System and method for client based instant messenger queue limit

• US 20060075029A1
• Filed: 09/15/2004
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kelso, Scott Edwards, Weksler, Arnold S., Peterson, Nathan J., Waltermann, Rod David
• Granted Patent: US 7,539,732 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]

Abstract

A system and method that limits the number of concurrent instant messaging sessions at a given time is provided. The system and method allows a user to configure the number of instant messaging sessions that are allowed at a given time. When a new request for an instant messaging session is received, a determination is made as to whether there are already the maximum number of allowed sessions. If the maximum number of sessions has been reached, the requestor receives a message indicating that the user is currently busy with other instant messaging sessions and inviting the requestor to join the queue. If the requestor joins the queue, then the requestor moves up in the queue when one of the user'"'"'s instant messaging sessions terminate.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method comprising:

setting a maximum value of concurrent instant messaging sessions;

initiating a plurality of instant messaging sessions, wherein the number of instant messaging sessions is equal to the maximum value;

receiving a request for an additional instant messaging session after the number of instant messaging sessions is equal to the maximum value, the additional request received from a requesting instant messaging partner;

queuing an identifier corresponding to the requesting instant messaging partner in a wait queue;

terminating one of the plurality of instant messaging sessions, decrementing the number of instant messaging sessions; and

initiating a new instant messaging session with the requesting instant messaging partner in response to the number of instant messaging sessions being less than the maximum value of instant messaging sessions.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a list of superseding instant messaging partners;

receiving a second request for an additional instant messaging session after the number of instant messaging sessions is equal to the maximum value, wherein the second request is from one of the superseding instant messaging partners; and

initiating another instant messaging session with the superseding instant messaging partner.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

prior to queuing the requesting instant messaging partner, sending a message to the requesting instant messaging partner indicating that the maximum value of instant messaging sessions has been reached; and

receiving a second request from the requesting instant messaging partner to join the wait queue.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

retrieving a size of the wait queue prior to sending the message; and

including the size of the wait queue in the message.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

prior to queuing the requesting instant messaging partner, sending a message to the requesting instant messaging partner indicating that the maximum value of instant messaging sessions has been reached;

receiving a second request from the requesting instant messaging partner to leave a message, the second request including message text;

storing the message text in a memory area; and

notifying a user of the instant messaging sessions that the message was received from the requesting instant messaging partner.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

identifying a current number of initiated instant messaging sessions; and

providing one or more of the instant messaging partners corresponding to the plurality of initiated instant messaging sessions the current number of instant messaging sessions.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining that one of the plurality of initiated instant messaging sessions is idle, the determination based upon comparing an idle time for the instant messaging session with an idle threshold value; and

initiating the new instant messaging session with the requesting instant messaging partner in response to the idleness determination.

8. An information handling system comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory accessible by the processors;

a nonvolatile storage device accessible by the processors; and

a queuing tool for queuing instant messaging requests, the queuing tool including software code effective to;

set a maximum value of concurrent instant messaging sessions;

initiate a plurality of instant messaging sessions, wherein the number of instant messaging sessions is equal to the maximum value;

receive a request for an additional instant messaging session after the number of instant messaging sessions is equal to the maximum value, the additional request received from a requesting instant messaging partner;

queue an identifier corresponding to the requesting instant messaging partner in a wait queue;

terminate one of the plurality of instant messaging sessions, decrementing the number of instant messaging sessions; and

initiate a new instant messaging session with the requesting instant messaging partner in response to the number of instant messaging sessions being less than the maximum value of instant messaging sessions.

9. The information handling system of claim 8 wherein the queuing tool further comprises:

software code effective to receive a list of superseding instant messaging partners;

software code effective to receive a second request for an additional instant messaging session after the number of instant messaging sessions is equal to the maximum value, wherein the second request is from one of the superseding instant messaging partners; and

software code effective to initiate another instant messaging session with the superseding instant messaging partner.

10. The information handling system of claim 8 wherein the queuing tool further comprises:

software code effective to queue the requesting instant messaging partner prior to execution of the software code effective to send a message to the requesting instant messaging partner indicating that the maximum value of instant messaging sessions has been reached; and

software code effective to receive a second request from the requesting instant messaging partner to join the wait queue.

11. The information handling system of claim 8 wherein the queuing tool further comprises:

software code effective to send a message to the requesting instant messaging partner indicating that the maximum value of instant messaging sessions has been reached prior to execution of the software code effective to queue the requesting instant messaging partner;

software code effective to receive a second request from the requesting instant messaging partner to leave a message, the second request including message text;

software code effective to store the message text in a memory area; and

software code effective to notify a user of the instant messaging sessions that the message was received from the requesting instant messaging partner.

12. The information handling system of claim 8 wherein the queuing tool further comprises:

software code effective to identify a current number of initiated instant messaging sessions; and

software code effective to provide one or more of the instant messaging partners corresponding to the plurality of initiated instant messaging sessions the current number of instant messaging sessions.

13. The information handling system of claim 8 wherein the queuing tool further comprises:

software code effective to determine that one of the plurality of initiated instant messaging sessions is idle, the determination based upon comparing an idle time for the instant messaging session with an idle threshold value; and

software code effective to initiate the new instant messaging session with the requesting instant messaging partner in response to the idleness determination.

15. The information handling system of claim 8 wherein the program product further comprises:

software code effective to receive a list of superseding instant messaging partners;

software code effective to receive a second request for an additional instant messaging session after the number of instant messaging sessions is equal to the maximum value, wherein the second request is from one of the superseding instant messaging partners; and

software code effective to initiate another instant messaging session with the superseding instant messaging partner.

16. The information handling system of claim 8 wherein the program product further comprises:

software code effective to queue the requesting instant messaging partner prior to execution of the software code effective to send a message to the requesting instant messaging partner indicating that the maximum value of instant messaging sessions has been reached; and

software code effective to receive a second request from the requesting instant messaging partner to join the wait queue.

17. The information handling system of claim 16 wherein the program product further comprises:

software code effective to retrieve a size of the wait queue prior to sending the message; and

software code effective to include the size of the wait queue in the message.

18. The information handling system of claim 8 wherein the program product further comprises:

software code effective to send a message to the requesting instant messaging partner indicating that the maximum value of instant messaging sessions has been reached prior to execution of the software code effective to queue the requesting instant messaging partner;

software code effective to receive a second request from the requesting instant messaging partner to leave a message, the second request including message text;

software code effective to store the message text in a memory area; and

software code effective to notify a user of the instant messaging sessions that the message was received from the requesting instant messaging partner.

19. The information handling system of claim 8 wherein the program product further comprises:

software code effective to identify a current number of initiated instant messaging sessions; and

software code effective to provide one or more of the instant messaging partners corresponding to the plurality of initiated instant messaging sessions the current number of instant messaging sessions.

20. The information handling system of claim 8 wherein the program product further comprises:

software code effective to determine that one of the plurality of initiated instant messaging sessions is idle, the determination based upon comparing an idle time for the instant messaging session with an idle threshold value; and

software code effective to initiate the new instant messaging session with the requesting instant messaging partner in response to the idleness determination.

14. A computer program product stored in a computer operable media, said computer program product comprising software code effective to:

set a maximum value of concurrent instant messaging sessions;

initiate a plurality of instant messaging sessions, wherein the number of instant messaging sessions is equal to the maximum value;

receive a request for an additional instant messaging session after the number of instant messaging sessions is equal to the maximum value, the additional request received from a requesting instant messaging partner;

queue an identifier corresponding to the requesting instant messaging partner in a wait queue;

terminate one of the plurality of instant messaging sessions, decrementing the number of instant messaging sessions; and

initiate a new instant messaging session with the requesting instant messaging partner in response to the number of instant messaging sessions being less than the maximum value of instant messaging sessions.