Object architecture for integration of email and instant messaging (IM)
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system comprising:
- an address book database having contact information of a contact, the contact information comprising a reference identifier (ID) uniquely associated with the contact, the contact information further comprising an email address of the contact, the email address being correlated to the reference ID, the contact information further comprising an instant messaging (IM) address of the contact, the IM address being correlated to the reference ID; and
an address book object configured to store contact information to the address book database, the address book object further being configured to retrieve contact information from the address book database, the address book object further being configured to modify contact information in the address book database.
8 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for integrating instant messaging (IM) services and email services are described. In one embodiment, an address book object is interposed between an email user agent and an IM user agent. The address book object has access to an address book database having both IM information and email information. Thus, the email user agent may retrieve IM information from the address book database through the address book object and, similarly, the IM user agent may retrieve email information from the address book database through the address book object. In this regard, the address book object provides integration between email services and IM services.
-
Citations
48 Claims
-
1. A system comprising:
-
an address book database having contact information of a contact, the contact information comprising a reference identifier (ID) uniquely associated with the contact, the contact information further comprising an email address of the contact, the email address being correlated to the reference ID, the contact information further comprising an instant messaging (IM) address of the contact, the IM address being correlated to the reference ID; and
an address book object configured to store contact information to the address book database, the address book object further being configured to retrieve contact information from the address book database, the address book object further being configured to modify contact information in the address book database. - View Dependent Claims (2)
-
-
3. A system comprising:
-
an email user agent configured to send and receive email messages, the email user agent being further configured to generate requests for contact information, the email user agent being further configured to receive contact information in response to the generated requests for contact information;
an instant messaging (IM) user agent configured to send and receive IM messages, the IM user agent being further configured to generate requests for contact information, the IM user agent being further configured to receive contact information in response to the generated requests for contact information;
an address book database having contact information; and
an address book object configured to receive the generated requests for contact information, the address book object being further configured to retrieve contact information from the address book database in response to the received requests for contact information. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
-
-
29. A method comprising:
-
receiving a command to launch a tray manager, the tray manager being configured to receive requests to instantiate objects, the tray manger further being configured to instantiate objects in response to receiving the requests to instantiate objects;
launching the tray manager in response to receiving the command to launch the tray manager;
instantiating an email user agent in response to launching the tray manager;
instantiating an instant messaging (IM) user agent in response to launching the tray manager; and
instantiating an address book object in response to launching the tray manager, the address book object being configured to store contact information to an address book database, the address book object further being configured to retrieve contact information from the address book database, the address book object further being configured to modify contact information in the address book database. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31)
-
-
32. A method comprising:
-
launching a tray manager;
instantiating an email user agent from the tray manager;
instantiating an instant messaging (IM) user agent from the tray manager; and
instantiating an address book object from the tray manager, the address book object being configured to communicate with the email user agent, the address book object being further configured to communicate with the IM user agent. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
-
-
40. A system comprising:
-
means for storing contact information to an address book database;
means for retrieving contact information from the address book database; and
means for modifying contact information in the address book database. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42)
-
-
43. A system comprising:
-
logic adapted to storing contact information to an address book database;
logic adapted to retrieving contact information from the address book database; and
logic adapted to modifying contact information in the address book database. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45)
-
-
46. A computer-readable medium comprising:
-
computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to storing contact information to an address book database;
computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to retrieving contact information from the address book database; and
computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to modifying contact information in the address book database. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48)
-
Specification