Apparatus and method controlling use of individual segments of instant messaging content

• US 20060161630A1
• Filed: 01/18/2005
• Published: 07/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Twitter Inc (X Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Cohen, Gabriel Aaron, Mitchell, Gerald Laverte Jr., Craig, Ronald Eugene
• Granted Patent: US 7,689,653 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1831 Tracking arrangements for later retrieval, e.g. recording contents, participants activities or behavior, network status
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]

Abstract

An apparatus and method is provided for a configuration of client work stations for instant messaging, wherein a participant intending to send a particular segment of chat content can elect to send the segment in an “off the record” mode. Content sent in this mode can be viewed but cannot be copied or saved by other instant messaging participants. The apparatus usefully includes a mode select device operable by the participant at a given station to designate each of a succession of chat content segments generated at the given station to be either for unrestricted use, or for off the record use, selectively. The apparatus further includes a component for applying a first use control message to each of the off the records segments sent from the given station to one or more of the other stations. A content control device located at a station receiving the off the record segments is responsive to the applied first use control messages to prevent the receiving station from retaining or otherwise propagating any of the received off the record segments.

Claims

1. In a configuration of client work stations interconnected to allow instant messaging between participants at respective stations, apparatus for controlling selected chat content produced by the instant messaging, wherein said apparatus comprises:

a mode select device operable by the participant at a given station to designate each of a succession of chat content segments generated at the given station to be either for unrestricted use, or for off the record use, selectively;

a component for applying a first use control message to each of said segments designated for off the record use that is sent from said given station to one or more other of said stations; and

a content control device located at a station receiving one or more of said off the record segments, said content control device responsive to the first use control messages respectively applied to said received off the record segments to prevent said receiving station from retaining or otherwise propagating said received off the record segments.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

each station of said configuration is provided with a mode select device, a content control device, and a component for applying first use control messages.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

each of said components for applying first use control messages is adapted to apply second use control messages to chat content segments that are respectively designated to be for unrestricted use; and

each of said content control devices is responsive to a particular second use control message to enable a station receiving said particular second use control message and its associated content segment to save or otherwise propagate said associated content segment.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

said mode select device is adapted to display first and second buttons, wherein said buttons are operable by the participant at said given station to designate a given content segment to be either for unrestricted use or for off the record use, selectively.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

said mode select device is adapted to display a single button and a check box, a given content segment being sent from said given station when said button is operated by said participant, and the presence or absence of a check in said check box determining whether a first use control message is applied to the given content segment.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

each of said first use control messages comprises a flag attached to the corresponding content segment.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

said content control device is provided with an application programmable interface (API) that is operated by a first use control message applied to a given off the record segment to prevent said receiving station from retaining or otherwise propagating said given off the record segment.

8. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

said configuration includes a device for producing a transcript at the conclusion of an instant messaging event, wherein said transcript includes all chat content segments designated for unrestricted use, and automatically excludes all chat content segments designated for off the record use.

14. The method of claim 2, wherein:

said method includes the step of producing a transcript at the conclusion of an instant messaging event, wherein said transcript includes all chat content segments designated for unrestricted use, and automatically excludes all chat content segments designated for off the record use.

9. In a configuration of client work stations interconnected to allow instant messaging between participants at respective stations, a method for controlling selected chat content produced by the instant messaging, comprising the steps of:

designating each of a succession of chat content segments generated at a given station to be either for unrestricted use, or for off the record use, selectively;

applying a first use control message to each of said segments designated for off the record use that is sent from said given station to one or more other of said stations;

receiving one or more of said off the record segments at one of said stations remotely located from said given station; and

responding to the first use control messages respectively applied to said received off the record segments to prevent said receiving station from retaining or otherwise propagating said received off the record segments.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein:

each station of said configuration is provided with a mode select device, a content control device, and a component for applying first use control messages.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein:

second use control messages are applied to chat content segments that are respectively designated to be for unrestricted use.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein:

first and second buttons displayed by a mode select device are operated by the participant at said given station to designate a given content segment to be either for unrestricted use or for off the record use, selectively.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein:

a single button and a check box displayed by a mode select device are operated by the participant at said given station to designate a given content segment to be either for unrestricted use or for off the record use, selectively.

15. In a configuration of client work stations interconnected to allow instant messaging between participants at respective stations, a computer program product in a computer readable memory for controlling selected chat content produced by the instant messaging, wherein said computer program product comprises:

first instructions for receiving each of a succession of chat content segments at a first station, wherein each of said segments is generated at a second station and is designated to be either for unrestricted use or for off the record use, selectively, a first use control message being applied to each of said segments designated for off the record use;

second instructions for detecting each segment received at said first station that has a first control use message and is thereby identified to be an off the record segment; and

third instructions for using the first use control messages respectively applied to said received off the record segments to prevent said first station from retaining or otherwise propagating said received off the record segments.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein:

each station of said configuration is provided with a mode select device, a content control device, and a component for applying first use control messages.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein:

second use control messages are applied to chat content segments that are respectively designated to be for unrestricted use.

18. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein:

said mode select device at said second station is adapted to display first and second buttons, wherein said buttons are operable by the participant at said second station to designate a given content segment to be either for unrestricted use or for off the record use, selectively.

19. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein:

said mode select device at said second station is adapted to display a single button and a check box, a given content segment being sent from said second station when said button is operated by the participant at said second station, and the presence or absence of a check in said check box determines whether a first use control message is applied to the given content segment.

20. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein:

fourth instructions are provided for producing a transcript at the conclusion of an instant messaging event, wherein said transcript includes all chat content segments designated for unrestricted use, and automatically excludes all chat content segments designated for off the record use.