Extending functionality of workflow applications using instant messaging (IM)

• US 20040064696A1
• Filed: 04/07/2003
• Published: 04/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: At&T Delaware Intellectual Property, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Davis, Joel, Daniell, W. Todd, Daigle, Brian K., Kent, Larry G. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,334,043 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• 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 51/234 for tracking messages
• 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 workflow request from a workflow server, the workflow request being directed to a specified instant messaging (IM) address; and

formatting the received workflow request to generate an IM data stream.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

issuing a query for presence information to an IM server, the presence information being related to the specified IM address.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving presence information from the IM server in response to the query for presence information, the presence information being one selected from a group consisting of;

a not-present indication; and

a present indication.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

generating an error message in response to receiving a not-present indication; and

conveying the generated error message to the workflow server.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

conveying the IM data stream to the IM server in response to receiving a present indication.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving an IM response from the IM server, the IM response being indicative of a response to the workflow request;

formatting the IM response to generate a workflow response; and

conveying the workflow response to the workflow server.

7. A communication method comprising:

receiving a workflow request at an instant messaging (IM) client;

determining if the IM client is registered with a workflow plug-in in response to receiving the workflow request; and

executing the workflow plug-in in response to determining that the IM client is registered with the workflow plug-in.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving an input at the IM client, the input being indicative of a response to the workflow request;

generating a workflow response from the received input; and

conveying the workflow response.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

downloading a workflow plug-in from a plug-in server in response to determining that the IM client is not registered with the workflow plug-in;

storing the downloaded workflow plug-in; and

registering the IM client with the downloaded workflow plug-in.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the downloading the workflow plug-in comprises:

providing authentication information to the plug-in server for authentication by the plug-in server; and

receiving the workflow plug-in from the plug-in server in response to the plug-in server authenticating the authentication information.

11. An instant messaging (IM) system comprising:

a workflow transport-protocol object (TPO) adapted to receive workflow requests from a workflow server, the workflow TPO being further adapted to format the workflow requests to generate an IM request data stream, the workflow TPO being further adapted to convey the IM request data stream; and

an IM server adapted to receive the conveyed IM request data stream from the workflow TPO, the IM server being further adapted to convey the IM request data stream to an IM client.

12. The system of claim 11:

wherein the IM server is further adapted to receive an IM response data stream from the IM client, the IM server being further adapted to convey the IM response data stream to the workflow TPO; and

wherein the workflow TPO is further adapted to receive the IM response data stream, the workflow TPO being further adapted to format the IM response data stream to generate a workflow response, the workflow TPO being further adapted to convey the workflow response to the workflow server.

13. An instant messaging (IM) system comprising:

an IM client adapted to receive a workflow request; and

a workflow plug-in adapted to process the workflow request.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the IM client is further adapted to search a predefined directory for the workflow plug-in.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the IM client is further adapted to launch the workflow plug-in in response to finding the workflow plug-in in the predefined directory.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the IM client is further adapted to download the workflow plug-in from a plug-in server in response to not finding the workflow plug-in in the predefined directory.