Instant messaging with voice conference feature

• US 7,216,143 B2
• Filed: 01/03/2002
• Issued: 05/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Creamer, Thomas E., Moore, Victor S., Walters, Glen R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cardone; Jason
• Assistant Examiner(s): Swearingen; Jeffrey R.
• Application Number:
  US10/038,719
• Publication Number:
  US 20030126207A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,951 Days
• Field of Search: 709204-207
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1818 Conference organisation arrangements, e.g. handling schedules, setting up parameters needed by nodes to attend a conference, booking network resources, notifying involved parties
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/652 Call initiation triggered by text message
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0057 Services where the data services network provides a telephone service in addition or as an alternative, e.g. for backup purposes, to the telephone service provided by the telephone services network
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13034 A/D conversion, code compression/expansion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13175 Graphical user interface [GUI], WWW interface, visual indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13336 Store & forward, messaging systems email H04Q2213/13375
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13375 Electronic mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0016 Arrangements providing connection between exchanges

Abstract

An instant messaging or chat (IM/chat) communication method can include a series of steps. The steps can include inserting in an instant message (IM) a voice conference identifier comprising a voice conference call list identifying conference call nodes. The IM can be transmitted to a recipient at a recipient node. Responsive to the recipient selecting the voice conference identifier, a voice conference call between selected ones of the identified conference call nodes can be established.

Claims

1. An instant messaging or chat (IM/chat) communication method comprising the steps of:

inserting in a program code of an instant message (IM);

a) a header component that provides identity information of an IM sender in a voice conference identifier for connecting a voice communication link from a recipient client to the IM sender

b) a body component that provides message text that is displayed prior the connecting a voice communication link;

c) an attachment component for including the voice conference identifier comprising a voice conference call list identifying conference call nodes;

embedding compiled object code of said voice conference identifier in said attachment, wherein execution of said computer program code at a recipient node establishes a voice communications link between an IM sender and a recipient at the recipient node;

transmitting said IM from the IM sender to the recipient at a recipient node;

a recipient client presenting the identity information and the message text, and detecting the voice conference identifier within the IM;

responsive to the detecting step, an IM interface of the recipient displaying a user-selectable text or graphic symbol; and

responsive to a user-selection of said displayed text or graphic symbol, automatically establishing a voice communication link between the recipient and the IM sender using the compiled object code embedded in said IM by;

executing said compiled object code on a machine hosting said IM interface,

wherein execution of said compiled object code at the recipient node establishes the voice communications link between the IM sender and the recipient at the recipient node based on the identity information presented in the header component.

2. The IM/chat communication method of claim 1,

wherein said voice communication link is a Voice over IP (VoIP) based voice communication links.

3. The IM/chat communication method of claim 1,

wherein said voice communication link is a telephony-based voice communication link occurring over a public switched telephone network (PSTN).

4. The IM/chat communication method of claim 1, wherein said voice conference call list specifies telephone numbers for said identified conference call nodes.

5. The IM/chat communication method of claim 1, wherein said voice conference call list specifies IP addresses for said identified conference call nodes.

6. The IM/chat communication method of claim 1, said inserting step further comprising:

inserting in said IM/chat message a selectable symbol for initiating said voice communication link with said selected ones of said identified conference call nodes.

7. The IM/chat communication method of claim 1, said inserting step further comprising:

inserting in said IM/chat message a plurality of selectable symbols, each said symbol for initiating a voice communications link with a selected one of said identified conference call nodes.

8. An instant messaging or chat (IM/chat) communication method comprising the steps of:

detecting within an IM message conveyed from a sender to a recipient at a recipient node a voice conference identifier comprising a voice conference call list identifying conference call nodes, wherein the IM message is a program code comprising

a) a header component that provides identity information of an IM sender in the voice conference identifier for connecting a voice communication link from a recipient client to the IM sender

b) a body component that provides message text that is displayed prior the connecting a voice communication link;

c) an attachment component for including the voice conference identifier comprising a voice conference call list identifying conference call nodes;

responsive to detecting said voice conference identifier, displaying at least one selectable icon within an IM interface of said recipient corresponding to the voice conference identifier; and

responsive to a selection of said at least one selectable icon by said recipient, extracting a compiled object embedded within said IM and executing said compiled object at the recipient node, said software program establishing a voice conference call between said recipient and said sender, wherein a voice communication program for executing the compiled object is automatically downloaded if the recipient node cannot execute the compiled object.

9. The IM/chat communication method of claim 8, wherein said displaying step displays a single icon and said establishing step establishes said voice conference call between said selected ones of said identified conference call nodes responsive to said selection of said single icon.

10. The IM/chat communication method of claim 8, wherein said displaying step displays a plurality of icons, each said icon corresponding to one of said voice conference call nodes, and wherein said establishing step establishes a voice communications link with said selected ones of said conference call nodes responsive to said selection of corresponding ones of said plurality of icons.

11. The IM/chat communication method of claim 8, wherein said software program is embedded within said IM, said establishing step further comprising:

extracting from said IM embedded software program.

12. The IM/chat communication method of claim 8, wherein said voice conference call list includes telephone numbers for said identified conference call nodes.

13. The IM/chat communication method of claim 8, wherein said voice conference call list includes IP addresses for said identified conference call nodes.

14. The IM/chat communication method of claim 8, wherein said voice conference call is established using Voice over IP (VoIP) based voice communications links.

15. The IM/chat communication method of claim 8, wherein said voice conference call is established using telephony-based voice communications links over a public switched telephone network (PSTN).

16. The IM/chat communication method of claim 8, said establishing step further comprising:

responsive to said selection of said at least one icon, determining a telephone number or an IP address for said selected ones of said identified conference call nodes based on said voice conference call list.

17. An instant message included within a computer readable medium comprising:

header information, said header information identifying a sending node and a recipient node;

a message portion, said message portion displaying content from said sending node to said recipient node; and

an attachment portion, said attachment portion including a voice conference identifier comprising a voice conference call list specifying conference call nodes to be connected via a voice conference call, and an embedded software program, comprising compiled object code;

wherein said recipient node is a conference call node, wherein said voice conference identifier is configured to be detected by an IM chat client and cause said IM chat client to responsively display a selectable item which when selected causes said embedded compiled object code to be executed at said recipient node to establish a voice communication link among said conference call nodes.

18. A computer program included within a computer readable medium, said computer program having a plurality of code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the steps of:

inserting in a program code of an instant message (IM);

a) a header component that provides identity information of an IM sender in a voice conference identifier for connecting a voice communication link from a recipient client to the IM sender

b) a body component that provides message text that is displayed prior the connecting a voice communication link;

c) an attachment component for including the voice conference identifier comprising a voice conference call list identifying conference call nodes;

inserting in said IM a plurality of selectable symbols, each said symbol for initiating a voice communications link with said selected ones of said identified conference call nodes;

embedding compiled object code of said voice conference identifier in said attachment;

wherein said computer program code is executed at a recipient node in response to a user selecting one of said plurality of selectable symbols, wherein execution of said computer program code establishes said voice communications link;

transmitting said IM from the IM sender to the recipient at a recipient node;

a recipient client presenting the identity information and the message text, and detecting the voice conference identifier within the IM;

responsive to the detecting step, an IM interface of the recipient displaying a user-selectable text or graphic symbol; and

responsive to a user-selection of one of said plurality of selectable symbols, displayed text or graphic symbol, automatically establishing a voice communication link between the recipient and the IM sender using the compiled object code embedded in said IMby;

executing said compiled object code on a machine hosting said IM interface,

wherein execution of said compiled object code at the recipient node establishes the voice communications link between the IM sender and the recipient at the recipient node based on the identity information presented in the header component.

19. The computer program of claim 18, wherein said voice communication link is a Voice over IP (VoIP) based voice communication links.

20. The computer program of claim 18, wherein said voice communication link is a telephony-based voice communication link occurring over a public switched telephone network (PSTN).

21. The computer program of claim 18, wherein said voice conference call list specifies telephone numbers for said identified conference call nodes.

22. The computer program of claim 18, wherein said voice conference call list specifies IP addresses for said identified conference call nodes.

23. The computer program of claim 18, said inserting step further comprising:

inserting in said IM/chat message a selectable symbol for initiating said voice communication link with said selected ones of said identified conference call nodes.

24. A computer program included within a computer readable medium, said computer program having a plurality of code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the steps of:

detecting within an IM message conveyed from a sender to a recipient at a recipient node a voice conference identifier comprising a voice conference call list identifying conference call nodes, wherein the IM message is a program code comprising

a) a header component that provides identity information of an IM sender in the voice conference identifier for connecting a voice communication link from a recipient client to the IM sender

b) a body component that provides message text that is displayed prior the connecting a voice communication link;

c) an attachment component for including the voice conference identifier comprising a voice conference call list identifying conference call nodes;

responsive to detecting said voice conference identifier, displaying at least one selectable icon within an IM interface of a recipient corresponding to the voice conference identifier; and

responsive to a selection of said at least one selectable icon

by said recipient, extracting a compiled object embedded within said IM and executing said compiled object at the recipient node, said software program establishing a voice conference call between said recipient and said sender, wherein a voice communication program for executing the compiled object is automatically downloaded if the recipient node cannot execute the compiled object.

25. The computer program of claim 24, wherein said displaying step displays a single icon and said establishing step establishes said voice conference call between said selected ones of said identified conference call nodes responsive to said selection of said single icon.

26. The computer program of claim 24, wherein said displaying step displays a plurality of icons, each said icon corresponding to one of said voice conference call nodes, and wherein said establishing step establishes a voice communications link with said selected ones of said conference call nodes responsive to said selection of corresponding ones of said plurality of icons.

27. The computer program of claim 24, wherein said voice conference call list includes telephone numbers for said identified conference call nodes.

28. The computer program of claim 24, wherein said voice conference call list includes IP addresses for said identified conference call nodes.

29. The computer program of claim 24, wherein said voice conference call is established using Voice over IP (VoIP) based voice communications links.

30. The computer program of claim 24, wherein said voice conference call is established using telephony-based voice communications links over a public switched telephone network (PSTN).

31. The computer program of claim 24, said establishing step further comprising:

responsive to said recipient selecting said at least one icon, determining a telephone number or an IP address for said selected ones of said identified conference call nodes based on said voice conference call list.

32. An instant messaging or chat session client stored upon a computer readable medium comprising:

a conventional IM processor, said conventional IM processor extracting and displaying message text encapsulated in a received IM; and

,

a voice conference processor, said voice conference processor identifying a voice conference identifier encapsulated in said received IM, displaying at least one selectable icon in response to detecting said voice conference identifier, and responsive to a selection of said at least one selectable icon, executing compiled object code extracted from said received IM to establish a voice conference call between selected conference call nodes specified by said voice conference identifier, wherein said voice conference call occurs over a telephony-based voice communication link.