Exporting an Email Thread to a Persistent Chat Room

• US 20130031185A1
• Filed: 07/27/2011
• Published: 01/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wyatt, Denise
• Granted Patent: US 8,903,922 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads

Abstract

A method, an apparatus and computer readable storage media facilitate establishing an email thread utilizing an email application used by a client device that communicates with other client devices across a network, where the email thread includes at least one email circulated to a group of users over the network relating to a discussion topic. The email application is linked with a synchronous communication application so as to establish a real-time discussion between at least some of the users of the group in relation to the topic utilizing the synchronous communication application and so that each email of the email thread is accessible via a graphical user interface associated with the synchronous communication application.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

establishing an email thread utilizing an email application used by a client device that communicates with other client devices across a network, the email thread comprising at least one email circulated to a group of users over the network relating to a discussion topic; and

linking the email application with a synchronous communication application so as to establish a real-time discussion between at least some of the users of the group in relation to the topic utilizing the synchronous communication application and so that each email of the email thread is accessible via a graphical user interface associated with the synchronous communication application.

2. The method of claim 1, and further comprising inviting users from the group to engage in the real-time discussion utilizing the synchronous communication application.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein an invitation to engage in the real-time discussion is sent to the invited users via an email utilizing the email application.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the number of invited users is less than the total number of users within the group.

5. The method of claim 1, and further comprising deleting each email of the email thread from the email application after providing access to each email of the email thread via the graphical user interface associated with the synchronous communication application.

6. The method of claim 1, and further comprising identifying each email of the email thread based upon content within a subject matter field of each email.

7. The method of claim 1, and further comprising sending an alert message utilizing the email application to any user that sends an email to other users of the group in relation to the discussion topic after establishing a real-time discussion utilizing the synchronous communication application.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the synchronous communication application is integrated with the email application.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the real-time discussion comprises instant messaging between users of the group.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the real-time discussion comprises video conferencing between users of the group.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a network interface device configured to enable communications over a network;

a memory configured to store instructions for;

an email application to facilitate email communications between client devices over the network;

a synchronous communication application to facilitate a real-time discussion between client devices; and

an email to synchronous communication application to link the email application with the synchronous communication application; and

a processor configured with logic to execute and control operations of the email application, the synchronous communication application and the email to synchronous communication application so as to;

establish an email thread of the email application, the email thread comprising at least one email circulated to a group of users over the communication network relating to a discussion topic; and

link the email application with the synchronous communication application so as to facilitate a real-time discussion between at least some of the users of the group in relation to the topic utilizing the synchronous communication application so that each email of the email thread is accessible via a graphical user interface associated with the synchronous communication application.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to control operations of the email to synchronous communication application to invite users from the group to engage in the real-time discussion utilizing the synchronous communication application.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to send an invitation to engage in the real-time discussion to users via an email utilizing the email application.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein a number of invited users is less than the total number of users within the group.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to control operations of the email to synchronous communication application to delete each email of the email thread from the email application after providing access to each email of the email thread via the graphical user interface associated with the synchronous communication application.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to control operations of the email to synchronous communication application to send an alert message via the email application to any user that sends an email to other users of the group in relation to the discussion topic after establishing a real-time discussion utilizing the synchronous communication application.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the email application, the synchronous communication application, and the email to synchronous communication application are integrated as a single software application.

18. One or more computer readable storage media encoded with software comprising computer executable instructions and when the software is executed operable to:

establish an email thread utilizing an email application used by a client device that communicates with other client devices across a network, the email thread comprising at least one email circulated to a group of users over a network relating to a discussion topic; and

link the email application with a synchronous communication application so as to establish a real-time discussion between at least some of the users of the group in relation to the topic utilizing the synchronous communication application, wherein each email of the email thread is accessible via a graphical user interface associated with the synchronous communication application.

19. The computer readable storage media of claim 18, and further comprising instructions that are operable to invite users from the group to engage in the real-time discussion utilizing the synchronous communication application.

20. The computer readable storage media of claim 19, and further comprising instructions that are operable to send an invitation to engage in the real-time discussion to the invited users via an email utilizing the email application.

21. The computer readable storage media of claim 19, wherein the number of invited users is less than the total number of users within the group.

22. The computer readable storage media of claim 18, and further comprising instructions that are operable to delete each email of the email thread from the email application after providing access to each email of the email thread via the graphical user interface associated with the synchronous communication application.

23. The computer readable storage media of claim 18, and further comprising instructions that are operable to identify each email of the email thread based upon content within a subject matter field of each email.

24. The computer readable storage media of claim 18, and further comprising instructions that are operable to send an alert message utilizing the email application to any user that sends an email to other users of the group in relation to the discussion topic after establishing a real-time discussion utilizing the synchronous communication application.

25. The computer readable storage media of claim 18, wherein the instructions that are operable to establish the real-time discussion comprises instructions operable to establish instant messaging between users of the group.

26. The computer readable storage media of claim 18, wherein the instructions that are operable to establish the real-time discussion comprises instructions operable to establish video conferencing between users of the group.