Method and system for providing blended synchronous/asynchronous messaging

• US 20070002825A1
• Filed: 05/31/2005
• Published: 01/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Heidloff, Niklas, O'Brien, Michael, Klouda, Gregory, Galvin, James
• Granted Patent: US 8,306,056 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/351
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression

Abstract

A system for blending synchronous and asynchronous computer communication applications that determines when a user of a synchronous communication application, such as an instant messaging application, attempts to send a message to another user that is unavailable for synchronous communications, and that forwards the message from the synchronous communication application to an asynchronous communication application for delivery. The forwarded message may be an email message, and the system may operate to determine a destination electronic mail address of the destination user for inclusion in the forwarded message, and include an indication in the forwarded message that it has been forwarded from the synchronous communication application. This indication enables the asynchronous communication application to perform special processing when the receiving user retrieves the forwarded message from the asynchronous communication application. The special processing may include automatically determining whether the sending user is currently available for synchronous communications, and, if so, providing a synchronous communication session between the receiving user and the sending user. If the sending user is not currently available for synchronous communications, the receiving user is provided with the option of responding to the forwarded message using the asynchronous communication application.

Claims

1. A method of blending synchronous and asynchronous computer communication applications, comprising:

determining that a first user has sent a message to a second user through a synchronous communication application;

determining whether said second user is currently unavailable for synchronous communications; and

in the event that said second user is currently unavailable for synchronous communications, forwarding said message from said synchronous communication application to an asynchronous communication application for delivery to said second user through said asynchronous communication application.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said forwarding said message from said synchronous communication application to said asynchronous communication application further comprises determining an identifier associated with said second user for use as a destination address of said message in said asynchronous communication application.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said asynchronous communication application is an electronic mail application, and wherein said identifier is an electronic mail address associated with said second user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said forwarding said message from said synchronous communication application to said asynchronous communication application further comprises including in said message an indication that said message has been forwarded from said synchronous communication application, such that said asynchronous communication application can subsequently identify said message as having been forwarded from said synchronous communication application.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

said second user retrieving said forwarded message from said asynchronous communication application; and

initiating a synchronous communication session between said second user and said first user in response to said second user retrieving said forwarded message from said asynchronous communication application.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said initiating said synchronous communication session between said second user and said first user is further responsive to said second user requesting said synchronous communication through a user interface feature provided by said asynchronous communication application.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said initiating said synchronous communication session between said second user and said first user is further responsive to said determining that said first user is currently available for synchronous communications.

8. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

said second user retrieving said forwarded message from said asynchronous communication application;

determining that said first user is currently unavailable for synchronous communications; and

responsive to said retrieving said forwarded message and said determining said first user is currently unavailable for synchronous communications, enabling said second user to respond to said forwarded message by sending a response message to said first user through said asynchronous communication system.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said second user is determined to be currently unavailable for synchronous communications if said second user is currently offline.

10. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

detecting said forwarded message in an received message structure maintained by said asynchronous communication application;

determining whether said first user is available for synchronous communication; and

automatically establishing a synchronous communication session between said second user and said first user in response to said detecting said forwarded message in said received message structure and said determination that said first user is available for synchronous communication.

11. A system having a computer readable medium, said computer readable medium having a computer program for blending synchronous and asynchronous computer communication applications stored therein, said computer program comprising:

program code for determining that a first user has sent a message to a second user through a synchronous communication application;

program code for determining whether said second user is currently unavailable for synchronous communications; and

program code for, in the event that said second user is currently unavailable for synchronous communications, forwarding said message from said synchronous communication application to an asynchronous communication application for delivery to said second user through said asynchronous communication application.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said program code for forwarding said message from said synchronous communication application to said asynchronous communication application further comprises program code for determining an identifier associated with said second user for use as a destination address of said message in said asynchronous communication application.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said asynchronous communication application is an electronic mail application, and wherein said identifier is an electronic mail address associated with said second user.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein said program code for forwarding said message from said synchronous communication application to said asynchronous communication application further comprises program code for including in said message an indication that said message has been forwarded from said synchronous communication application, such that said asynchronous communication application can subsequently identify said message as having been forwarded from said synchronous communication application.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

program code for determining that said second user has retrieved said forwarded message from said asynchronous communication application; and

program code operable to initiate a synchronous communication session between said second user and said first user in response to said second user retrieving said forwarded message from said asynchronous communication application.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said program code for initiating said synchronous communication session between said second user and said first user is further responsive to said second user requesting said synchronous communication session through a user interface feature provided by said asynchronous communication application.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein said program code for initiating said synchronous communication session between said second user and said first user is further responsive to said determining that said first user is currently available for synchronous communications.

18. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

program code operable to determine that said second user has retrieved said forwarded message from said asynchronous communication application;

program code operable to determine that said first user is currently unavailable for synchronous communications; and

program code, responsive to said retrieving said forwarded message and said determining said first user is currently unavailable for synchronous communications, operable to enable said second user to respond to said forwarded message by sending a response message to said first user through said asynchronous communication system.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein said second user is determined to be currently unavailable for synchronous communications if said second user is currently offline.

20. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

program code for detecting said forwarded message in an received message structure maintained by said asynchronous communication application;

program code for determining whether said first user is available for synchronous communication; and

program code for automatically establishing a synchronous communication session between said second user and said first user in response to said detecting said forwarded message in said received message structure and said determination that said first user is available for synchronous communication.

21. A computer program product having a computer readable medium, said computer readable medium having a computer program for blending synchronous and asynchronous computer communication applications stored thereon, said computer program comprising:

program code for determining that a first user has sent a message to a second user through a synchronous communication application;

program code for determining whether said second user is currently unavailable for synchronous communications; and

program code for, in the event that said second user is currently unavailable for synchronous communications, forwarding said message from said synchronous communication application to an asynchronous communication application for delivery to said second user through said asynchronous communication application.

22. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave, said computer data signal including at least one computer program for blending synchronous and asynchronous computer communication applications stored thereon, said computer program comprising:

program code for determining that a first user has sent a message to a second user through a synchronous communication application;

program code for determining whether said second user is currently unavailable for synchronous communications; and

program code for, in the event that said second user is currently unavailable for synchronous communications, forwarding said message from said synchronous communication application to an asynchronous communication application for delivery to said second user through said asynchronous communication application.

23. A system for blending synchronous and asynchronous computer communication applications stored thereon, comprising:

means for determining that a first user has sent a message to a second user through a synchronous communication application;

means for determining whether said second user is currently unavailable for synchronous communications; and

means for, in the event that said second user is currently unavailable for synchronous communications, forwarding said message from said synchronous communication application to an asynchronous communication application for delivery to said second user through said asynchronous communication application.