Method and system for interactively responding to instant messaging requests
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for interactively responding to a message from a user who is logged on to an instant messaging network, comprising the steps of:
- designating a screen-name to a message processor, the screen-name being unique on the instant messaging network and the user having the screen-name as an authenticated partner;
using the instant messaging network to advise the user of the presence of the message processor on the instant messaging network;
receiving through the instant messaging network the message from the user which is addressed to the screen-name assigned to the message processor using an instant messaging protocol;
parsing the message to extract a request;
evaluating the request in the message processor;
generating an output message on the basis of the evaluated request;
sending the output message from the message processor with the screen-name to the user via the instant messaging network;
wherein evaluating the request comprises passing the query to a query response server and receiving the answer from the query response server;
accessing a profile associated with the user from a profile database and making at least a portion of the accessed profile available to the query response server;
if no profile is available, creating a profile associated with the user; and
storing the profile in the profile database, wherein creating the profile includes soliciting profile information from the user and storing profile information provided by the user in the profile, and wherein soliciting comprises sending the user a cross-reference message in the instant messaging protocol directing the user to a web page configured to receive user input.
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Abstract
A method and system for interactively responding to queries from a user sending messages through an instant messaging network. The query or request is interpreted and appropriate action is taken, such as accessing a local or remote data resource and generating an answer to the user'"'"'s query. The answer is formatted as appropriate and returned to the user as an instant message or via another route specified by the user. A method and system of providing authenticated access to a given web page via instant messaging is also disclosed.
116 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method for interactively responding to a message from a user who is logged on to an instant messaging network, comprising the steps of:
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designating a screen-name to a message processor, the screen-name being unique on the instant messaging network and the user having the screen-name as an authenticated partner;
using the instant messaging network to advise the user of the presence of the message processor on the instant messaging network;
receiving through the instant messaging network the message from the user which is addressed to the screen-name assigned to the message processor using an instant messaging protocol;
parsing the message to extract a request;
evaluating the request in the message processor;
generating an output message on the basis of the evaluated request;
sending the output message from the message processor with the screen-name to the user via the instant messaging network;
wherein evaluating the request comprises passing the query to a query response server and receiving the answer from the query response server;
accessing a profile associated with the user from a profile database and making at least a portion of the accessed profile available to the query response server;
if no profile is available, creating a profile associated with the user; and
storing the profile in the profile database, wherein creating the profile includes soliciting profile information from the user and storing profile information provided by the user in the profile, and wherein soliciting comprises sending the user a cross-reference message in the instant messaging protocol directing the user to a web page configured to receive user input. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for interactively responding to a message from a user who is logged on to an instant messaging network, comprising the steps of:
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designating a screen-name to a message processor, the screen-name being unique on the instant messaging network and the user having the screen-name as an authenticated partner;
using the instant messaging network to advise the user of the presence of the message processor on the instant messaging network;
receiving through the instant messaging network the message from the user which is addressed to the screen-name assigned to the message processor using an instant messaging protocol;
parsing the message to extract a request;
evaluating the request in the message processor;
generating an output message on the basis of the evaluated request;
sending the output message from the message processor with the screen-name to the user via the instant messaging network;
generating a new access key;
creating a secret URL including the new access key;
associating the secret URL with a selected web page; and
sending the secret URL to the first user in a message using the instant messaging protocol, receiving an access request from a second user using a hyper-text transfer protocol, the access request including a designated URL;
parsing the designated URL to extract a received access key;
identifying a designated web page associated with the received access key; and
allowing access by the second user to the designated web page;
storing at least a portion of the secret URL in a profile associated with the first user, the portion including the new access key;
identifying comprising accessing a user profile associated with the second user;
allowing access comprising access by the second user to the designated web page only if the received access key is in the user profile associated with the second user. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system for interactively responding to a message from a user sent through an instant messaging network, comprising:
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a message processor connected to the instant messaging network, the message processor having a screen-name, the screen-name being unique on the instant messaging network and the user having the screen-name as an authenticated partner, the message processor configured to;
receive a message sent from the user in an instant messaging protocol;
parse the message to extract a request;
evaluate the request in the message processor;
generate an output message on the basis of the evaluated request;
send the output message to the user via the instant messaging network wherein the message processor is connected to a query response server, the message processor being configured to evaluate the request by passing the request to the query response server, wherein the message processor is configured to, if no profile is available, create a profile associated with the user and store the profile in the profile database, and wherein the message processor is configured to solicit profile information by sending the user an instant message containing a cross-reference link directing the user to a web page configured to receive user input. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A system for interactively responding to a message from a user sent through an instant messaging network, comprising:
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a message processor connected to the instant messaging network, the message processor having a screen-name, the screen-name being unique on the instant messaging network and the user having the screen-name as an authenticated partner, the message processor configured to;
receive a message sent from the user in an instant messaging protocol;
parse the message to extract a request;
evaluate the request in the message processor;
generate an output message on the basis of the evaluated request;
send the output message to the user via the instant messaging network;
receive a notification from the query response server requesting additional data;
access a profile associated with the user;
extract the requested additional data from the user; and
make the additional data available to the query response server. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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Specification