Self-contained instant messaging appliance

• US 20050050152A1
• Filed: 06/28/2004
• Published: 03/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Barracuda Networks Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Deviant Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Starbard, Paul Alan, Penner, Christopher, Fawcett, Michael, Phan, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,328,247 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/207
• 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 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561

Abstract

A system and method are presented for providing an instant messaging (IM) environment. The network includes a plurality of client computer processing systems, a plurality of public IM services and an IM server appliance coupling the client computer systems and the public IM services for one of one-on-one and group communication. The IM server appliance includes an IM server for directing IM communication between the client systems and the public IM services, a message logging for creating a log entry of IM communications, a conferencing server interacting with the IM server to providing multiple user IM conferences, a web providing an administration interface and a plurality of public IM service gateways for translating messages from a native IM protocol employed within the IM appliance to a public IM protocol executing in any of the public IM services.

Claims

1. A computer processing network for providing an instant messaging (IM) environment, said network comprising:

a plurality of client computer processing systems;

a plurality of public IM services; and

an IM server appliance operatively coupling said plurality of client computer systems and said plurality of public IM services for at least one of one-on-one and group communication, wherein said IM server appliance includes;

an IM server for directing IM communication between said plurality of client computer processing systems and said plurality of public IM services;

a message logging server coupled to said IM server, said message logging server creating a log entry of IM communications and storing said entry in a data store coupled thereto; and

a plurality of public IM service gateways coupled to said IM server and said public IM services, said public IM service gateways translating messages from a native IM protocol employed within said IM appliance to a public IM protocol executing on said public IM services.

2. The computer processing network of claim 1, wherein said data store is comprised of a data base management system.

3. The computer processing network of claim 2, wherein said data base management system is a relational data base management system.

4. The computer processing network of claim 1, wherein said log entry includes unique client computer user names of the sending and receiving parties, a location of each user in terms of their respective IP addresses, a date and a time an IM message was sent, and a status of said sent IM message.

5. The computer processing network of claim 4, further including reporting features for querying said log entries to gather, track and report statistics regarding IM communication within said network.

6. The computer processing network of claim 5, wherein said statistical reports include a number of messages/chats sent and received through out said network or by individual users and groups of users, a number of messages by message status the like.

7. The computer processing network of claim 1, further including integrated directory services providing information related to authorized users of the network.

8. The computer processing network of claim 7, wherein said directory services are provided by a directory server included within said IM server appliance, said directory server coupled to and interacting with said IM server.

9. The computer processing network of claim 7, wherein said directory services are provided by an external directory server hosted in a system employing said IM appliance to provide said IM environment, and wherein said directory services includes capabilities for synchronizing said integrated directory services structure with said external directory server.

10. The computer processing network of claim 1, wherein said IM server appliance further includes access control lists for selectively providing said client computer processing systems access to said plurality of public IM services on a per-user basis.

11. The computer processing network of claim 10, wherein said access control lists include data entries corresponding to each of said plurality of public IM services, respective registered users, and an access indicator representative of whether said respective user'"'"'s access is one of allowed or denied to a public IM service.

12. The computer processing network of claim 1, wherein said IM server appliance further includes a conferencing server coupled to and interacting with said IM server for providing multiple user IM conferences.

13. The computer processing network of claim 1, wherein said IM server appliance further includes a web server coupled to said IM server, said web server providing an administration interface for controlling components of said server appliance in accordance with administration settings.

14. The computer processing network of claim 1, wherein said IM server includes logic for receiving an IM message from a sender to a first recipient and for transferring said received IM message from said first recipient to a second recipient.

15. The computer processing network of claim 1, wherein said IM server includes logic for receiving an IM message from a sender to a first recipient and for transferring said received IM message from a first IM address of said first recipient to a second IM address of said first recipient that is different from said first IM address.

16. The computer processing network of claim 1, wherein said IM server includes logic for receiving an IM message from a sender to a first recipient and for transferring said received IM message from a first IP address of a first computing device of said first recipient to a second IP address of a second computing device of said first recipient that is different from said first IP address and said first computing device.

17. A computer processing network for providing an instant messaging (IM) environment, said network comprising:

a plurality of client computer processing systems;

a plurality of public IM services; and

an IM server appliance operatively coupling said plurality of client computer systems and said plurality of public IM services for at least one of one-on-one and group communication, wherein said IM server appliance includes;

an IM server for directing IM communication between said plurality of client computer processing systems and said plurality of public IM services;

a message logging server coupled to said IM server, said message logging server creating a log entry of IM communications and storing said entry in a data store coupled thereto;

a conferencing server coupled to and interacting with said IM server for providing multiple user IM conferences;

a web server coupled to said IM server, said web server providing an administration interface for controlling components of said server appliance in accordance with administration settings; and

a plurality of public IM service gateways coupled to said IM server and said public IM services, said public IM service gateways translating messages from a native IM protocol employed within said IM appliance to a public IM protocol executing on said public IM services.