Extending functionality of instant messaging (IM) systems

• US 20040054740A1
• Filed: 04/07/2003
• Published: 03/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Daniell, W. Todd, Daigle, Brian K., Friedman, Lee G., Kent, Larry G. Jr., Davis, Joel (Hassan)
• Granted Patent: US 8,028,023 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0457 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply dynamic encryption, e.g. stream encryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for stream encryption H04L9/065
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion

Abstract

Plug-ins for instant messaging (IM) systems are described. By using plug-ins in conjunction with IM systems, the functionality of IM systems may be greatly extended. Specifically, in business applications, such as workflow processes, IM provides a more reliable approach to determining actual delivery of messages.

Claims

1. A communication method comprising:

receiving a data stream at an instant messaging (IM) client;

parsing the data stream for an application identifier, the application identifier being correlated to a software application; and

executing the software application.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining if the IM client is registered with the software application; and

wherein the executing the software application is responsive to determining that the IM client is registered with the software application.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the software application is a plug-in executed as part of the IM client.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the software application is a helper application executed as a separate, free-standing application launched by the IM client.

5. The method of claim 1:

wherein the application identifier is indicative of encrypted data; and

wherein the software application is adapted to decrypt the encrypted data.

6. The method of claim 1:

wherein the application identifier is indicative of an Internet address; and

wherein the software application is a web browser adapted to display the contents of the Internet address.

7. The method of claim 1:

wherein the application identifier is indicative of a process associated with a workflow application; and

wherein the software application is the workflow application.

8. The method of claim 1:

wherein the application identifier is indicative of a video game; and

wherein the software application is adapted to provide a gaming environment corresponding to the video game.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the video game is an interactive video game.

10. The method of claim 1:

wherein the application identifier is indicative of a digitized audio stream; and

wherein the software application is adapted to play the digitized audio stream.

11. The method of claim 1:

wherein the application identifier is indicative of a digitized video stream; and

wherein the software application is adapted to play the digitized video stream.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the parsing the data stream comprises:

searching the data stream for a predefined start tag and a predefined end tag; and

extracting data from the data stream, the data being delineated by the predefined start tag and the predefined end tag.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the executing the software application comprises:

conveying the extracted data to the software application; and

processing the data using the software application.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving the software application in response to determining that the IM client is not registered with the software application;

storing the software application; and

registering the IM client with the retrieved software application.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the retrieving the software application comprises:

providing information to a server for authentication by the server; and

receiving the software application from the server upon having the information authenticated by the server.

16. A communication system comprising:

means for receiving an incoming instant messaging (IM) data stream;

means for parsing the incoming data stream for an application identifier, the application identifier being correlated to a software application;

means for searching a predefined listing for the software application; and

means for executing the software application in response to finding the software application in the predefined listing.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

means for retrieving the software application from a server in response to not finding the software application in the predefined listing; and

means for installing the downloaded software application in the predefined listing.

18. In an instant messaging (IM) system, an IM client comprising:

a predefined listing; and

an instant messaging (IM) client adapted to receive an incoming data stream, the IM client comprising;

a parser adapted to parse the incoming data stream for an application identifier, the application identifier being correlated to a software application;

search logic adapted to search the predefined listing for the software application; and

execution logic adapted to execute the software application in response to finding the software application in the predefined listing.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the IM client further comprises:

download logic adapted to download the software application from a server in response to not finding the software application in the predefined listing; and

installation logic adapted to install the downloaded software application in the predefined listing.

20. A computer-readable medium comprising:

computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to receive an incoming instant messaging (IM) data stream;

computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to parse the incoming data stream for an application identifier, the application identifier being correlated to a software application;

computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to search a predefined listing for the software application; and

computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to execute the software application in response to finding the software application in the predefined listing.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, further comprising:

computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to retrieve the software application from-a server in response to not finding the software application in the predefined listing; and

computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to install the downloaded software application in the predefined listing.