Method to continue instant messaging exchange when exiting a virtual world

• US 7,970,840 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2008
• Issued: 06/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Activision Publishing Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: CANNON, ULYSSES LAMONT, Jones, Angela Richards, Lyle-Cannon, Ruthie D.
• Primary Examiner(s): HIGA, BRENDAN Y
• Application Number:
  US12/166,637
• Publication Number:
  US 20100005141A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,091 Days
• Field of Search: 709204-207, 715/706, 715751-754, 715757-759
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management

Abstract

A method, system and computer program product for associating a virtual instant messaging client, of an avatar, with a standard instant messaging account. When a communication transcript is completed in a virtual instant messaging session, the communication transcript is stored. Wherein the stored communication transcript is an archived virtual world (VW) communication transcript. The archived VW communication transcript is associated with one or more instant messaging clients. A request is received to continue communication, with one or more avatars, when a virtual instant messaging session is completed. When the request is received a graphical user interface (GUI) is automatically displayed. One or more of the following selections are enabled: communicate via the instant messaging session or do not communicate via the instant messaging session. When the selection to communicate, with the one or more avatars, via the instant messaging session is received, the system dynamically initiates an instant messaging session. The GUI is automatically closed when a do not communicate via the instant messaging session selection is received. Access to the archived VW communication transcript is enabled during one or more instant messaging sessions. The content of the archived VW communication transcript is automatically displayed when the archived VW communication transcript is accessed during the instant messaging session.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

associating, using a processor, a virtual instant messaging client, of an avatar in a virtual world (VW) environment, with a standard instant messaging account outside of said VW environment;

when a virtual instant messaging session within said VW environment is complete, storing a communication transcript in a memory, wherein the communication transcript is an archived VW communication transcript;

associating, using the archived VW communication transcript with one or more instant messaging clients;

receiving a request to continue communication within a standard instant messaging account outside of said VW environment, with one or more avatars, when the virtual instant messaging session is complete; and

dynamically initiating a standard instant messaging session outside of said VW environment when the request to continue communication is received.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a request to continue communication further comprises:

automatically displaying a graphical user interface (GUI), wherein the GUI displays a request to said one or more avatars to join said standard instant messaging session;

enabling selection of communicate via the standard instant messaging session and do not communicate via the standard instant messaging session;

when a selection is received to communicate via the standard instant messaging session, automatically displaying options for selection of instant messaging client, electronic mail (e-mail) account, username, and login information; and

automatically closing the GUI when a do not communicate via the standard instant messaging session selection is received.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein associating, using said processor, the archived VW communication transcript with one or more instant messaging clients further comprises:

enabling access to the archived VW communication transcript during one or more standard instant messaging sessions outside of said VW environment;

enabling selection of the archived VW communication transcript from the standard instant messaging client; and

automatically displaying the content of the archived VW communication transcript when the archived VW communication transcript is selected during the standard instant messaging session outside of said VW environment.