Patent ID: 7844673

Claim:
A method of notifying a user of activity in an instant messaging session in a computer having a display, a selection device, and a network connection, the method comprising: receiving a selection input signal from the selection device indicating the selection and movement of a minimized control window integrated into a task bar of an operating system of the computer, wherein the control window is a graphical user interface of a chat manager; responsive to receiving the selection input signal, detaching the minimized control window of the chat manager and moving the detached control window to a position on the display indicated by the selection input signal; receiving a configuration input signal from the selection device indicating the selection of a display configuration parameter, wherein the display configuration parameter specifies a particular user or a particular group of users; responsive to a receipt of the display configuration parameter, filtering out one or more active chats of one or more non-specified users or groups of users in the control window; displaying only a plurality of graphical subdivisions in the control window, wherein each graphical subdivision represents an active chat in an instant messaging program that is allowed by the display configuration parameter and can be opened by activating the graphical subdivision; and making the filtered one or more active chats of the one or more non-specified users or groups of users available outside the control window in the instant messaging program.