Method to enable user selection of segments in an instant messaging application for integration in other applications

• US 20060161852A1
• Filed: 01/20/2005
• Published: 07/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Walker, Keith Raymond, Handy-Bosma, John Hans, Chen, Yen-Fu, Selvage, Mei Yang
• Granted Patent: US 8,275,832 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/758
• 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

A Segment Interface Program (SIP) is disclosed that enables a user to choose locations in other applications to receive segments, and to mark segments for manual or automatic transmission to those applications. The SIP comprises an Application Interface Program (AIP), a Segment Creator Program (SCP), a Segment Queue Program (SQP), and a Segment Delivery Program (SDP). The SIP accesses a Rules database, a codes database, and a queue database. The AIP enables a user to select a location in an application and assign an application code and a location code to the location. The SCP enables a user to select a segment in a chat transcript, assign an application code and a location code to the segment, and send the segment to the SQP. The SQP receives the segment, assigns a queue number, and places the segment in a queue table. The SDP reads the user code, the application code and, when the application is active, sends the segment to the location in the application with the corresponding code. A single segment may be inserted into an application in multiple locations by creating additional codes for multiple instances of a location.

Claims

1. A system for enabling a user to manually select locations in an application to receive chat segments, and to mark chat segments for transmission to those applications comprising:

a computer having a storage and a display;

an instant messaging program in the storage;

an application in the storage;

a chat transcript in the storage;

a segment interface program in the storage having a graphical user interface;

wherein, using the graphical user interface, and responsive to the user selecting the application, selecting a location, and applying the location, the segment interface program adapts the application to receive a chat segment at the location; and

responsive to the user selecting a chat segment, designating the application, and designating the location, the segment interface program sends the chat transcript to the location in the application.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the segment interface program further comprises:

responsive to the user highlighting a location in the application selected in the graphical user interface, instructions for assigning a user code, an application code, and a location code to the location.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the segment interface program further comprises:

using the graphical interface and responsive to the user highlighting a segment in the chat transcript, instructions for assigning a user code, an application code, a location code and sending the segment to the segment queue program.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the segment interface program further comprises:

instructions for receiving the chat segment, assigning a queue number, and placing the segment in a queue table.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the segment interface program further comprises:

instructions for reading the user code and application code for a first chat segment in queue, and responsive to determining that the application is on, removing the first chat segment in queue from the queue table and sending the first chat segment in queue to the application and location corresponding to the application code and the location code.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising a rules database.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising a codes database.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising a queue database adapted for containing a plurality of queue tables.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the graphical user interface comprises a user selection window, an application selection window, and a location selection window.

10. The system of claim 7 further comprising a status control.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the graphical user interface comprises:

a text window, a user selection window, an application selection window, and a location selection window.

12. The system of claim 9 further comprising a modify control.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the graphical user interface further comprises a first graphical user interface comprising a user selection window, an application selection window, and a location selection window, and a second graphical user interface comprising a text window, a user selection window, an application selection window, and a location selection window.

14. A method for enabling a user to manually select locations in an application on a computer to receive chat segments, and to mark chat segments for transmission to the applications comprising:

using a first graphical user interface,

adapting the application to receive a chat segment at a location; and

using a second graphical user interface,

selecting the application,

selecting the location;

sending the chat transcript to the location.

15. The method of 14 further comprising:

using the first graphical user interface, and responsive to the user highlighting a location in the application selected in the first graphical user interface, assigning a user code, an application code, and a location code to the location.

16. The system of claim 15 further comprising:

using the second graphical interface, and responsive to the user highlighting a segment in the chat transcript, assigning the user code, the application code, the location code and sending the segment to a segment queue table for transmission to the application.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising, responsive to receiving the segment in the segment queue table, assigning a queue number, and placing the segment in the queue table.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

responsive to reading the user code, the application code, and the location code for the segment, removing the segment from the queue table and sending the segment to the application and location corresponding to the application code and the location code.

19. A graphical user interface for enabling a user to manually select locations in an application on a computer to receive chat segments, and to mark chat segments for transmission to the application comprising:

a first graphical user interface configuration having a user window, an application window, and a location window adapted for configuring the application to receive a chat segment at a location; and

a second graphical user interface configuration having a user window, an application window, and a location window adapted for configuring the segment for transmission to the application and the location.

20. The graphical user interface of claim 19 further comprising:

using the first graphical user interface, means for assigning a user code, an application code, and a location code to the location.

21. The graphical user interface of claim 20 further comprising:

using the second graphical interface, means for assigning the user code, the application code, the location code and means for sending the segment to a segment queue table for transmission to the application.

22. The graphical user interface of claim 19 wherein the first graphical user interface further comprises:

a user selection window, an application selection window, and a location selection window.

23. The graphical user interface of claim 19 wherein the second graphical user interface further comprises:

a text window, a user selection window, an application selection window, and a location selection window.

24. The graphical user interface of claim 20 further comprising a modify control.

25. A program product for Instant Messaging segments selection and transmission comprising:

means for creating an application interface;

means for creating a segment;

means for placing the segment in a queue;

means for sending the segment from the queue to a location; and

means for displaying the segment in the location.

26. The program product of claim 25 further comprising:

means for selecting an application;

means for assigning a user code; and

means for assigning an application code.

27. The program product of claim 26 further comprising:

means for reviewing an application page;

means for selecting a location in the application; and

means for assigning a location code.

28. The program product of claim 27 further comprising:

means for reviewing an instant messaging transcript;

means for highlighting a segment of the instant messaging transcript;

means for selecting an application;

means for inserting an application code in the segment; and

means for selecting a location and inserting a location code in the segment.

29. The program product of claim 28 further comprising:

means for sending the segment to a segment queue table;

means for assigning a queue number; and

means for placing the segment in queue.

30. The program product of claim 29 further comprising:

means for reading first time in queue;

means for reading the user code;

means for reading the application code;

means for reading the location code; and

means for removing the segment from the queue table and sending the segment to the location.