System and method enabling interactive electronic mail and real-time messaging

• US 20060168026A1
• Filed: 12/16/2004
• Published: 07/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company), International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Keohane, Susann Marie, McBrearty, Gerald Francis, Shieh, Johnny Meng-Han, Mullen, Shawn Patrick, Murillo, Jessica
• Granted Patent: US 7,512,659 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]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/234 for tracking messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services

Abstract

A system, method, and computer program product for managing e-mail and real-time messaging activity between a first client and a second client. In accordance with one embodiment, the method includes the first or second client detecting an n^th e-mail thread response to an original e-mail message delivered between the first client and second client, wherein n is greater than or equal to one. In response to detecting occurrence of an n^th e-mail thread response, a real-time electronic messaging session is invoked between the first and second clients. In an alternate embodiment of the invention, the first client sends a real-time message to the second client during a real-time messaging session between the first and second clients. In response to a specified real-time messaging session termination event, an e-mail message containing the sent real-time message is sent to the second client.

Claims

1. A method for use in a data processing system for managing e-mail and real-time messaging activity between a first client and a second client, said method comprising:

detecting an n^th e-mail thread response to an original e-mail message delivered between said first client and said second client, wherein n is greater than or equal to one; and

responsive to said detecting occurrence of an n^th e-mail thread response, invoking a real-time electronic messaging session between said first client and said second client.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said detecting an n^th e-mail thread response further comprises detecting n e-mail thread responses to the original e-mail message over a specified period.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said n^th e-mail thread response is an e-mail reply response issued from either a first e-mail client within said first client or a second e-mail client within said second client.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said invoking a real-time electronic messaging session comprises invoking a real-time messaging client application on said first client or said second client.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said data processing system includes an operating system that manages execution of an e-mail client and a real-time electronic messaging client, said invoking a real-time electronic messaging comprising processing an application program interface call from said operating system to said real-time electronic messaging client.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said invoking a real-time electronic messaging session between said first client and said second client comprises activating an instant messaging session between said first client and said second client, said activating an instant messaging session including storing instant messaging session correspondence in a session file within said first client or said second client, said method further comprising associating the content of said e-mail thread with said session file.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said detecting an n^th e-mail thread response comprises detecting n reply messages to an e-mail message thread originating with said original e-mail message.

8. The method of claim 7, said detecting n reply messages to an e-mail thread comprising:

within said first client or said second client;

detecting a total number of reply messages in association with said e-mail thread; and

comparing the detected total number of reply messages to a specified threshold corresponding to a number m, wherein m is less than or equal to n.

9. A computer-readable medium having encoded thereon computer-executable instructions for managing e-mail and real-time messaging activity between a first client and a second client, said computer-executable instructions performing a method comprising:

detecting an n^th e-mail thread response to an original e-mail message delivered between said first client and said second client, wherein n is greater than or equal to one; and

responsive to said detecting occurrence of an n^th e-mail thread response, invoking a real-time electronic messaging session between said first client and said second client.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein said detecting an n^th e-mail thread response further comprises detecting n e-mail thread responses to the original e-mail message over a specified period.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein said n^th e-mail thread response is an e-mail reply response issued from either a first e-mail client within said first client or a second e-mail client within said second client.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein said invoking a real-time electronic messaging session comprises invoking a real-time messaging client application on said first client or said second client.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein said data processing system includes an operating system that manages execution of an e-mail client and a real-time electronic messaging client, said invoking a real-time electronic messaging comprising processing an application program interface call from said operating system to said real-time electronic messaging client.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein said invoking a real-time electronic messaging session between said first client and said second client comprises activating an instant messaging session between said first client and said second client, said activating an instant messaging session including storing instant messaging session correspondence in a session file within said first client or said second client, said method further comprising associating the content of said e-mail thread with said session file.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein said detecting an n^th e-mail thread response comprises detecting n reply messages to an e-mail message thread originating with said original e-mail message.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, said detecting n reply messages to an e-mail thread comprising:

within said first client or said second client;

detecting a total number of reply messages in association with said e-mail thread; and

comparing the detected total number of reply messages to a specified threshold corresponding to a number m, wherein m is less than or equal to n.

17. A method for use in a data processing system for managing e-mail and real-time messaging activity between a first client and a second client, said method comprising:

within a first client;

sending a real-time message to a second client during a real-time messaging session between said first client and said second client; and

sending an e-mail message containing said sent real-time message to said second client responsive to a specified real-time messaging session termination event.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said real-time messaging session termination event comprises said second client failing to deliver a real-time message to said first client during said real-time messaging session for a specified period.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising detecting said real-time messaging session termination event within said first client.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said detecting said real-time messaging session termination event comprises tracking a period from a time mark from which said first client sent said real-time message to said second client.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein said real-time messaging session termination event comprises said first client or said second client terminating said real-time messaging session.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein said real-time messaging session is an instant messaging session between said first client and said second client, and wherein said first client generates a session file containing a record of the instant messaging correspondence between said first client and said second client, said method further comprising associating the contents of said session file with said delivered e-mail message.

23. A computer-readable medium having encoded thereon computer-executable instructions for managing e-mail and real-time messaging activity between a first client and a second client, said computer-executable instructions performing a method comprising:

within a first client;

sending a real-time message to a second client during a real-time messaging session between said first client and said second client; and

sending an e-mail message containing said sent real-time message to said second client responsive to a specified real-time messaging session termination event.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein said real-time messaging session termination event comprises said second client failing to deliver a real-time message to said first client during said real-time messaging session for a specified period.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, further comprising detecting said real-time messaging session termination event within said first client.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein said detecting said real-time messaging session termination event comprises tracking a period from a time mark from which said first client sent said real-time message to said second client.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein said real-time messaging session termination event comprises said first client or said second client terminating said real-time messaging session.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein said real-time messaging session is an instant messaging session between said first client and said second client, and wherein said first client generates a session file containing a record of the instant messaging correspondence between said first client and said second client, said method further comprising associating the contents of said session file with said delivered e-mail message.

29. A method for managing e-mail and instant messaging, comprising automatically sending, to a given recipient, an e-mail message containing contents of an instant message if a reply to the instant message was not received from the given recipient within a given duration of time.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising detecting the elapse of said given duration of time.

31. A method for managing e-mail and instant messaging, comprising automatically opening an instant messaging session with at least two participants to a given e-mail message if a threshold number of subsequent replies are made to the given email message within a specified time.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising determining that a threshold number of replies have been received by one or both of said at least two participants within said specified time.