Method and system for transfer of mobile chat sessions

• US 6,788,949 B1
• Filed: 09/21/2000
• Issued: 09/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Wantage Technologies LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bansal, Pradeep K
• Primary Examiner(s): Corsaro, Nick
• Application Number:
  US09/666,565
• Time in Patent Office: 1,447 Days
• Field of Search: 455/578, 455/519, 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/414.3, 455/432.1, 455/435.1, 455/436, 455/438, 455/456.3, 455/456.2, 455/456.1, 709/219, 709/223, 709/225, 709/227
• US Class Current: 455/519
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/58 Arrangements for transferring received calls from one subscriber to another; Arrangements affording interim conversations between either the calling or the called party and a third party substation line holding circuits H04M1/80

Abstract

At least one method is disclosed for transferring a chat session involving a mobile information device from a first chat server to a second chat server. The method includes receiving at the second chat server a transfer request. The method also includes establishing connectivity between the mobile information device and the second chat server, and releasing connectivity between the mobile information device and the first chat server.

Claims

1. A method for transferring a chat session involving a mobile-information device from a first chat server to a second chat server, comprising the activities of:

receiving at the second chat server a transfer request, the transfer request not sent by a user of the mobile information device;

establishing connectivity between the mobile information device and the second chat server;

releasing connectivity between the mobile information device and the first chat server.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying chat servers within a predetermined geographic proximity to the first chat server.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting the second chat server.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a location of the second chat server.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an identification of the second chat server.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying available chat groups of the second chat server.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a second chat group of the second chat server to relate to a first chat group of the first chat server.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

relating a first chat group of the first chat server to a second chat group of the second chat server.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the transfer request should be transmitted.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining when the transfer request should be transmitted.

11. A computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform activities comprising:

receiving at the second chat server a transfer request, the transfer request not sent by a user of the mobile information device;

establishing connectivity between the mobile information device and the second chat server;

releasing connectivity between the mobile information device and the first chat server.

12. An apparatus for transferring a chat session involving a mobile information device from a first chat server to a second chat server, comprising:

means for receiving at the second chat server a transfer request, the transfer request not sent by a user of the mobile information device;

means for establishing connectivity between the mobile information device and the second chat server;

means for releasing connectivity between the mobile information device and the first chat server.

13. A method for transferring a mobile information device from a first chat group to a second chat group, comprising the activities of:

determining a need to transfer a mobile information device from a first chat group to a second chat group, said determining not performed by a user of the mobile information device;

identifying a second chat group to which to transfer the mobile information device;

coupling the mobile information device to the second chat group; and

de-coupling the mobile information device from the first chat group.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the need to transfer is determined by a user of the mobile information device.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the need to transfer is determined by the mobile information device.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the need to transfer is determined by a chat server.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the need to transfer is determined by a chat server on which the first chat group is hosted.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the need to transfer is determined by a chat server on which the second chat group is hosted.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the activity of identifying a second chat group is performed by the mobile information device.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the activity of identifying a second chat group is performed by a user of the mobile information device.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the activity of identifying a second chat group is performed by a chat server.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein the activity of identifying a second chat group is performed by a chat server on which the first chat group is hosted.

23. The method of claim 13, wherein the activity of identifying a second chat group is performed by a chat server on which the second chat group is hosted.

24. The method of claim 13, wherein the first chat group and the second chat group are hosted by a common chat server.

25. The method of claim 13, wherein the second chat group is hosted by a different chat server than the first chat group.

26. A computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform activities comprising:

determining a need to transfer a mobile information device from a first chat group to a second chat group, said determining not performed by a user of the mobile information device;

identifying a second chat group to which to transfer the mobile information device;

coupling the mobile information device to the second chat group; and

de-coupling the mobile information device from the first chat group.

27. An apparatus for transferring a mobile information device from a first chat group to a second chat group, comprising:

means for determining a need to transfer a mobile information device from a first chat group to a second chat group, said determining not performed by a user of the mobile information device;

means for identifying a second chat group to which to transfer the mobile information device;

means for coupling the mobile information device to the second chat group; and

means for de-coupling the mobile information device from the first chat group.