Tracking email and instant messaging (IM) thread history

• US 7,933,957 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2002
• Issued: 04/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Daniell, W. Todd
• Primary Examiner(s): WASEL, MOHAMED A
• Application Number:
  US10/326,479
• Publication Number:
  US 20040054737A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,050 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 709/206
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1831 Tracking arrangements for later retrieval, e.g. recording contents, participants activities or behavior, network status
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/234 for tracking messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion

Abstract

Systems and methods for integrating instant messaging (IM) services and email services are described. In one embodiment, email messages and IM chat session transcripts are threaded to each other so that an email thread history may be traced back to an IM chat session transcript and, conversely, an IM thread history may be traced back to an email message.

Claims

1. A system for tracking thread history comprising:

a generation component stored in memory and configured to generate a first globally unique identifier (GUID) associated with an email message, the first GUID being unique to the email message, the first GUID being configured to identify the email message, the email message being associated with an email read message interface configured to facilitate initiation of an instant messaging (IM) session, the IM session having a second GUID, the second GUID being unique to the IM session; and

a storage component configured to store the first GUID and the second GUID in a thread history database, the first GUID being linked to the second GUID,

wherein the email message is provided via the email read message interface that is configured to provide a body portion of a received email, the email read message interface further configured to facilitate initiation of an IM session by providing a launch IM option in the email read message interface, wherein the launch IM option is configured to automatically open an IM application in an IM window directly from the email read message interface and initiate an IM session with an IM recipient whose IM presence has previously been determined, wherein the email read message interface is configured to provide an IM presence icon to indicate IM presence information for at least one addressee of the email message, the IM presence information determined for at least one of a plurality of IM addresses associated with the at least one addressee of the email message, wherein the IM presence was determined based on retrieving data associated with contacts of a sender of the email message prior to the initiation of the IM session.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the IM presence icon is configured to convey a not present presence information.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one of a plurality of IM addresses is chosen based on a prioritization of the plurality of IM addresses.

2. A method for tracking thread history comprising:

generating a first globally-unique identifier (GUID) associated with an email message, the first GUID being unique to the email message, the email message being presented by an email read message interface configured to provide an option to initiate an instant messaging (IM) session in an IM window, the IM session having a second GUID, the second GUID being unique to the IM session; and

storing the first GUID and the second GUID in a thread history database, the first GUID being linked to the second GUID,

wherein the email read message interface is configured to facilitate initiation of an IM session by providing a launch IM option, the launch IM option configured to automatically open an IM application and initiate an IM session directly from the email read message interface, with an IM recipient whose IM presence has previously been determined, wherein the email read message interface is configured to provide an IM presence icon to indicate IM presence information for at least one addressee of to the email message, the IM presence information determined for at least one of a plurality of IM addresses associated with the at least one addressee of the email message, wherein the initiation of the IM session and the determination of the IM presence information are performed at a computing device of a sender of the email message.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the generating the first GUID comprises:

generating the first GUID in response to sending the email message.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the generating the first GUID comprises:

generating the first GUID in response to receiving the email message.

5. A system for tracking thread history comprising:

means for generating a first globally-unique identifier (GUID) associated with an email message, the first GUID being unique to the email message, the email message being presented by an email read message interface configured to facilitate initiation of an instant messaging (IM) session, the IM session having a second GUID, the second GUID being unique to the IM session; and

means for storing the first GUID and the second GUID in a thread history database, the first GUID being linked to the second GUID,

wherein the email read message interface is configured to facilitate initiation of an IM session by providing a launch IM option, the launch IM option configured to automatically open an IM application directly from the email message receive interface and initiate an IM session with an IM recipient whose IM presence has previously been determined, wherein the email read message interface is configured to provide an IM presence icon to indicate IM presence information for at least one addressee of the email message, the IM presence information determined for at least one of a plurality of IM addresses associated with the at least one addressee of the email message, wherein the IM presence was determined based on retrieving data associated with contacts of a sender of the email message prior to the initiation of the IM session.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one of a plurality of IM addresses is chosen based on a prioritization of the plurality of IM addresses.