Merging instant messaging (IM) chat sessions

• US 20040078444A1
• Filed: 10/14/2003
• Published: 04/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Malik, Dale W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,844,662 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: G10L 13/08 Text analysis or generation of parameters for speech synthesis out of text, e.g. grapheme to phoneme translation, prosody generation or stress or intonation determination
• 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 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/234 for tracking messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53366 Message disposing or creating aspects

Abstract

The present disclosure provides for merging of instant messaging (IM) chat sessions. In some embodiments, two separate IM chat sessions are merged into a single IM chat session.

Claims

1. A communication method comprising the steps of:

establishing an instant messaging (IM) chat session between a first sender and a recipient;

receiving an IM message from a second sender to the recipient; and

establishing an IM chat room between the recipient, the first sender, and the second sender.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

issuing an invitation to join the IM chat session, the invitation being issued to the second sender;

receiving a reply from the second sender, the reply being one selected from the group consisting of;

an acceptance of the invitation to join the IM chat session; and

a rejection of the invitation to join the IM chat session; and

wherein the step of establishing the IM chat room is responsive to the reply being the acceptance of the invitation to join the IM chat session.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

issuing a request for permission to join the IM chat session, the request for permission being issued to the recipient;

receiving a reply from the recipient, the reply being one selected from the group consisting of;

granting permission to join the IM chat session; and

denying permission to join the IM chat session; and

wherein the step of establishing the IM chat room is responsive to the reply being the granting of permission to join the IM chat session.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

issuing a request for permission to join the IM chat session, the request for permission being issued to the first sender;

receiving a reply from the first sender, the reply being one selected from the group consisting of;

granting permission to join the IM chat session; and

denying permission to join the IM chat session; and

wherein the step of establishing the IM chat room is responsive to the reply being the granting of permission to join the IM chat session.

5. A communication method comprising the steps of:

receiving an instant messaging (IM) message from a latter sender to a recipient;

determining whether an IM chat session is established between the recipient and an earlier sender; and

establishing an IM chat room between the recipient, the earlier sender, and the latter sender in response to determining that an IM chat session is established between the recipient and the earlier sender.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of establishing an IM chat room comprises the steps of:

issuing an invitation to join the IM chat session, the invitation being issued to the latter sender;

receiving a reply from the latter sender, the reply being one selected from the group consisting of;

an acceptance of the invitation to join the IM chat session; and

a rejection of the invitation to join the IM chat session; and

establishing the IM chat room in response to the reply being the acceptance of the invitation to join the IM chat session.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of establishing an IM chat room comprises the steps of:

issuing a request for permission to join the IM chat session, the request for permission being issued to the recipient;

receiving a reply from the recipient, the reply being one selected from the group consisting of;

granting permission to join the IM chat session; and

denying permission to join the IM chat session; and

establishing the IM chat room in response to the reply being the granting of permission to join the IM chat session.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of establishing an IM chat room comprises the steps of:

issuing a request for permission to join the IM chat session, the request for permission being issued to the earlier sender;

receiving a reply from the earlier sender, the reply being one selected from the group consisting of;

granting permission to join the IM chat session; and

denying permission to join the IM chat session; and

establishing the IM chat room in response to the reply being the granting of permission to join the IM chat session.

9. A communication system comprising:

means for establishing an instant messaging (IM) chat session between a first sender and a recipient;

means for receiving an IM message from a second sender to the recipient; and

means for establishing an IM chat room between the recipient, the first sender, and the second sender.

10. A communication system comprising:

logic configured to establish an instant messaging (IM) chat session between a first sender and a recipient;

logic configured to receive an IM message from a second sender to the recipient; and

logic configured to establish an IM chat room between the recipient, the first sender, and the second sender.

11. A communication system comprising:

means for receiving an instant messaging (IM) message from a latter sender to a recipient;

means for determining whether an IM chat session is established between the recipient and an earlier sender; and

means for establishing an IM chat room between the recipient, the earlier sender, and the latter sender in response to determining that an IM chat session is established between the recipient and the earlier sender.

12. A communication system comprising:

logic configured to receive an instant messaging (IM) message from a latter sender to a recipient;

logic configured to determine whether an IM chat session is established between the recipient and an earlier sender; and

logic configured to establish an IM chat room between the recipient, the earlier sender, and the latter sender in response to determining that an IM chat session is established between the recipient and the earlier sender.

13. A computer-readable medium comprising:

computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to establish an instant messaging (IM) chat session between a first sender and a recipient;

computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to receive an IM message from a second sender to the recipient; and

computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to establish an IM chat room between the recipient, the first sender, and the second sender.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, further comprising:

computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to issue an invitation to join the IM chat session, the invitation being issued to the second sender; and

computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to receive a reply from the second sender, the reply from the second sender being one selected from the group consisting of;

an acceptance of the invitation to join the IM chat session; and

a rejection of the invitation to join the IM chat session.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, further comprising:

computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to issue a request for permission to join the IM chat session, the request for permission being issued to the recipient; and

computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to receive a reply from the recipient, the reply from the recipient being one selected from the group consisting of;

granting permission to join the IM chat session; and

denying permission to join the IM chat session.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, further comprising:

computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to issue a request for permission to join the IM chat session, the request for permission being issued to the first sender; and

computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to receive a reply from the first sender, the reply from the first sender being one selected from the group consisting of;

granting permission to join the IM chat session; and

denying permission to join the IM chat session.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, further comprising:

computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to establish the IM chat room in response to;

the reply from the second sender being the acceptance of the invitation to join the IM chat session;

the reply from the recipient being the granting of permission to join the IM chat session; and

the reply from the first sender being the granting of permission to join the IM chat session.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, further comprising:

computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to establish the IM chat room in response to at least one of;

the reply from the second sender being the acceptance of the invitation to join the IM chat session;

the reply from the recipient being the granting of permission to join the IM chat session; and

the reply from the first sender being the granting of permission to join the IM chat session.

19. A computer-readable medium comprising:

computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to receive an instant messaging (IM) message from a latter sender to a recipient;

computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to determine whether an IM chat session is established between the recipient and an earlier sender; and

computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to establish an IM chat room between the recipient, the earlier sender, and the latter sender in response to determining that an IM chat session is established between the recipient and the earlier sender.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, further comprising:

computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to issue an invitation to join the IM chat session, the invitation being issued to the latter sender; and

computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to receive a reply from the latter sender, the reply being one selected from the group consisting of;

an acceptance of the invitation to join the IM chat session; and

a rejection of the invitation to join the IM chat session.

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

computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to issue a request for permission to join the IM chat session, the request for permission being issued to the recipient;

and

computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to receive a reply from the recipient, the reply being one selected from the group consisting of;

granting permission to join the IM chat session; and

denying permission to join the IM chat session.

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

computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to issue a request for permission to join the IM chat session, the request for permission being issued to the earlier sender; and

computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to receive a reply from the earlier sender, the reply being one selected from the group consisting of;

granting permission to join the IM chat session; and

denying permission to join the IM chat session.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the computer-readable code adapted to instruct the programmable device to establish the IM chat room comprises:

computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to establish the IM chat room in response to;

the reply from the latter sender being the acceptance of the invitation to join the IM chat session;

the reply from the recipient being the granting of permission to join the IM chat session; and

the reply from the earlier sender being the granting of permission to join the IM chat session.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the computer-readable code adapted to instruct the programmable device to establish the IM chat room comprises:

computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to establish the IM chat room in response to at least one of;

the reply from the latter sender being the acceptance of the invitation to join the IM chat session;

the reply from the recipient being the granting of permission to join the IM chat session; and

the reply from the earlier sender being the granting of permission to join the IM chat session.