Method and system for disappearing ink for text messaging

• US 20060036740A1
• Filed: 08/12/2004
• Published: 02/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Williamson, Paul Stuart, Rozich, Ryan, Hagale, Anthony Richard
• Granted Patent: US 7,519,670 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/227
• 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 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display

Abstract

An instant messaging client presents messages and removes the messages from display after a predetermined amount of time. In one preferred embodiment, the predetermined amount of time is agreed upon by all participants during a policy negotiation. Each message may be associated with a display time and when the current time differs from the display time by a predetermined amount, the message is removed from the display. Messages may also be presented in a non-editable display area to prevent manual logging of the messaging content.

Claims

1. A method for disabling logging of an instant messaging session, the method comprising:

establishing an instant messaging session between two or more participants;

presenting one or more messages of the instant messaging session in a user interface;

determining whether a display duration for a given message of the one or more messages has expired; and

if the display duration for the given message has expired, erasing the given message from the user interface.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

starting a timer when the given message is received,

wherein determining whether the display duration for the given message expires includes determining whether the timer reaches the display duration.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the display duration for the given message expires includes:

determining whether a current time is later than a time the given message was received by the display duration.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the display duration for the given message expires includes comparing a current time to an expiration time from a message header of the given message.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing an instant messaging session includes negotiating a session policy.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the policy defines the display duration.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the one or more messages of the instant messaging session includes presenting the one or more messages in a non-editable message display area in the user interface.

8. An apparatus for disabling logging of an instant messaging session, the apparatus comprising:

a message receiving component that receives messages from one or more participants of an instant messaging session;

a message sending component that sends messages to the one or more participants of the instant messaging sessions; and

a message display component that displays at least one message received from the one or more participants in a user interface,

wherein responsive to a display duration for a given message expiring, the message display component removes the given message from the user interface.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the message display component displays the one or more messages of the instant messaging session by displaying the one or more messages in a non-editable message display area in the user interface.

10. An apparatus for disabling logging of an instant messaging session, the apparatus comprising:

means for establishing an instant messaging session between two or more participants;

means for presenting one or more messages of the instant messaging session in a user interface;

means for determining whether a display duration for a given message of the one or more messages has expired; and

means for erasing the given message from the user interface if the display duration for the given message has expired.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

means for starting a timer when the given message is received,

wherein the means for determining whether the display duration for the given message expires includes means for determining whether the timer reaches the display duration.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the means for determining whether the display duration for the given message expires includes:

means for determining whether a current time is later than a time the given message was received by the display duration.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the means for determining whether the display duration for the given message expires includes means for comparing a current time to an expiration time from a message header of the given message.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the means for establishing an instant messaging session includes means for negotiating a session policy.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the policy defines the display duration.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the means for presenting the one or more messages of the instant messaging session includes means for presenting the one or more messages in a non-editable message display area in the user interface.

17. A computer program product, in a computer readable medium, for disabling logging of an instant messaging session, the computer program product comprising:

instructions for establishing an instant messaging session between two or more participants;

instructions for presenting one or more messages of the instant messaging session in a user interface;

instructions for determining whether a display duration for a given message of the one or more messages has expired; and

instructions for erasing the given message from the user interface if the display duration for the given message has expired.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, further comprising:

instructions for starting a timer when the given message is received,

wherein the instructions for determining whether the display duration for the given message expires includes instructions for determining whether the timer reaches the display duration.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the instructions for determining whether the display duration for the given message expires includes:

instructions for determining whether a current time is later than a time the given message was received by the display duration.

20. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the instructions for determining whether the display duration for the given message expires includes instructions for comparing a current time to an expiration time from a message header of the given message.

21. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the instructions for establishing an instant messaging session includes instructions for negotiating a session policy.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the policy defines the display duration.

23. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the instructions for presenting the one or more messages of the instant messaging session includes instructions for presenting the one or more messages in a non-editable message display area in the user interface.