METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR TIME-LIMITATION SETTINGS IN COMMUNICATION SESSIONS

• US 20110161507A1
• Filed: 12/31/2009
• Published: 06/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: O'SULLIVAN, PATRICK JOSEPH, Willner, Barry E., Harpur, Liam
• Application Number:
  US12/650,674
• Publication Number:
  US 20110161507A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/28 Timers or timing mechanisms used in protocols

Abstract

A method and computer program product includes initiating an instant messaging session on one or more communication devices. A first time-limitation setting for the instant messaging session based upon a user identification may be received. The first time-limitation setting may represent a maximum duration for the instant messaging session. A second time-limitation setting for the instant messaging session based upon the user identification may also be received. The second time-limitation setting may represent a minimum time between one or more instant messaging sessions. The instant messaging session may be terminated if the duration of the instant messaging session exceeds the first time-limitation setting. A subsequent instant messaging session may be prevented if the time between the instant messaging session and the subsequent communication does not exceed the second time-limitation setting.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

initiating an instant messaging session on one or more communication devices;

receiving a first time-limitation setting for the instant messaging session based upon a user identification, the first time-limitation setting representing a maximum duration for the instant messaging session;

receiving a second time-limitation setting for the instant messaging session based upon the user identification, the second time-limitation setting representing a minimum time between one or more instant messaging sessions;

terminating the instant messaging session if the duration of the instant messaging session exceeds the first time-limitation setting; and

preventing initiation of a subsequent instant messaging session if the time between the instant messaging session and the subsequent instant messaging session does not exceed the second time-limitation setting.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein one or more of the instant messaging session and the subsequent instant messaging session include one or more of:

a video chat session; and

an audio chat session.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein one or more of the first time-limitation setting and the second time-limitation setting are based upon a user identification for a class of users.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein one or more of the first time-limitation setting and the second time-limitation setting are based upon an organizational position of a user associated with the user identification.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein one or more of the first time-limitation setting and the second time-limitation setting is based upon a weighting of the user identification, the weighting corresponding to a type of user associated with the user identification.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein one or more of the first time-limitation setting and the second time-limitation setting is based upon a distance between two or more instant messaging session participants in a social networking graph.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein one or more of the first time-limitation setting and the second time-limitation setting is based upon a policy of a business organization.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying one or more of the first time-limitation setting and the second time-limitation setting on a computer display.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising overriding one or more of the first time-limitation setting and the second time-limitation setting based upon the user identification and one or more time-limitation settings set by the user associated with the user identification.

10. A computer program product, residing on a computer readable storage device, having a plurality of instructions stored thereon, which, when execute by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

initiating an instant messaging session on one or more communication devices;

receiving a first time-limitation setting for the instant messaging session based upon a user identification, the first time-limitation setting representing a maximum duration for the instant messaging session;

receiving a second time-limitation setting for the instant messaging session based upon the user identification, the second time-limitation setting representing a minimum time between one or more instant messaging sessions;

terminating the instant messaging session if the duration of the instant messaging session exceeds the first time-limitation setting; and

preventing initiation of a subsequent instant messaging session if the time between the instant messaging session and the subsequent instant messaging session does not exceed the second time-limitation setting.

11. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein one or more of the instant messaging session and the subsequent instant messaging session include one or more of:

a video chat session; and

an audio chat session.

12. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein one or more of the first time-limitation setting and the second time-limitation setting are based upon a user identification for a class of users.

13. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein one or more of the first time-limitation setting and the second time-limitation setting are based upon an organizational position of a user associated with the user identification.

14. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein one or more of the first time-limitation setting and the second time-limitation setting is based upon a weighting of the user identification, the weighting corresponding to a type of a user associated with the user identification.

15. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein one or more of the first time-limitation setting and the second time-limitation setting is based upon a distance between two or more instant messaging session participants in a social networking graph.

16. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein one or more of the first time-limitation setting and the second time-limitation setting is based upon a policy of a business organization.

17. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein the operations further comprise displaying one or more of the first time-limitation setting and the second time-limitation setting on a computer display.

18. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein the operations further comprise overriding one or more of the first time-limitation setting and the second time-limitation setting based upon the user identification and one or more time-limitation settings set by the user associated with the user identification.