Methods and apparatus for managing and distinguishing instant messaging sessions and threads

• US 20060248150A1
• Filed: 04/29/2005
• Published: 11/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: AirBNB Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Pickover, Clifford Alan, Wisniewski, Robert W., Chaar, Jarir Kamel, Keller, Neal Martin
• Application Number:
  US11/118,552
• Publication Number:
  US 20060248150A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]

Abstract

A method of managing instant messaging communication over a computer network is provided. One or more instant messaging session windows are organized in an instant messaging session manager. At least one distinguishing session characteristic is attributed to each of the one or more instant messaging session windows. The at least one distinguishing session characteristic is at least one of a sound clip associated with a user of the session, an instant messaging session window background associated with a user of the session, and a change in at least one of a color and an intensity of the instant messaging session window. The at least one distinguishing session characteristic increases a likelihood of identification of each of the one or more instant messaging session windows.

Claims

1. A method of managing instant messaging communication over a computer network, comprising the steps of:

organizing one or more instant messaging session windows in an instant messaging session manager; and

attributing at least one distinguishing session characteristic to each of the one or more instant messaging session windows, wherein the at least one distinguishing session characteristic comprises at least one of a sound clip associated with a user of the session, a background of an instant messaging session window associated with a user of the session, and a change in at least one of a color and an intensity of the instant messaging session window;

wherein the at least one distinguishing session characteristic increases a likelihood of identification of each of the one or more instant messaging session windows.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of organizing one or more instant messaging session windows comprises the step of displaying one or more existing instant messaging sessions in the instant messaging session manager.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of organizing one or more instant messaging session windows comprises the step of displaying one or more users in the instant messaging session manager for initiation of a new instant messaging session window.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of attributing at least one distinguishing session characteristic comprises the steps of:

displaying a menu of instant messaging session characteristics; and

selecting at least one of the instant messaging characteristics to be attributed to an instant messaging session.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of attributing at least one distinguishing session characteristic comprises the step of playing a sound clip associated with a user with whom the instant messaging session provides a communication link.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of attributing at least one distinguishing session characteristic comprises the step of attributing a watermark associated with a user with whom the instant messaging session provides a communication link as the background of the instant messaging session window.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of attributing at least one distinguishing session characteristic comprises the step of changing the intensity of the color displayed for an instant messaging session window as time increases between instant messages.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of attributing at least one distinguishing session characteristic comprises the step of attributing a unique font, size and color to text of a instant messaging session.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of organizing one or more instant messaging sessions comprises displaying a confirmation that an instant message is being sent to an intended user before an instant message is sent.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the confirmation comprises at least one of a picture associated with the user and a sound clip associated with the user.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

organizing one or more instant messaging threads in each instant messaging session window; and

attributing at least one distinguishing thread characteristic to each of the one or more instant messaging threads;

wherein the at least one distinguishing thread characteristic increases a likelihood of identification of each of the one or more instant messaging threads.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of organizing one or more instant messaging session threads comprises the step of displaying one or more instant messaging session threads in an instant messaging session window.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of attributing at least one distinguishing thread characteristic comprises the steps of:

displaying a menu of thread characteristics; and

selecting at least one of the thread characteristics to be attributed to an instant messaging session thread.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the thread characteristics comprise at least one of name, font, color and size.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of organizing one or more instant messaging session threads comprises displaying a thread menu comprising at least one of a new message option, a modify characteristic option, a confirm active option, a deactivate thread option, a name thread option, and an autoname thread option.

16. Apparatus for transmitting managing instant messaging communication over a computer network, comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory and operative to;

organize one or more instant messaging session windows in an instant messaging session manager; and

attribute at least one distinguishing session characteristic to each of the one or more instant messaging session windows, wherein the at least one distinguishing session characteristic comprises at least one of a sound clip associated with a user of the session, an instant messaging session window background associated with a user of the session, and a change in at least one of a color and an intensity of the instant messaging session window;

wherein the at least one distinguishing session characteristic increases a likelihood of identification of each of the one or more instant messaging session windows.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the operation of organizing one or more instant messaging session windows comprises the operation of displaying one or more existing instant messaging sessions in the instant messaging session manager.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the at least one processor is further operative to:

organize one or more instant messaging threads in each instant messaging session window; and

attribute at least one distinguishing thread characteristic to each of the one or more instant messaging threads;

wherein the at least one distinguishing thread characteristic increases a likelihood of identification of each of the one or more instant messaging threads.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the operation of organizing one or more instant messaging session threads comprises the operation of displaying one or more instant messaging session threads in an instant messaging session window.

20. An article of manufacture for managing instant messaging communication over a computer network, comprising a machine readable medium containing one or more programs which when executed implement the steps of:

organizing one or more instant messaging session windows in an instant messaging session manager; and

attributing at least one distinguishing session characteristic to each of the one or more instant messaging session windows, wherein the at least one distinguishing session characteristic comprises at least one of a sound clip associated with a user of the session, an instant messaging session window background associated with a user of the session, and a change in at least one of a color and an intensity of the instant messaging session window;

wherein the at least one distinguishing session characteristic increases a likelihood of identification of each of the one or more instant messaging session windows.