of providing a memory device to a user that is insertable into a computer, the method comprising:
providing a user-wearable memory device including a continuous band and a memory device assembly housed inside the continuous band; and
flexing the continuous band to expose a port of the memory device assembly, where the port is insertable into a computer data port.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the continuous band includes a housing defining an internal housing recess formed by opposing sides extending between first and second major surfaces, and an access window formed in one of the first and second major surfaces and communicating with the internal housing recess and further wherein the memory device assembly is removably coupled into the internal housing recess.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein flexing the continuous band to expose a port of the memory device assembly includes stretching the continuous band to open the access window such that a USB port of a flash memory device extends through the opened access window.
16. The method of claim 14, wherein flexing the continuous band to expose a port of the memory device assembly includes:
inverting the continuous band inside-out; and
displacing at least one flexible flange on a perimeter of the access window with a USB port of a flash memory device until the USB port extends through the access window.
17. The method of claim 13, wherein flexing the continuous band to expose a port of the memory device assembly includes stretching the continuous band over a hand of a wearer to remove the user-wearable memory device from a wrist of the wearer.
18. The method of claim 13, wherein the continuous band is elongated between 20% and 200%.
19. The method of claim 13, wherein flexing the continuous band to expose a port of the memory device assembly includes removing the memory device assembly from the continuous band.
20. The method of claim 13, wherein flexing the continuous band to expose a port of the memory device assembly includes extending a cord coupled to the memory device assembly out of a housing of the continuous band.
21. A band useful for housing a portable data storage device comprising:
a housing defining an internal housing recess formed by opposing sides extending between first and second major surfaces, an access window formed in one of the first and second major surfaces and communicating with the internal housing recess; and
a band portion extending from the first and second major surfaces of the housing, the band portion and the housing defining one continuous piece;
wherein the internal housing recess is configured to receive a memory device assembly.
22. The data storage device of claim 1, wherein the band includes a housing that defies the internal housing recess, the band and the housing defining one continuous piece.
23. The data storage device of claim 22, wherein the housing defines a hinge slot formed in at least one of the opposing sides of the continuous band, the hinge slot communicating with the internal housing recess.
24. The data storage device of claim 1, wherein the access window is formed in only one of the first and second major surfaces.
25. The band of claim 21, wherein the band portion and the housing define an endless elastically stretchable continuous piece.