Methods and systems for processing offline chat messages

• US 7,831,673 B1
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Issued: 11/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Cohen, David, Lindberg, Jonas Erik, Davidson, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan; Wing F
• Assistant Examiner(s): Miah; Razu A
• Application Number:
  US11/980,548
• Time in Patent Office: 1,105 Days
• Field of Search: 709204-207, 705/37
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

Systems and methods for processing offline chat messages are provided. Offline chat messages may be merged in a conversation thread in an email message. In one embodiment, a method of processing messages includes receiving a chat message when a designated recipient is offline, generating an email message that includes the chat message, and enabling a designated recipient to access the email message through an email inbox associated with the designated recipient.

Claims

1. A method of processing messages, comprising:

receiving, at least one server, a first chat message when a designated recipient is offline;

receiving, at the at least one server, a second chat message when the designated recipient is offline;

automatically generating, at the at least one server, an email message that includes the first chat message;

holding the email message in a memory;

adding, at the at least one server, the second chat message to the email message when a length of a time period between when the first chat message is received and when the second chat message is received is less than a predefined value and the designated recipient does not access the email inbox during the time period; and

enabling, at the at least one server, the designated recipient to access the email message through an email inbox associated with the designated recipient.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the generated email message is marked unread in the email inbox.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the chat message is included in a reply to a second email message.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first email message is grouped with email messages associated with the second email in the email inbox of the designated recipient.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the designated recipient is offline if the designated recipient has logged off a chat service.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the designated recipient is offline if the designated recipient is inactive.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the designated recipient is offline if a network connection associated with the designated recipient has been terminated.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the email message includes adding an identifier that identifies at least one of the first or second chat messages as an offline message.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first or second chat messages includes at least one of textual content, an image, audio content, video content, or multimedia content.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first or second chat messages includes a request to transfer a file, further comprising:

storing the file; and

enabling the designated recipient to receive the stored file.

2. A method of processing messages, comprising:

receiving, at least one server, a chat message when a designated recipient is offline;

automatically generating, at the at least one server, a first email message that includes the chat message;

holding the email message in a memory;

enabling, at the at least one server, the designated recipient to access the email message through an email inbox associated with the designated recipient;

receiving, at the at least one server, a second chat message when the designated recipient is offline; and

automatically generating, at the at least one server, a second email message that includes the second chat message, wherein a length of a time period between when the first chat message is received and when the second chat message is received is larger than a predefined value, or the email inbox has been accessed by the designated recipient during the time period.

9. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

enabling a designated recipient to access the second email message through the email inbox.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising grouping the second email message with the first email message in the inbox.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the grouping further comprises associating first email message and the second email message with a conversation thread.

15. A system for processing messages, comprising:

a memory hardware;

chat module configured to receive first and second chat messages; and

an email module configured to enable a designated recipient to access an email inbox;

wherein at least one of the chat module or the email module is configured;

to automatically generate an email message that includes the first chat message,

to hold the email message in the memory hardware; and

to add the second chat message to the email message when a length of a time period between when the first chat message is received and when the second chat message is received is less than a predefined value and the designated recipient does not access the email inbox during the time period;

wherein the email module is configured to enable the designated recipient to access the email message through the email inbox.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the chat module is configured to transmit at least one of the first or second chat messages to the email module, wherein the email module is configured to generate the email message.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the chat module is configured to generate the email message and to transmit the generated email message to the email module.

18. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a database, wherein the email is transmitted from the memory hardware to the database when at least one of a predefined period has elapsed or the designated recipient attempts to access the email inbox.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the chat module is coupled to a connection manager, wherein the chat module is configured to query the connection manager to determine if the designated recipient is offline.

20. A method of processing messages, comprising:

receiving, at least one server, first and second chat messages;

automatically generating, at the at least one server, an email message that includes the first chat message;

holding the email message in a memory;

adding, at the at least one server, the second chat message to the email message when a length of a time period between when the first chat message is received and when the second chat message is received is less than a predefined value and the designated recipient does not access the email inbox during the time period; and

enabling, at the at least one server, a designated recipient to view the generated email as an unread email in an email inbox of the designated recipient if the designated recipient is offline when the chat message is received.