Conversation persistence in real-time collaboration system

• US 7,483,899 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2005
• Issued: 01/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated (Kyndryl Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Temple, Anthony Christopher Courtney, Walker, Keith Raymond, Handy-Bosma, John Hans, Chen, Yen-Fu, Hsu, Peter Y., Tannenbaum, Alan R., Berry, Richard Edmond, Selvage, Mei Y
• Primary Examiner(s): Mizrahi; Diane
• Application Number:
  US11/032,848
• Publication Number:
  US 20060155785A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,477 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 10, 707100-1041, 707200-206, 707/102, 707/101, 715/500.1, 715/752, 715/753, 715/758, 715/769, 709/204
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A stored transcript of a first conversation thread has beginning and ending points with a series of messages in between. A continuation point is inserted between two messages within the first thread, and an storaae indicator is displayed proximate to an entry for the first thread in a hierarchical list of stored conversations; When the indicator is operated, the transcript is retrieved, a portion of the first thread is copied in into a second user interface, the copied oortion being defined by two points selected from a the beginning point, the continuation point, and the ending point. Newly authored and received messages are aooended in the second user interface to the copied portion of the first thread, such that a second thread of conversation is provided having the copied portion of the first thread with the copied portion refreshing the user of a context of said first conversation thread.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

persistently storing a transcript of real-time collaboration system messages for a first conversation thread in a first real-time collaboration system user interface, said first thread having a beginning point and an ending point and a series of messages therebetween;

allowing a user to specify conditions for a messaging client to automatically insert a continuation point between two messages within said first thread;

displaying an indicator proximate to an entry for said first conversation thread in said first real-time collaboration system user interface, said entry being shown in a hierarchical list of organized subjects of conversations, said indicator indicating storage of said transcript from said first conversation thread;

upon operation of said indicator, automatically retrieving said stored transcript, and copying a portion of said first thread into a second real-time collaboration system user interface, said copied portion being defined by two points selected from a group comprising said beginning point, said continuation point, and said ending point; and

appending newly authored and received messages in said second user interface to said copied portion of said first thread, wherein a second thread of conversation is provided in said second user interface having said copied portion of said first conversation thread, wherein said copied portion allows a user to be refreshed of a context of said first conversation thread.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising associating by a messaging server said persistently stored transcript of messages with one or more items in a list of conversational items.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising associating by a messaging client said persistently stored transcript of messages with one or more items in a list of conversational items.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising prompting by a messaging server said user to indicate availability of said persistently stored transcript.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising prompting by a messaging client said user to indicate availability of said persistently stored transcript.

6. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising retrieving a persistently stored transcript by a messaging server.

7. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising retrieving a persistently stored transcript by a messaging client.

8. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising transmitting said retrieved transcript to at least one other messaging client or messaging server.

9. The method as set forth in claim 8 wherein said transmitting is performed by a messaging server.

10. The method as set forth in claim 8 wherein said transmitting is performed by a messaging client.

11. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising searching

a plurality of persistently stored transcriptions for at least one user-indicated criteria, and retrieving a persistently stored transcript matching said user-indicated criteria.