System, method and program for managing chat sessions
First Claim
1. A method for managing a chat session, the method comprising the steps of:
- a server storing in a database an identity of a group, a list of a plurality of members of the group, and a list of people authorized to request that the group of members be added to the chat session;
the server receiving a request from a workstation of a person participating in the chat session to add the group of members to the chat session, the request initiated by the person participating in the chat session at the workstation, the request specifying the identity of the group but not the members of the group;
in response to the request initiated by the person participating in the chat session at the workstation, the server determining if the person which initiated the request is authorized to add the group of members to the chat session, and if so, the server determining from the database identities of members of the group and sending an invitation to the members of the group to join the chat session, and if not, the server not sending an invitation to the members of the group to join the chat session in response to the request initiated by the person participating in the chat session at the workstation;
the workstation receiving from the person which initiated the request entry in a chat session message text field of a character string to add the group of members to the chat session; and
a program stored in a computer readable storage device and executing at the workstation monitoring the chat session message text field and determining that the character string is the request to add the group of members to the chat session, and in response, the program forming and initiating sending of the request to the server to add the group of members to the chat session; and
wherein the character string comprises an identity of the group of members surrounded by symbols which differentiate the character string from chat message text in the chat message text field.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
System, method and program product for managing a chat session. A server maintains an identity and list of member(s) of a group that can be added to a chat session, and a list of people authorized to request that the group of member(s) be added to the chat session. A person in a chat session at a workstation makes a request to add the group of member(s) to the chat session. In response, the workstation sends the request to the server. In response to the request, the server determines if the person is authorized to add the group to the chat session. If so, the server sends an invitation to the member(s) to join the chat session. If not, the server does not send an invitation to the member(s) to join the chat session. To make the request to add the group to the chat session, the person can enter in a chat session text field a character string that is a command to add the group to the chat session. A program at the workstation monitors the text field and determines that the character string is the command to add the group to the chat session.
-
Citations
19 Claims
-
1. A method for managing a chat session, the method comprising the steps of:
-
a server storing in a database an identity of a group, a list of a plurality of members of the group, and a list of people authorized to request that the group of members be added to the chat session; the server receiving a request from a workstation of a person participating in the chat session to add the group of members to the chat session, the request initiated by the person participating in the chat session at the workstation, the request specifying the identity of the group but not the members of the group; in response to the request initiated by the person participating in the chat session at the workstation, the server determining if the person which initiated the request is authorized to add the group of members to the chat session, and if so, the server determining from the database identities of members of the group and sending an invitation to the members of the group to join the chat session, and if not, the server not sending an invitation to the members of the group to join the chat session in response to the request initiated by the person participating in the chat session at the workstation; the workstation receiving from the person which initiated the request entry in a chat session message text field of a character string to add the group of members to the chat session; and a program stored in a computer readable storage device and executing at the workstation monitoring the chat session message text field and determining that the character string is the request to add the group of members to the chat session, and in response, the program forming and initiating sending of the request to the server to add the group of members to the chat session; and
wherein the character string comprises an identity of the group of members surrounded by symbols which differentiate the character string from chat message text in the chat message text field. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
-
6. A method for managing a chat session, the method comprising the steps of:
-
a server receiving a request from a workstation of a person participating in the chat session to add a group of members to the chat session, the request initiated by the person participating in the chat session at the workstation, the request specifying an identity of the group but not the members of the group; in response to the request initiated by the person participating in the chat session at the workstation, the server determining if the person which initiated the request is authorized to add the group of members to the chat session, and if so, the server determining from a database identities of members of the group and sending an invitation to the members of the group to join the chat session, and if not, the server not sending an invitation to the members of the group to join the chat session in response to the request initiated by the person participating in the chat session at the workstation; the server receiving another request from another workstation of another person participating in another chat session to add the group of members to the other chat session, the request initiated by the other person participating in the other chat session at the other workstation, the other request specifying the identity of the group but not the members of the group; and in response to the other request initiated by the other person participating in the other chat session at other workstation, the server determining if the other person which initiated the other request is authorized to add the group of members to the other chat session, and if so, the server determining from the database identities of members of the group and sending an invitation to the members of the group to join the other chat session, and if not, the server not sending an invitation to the members of the group to join the other chat session in response to the other request initiated by the other person participating in the other chat session at the other workstation. - View Dependent Claims (7)
-
-
8. A computer program product for managing a chat session, the computer program product comprising:
-
a computer readable storage device; first program instructions to direct storage in a database of an identity of a group, a list of a plurality of members of the group, and a list of people authorized to request that the group of members be added to the chat session; second program instructions to receive a request from a workstation of a person participating in the chat session to add the group of members to the chat session, the request initiated by the person participating in the chat session at the workstation, the request specifying the identity of the group but not the members of the group; and third program instructions, responsive to the request initiated by the person participating in the chat session at the workstation, to determine if the person which initiated the request is authorized to add the group of members to the chat session, and if so, determine from the database identities of members of the group and send an invitation to the members of the group to join the chat session, and if not, not send an invitation to the members of the group to join the chat session in response to the request initiated by the person participating in the chat session at the workstation; fourth program instructions, for execution in the workstation, to receive from the person which initiated the request, entry in a chat session message text field of a character string to add the group of members to the chat session; and fifth program instructions, for execution in the workstation, to monitor the chat session message text field and determine that the character string is the request to add the group of members to the chat session, and in response, form and initiate sending of the request to the server to add the group of members to the chat session; and
whereinthe character string comprises an identity of the group of members surrounded by symbols which differentiate the character string from chat message text in the chat message text field; and
whereinthe first, second, third, fourth and fifth program instructions are stored on the computer readable storage device. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A computer program product for managing a chat session, the computer program product comprising:
-
a computer readable storage device; first program instructions to receive a request from a workstation of a person participating in the chat session to add a group of members to the chat session, the request initiated by the person participating in the chat session at the workstation, the request specifying an identity of the group but not the members of the group; and second program instructions, responsive to the request initiated by the person participating in the chat session at the workstation, to determine if the person which initiated the request is authorized to add the group of members to the chat session, and if so, determine from a database identities of members of the group and send an invitation to the members of the group to join the chat session, and if not, not send an invitation to the members of the group to join the chat session in response to the request initiated by the person participating in the chat session at the workstation; third program instructions to receive another request from another workstation of another person participating in another chat session to add the group of members to the other chat session, the request initiated by the other person participating in the other chat session at the other workstation, the other request specifying the identity of the group but not the members of the group; and fourth program instructions, responsive to the other request initiated by the other person participating in the other chat session at the other workstation, to determine if the other person which initiated the other request is authorized to add the group of members to the other chat session, and if so, determine from the database identities of the members of the group and send an invitation to the members of the group to join the other chat session, and if not, not send an invitation to the members of the group to join the other chat session in response to the other request initiated by the other person participating in the other chat session at the other workstation; and
whereinthe first, second, third and fourth program instructions are stored on the computer readable storage device. - View Dependent Claims (14)
-
-
15. A computer system for managing a chat session, the computer system comprising:
-
a server including a CPU, a computer readable memory, and a computer readable storage device; first program instructions to receive a request from a workstation of a person participating in the chat session to add a group of members to the chat session, the request initiated by the person participating in the chat session at the workstation, the request specifying the identity of the group but not the members of the group; and second program instructions, responsive to the request initiated by the person participating in the chat session at the workstation, to determine if the person which initiated the request is authorized to add the group of members to the chat session, and if so, determine from a database identities of members of the group and send an invitation to the members of the group to join the chat session, and if not, not send an invitation to the members of the group to join the chat session in response to the request initiated by the person participating in the chat session at the workstation; and
whereinthe first and second program instructions are stored on the computer readable storage device for execution by the CPU via the computer readable memory; and the workstation includes a second CPU, a second computer readable memory and a second computer readable storage device; and
further comprising;third program instructions to receive from the person which initiated the request, entry in a chat session message text field of a character string to add the group of members to the chat session; and fourth program instructions to monitor the chat session message text field and determine that the character string is the request to add the group of members to the chat session, and in response, form and initiate sending of the request to the server to add the group of members to the chat session; and
whereinthe character string comprises an identity of the group of members surrounded by symbols which differentiate the character string from chat message text in the chat message text field; and the third and fourth program instructions are stored on the second computer readable storage device for execution by the second CPU via the second computer readable memory. - View Dependent Claims (16)
-
-
17. A server computer for managing a chat session, the server computer comprising:
-
a CPU, a computer readable memory, and a computer readable storage device; first program instructions to receive a request from a workstation of a person participating in the chat session to add a group of members to the chat session, the request initiated by the person participating in the chat session at the workstation, the request specifying an identity of the group but not the members of the group; second program instructions, responsive to the request initiated by the person participating in the chat session at the workstation, to determine if the person which initiated the request is authorized to add the group of members to the chat session, and if so, determine from the database identities of members of the group and send an invitation to the members of the group to join the chat session, and if not, not send an invitation to the members of the group to join the chat session in response to the request initiated by the person participating in the chat session at the workstation; third program instructions to receive another request from another workstation of another person participating in another chat session to add the group of members to the other chat session, the request initiated by the other person participating in the other chat session at the other workstation, the other request specifying the identity of the group but not the members of the group; and fourth program instructions, responsive to the other request initiated by the other person participating in the other chat session at the other workstation, to determine if the other person which initiated the other request is authorized to add the group of members to the other chat session, and if so, determine from the database identities of the members of the group and send an invitation to the members of the group to join the other chat session, and if not, not send an invitation to the members of the group to join the other chat session in response to the other request initiated by the other person participating in the other chat session at the other workstation; and
whereinthe first, second, third and fourth program instructions are stored on the computer readable storage device for execution by the CPU via the computer readable memory. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
-
Specification