System and method for instant messaging

• US 20060167993A1
• Filed: 01/10/2005
• Published: 07/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Detweiler, Samuel Roy, Luther, Paul S., Corona, Guido Dante, Horwitz, Randall Scott, Aaron, Joseph David
• Granted Patent: US 7,617,283 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]

Abstract

A system and method for user-defined control of the operation and appearance of a computerized instant messaging service and associated user interface is disclosed, providing ease of use, control over presentation and access to instant messaging services, particularly for unsighted and other users requiring assistive technologies. A system and method for user-defined control of operation and appearance of a computerized instant messaging service and associated user interface. A instant messaging (IM) application includes an active sessions list (ASL) comprised of algorithmically ordered identifiers of all communicants in current active chat sessions with the user. The list is presented on the desktop and focused by a predefined first hot-key. In one embodiment, the list is ordered with the identifier appearing at the top of the ASL being associated with the communicant of the most recent incoming unresponded-to IM chat message. By selecting identifiers from the list and activating a predefined second hot-key, chat windows associated with the communicants are opened and focused for receipt of responsive messages from the user. As each new incoming unresponded-to chat message is received, a cue occurs in the ASL which is automatically updated with the identifier for the associated most recent such communicant appearing at the top of the ASL. Chat windows associated with most recently incoming chat messages are selectably precluded from automatically popping up on the desktop. User-selectable algorithmic support varies ordering and content of the identifiers appearing in the ASL, admitting to any desired schema for such ordering and content as effected by the algorithm executing with the IM application. The content of the ASL is generalizable beyond instant messaging windows to include any subset of applications and/or windows appearing in the active windows list of the operating system.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for instant messaging, comprising:

generating an active chat sessions list (ASL); and

displaying said ASL.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said ASL includes entries for each message from a plurality of communicants by a user-selected criteria.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said criteria is time of receipt of each said message not responded-to by said user.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said instant messaging includes a chat window pop-up upon receipt of said each message, and wherein said method further comprises user-selectable disabling of said chat window pop-up.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said displaying of said ASL is responsive to a first hot-key.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein

a chat window corresponding to said each of said entries in said ASL is displayable responsive to a second hot-key;

and wherein the method further comprises;

detecting when a non-currently active chat session window is selected;

minimizing a currently active chat session window in response to said detecting;

removing said currently active chat session window from an operating system window list;

locating said ASL using a key sequence defined by said operating system window list;

surfacing said ASL;

locating a desired communicant in said surfaced ASL; and

activating a hot-key to activate a chat session corresponding to said communicant.

7. A computer-implemented system for instant messaging, comprising:

means for generating an active chat sessions list (ASL); and

means for displaying said ASL.

8. The system of claim 7 further including means for providing entries in said ASL for each message from a plurality of communicants ordered by a user-selected criteria.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said criteria is time of receipt of each said message not responded-to by said user.

10. The system of claim 9 further including means for providing a chat window pop-up upon receipt of said each message, and means for user-selectable disabling of said chat window pop-up.

11. The system of claim 9 further including first hot-key means for displaying said ASL.

12. The system of claim 11 further including second hot-key means for displaying a chat window corresponding to said each of said entries in said ASL.

13. A computer program product stored on a computer operable media, the computer program product comprising:

code means for generating a first list of indicators corresponding to a first set of windows;

code means for generating a second list of indicators of windows comprising a subset of said first list of indicators; and

code means for displaying said second list of indicators.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 including code means for selecting an indicator from said second list of indicators;

and

code means for displaying a window in response to said selecting corresponding to said selected indicator.

15. A computer program product stored on a computer operable media comprising:

code means for generating an active chat sessions list (ASL); and

code means for displaying said ASL.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 further including code means for providing entries in said ASL for each message from a plurality of communicants ordered by a user-selected criteria.

17. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein said criteria is time of receipt of each said message not responded-to by said user.

18. The computer program product of claim 17 further including code means for providing an indicator upon receipt of said each message selected from the group comprising an aural and tactile indicator.

19. The computer program product of claim 18 further providing code means for generating a chat window pop-up upon receipt of said each message, and code means for user-selectable disabling of said chat window pop-up.

20. The system of claim 19 further including code means responsive to a first hot key for displaying said ASL.