Management of virtual discussion threads in a synchronous conferencing system

• US 8,166,408 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2009
• Issued: 04/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Castellucci, Antonio
• Primary Examiner(s): Belousov, Andrey
• Application Number:
  US12/348,363
• Publication Number:
  US 20100175003A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,205 Days
• Field of Search: 715/758, 715/733, 715/821, 715/845
• US Class Current: 715/758
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]

Abstract

A mechanism is provided for defining and managing virtual discussion threads in a generic synchronous conferencing system. A chat server and chat client define a virtual discussion thread (VDT) entity that includes a group of chat entries or parts of chat entries. The chat entries in a VDT logically belong to the same “hidden” discussion within a chat session. Use of the VDT enables a chat system to support a user in understanding existing discussions by showing VDTs available in the overall list of chat entries and evidencing the chat entries in a VDT.

Claims

1. A method, in a data processing system, for managing virtual discussion threads in a synchronous conferencing system the method comprising:

storing sent and received chat entries in a chat session data structure wherein the chat session data structure stores a history of chat entries of a chat session;

receiving user selection of a plurality of chat entries belonging to a virtual discussion thread in a chat session graphical user interface of the chat session;

marking the plurality of chat entries as belonging to the virtual discussion thread in the chat session data structure, wherein each chat entry within plurality of chat entries in the chat session data structure comprises a message identifier, a user identifier, a timestamp, a chat message text, and a virtual discussion thread identifier;

adding a message identifier for each of the plurality of chat entries to a virtual discussion entry in a virtual discussion data structure, wherein the virtual discussion entry in the virtual discussion data structure comprises a virtual discussion thread identifier, a message identifier list, and an evidence mode field; and

activating an evidence mode corresponding to the evidence mode field for the plurality of chat entries in the chat session graphical user interface;

wherein receiving user selection of the plurality of chat entries comprises;

receiving user selection of a portion of a chat message associated with a given chat entry within the plurality of chat entries; and

identifying coordinates of the selected portion of the chat message, wherein the coordinates comprise a start position and end position that identify the first and last characters of the selected portion of the chat message that belongs to the virtual discussion thread,

wherein marking the plurality of chat entries as belonging to the virtual discussion thread comprises storing the coordinates in association with the message identifier of the chat message in the given chat entry in the chat session data structure such that an unselected portion of the chat message is not marked as belonging to the virtual discussion thread.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving user selection of the plurality of chat entries comprises:

receiving user selection of a graphical indicator associated with a given chat entry within the plurality of chat entries.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a current chat message;

generating a current chat entry for the current chat message in the chat session data structure;

marking the current chat entry as belonging to the virtual discussion thread; and

adding a message identifier of the current chat message to the virtual discussion entry of the virtual discussion thread in the virtual discussion data structure.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

transferring the chat entry to a chat server.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a broadcast chat entry and related virtual discussion thread information for the broadcast chat entry from a chat server;

determining whether the broadcast chat entry belongs to the virtual discussion thread based on the related virtual discussion thread information; and

responsive to a determination that the broadcast chat entry belongs to the virtual discussion thread, adding a message identifier of the broadcast chat entry to the virtual discussion entry of the virtual discussion thread in the virtual discussion data structure and activating the evidence mode for the broadcast chat entry.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein activating the evidence mode for the plurality of chat entries comprises:

receiving user selection of the virtual discussion thread; and

activating the evidence mode responsive to the selection of the virtual discussion thread.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein receiving user selection of the virtual discussion thread comprises one of receiving user selection of a given chat entry within the plurality of chat entries, receiving user selection of a portion of a given chat entry within the plurality of chat entries, or receiving user selection of a graphical control associated with the virtual discussion thread.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the evidence mode comprises hiding chat entries that do not belong to the virtual discussion thread.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein activating the evidence mode for the plurality of chat entries comprises activating the evidence mode based on user preferences.

10. A computer program product comprising a computer recordable medium having a computer readable program recorded thereon, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on a computing device, causes the computing device to:

store sent and received chat entries in a chat session data structure, wherein the chat session data structure stores a history of chat entries of a chat session;

receiving user selection of a plurality of chat entries belonging to a virtual discussion thread in a chat session graphical user interface of the chat session;

mark the plurality of chat entries as belonging to the virtual discussion thread in the chat session data structure, wherein each chat entry within the plurality of chat entries in the chat session data structure comprises a message identifier, a user identifier, a timestamp, a chat message text, and a virtual discussion thread identifier;

add a message identifier for each of the plurality of chat entries to a virtual discussion entry in a virtual discussion data structure, wherein the virtual discussion entry in the virtual discussion data structure comprises a virtual discussion thread identifier, a message identifier list, and an evidence mode field; and

activate an evidence mode corresponding to the evidence mode field for the plurality of chat entries in the chat session graphical user interface;

wherein receiving user selection of the plurality of chat entries comprises;

receiving user selection of a portion of a chat message associated with a given chat entry within the plurality of chat entries; and

identifying coordinates of the selected portion of the chat message, wherein the coordinates comprise a start position and end position that identify the first and last characters of the selected portion of the chat message that belongs to the virtual discussion thread,

wherein marking the plurality of chat entries as belonging to the virtual discussion thread comprises storing the coordinates in association with the message identifier of the chat message in the given chat entry in the chat session data structure such that an unselected portion of the chat message is not marked as belonging to the virtual discussion thread.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the evidence mode comprises hiding chat entries that do not belong to the virtual discussion thread.

12. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the computer readable program further causes the computing device to:

receive a current chat message;

generate a current chat entry for the current chat message in the chat session data structure;

mark the current chat entry as belonging to the virtual discussion thread; and

add a message identifier of the current chat message to the virtual discussion entry of the virtual discussion thread in the virtual discussion data structure.

13. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the computer readable program further causes the computing device to:

receive a broadcast chat entry and related virtual discussion thread information for the broadcast chat entry from a chat server;

determine whether the broadcast chat entry belongs to the virtual discussion thread based on the related virtual discussion thread information; and

responsive to a determination that the broadcast chat entry belongs to the virtual discussion thread, add a message identifier of the broadcast chat entry to the virtual discussion entry of the virtual discussion thread in the virtual discussion data structure and activate the evidence mode for the broadcast chat entry.

14. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory comprises instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

store sent and received chat entries in a chat session data structure wherein the chat session data structure stores a history of chat entries of a chat session;

receive user selection of a plurality of chat entries belonging to a virtual discussion thread in a chat session graphical user interface of the chat session;

mark the plurality of chat entries as belonging to the virtual discussion thread in the chat session data structure, wherein each chat entry within the plurality of chat entries in the chat session data structure comprises a message identifier, a user identifier, a timestamp, a chat message text, and a virtual discussion thread identifier;

add a message identifier for each of plurality of chat entries to a virtual discussion entry in a virtual discussion data structure, wherein the virtual discussion entry in the virtual discussion data structure comprises a virtual discussion thread identifier, a message identifier list, and an evidence mode field; and

activate an evidence mode corresponding to the evidence mode field for the plurality of chat entries in the chat session graphical user interface;

wherein receiving user selection of the plurality of chat entries comprises;

receiving user selection of a portion of a chat message associated with a given chat entry within the plurality of chat entries; and

identifying coordinates of the selected portion of the chat message, wherein the coordinates comprise a start position and end position that identify the first and last characters of the selected portion of the chat message that belongs to the virtual discussion thread,

wherein marking the plurality of chat entries as belonging to the virtual discussion thread comprises storing the coordinates in association with the message identifier of the chat message in the given chat entry in the chat session data structure such that an unselected portion of the chat message is not marked as belonging to the virtual discussion thread.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the evidence mode comprises hiding chat entries that do not belong to the virtual discussion thread.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

receive a current chat message;

generate a current chat entry for the current chat message in the chat session data structure;

mark the current chat entry as belonging to the virtual discussion thread; and

add a message identifier of the current chat message to the virtual discussion entry of the virtual discussion thread in the virtual discussion data structure.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

receive a broadcast chat entry and related virtual discussion thread information for the broadcast chat entry from a chat server;

determine whether the broadcast chat entry belongs to the virtual discussion thread based on the related virtual discussion thread information; and

responsive to a determination that the broadcast chat entry belongs to the virtual discussion thread, add a message identifier of the broadcast chat entry to the virtual discussion entry of the virtual discussion thread in the virtual discussion data structure and activate the evidence mode for the broadcast chat entry.