Authorized access to off-line messaging

• US 20040205161A1
• Filed: 04/10/2003
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HCL Technologies Limited
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Waters, Timothy Moffett, Seaman, James Wesley, Hamilton, Rick Allen II, Labus, James Jerome
• Granted Patent: US 7,216,167 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A method and implementing instant messaging processing system are provided which include means by which a user is enabled to input certain selective details concerning the user'"'"'s off-line status. Such user selections are stored by an TM server and subsequently made available to other IM users when such other IM users log-on to the IM application. User selections include a listing of common reasons why a user is not available and means are provided for the user to select specific applicable details concerning the user'"'"'s off-line status. A user is also enabled to input custom text messages to selectively provide even more specific detail to other users of the IM application concerning the user'"'"'s off-line status. Means are further provided to enable a user to input more than one custom off-line message and also to indicate the timing of each message and when each message shall be made available to other IM users. A user is also enabled to selectively designate certain individuals to whom access to predetermined messages is made available during the off-line status of the IM user such that access to one off-line message is made available to selected IM participants but not to all IM participants.

Claims

1. A method for enabling user control of user'"'"'s off-line status messages available for display to other participants in a messaging application when said user is logged-off from said messaging application, said method comprising:

enabling user authorized access input to establish an authorized access list, said authorized access list comprising a list of selected ones of said other participants who are designated to have access to said user'"'"'s off-line status messages;

saving said authorized access list for use in enabling access to said user off-line status messages;

determining when said user is logged-off from said messaging application; and

displaying said user'"'"'s off-line status messages to participants who are on said user'"'"'s authorized access list when said user is logged-off from said messaging application.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 and further including saving said authorized access list at a messaging server, said messaging server being arranged for connecting said user to said other participants.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1 and further including enabling said user to input a different authorized access list for each of a plurality of said user'"'"'s off-line status messages.

4. The method as set forth in claim 3 and further including:

displaying an off-line message selection menu to said user, said off-line message selection menu containing a plurality of user off-line status messages of selectable content;

enabling said user to select at least one of said user off-line status messages; and

associating said user selected off-line status message with a corresponding authorized access list.

5. The method as set forth in claim 4 wherein one of said selectable content messages comprises a plurality of selectable fixed content messages, said user being enabled to select from said plurality of fixed content messages.

6. The method as set forth in claim 4 wherein one of said selectable content messages comprises a plurality of user input message types, said user input message types including means for enabling user input of text content to said user input message types.

7. The method as set forth in claim 6 and further including:

enabling user timing input to establish times during which said user'"'"'s off-line status messages are available for display to said other participants; and

saving said timing input for subsequent access in association with a communication of said user off-line status messages.

8. The method as set forth in claim 7 and further including saving said user timing input at said messaging server.

9. The method as set forth in claim 7 and further including enabling said user to input different selected times for each of a plurality of said user'"'"'s off-line status messages.

10. The method as set forth in claim 1 and further including displaying user'"'"'s buddy list and enabling said user to select from said buddy list in establishing said authorized access list.

11. A storage medium including machine readable coded indicia, said storage medium being selectively coupled to a reading device, said reading device being selectively coupled to processing circuitry within a computer system, said reading device being selectively operable to read said machine readable coded indicia and provide program signals representative thereof, said program signals being effective for enabling user control of user'"'"'s off-line status messages available for display to other participants in a messaging application when said user is logged-off from said messaging application, said program signals being further effective for;

enabling user authorized access input to establish an authorized access list, said authorized access list comprising a list of selected ones of said other participants who are designated to have access to said user'"'"'s off-line status messages;

saving said authorized access list for use in enabling access to said user off-line status messages;

determining when said user is logged-off from said messaging application; and

displaying said user'"'"'s off-line status messages to participants who are on said user'"'"'s authorized access list when said user is logged-off from said messaging application.

12. The medium as set forth in claim 11 wherein said program signals are further effective for saving said authorized access list at a messaging server, said messaging server being arranged for connecting said user to said other participants.

13. The medium as set forth in claim 11 wherein said program signals are further effective for enabling said user to input a different authorized access list for each of a plurality of said user'"'"'s off-line status messages.

14. The medium as set forth in claim 13 wherein said program signals are further effective for:

displaying an off-line message selection menu to said user, said off-line message selection menu containing a plurality of user off-line status messages of selectable content;

enabling said user to select at least one of said user off-line status messages; and

associating said user selected off-line status message with a corresponding authorized access list.

15. The medium as set forth in claim 14 wherein one of said selectable content messages comprises a plurality of selectable fixed content messages, said user being enabled to select from said plurality of fixed content messages.

16. The medium as set forth in claim 14 wherein one of said selectable content messages comprises a plurality of user input message types, said user input message types including means for enabling user input of text content to said user input message types.

17. The medium as set forth in claim 16 wherein said program signals are further effective for:

enabling user timing input to establish times during which said user'"'"'s off-line status messages are available for display to said other participants; and

saving said timing input for subsequent access in association with a communication of said user off-line status messages.

18. The medium as set forth in claim 17 and further including saving said user timing input at said messaging server.

19. The medium as set forth in claim 17 and further including enabling said user to input different selected times for each of a plurality of said user'"'"'s off-line status messages.

20. The medium as set forth in claim 11 wherein said program signals are further effective for displaying user'"'"'s buddy list and enabling said user to select from said buddy list in establishing said authorized access list.

21. A system for enabling user control of user'"'"'s off-line status messages available for display to other participants in a messaging application when said user is logged-off from said messaging application, said system comprising:

a messaging server;

a plurality of terminals, said terminals and said messaging server being coupled together through an interconnection network, each of said terminals including a display device and a user input device, each of said terminals being selectively operable for enabling user to input an authorized access list, said authorized access list comprising a list of selected ones of said other participants who are designated to have access to said user'"'"'s off-line status messages, said system being further selectively operable for saving said authorized access list for use in enabling access to said user off-line status messages, said system being further operable for determining when said user is logged-off from said messaging application, and displaying said user'"'"'s off-line status messages to participants who are on said user'"'"'s authorized access list when said user is logged-off from said messaging application.