PROCESSING MESSAGES

• US 20160014066A1
• Filed: 05/01/2015
• Published: 01/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Goto, Mayumi, Horiuchi, Yoshio, Matsumoto, Hirotaka
• Granted Patent: US 10,091,153 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/234 for tracking messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes

Abstract

An apparatus for processing messages input from a plurality of clients. The apparatus includes an acquisition unit configured to obtain a first message input from a first client, a second message input from a second client, and a user selection input from the second client. The user selection is of a first portion of the first message and indicates that the second message is a comment on the first portion of the first message. The apparatus also includes a control unit in communication with the acquisition unit. The control unit is configured to perform a first control action in response to the acquisition unit obtaining the first message, the second message, and the user selection. The first control action results in the first message, the second message, and a first link connecting the first portion of the first message and the second message being displayed on the plurality of clients.

Claims

1. An apparatus for processing messages input from a plurality of clients, comprising:

an acquisition unit configured to obtain a first message input from a first client, further configured to obtain a second message input from a second client, and further configured to obtain a user selection input from the second client, the user selection being of a first portion of the first message and indicating that the second message is a comment on the first portion of the first message; and

a control unit in communication with the acquisition unit, the control unit configured to perform, in response to the acquisition unit obtaining the first message, the second message, and the user selection, a first control action resulting in the first message, the second message, and a first link connecting the first portion of the first message and the second message being displayed on the plurality of clients.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the acquisition unit is further configured to obtain a third message input from a third client, and is further configured to obtain a second user selection input from the third client, the second user selection being of a second portion of the first message and indicating that the third message is a comment on the second portion of the first message, and wherein the control unit is further configured to perform, in response to the acquisition unit obtaining the first message, the second message, the third message, the user selection and the second user selection, a second control action resulting in the first message, the second message, the third message, the first link, and a second link connecting the second portion of the first message and the third message being displayed on the plurality of clients.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the acquisition unit is further configured to obtain a third user selection input from a fourth client, the third user selection being of the first portion of the first message and indicating that only the first portion of the first message and those messages that are responsive thereto should be displayed on the fourth client, and wherein the control unit is further configured to perform, in response to acquisition unit obtaining the first message, the second message, the third message, the user selection, the second user selection, and the third user selection, a third control action resulting in the first message, the second message, and the first link being displayed on the fourth client and further resulting in the third message and the second link not being displayed on the fourth client.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the acquisition unit is further configured to obtain a fourth message input from the second client, and is further configured to obtain a fourth user selection input from the second client, the fourth user selection being of a whole of the first message and indicating that the fourth message is a comment on the whole of the first message, and wherein, in response to the acquisition unit further obtaining the fourth message and the fourth comment, the third control action further results in the fourth message and a fourth link being displayed on the fourth client, the fourth link connecting the whole of the first message and the fourth message.

5. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

a notification unit in communication with the acquisition unit, the notification unit configured to perform, in response to the acquisition unit obtaining the first message, the second message, the third message, the user selection, and the second user selection, a first notification action resulting in the second client outputting a notice indicating that the third message has been input.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the user selection being input from the second client is in response to, on a display of the second client, a first end of the first link being moved by a user to the first portion of the first comment and a second end of the first link being moved by the user to the second message.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the acquisition unit and the control unit reside on an instant messenger server in communication with the plurality of clients.

8. A method for processing messages input from a plurality of clients, comprising:

obtaining a first message input from a first client;

obtaining a second message input from a second client;

obtaining a user selection input from the second client, the user selection being of a first portion of the first message and indicating that the second message is a comment on the first portion of the first message; and

performing, in response to the obtaining the first message, the second message, and the user selection, a first control action resulting in the first message, the second message, and a first link connecting the first portion of the first message and the second message being displayed on the plurality of clients.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

obtaining a third message input from a third client;

obtaining a second user selection input from the third client, the second user selection being of a second portion of the first message and indicating that the third message is a comment on the second portion of the first message; and

performing, in response to the obtaining the first message, the second message, the third message, the user selection, and the second user selection, a second control action resulting in the first message, the second message, the third message, the first link, and a second link connecting the second portion of the first message and the third message being displayed on the plurality of clients.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

obtaining a third user selection input from a fourth client, the third user selection being of the first portion of the first message and indicating that only the first portion of the first message and those messages that are responsive thereto should be displayed on the fourth client; and

performing, in response to the obtaining the first message, the second message, the third message, the user selection, the second user selection, and the third user selection, a third control action resulting in the first message, the second message, and the first link being displayed on the fourth client and further resulting in the third message and the second link not being displayed on the fourth client.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

obtaining a fourth message input from the second client; and

obtaining a fourth user selection input from the second client, the fourth user selection being of a whole of the first message and indicating that the fourth message is a comment on the whole of the first message,

wherein, in response to the obtaining the fourth message and the fourth comment, the third control action further results in the fourth message and a fourth link being displayed on the fourth client, the fourth link connecting the whole of the first message and the fourth message.

12. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

performing, in response to the obtaining the first message, the second message, the third message, the user selection, and the second user selection, a first notification action resulting in the second client outputting a notice indicating that the third message has been input.

13. The method according to claim 8, wherein the user selection being input from the second client is in response to, on a display of the second client, a first end of the first link being moved by a user to the first portion of the first comment and a second end of the first link being moved by the user to the second message.

14. The method according to claim 8, wherein an instant messenger server in communication with the plurality of clients performs the obtaining the first message, the second message, and the user selection, and further performs the performing the first control action.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying a computer program for causing a computer to perform a method for processing messages input from a plurality of clients, the method comprising:

obtaining a first message input from a first client;

obtaining a second message input from a second client;

obtaining a user selection input from the second client, the user selection being of a first portion of the first message and indicating that the second message is a comment on the first portion of the first message; and

performing, in response to the obtaining the first message, the second message, and the user selection, a first control action resulting in the first message, the second message, and a first link connecting the first portion of the first message and the second message being displayed on the plurality of clients.

16. The computer readable medium according to claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:

obtaining a third message input from a third client;

obtaining a second user selection input from the third client, the second user selection being of a second portion of the first message and indicating that the third message is a comment on the second portion of the first message; and

performing, in response to the obtaining the first message, the second message, the third message, the user selection, and the second user selection, a second control action resulting in the first message, the second message, the third message, the first link, and a second link connecting the second portion of the first message and the third message being displayed on the plurality of clients.

17. The computer readable medium according to claim 16, wherein the method further comprises:

obtaining a third user selection input from a fourth client, the third user selection being of the first portion of the first message and indicating that only the first portion of the first message and those messages that are responsive thereto should be displayed on the fourth client; and

performing, in response to the obtaining the first message, the second message, the third message, the user selection, the second user selection, and the third user selection, a third control action resulting in the first message, the second message, and the first link being displayed on the fourth client and further resulting in the third message and the second link not being displayed on the fourth client.

18. The computer readable medium according to claim 17, wherein the method further comprises:

obtaining a fourth message input from the second client; and

obtaining a fourth user selection input from the second client, the fourth user selection being of a whole of the first message and indicating that the fourth message is a comment on the whole of the first message,

wherein, in response to the obtaining the fourth message and the fourth comment, the third control action further results in the fourth message and a fourth link being displayed on the fourth client, the fourth link connecting the whole of the first message and the fourth message.

19. The computer readable medium according to claim 16, wherein the method further comprises:

performing, in response to the obtaining the first message, the second message, the third message, the user selection, and the second user selection, a first notification action resulting in the second client outputting a notice indicating that the third message has been input.

20. The computer readable medium according to claim 15, wherein the user selection being input from the second client is in response to, on a display of the second client, a first end of the first link being moved by a user to the first portion of the first comment and a second end of the first link being moved by the user to the second message.