Instant messaging blind join

• US 20040019701A1
• Filed: 07/25/2002
• Published: 01/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: X Corp. (f/k/a Twitter, Inc.) (X Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Morton, Michael John, Peters, Brent A., McGee, Jason R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,058,682 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/250
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]

Abstract

A blind join apparatus, method and system for use with an instant messaging client. The blind join apparatus can include at least one set of pre-configured blind join options specifying a level of participation permitted by an invitee invited to anonymously join an instant messaging session in progress. Blind join invitation generation logic can be configured to extend a blind join invitation to a specified instant messaging contact. Specifically, the blind join invitation can include a specified invitee and a selected one of the at least one set of pre-configured blind join options. Finally, blind join invitation acceptance logic can be configured to accept a blind join invitation at a level of participation limited by blind join options specified in the blind join invitation.

Claims

1. A blind join apparatus for use with an instant messaging client, the blind join apparatus comprising:

at least one set of pre-configured blind join options specifying a level of participation permitted by an invitee invited to anonymously join an instant messaging session in progress;

blind join invitation generation logic configured to extend a blind join invitation to a specified instant messaging contact, said blind join invitation comprising a specified invitee and a selected one of said at least one set of pre-configured blind join options; and

,

blind join invitation acceptance logic configured to accept a blind join invitation at a level of participation limited by blind join options specified in said blind join invitation.

2. The blind join apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one set of pre-configured blind join options comprise a read-only and a read-write level of participation.

3. An instant messaging system comprising:

an instant messaging session configured to host a plurality of visible participants, said visible participants posting messages in said session, each said message having a published association one of said visible participants; and

,

a blind join apparatus configured to host at least one anonymous participant in said instant messaging session, said at least one anonymous participant viewing said posted messages without said visible participants detecting said anonymous participant.

4. The instant messaging system of claim 3, further comprising:

a blind posting apparatus configured to post messages to said instant messaging session from said anonymous participant along with an anonymous identifier so as to prevent said visible participants from identifying said anonymous participant through messages posted by said blind posting apparatus.

5. A method of establishing anonymous participation in an instant messaging session comprising the steps of:

posting messages received from visible participants in the instant messaging session along with identifiers associating each posted message with one of said visible participants;

forwarding an invitation to blindly join the instant messaging session to an anonymous participant; and

,

if said anonymous participant accepts said invitation, forwarding subsequently posted messages to said anonymous participant without notifying said visible participants that said subsequently posted messages have been forwarded to said anonymous participant.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said forwarding step comprises the steps of:

constructing an invitation to an anonymous participant to blindly join the instant messaging session;

incorporating in said invitation limitations which will be imposed upon said anonymous participant; and

,

forwarding said invitation to said anonymous participant along with said limitations.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said incorporating step comprises the step of incorporating a limitation selected from the group consisting of a read-only option and a read/write option.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of, if said anonymous participant accepts said invitation and said limitation is a read/write option, posting in the instant messaging session subsequent messages received from said anonymous participant without identifiers which can be used to identify said anonymous participant.

9. A machine readable storage having stored thereon a computer program for establishing anonymous participation in an instant messaging session, said computer program comprising a routine set of instructions for causing the machine to perform the steps of:

posting messages received from visible participants in the instant messaging session along with identifiers associating each posted message with one of said visible participants;

forwarding an invitation to blindly join the instant messaging session to an anonymous participant; and

,

if said anonymous participant accepts said invitation, forwarding subsequently posted messages to said anonymous participant without notifying said visible participants that said subsequently posted messages have been forwarded to said anonymous participant.

10. The machine readable storage of claim 9, wherein said forwarding step comprises the steps of:

constructing an invitation to an anonymous participant to blindly join the instant messaging session;

incorporating in said invitation limitations which will be imposed upon said anonymous participant; and

,

forwarding said invitation to said anonymous participant along with said limitations.

11. The machine readable storage of claim 9, wherein said incorporating step comprises the step of incorporating a limitation selected from the group consisting of a read-only option and a read/write option.

12. The machine readable storage of claim 11, further comprising the step of, if said anonymous participant accepts said invitation and said limitation is a read/write option, posting in the instant messaging session subsequent messages received from said anonymous participant without identifiers which can be used to identify said anonymous participant.