Interactive one to many communication in a cooperating community of users

• US 20040019637A1
• Filed: 07/26/2002
• Published: 01/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Stewart, Eben P., Lagarde, Konrad C., Goodman, Brian D., Wu, Jessica, Meulen, Michael Van Der
• Granted Patent: US 9,124,447 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/02 using automatic reactions or user delegation, e.g. automatic replies or chatbot-generated messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities

Abstract

Two way communication is provided in a one to many pub/sub environment. A community of users admitted to the community by subscription authorization receive messages (preferably Instant Messages) published from a requesting user. The request message is sent to a robot user (program application) that represents the community of users but appears to the community as simply another user. The robot user publishes the request message (using a pub/sub service) to the community of users. A user in the community of users receives messages to the community according to his personal message filter. The user responds to the requesting user with a response message. The response message includes information identifying the request message.

Claims

1. A method for initiating a two way electronic conversation with a cooperating community of users, the method comprising the steps of:

retrieving a list of approved subscribers comprising a community of users;

receiving a first message from a first user, said first message directed to said community of users;

publishing according to a predetermined plan by way of a pub/sub service, said first message to said community of users wherein said community of users comprises a second user; and

transmitting a second message comprising first message identifying information from a second user to said first user wherein said second user is a member of said community of users.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein said first message or said second message is any one of an instant message (IM) or an email message.

3. The method according to claim 1 comprising the further step of authorizing said first user to publish messages to said list of approved subscribers.

4. The method according to claim 1 comprising the further step of approving said second user as a subscriber to said community of users.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein said community of users is programmably represented to users as a third user having a user ID and address.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein said predetermined plan comprises permitting publication of messages containing a predetermined keyword or phrase.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein said keyword is any one of ask, find or help.

8. The method according to claim 1 comprising the further step of presenting said first message to said second user according to filtering criteria, said filtering criteria comprising any one of message topic, sub-topic, message content keyword, message content phrase, message content boolean match or message content type.

9. The method according to claim 1 wherein said first message identifying information comprises text of said first message, program created identifier, information about said first user, information about said second user or a sequence number.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein said second message is presented in a special GUI window.

11. A system for initiating a two way electronic conversation with a cooperating community of users, the system comprising:

a list of approved subscribers comprising a community of users;

a receiver receiving a first message from a first user, said first message directed to said community of users;

a publisher publishing according to a predetermined plan by way of a pub/sub service, said first message to said community of users wherein said community of users comprises a second user; and

a transmitter transmitting a second message comprising first message identifying information from a second user to said first user wherein said second user is a member of said community of users.

12. The system according to claim 11 wherein said first message or said second message is any one of an instant message (IM) or an email message.

13. The system according to claim 11 further comprising an authorizer authorizing said first user to publish messages to said list of approved subscribers.

14. The system according to claim 11 further comprising an approver approving said second user as a subscriber to said community of users.

15. The system according to claim 11 wherein said community of users is programmably represented to users as a third user having a user ID and address.

16. The system according to claim 11 wherein said predetermined plan comprises permitting publication of messages containing a predetermined keyword or phrase.

17. The system according to claim 16 wherein said keyword is any one of ask, find or help.

18. The system according to claim 11 further comprising a presenter for presenting said first message to said second user according to filtering criteria, said filtering criteria comprising any one of message topic, sub-topic, message content keyword, message content phrase, message content boolean match or message content type.

19. The system according to claim 11 wherein said first message identifying information comprises text of said first message, program created identifier, information about said first user, information about said second user or a sequence number.

20. The system according to claim 11 wherein said second message is presented in a special GUI window.

21. A computer program product for initiating a two way electronic conversation with a cooperating community of users, the computer program product comprising a computer readable medium having computer readable program code therein, the computer program product comprising:

computer readable program code for retrieving a list of approved subscribers comprising a community of users;

computer readable program code for receiving a first message from a first user, said first message directed to said community of users;

computer readable program code for publishing according to a predetermined plan by way of a pub/sub service, said first message to said community of users wherein said community of users comprises a second user; and

computer readable program code for transmitting a second message comprising first message identifying information from a second user to said first user wherein said second user is a member of said community of users.

22. The computer program product according to claim 21 wherein said first message or said second message is any one of an instant message (IM) or an email message.

23. The computer program product according to claim 21 computer readable program code for authorizing said first user to publish messages to said list of approved subscribers.

24. The computer program product according to claim 21 computer readable program code for approving said second user as a subscriber to said community of users.

25. The computer program product according to claim 21 wherein said community of users is programmably represented to users as a third user having a user ID and address.

26. The computer program product according to claim 21 wherein said predetermined plan comprises permitting publication of messages containing a predetermined keyword or phrase.

27. The computer program product according to claim 26 wherein said keyword is any one of ask, find or help.

28. The computer program product according to claim 21 comprising said computer readable program code for presenting said first message to said second user according to filtering criteria, said filtering criteria comprising any one of message topic, sub-topic, message content keyword, message content phrase, message content boolean match or message content type.

29. The computer program product according to claim 21 wherein said first message identifying information comprises text of said first message, program created identifier, information about said first user, information about said second user or a sequence number.

30. The computer program product according to claim 21 wherein said second message is presented in a special GUI window.