Method and apparatus for embedding chat functions in a web page

• US 7,263,526 B1
• Filed: 12/18/1996
• Issued: 08/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nytell Software LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Avaya Technology Corporation Miami Lakes FLA US
• Inventors: Weghorst, Jr., Gerald H., Busey, Andrew T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kindred, Alford W.
• Application Number:
  US08/768,606
• Time in Patent Office: 3,905 Days
• Field of Search: 707513-516, 707/531, 707/526, 707/500, 707/3, 707/100, 707/104, 709200-209, 709/225, 709/217, 345/326, 345/329, 345/332, 715/500.1, 715513-516, 715/526
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A real time chat server (610) not only maintains the chat session but also synchronizes the browse and chat functions by dynamically linking the browser and chat applications to allow the contents of the browser window and the chat window to change in a coordinated manner. The chat server is built from a number of core software objects, namely user objects (616, 618), connection objects, and room objects (612, 614). In this way, multiple users'"'"' browsers may be connected into one powerful distributed chat/HTTP server and all such users are able to fully interact with one another in a coordinated manner via type-written messages, HTML web documents, and file transfers. The usefulness of chat is enhanced by embedding the chat functions into the browser window.

Claims

1. A method for embedding chat functions in a Web page, comprising:

in response to a command received by a computer, establishing a browser region including a browser frame controlled by a browser client on a display device;

establishing a chat region controlled by a chat client within the browser region on the display device contemporaneously with the browser region, the chat region being a real time continuously open bi-directional communications chat region synchronized with the browser region;

in response to receiving chat content including a link to a web page, the chat client effecting displaying of the chat content in the chat region;

in response to detecting selection, by a user of the display device, of the link displayed in the chat region, the chat client invoking the browser client with the link;

in response to the invoking, the browser client obtaining from a server the web page that corresponds to the link and displaying the obtained web page in the browser frame;

controlling the browser region, except for contents of the chat region displayed on the display device, by a browser client;

controlling contents of the chat region by a chat client;

the browser client displaying web pages within the browser region contemporaneously with the chat client displaying chat text within the chat region such that the chat region and the browser region and their contents are displayed concurrently;

the browser client communicating the web pages with a browser server via a first communications connection; and

the chat client communicating the chat text with a chat server via a second communications connection that is a real time continuously open bi-directional communications connection.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

linking the chat client with the browser client by an interface in the computer;

the chat client requesting the browser client via the interface to obtain a particular web page specified by the chat client; and

the browser client responding to the request by obtaining the particular web page through the first connection and displaying the particular web page in the browser region.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein:

the requesting comprises

the chat client detecting a user of the computer selecting a hyperlink in the chat text displayed in the chat region; and

the chat client requesting the browser client to obtain the particular web page in response to the detecting.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

the browser client requesting, via the first connection, a chat server to connect the chat client to a particular chat session specified by the browser client; and

in response to the chat server connecting the chat client to the particular chat session via the second connection, the chat client displaying the chat text of the particular chat session in the chat region.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein:

the requesting comprises

the browser client detecting a user of the computer selecting a chat hyperlink in the web page displayed in the browser region; and

the browser client requesting the chat server to connect the particular chat session in response to the detecting.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the display device is a first display device, the method further comprising:

receiving a chat content of a first chat session at both the first display device and a second display device distinct from the first display device;

in response to the receiving, both display devices displaying the received chat content of the first chat session;

in response to detecting one of the user of the first display device or a user of the second display device invoking a suggest command and a first web page, both display devices receiving and displaying the first web page while continuing to receive and display the chat content of the first chat session.

25. A computer program product stored on a tangible medium and comprising:

a computer application stored on the tangible medium processable by at least one computer for causing the at least one computer to perform the method of one of claims 1-5, 13, 12, or 14-17.

26. The product of claim 25 wherein the computer application causes the computer to:

control the browser region, except for contents of the chat region displayed on the display device, by a browser client;

control contents of the chat region by a chat client;

display web pages by the browser client within the browser region contemporaneously with displaying chat text by the chat client within the chat region, such that the browser region and the chat region and their contents are displayed concurrently on the display device;

communicate the web pages by the browser client with a browser server via a first communications connection; and

communicate the chat text by the chat client with a chat server via a second communications connection that is a real time continuously open bi-directional communications connection.

27. The product of claim 26 wherein the computer application further causes the computer to:

link the chat client with the browser client by an interface in the computer;

request the browser client by the chat client via the interface to obtain a particular web page specified by the chat client;

obtain the particular web page by the browser client through the first connection and display the particular web page in the browser region in response to the request.

28. The product of claim 27 wherein the computer application causes the computer to:

detect a user of the computer selecting a hyperlink in the chat text displayed in the chat region; and

request the browser client by the chat client to obtain the particular web page in response to the detection.

29. The product of claim 27 wherein the computer application causes the computer to:

request, by the browser client via the first connection, a chat server to connect the chat client to a particular chat session specified by the browser client; and

display the chat text of the particular chat session in the chat region by the chat client, in response to the chat server connecting the chat client to the particular chat session via the second connection.

30. The product of claim 29 wherein the computer application causes the computer to:

detect a user of the computer selecting a chat hyperlink in the web page displayed in the browser region; and

request the chat server by the browser client to connect the particular chat session.

7. A system for embedding chat functions in a Web page, the system being connected to a computer network and comprising:

a display device; and

a computer including a browser client and a chat client and responsive to a command, for establishing a browser region including a browser frame controlled by the browser client on the display device and establishing a chat region controlled by the chat client within the browser region on the display device contemporaneously with the browser region, and wherein the chat region and the browser region are concurrently displayed, the chat region being a real time continuously open bi-directional communications chat region synchronized with the browser region;

the chat client responsive to receiving chat content including a link to a web page, for effecting displaying of the chat content in the chat region, and responsive to detecting selection by a user of the display device of the link displayed in the chat region, for invoking the browser client with the link; and

the browser client responsive to the invoking, for obtaining from a server the web page that corresponds to the link and for displaying the obtained web page in the browser frame, wherein

the browser region is controlled by a browser client except for contents of the chat region displayed on the display device, contents of the chat region displayed on the display device are controlled by a chat client, the browser client displays web pages within the browser region contemporaneously with the chat client displaying chat text within the chat region and wherein the chat region and the browser region and their contents are concurrently displayed, the browser client communicates the web pages with a browser server via a first communications connection, and the chat client communicates the chat text with a chat server via a second communications connection that is a real time continuously open bi-directional communications connection.

8. The system of claim 7 further comprising:

an interface in the computer linking the chat client with the browser client, the interface enabling the chat client to request the browser client to obtain via the first connection and to display in the browser region a particular web page specified by the chat client.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein:

the chat client effects the request in response to a user of the computer selecting a hyperlink in the chat text displayed in the chat region.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein:

the browser client is enabled to request, via the first connection, a chat server to connect, via the second connection, the chat client to a particular chat session specified by the browser client.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein:

the browser client effects the request in response to a user of the computer selecting a chat hyperlink in the web page displayed in the browser region.

12. A method for embedding chat functions in a Web page, comprising:

in response to a command received by a computer, establishing a browser region including a browser frame controlled by a browser client on a display device;

establishing a chat region controlled by a chat client within the browser region on the display device contemporaneously with the browser region, the chat region being a real time continuously open bi-directional communications chat region synchronized with the browser region;

in response to receiving chat content including a link to a web page, the chat client effecting displaying of the chat content in the chat region, wherein the received chat content is a chat content of a first chat session, and the displayed obtained web page includes a link to a second chat session;

in response to detecting selection, by a user of the display device, of the link displayed in the chat region, the chat client invoking the browser client with the link;

in response to the invoking, the browser client obtaining from a server the web page that corresponds to the link and displaying the obtained web page in the browser frame;

in response to detecting selection by the user of the link to the second chat session in the displayed web page, receiving and displaying in the chat region a chat content of the second chat session.

13. A method for embedding chat functions in a Web page, comprising:

in response to a command received by a computer, establishing a browser region including a browser frame controlled by a browser client on a display device;

establishing a chat region controlled by a chat client within the browser region on the display device contemporaneously with the browser region, the chat region being a real time continuously open bi-directional communications chat region synchronized with the browser region;

in response to receiving chat content including a link to a web page, the chat client effecting displaying of the chat content in the chat region;

in response to detecting selection, by a user of the display device, of the link displayed in the chat region, the chat client invoking the browser client with the link;

in response to the invoking, the browser client obtaining from a server the web page that corresponds to the link and displaying the obtained web page in the browser frame;

displaying a chat content of a first chat session in the chat region;

simultaneously displaying a web page including a link to a second chat session in the browser region; and

in response to detecting selection by the user of the link to the second chat session in the displayed web page, ceasing to receive and display in the chat region the chat content of the first chat session and instead receiving and displaying in the chat region a chat content of the second chat session.

14. A method for embedding chat functions in a Web page, comprising:

in response to a command received by a computer, establishing a browser region including a browser frame controlled by a browser client on a display device;

establishing a chat region controlled by a chat client within the browser region on the display device contemporaneously with the browser region, the chat region being a real time continuously open bi-directional communications chat region synchronized with the browser region;

in response to receiving chat content including a link to a web page, the chat client effecting displaying of the chat content in the chat region;

in response to detecting selection, by a user of the display device, of the link displayed in the chat region, the chat client invoking the browser client with the link;

in response to the invoking, the browser client obtaining from a server the web page that corresponds to the link and displaying the obtained web page in the browser frame;

in response to detecting selection by the user of a target, requesting from at least one server a chat content of a chat session associated with the target and a web page associated with the target;

in response to the request, receiving from the at least one server the chat content of the chat session associated with the target and the web page associated with the target;

in response to the receiving, displaying the chat content of the chat session associated with the target in the chat region and simultaneously displaying the web page associated with the target in the browser region;

controlling the browser region, except for contents of the chat region displayed on the display device, by a browser client;

controlling contents of the chat region by a chat client;

the browser client displaying web pages within the browser region contemporaneously with the chat client displaying chat text within the chat region such that the chat region and the browser region and their contents are displayed concurrently;

the browser client communicating the web pages with a browser server via a first communications connection; and

the chat client communicating the chat text with a chat server via a second communications connection that is a real time continuously open bi-directional communications connection.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein:

detecting selection by the user of the target comprises

one of (a) detecting the user'"'"'s invocation of a command selecting the target or (b) detecting the user'"'"'s selection of a link to the target in either the displayed web page or the displayed chat content.

16. A method for embedding chat functions in a web page, comprising:

in response to a command received by a computer, establishing a browser region including a browser frame controlled by a browser client on a display device, wherein the display device is a first display device;

establishing a chat region controlled by a chat client within the browser region on the display device contemporaneously with the browser region, the chat region being a real time continuously open bi-directional communications chat region synchronized with the browser region;

in response to receiving chat content including a link to a web page, the chat client effecting displaying of the chat content in the chat region;

in response to detecting selection, by a user of the display device, of the link displayed in the chat region, the chat client invoking the browser client with the link; and

in response to the invoking, the browser client obtaining from a server the web page that corresponds to the link and displaying the obtained web page in the browser frame;

receiving a chat content of a first chat session at both the first display device and a second display device distinct from the first display device;

in response to the receiving, both display devices displaying the received chat content of the first chat session;

in response to detecting one of the user of the first display device or a user of the second display device invoking a follow command and a first target, both display devices receiving and displaying a chat content of a second chat session associated with the first target and a web page associated with the first target; and

in response to detecting another of the user of the first display device or the user of the second display device invoking a stop command followed by the one user selecting a second target, the display device of the one user receiving and displaying a chat content of a chat session associated with the second target and a web page associated with the second target while the display device of the other user continues to receive and display the chat content of the chat session associated with the first target and the web page associated with the first target.

17. A method for embedding chat functions in a Web page, comprising:

in response to a command received by a computer, establishing a browser region including a browser frame controlled by a browser client on a display device, wherein the display device is a first display device;

in response to a command received by a computer, establishing a browser region including a browser frame controlled by a browser client on a display device;

establishing a chat region controlled by a chat client within the browser region on the display device contemporaneously with the browser region, the chat region being a real time continuously open bi-directional communications chat region synchronized with the browser region;

in response to receiving chat content including a link to a web page, the chat client effecting displaying of the chat content in the chat region;

in response to detecting selection, by a user of the display device, of the link displayed in the chat region, the chat client invoking the browser client with the link; and

in response to the invoking, the browser client obtaining from a server the web page that corresponds to the link and displaying the obtained web page in the browser frame;

receiving a chat content of a first chat session at both the first display device and a second display device distinct from the first display device;

in response to the receiving, both display devices displaying the received chat content of the first chat session;

in response to detecting one of the user of the first display device or a user of the second display device invoking a move command and a first target, the display device of another of the user of the first display device or the user of the second display device receiving and displaying a chat content of a second chat session associated with the first target and a web page associated with the first target, while the display device of the one user continues to receive and display the chat content of the first chat session.

18. A system for embedding chat functions in a Web page, the system being connected to a computer network and comprising:

a display device;

a computer including a browser client and a chat client and responsive to a command, for establishing a browser region including a browser frame controlled by the browser client on the display device and establishing a chat region controlled by the chat client within the browser region on the display device contemporaneously with the browser region, and wherein the chat region and the browser region are concurrently displayed, the chat region being a real time continuously open bi-directional communications chat region synchronized with the browser region;

the chat client responsive to receiving chat content including a link to a web page, for effecting displaying of the chat content in the chat region, and responsive to detecting selection by a user of the display device of the link displayed in the chat region, for invoking the browser client with the link;

the browser client responsive to the invoking, for obtaining from a server the web page that corresponds to the link and for displaying the obtained web page in the browser frame, wherein

the received chat content is a chat content of a first chat session;

the displayed obtained web page includes a link to a second chat session; and

the browser in further responsive to detecting selection by the user of the link to the second chat session in the displayed web page, for effecting receipt and display in the chat region of a chat content of the second chat session.

19. A system for embedding chat functions in a Web page, the system being connected to a computer network and comprising:

a display device; and

a computer including a browser client and a chat client and responsive to a command, for establishing a browser region including a browser frame controlled by the browser client on the display device and establishing a chat region controlled by the chat client within the browser region on the display device contemporaneously with the browser region, and wherein the chat region and the browser region are concurrently displayed, the chat region being a real time continuously open bi-directional communications chat region synchronized with the browser region;

the chat client responsive to receiving chat content including a link to a web page, for effecting displaying of the chat content in the chat region, and responsive to detecting selection by a user of the display device of the link displayed in the chat region, for invoking the browser client with the link;

the browser client responsive to the invoking, for obtaining from a server the web page that corresponds to the link and for displaying the obtained web page in the browser frame;

the chat client and the browser client are further for displaying a chat content of a first chat session in the chat region simultaneously with displaying a web page including a link to a second chat session in the browser region; and

the browser client is responsive to detecting selection by the user of the link to the second chat session in the displayed web page, for effecting receipt and display in the chat region of a chat content of the second chat session.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein:

the at least one of the chat client and the browser client is for one of (a) detecting the user'"'"'s invocation of a command selecting the target or (b) detecting the user'"'"'s selection of a link to the target in either the displayed web page or the displayed chat content.

21. The system of claim 19 further comprising:

a second display device, and

a second said computer, for establishing a browser region and a chat region on the second display device;

wherein

each said computer is responsive to receipt of a chat content of a first chat session, for displaying the received chat content of the first chat session on its corresponding said display device, and

the computers are responsive to invocation at one of the computers of a suggest command and a first web page, for receiving and displaying each on its corresponding said display device the first web page while continuing to receive and display the chat content of the first chat session.

22. A system for embedding chat functions in a Web page, the system being connected to a computer network and comprising:

a display device;

a computer including a browser client and a chat client and responsive to a command, for establishing a browser region including a browser frame controlled by the browser client on the display device and establishing a chat region controlled by the chat client within the browser region on the display device contemporaneously with the browser region, and wherein the chat region and the browser region are concurrently displayed, the chat region being a real time continuously open bi-directional communications chat region synchronized with the browser region;

the chat client responsive to receiving chat content including a link to a web page, for effecting displaying of the chat content in the chat, region, and responsive to detecting selection by a user of the display device of the link displayed in the chat region, for invoking the browser client with the link; and

the browser client responsive to the invoking, for obtaining from a server the web page that corresponds to the link and for displaying the obtained web page in the browser frame;

wherein at least one of the chat client and the browser client is responsive to detecting selection by the user of a target, for requesting from at least one server a chat content of a chat session associated with the target and a web page associated with the target;

wherein the chat client and the browser client are responsive to receiving, from the at least one server in response to the request, a chat content of the chat session associated with the target and the web page associated with the target, for displaying the chat content of the chat session associated with the target in the chat region simultaneously with displaying the web page associated with the target in the browser region;

the chat client and the browser client are further for displaying a chat content of a first chat session in the chat region simultaneously with displaying a web page including a link to a second chat session in the browser region; and

the browser client is responsive to detecting selection by the user of the link to the second chat session in the displayed web page, for effecting receipt and display in the chat region of a chat content of the second chat session.

23. A system for embedding chat functions in a Web page, the system being connected to a computer network and comprising:

a display device;

a computer including a browser client and a chat client and responsive to a command, for establishing a browser region including a browser frame controlled by the browser client on the display device and establishing a chat region controlled by the chat client within the browser region on the display device contemporaneously with the browser region, and wherein the chat region and the browser region are concurrently displayed, the chat region being a real time continuously open bi-directional communications chat region synchronized with the browser region;

the chat client responsive to receiving chat content including a link to a web page, for effecting displaying of the chat content in the chat region, and responsive to detecting selection by a user of the display device of the link displayed in the chat region, for invoking the browser client with the link;

the browser client responsive to the invoking, for obtaining from a server the web page that corresponds to the link and for displaying the obtained web page in the browser frame;

a second display device;

a second said computer, for establishing a browser region and a chat region on the second display device;

wherein

each said computer is responsive to receipt of a chat content of a first chat session by displaying the received chat content of the first chat session on its corresponding said display device,

the computers are responsive to invocation at one of the computers of a follow command and a first target prior to invocation at another of the computers of a stop command, for receiving and displaying each on its corresponding said display device a chat content of a second chat session associated with the first target and a web page associated with the first target;

the one computer is responsive to selection at the one computer of a second target following invocation at the other computer of the stop command, for receiving and displaying on the one computer'"'"'s corresponding said display device of a chat content of a chat session associated with the second target and a web page associated with the second target, and

the other computer is not responsive to selection at the one computer of the second target following invocation at said other computer of the stop command, so that said other computer continues to receive and display on said other computer'"'"'s corresponding said display device the chat content of the chat session associated with the first target and the web page associated with the first target.

24. A system for embedding chat functions in a Web page, the system being connected to a computer network and comprising:

a display device, and

a computer including a browser client and a chat client and responsive to a command, for establishing a browser region including a browser frame controlled by the browser client on the display device and establishing a chat region controlled by the chat client within the browser region on the display device contemporaneously with the browser region, and wherein the chat region and the browser region are concurrently displayed, the chat region being a real time continuously open bi-directional communications chat region synchronized with the browser region;

the chat client responsive to receiving chat content including a link to a web page, for effecting displaying of the chat content in the chat region, and responsive to detecting selection by a user of the display device of the link displayed in the chat region, for invoking the browser client with the link;

the browser client responsive to the invoking, for obtaining from a server the web page that corresponds to the link and for displaying the obtained web page in the browser frame;

a second display device, and

a second said computer, for establishing a browser region and a chat region on the second display device;

wherein

each said computer is responsive to receipt of a chat content of a first chat session, for displaying the received chat content of the first chat session on its corresponding display device,

one of the computers is responsive to invocation at the one computer of a move command and a first target, for continuing to receive and display on its corresponding said display device the chat content of the first session, and

another of the computers is responsive to the invocation at the one computer of the move command and the first target, for receiving and displaying on its corresponding said display device a chat content of a second chat session associated with the first target and a web page associated with the first target.