METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING CONTACT MANAGEMENT TO CHAT SESSION PARTICIPANTS

• US 20070234216A1
• Filed: 06/11/2007
• Published: 10/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Fitzpatrick, Gregory, Wu, Frederick
• Granted Patent: US 8,056,011 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/733
• 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

The present invention provides a method and system for providing contact management to participants engaged in a communication session. The invention permits chat session participants to a communication session to determine common contacts that exists between the chat session participants. Dependent on the accessibility of the particular chat session participants'"'"' contact list, other chat session participants to the communication session can view the information located in the contact list. Moreover, a particular chat session participant to the communication session can give either a particular chat session participant or all the chat session participants to the communication session permission to modify their contact list. Permission to access or modify contact lists for chat session participants can be defined prior to establishment of the communication session and/or changed during the communication session. Changes relating to whether a particular contact list is accessible and/or modifiable can be initiated by the chat session participant associated with the contact list. Additionally, such changes can be initiated by a request from a chat session participants to modify the contact records in a particular contact list. The invention can be applicable to systems which can include, but is not limited to, chat rooms, instant messaging, and call conferencing.

Claims

1. A GUI for providing contact management for chat session participants, comprising:

a chat display window for displaying a first chat session participant and a second chat session participant engaged in a chat session; and

at least one contact window for displaying contact information for at least one chat session participant engaged in said chat session.

2. The GUI according to claim 1, wherein said at least one contact window is a window pane within said chat display window.

3. The GUI according to claim 2, wherein said at least one contact window is a window pane external to said chat display window.

4. The GUI according to claim 1, further comprising a first modifiable status icon which indicates whether said first contact list is accessible and, if said first contact list is accessible, whether said first contact list is modifiable.

5. The GUI according to claim 1, further comprising a second status icon which indicates whether said second contact list is accessible and, if said second contact list is accessible, whether said second contact list is modifiable.