Managing the delivery of queued instant messages

• US 20060242246A1
• Filed: 04/20/2005
• Published: 10/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Lyle, Ruthie D., Daniels, Fonda J.
• Application Number:
  US11/110,239
• Publication Number:
  US 20060242246A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

A method and apparatus for managing the delivery of instant messages in a queue. The method can include designating a recipient of a composed instant message. Responsive to determining that the recipient is in a state in which the recipient is not receiving instant messages, the composed instant message can be queued for deferred delivery. Subsequently, a state change can be detected in the recipient. Finally, responsive to the detection, the queued instant message can be forwarded to the recipient.

Claims

1. A method for managing the delivery of instant messages in a queue comprising the steps of:

designating a recipient of a composed instant message;

responsive to determining that said recipient is in a state in which said recipient is not receiving instant messages, queuing said composed instant message for deferred delivery;

detecting a state change in said recipient; and

,

responsive to said detection, forwarding said queued instant message to said recipient.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said forwarding step comprises the step of responsive to detecting a termination of an instant messaging session by said recipient, prompting a sender of said instant message to discard said queued instant message.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said forwarding step comprises the step of responsive to detecting a termination of an instant messaging session by said recipient, prompting a sender of said instant message to save said queued instant message for delivery upon said recipient establishing a new instant message session.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said forwarding step comprises the step of responsive to detecting a termination of an instant messaging system by said recipient, prompting a sender of said instant message to convert said queued instant message to one of an e-mail and a voice mail for delivery to said recipient.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said forwarding step comprises the step of responsive to detecting a termination of an instant messaging system by said recipient, prompting a sender of said instant message to send said queued instant message despite said termination.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said forwarding step comprises the step of responsive to detecting said recipient changing to a state in which said recipient is receiving instant messages, prompting a sender of said instant message to discard said queued instant message.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said forwarding step comprises the step of responsive to detecting said recipient changing to a state in which said recipient is receiving instant messages, prompting a sender of said instant message to send said queued instant message to said recipient.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said forwarding step comprises the step of responsive to detecting said recipient changing to a state in which said recipient is receiving instant messages, prompting a sender of said instant message to review and edit said queued instant message before sending said queued instant message to said recipient.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of responsive to detecting a termination of an instant messaging system by a sender of said queued instant message, prompting a sender of said instant message to discard said queued instant message.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of responsive to detecting a termination of an instant messaging system by a sender of said queued instant message, prompting a sender of said instant message to convert said queued instant message to one of an e-mail and a voice mail for delivery to said recipient.

11. A machine readable storage having stored thereon a computer program for managing the delivery of instant messages in a queue, the computer program comprising a routine set of instructions which when executed by a machine causes the machine to perform the steps of:

designating a recipient of a composed instant message;

responsive to determining that said recipient is in a state in which said recipient is not receiving instant messages, queuing said composed instant message for deferred delivery;

detecting a state change in said recipient; and

,

responsive to said detection, forwarding said queued instant message to said recipient.

12. The machine readable storage of claim 11, wherein said forwarding step comprises the step of responsive to detecting a termination of an instant messaging session by said recipient, prompting a sender of said instant message to discard said queued instant message.

13. The machine readable storage of claim 11, wherein said forwarding step comprises the step of responsive to detecting a termination of an instant messaging session by said recipient, prompting a sender of said instant message to save said queued instant message for delivery upon said recipient establishing a new instant message session.

14. The machine readable storage of claim 11, wherein said forwarding step comprises the step of responsive to detecting a termination of an instant messaging system by said recipient, prompting a sender of said instant message to convert said queued instant message to one of an e-mail and a voice mail for delivery to said recipient.

15. The machine readable storage of claim 11, wherein said forwarding step comprises the step of responsive to detecting a termination of an instant messaging system by said recipient, prompting a sender of said instant message to send said queued instant message despite said termination.

16. The machine readable storage of claim 11, wherein said forwarding step comprises the step of responsive to detecting said recipient changing to a state in which said recipient is receiving instant messages, prompting a sender of said instant message to discard said queued instant message.

17. The machine readable storage of claim 11, wherein said forwarding step comprises the step of responsive to detecting said recipient changing to a state in which said recipient is receiving instant messages, prompting a sender of said instant message to send said queued instant message to said recipient.

18. The machine readable storage of claim 11, wherein said forwarding step comprises the step of responsive to detecting said recipient changing to a state in which said recipient is receiving instant messages, prompting a sender of said instant message to review and edit said queued instant message before sending said queued instant message to said recipient.

19. The machine readable storage of claim 11, further comprising an additional set of instructions which when executed by the machine causes the machine to further perform the step of responsive to detecting a termination of an instant messaging system by a sender of said queued instant message, prompting a sender of said instant message to discard said queued instant message.

20. The machine readable storage of claim 11, further comprising an additional set of instructions which when executed by the machine causes the machine to further perform the step of responsive to detecting a termination of an instant messaging system by a sender of said queued instant message, prompting a sender of said instant message to convert said queued instant message to one of an e-mail and a voice mail for delivery to said recipient.