APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR INSTANT MESSAGING COLLABORATION

• US 20080155020A1
• Filed: 02/28/2008
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Nicholls, Geoffrey D., Beauchamp, Tim J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,402,095 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]

Abstract

An apparatus and method for instant message transmission includes a message center coupled to one or more servers and to an event engine by a network. An instant message is transmitted to the message center by the event engine over the network. An algorithm determines the optimum path for the transmission of the instant message. Users may share identical data via instant messaging, and may make changes to the data as it is streamed in real-time to designated users over the network. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. 37 CFR 1.72(b)

Claims

1. A method for conducting instant message transmission in a system that includes an event engine coupled to an enterprise computing runtime environment and to a message center through a network, comprising:

transmitting a message from the event engine to the network, the message containing data synchronized in real-time to data in the enterprise computing runtime environment;

determining whether the data is to be transmitted instantly to at least one user coupled to the message center via the network; and

sending an instant message containing the data to the at least one user through at least one server coupled to the message center through the network.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining, by the at least one server, an optimum path for sending the instant message.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising tracking a logon state of the at least one user.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

maintaining a list of users that includes the at least one user in the message center that are eligible for communication by instant message transmission; and

resolving an e-mail address associated with the one or more users from the list of users.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the optimum path is provided through a mail server.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the optimum path is provided through a MicrosoftQY instant messaging server.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein the optimum path is provided through a proprietary server.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising providing encryption for the instant message transmission through the proprietary server.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the proprietary server allows for the farming out of instant message transmission to back-up servers, the back-up servers providing for instant message transmission to the one or more users.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

establishing a direct connection to the at least one user; and

sending the instant message to the at least one user via the direction connection.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising sharing the data contained in the instant message in real-time between the at least one user and another user, the data displayed among the one or more users through identical computer screen images of the data.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising displaying the shared data on an screen image presented to the at least one user and the another user;

making changes to the shared data by the another user;

streaming the changes to the shared data in real-time to the at least one user via instant message transmission.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the changes are made utilizing a pen-type device.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the network is a Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) network.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the network includes the Internet.