METHODS AND DEVICES FOR INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF USERS IN A CONVERSATION OVER A COMMUNICATION NETWORK

• US 20110106902A1
• Filed: 01/11/2011
• Published: 05/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: 3jam, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Chu, Enlai, Jagoe, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 8,571,592 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1818 Conference organisation arrangements, e.g. handling schedules, setting up parameters needed by nodes to attend a conference, booking network resources, notifying involved parties
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/5063 Centrally initiated conference, i.e. Conference server dials participants computer conference organisation arrangements H04L12/1818
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/652 Call initiation triggered by text message
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15

Abstract

Methods and devices are disclosed for including a plurality of users in a conversation over a communication network. A conversation is initiated when a text message is received requesting the conversation. A conversation is established using conversation gateways currently unused by users to be included in the conversation. Communication may occur across gateways in order to conserve conversation gateway resources.

Claims

1. A method of including a plurality of users in a conversation over a communication network, the method comprising:

receiving a request to create a conversation;

creating a conversation identifier according to the request;

receiving a plurality of lists of conversation gateways currently unused by the plurality of users;

selecting a plurality of conversation gateways to be used by the plurality of users for the conversation, the plurality of selected conversation gateways being selected according to the plurality of lists of currently unused conversation gateways; and

associating the plurality of selected conversation gateways and the plurality of users with the conversation identifier.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the receiving of a request comprises receiving a payload comprising an encoded version of a plurality of identifiers according to the plurality of users.

3. The method as set forth in claim 2, wherein the receiving of a request further comprises receiving an initial message from a requesting user.

4. The method as set forth in claim 2, wherein the plurality of identifiers comprises a plurality of names and numbers according to the plurality of users, the plurality of names and numbers being received from an address book on a telephone of the requesting user.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the conversation comprises a collection of messages, the method further comprising transmitting a first message of the conversation to the plurality of users over the plurality of selected conversation gateways.

6. The method as set forth in claim 5, further comprising:

receiving at least one message from a selected conversation gateway; and

transmitting the at least one message to the plurality of users over a remainder of the plurality of selected conversation gateways.

7. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of users comprises at least a first user and a second user;

the first user uses a first conversation gateway; and

the second user uses a second conversation gateway, the second conversation gateway being different from the first conversation gateway.

8. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising notifying a user of an attempt to include the user in a conversation when the user has no unused conversation gateways.

9. The method as set forth in claim 8, wherein the notifying comprises communicating with the user over a reserved conversation gateway adapted to communicate with the user when the user has no unused conversation gateways.

10. A conversation communication system for including a plurality of users in a conversation over a communication network, the system comprising:

a communication interface adapted to communicate with the plurality of users over the communication network;

a conversation manager adapted to communicate with the communication interface and to receive from the communication interface a plurality of lists of conversation gateways currently unused by the plurality of users;

a conversation gateway selector adapted to select a plurality of conversation gateways according to the plurality of lists of unused conversation gateways; and

a mapper adapted to associate the plurality of selected conversation gateways and the plurality of users with the conversation identifier.

11. The system as set forth in claim 10, wherein:

the conversation comprises a collection of messages; and

the conversation manager is further adapted to transmit a first message of the conversation to the plurality of users over the plurality of selected conversation gateways.

12. The system as set forth in claim 11, wherein the conversation manager is further adapted to:

receive through the communication interface at least one message from a selected conversation gateway from at least one user; and

transmit the at least one message to the plurality of users through the communication interface over the plurality of selected conversation gateways.

13. The system as set forth in claim 10, wherein the conversation manager is further adapted to:

communicate over the communication interface with a first user using a first conversation gateway; and

communicate over the communication interface with a second user using a second conversation gateway, the second conversation gateway being different from the first conversation gateway.

14. The system as set forth in claim 10, wherein the conversation manager is further adapted to notify a user of an attempt to begin a conversation involving the user when the user has no unused conversation gateways.

15. The system as set forth in claim 14, further comprising a reserved conversation gateway adapted to communicate with a user when the user has no unused conversation gateways.

16. A computer adapted to include a plurality of users in a conversation over a communication network, the computer comprising:

a processor adapted to execute software programs;

memory communicative with the processor, the memory being adapted to store software programs and data according to the conversation;

a communication interface adapted to communicate with the processor and with the plurality of users over the communication network;

a conversation manager software program adapted to cause the processor to;

create and store in memory a conversation identifier according to the conversation; and

receive a plurality of lists of conversation gateways currently unused by the plurality of users;

a conversation gateway selector software program adapted to cause the processor to select a plurality of conversation gateways according to the plurality of lists of unused conversation gateways; and

a mapper software program adapted to cause the processor to associate the selected plurality of conversation gateways with the conversation identifier.

17. The computer as set forth in claim 16, wherein:

the conversation comprises a collection of messages; and

the conversation manager software program is further adapted to cause the processor to transmit a first message of the conversation to the plurality of users over the plurality of selected conversation gateways.

18. The computer as set forth in claim 17, wherein the conversation manager software program is further adapted to:

receive through the communication interface at least one message from a selected conversation gateway from at least one user; and

transmit the at least one message to the plurality of users through the communication interface over the plurality of selected conversation gateways.

19. The computer as set forth in claim 16, wherein the conversation manager software program is further adapted to cause the processor to:

communicate over the communication interface with a first user using a first conversation gateway; and

communicate over the communication interface with a second user using a second conversation gateway, the second conversation gateway being different from the first conversation gateway.

20. The computer as set forth in claim 16, wherein the conversation manager software program is further adapted to cause the processor to notify a user of an attempt to begin a conversation involving the user when the user has no unused conversation gateways.