Method to enable user selection of segments in an instant messaging application for integration in other applications

• US 8,275,832 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2005
• Issued: 09/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Chen, Yen-Fu, Handy-Bosma, John Hans, Selvage, Mei Yang, Walker, Keith Raymond
• Primary Examiner(s): Pappas, Peter-Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cheema, Umar
• Application Number:
  US11/039,508
• Publication Number:
  US 20060161852A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,805 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 709/205, 715/758, 715/744, 719/328, 719/329
• US Class Current: 709/204
• 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 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]

Abstract

A Segment Interface Program (SIP) is disclosed that enables a user to choose locations in other applications to receive segments, and to mark segments for manual or automatic transmission to those applications. The SIP comprises an Application Interface Program (AIP), a Segment Creator Program (SCP), a Segment Queue Program (SQP), and a Segment Delivery Program (SDP). The SIP accesses a Rules database, a codes database, and a queue database. The AIP enables a user to select a location in an application and assign an application code and a location code to the location. The SCP enables a user to select a segment in a chat transcript, assign an application code and a location code to the segment, and send the segment to the SQP. The SQP receives the segment, assigns a queue number, and places the segment in a queue table. The SDP reads the user code, the application code and, when the application is active, sends the segment to the location in the application with the corresponding code. A single segment may be inserted into an application in multiple locations by creating additional codes for multiple instances of a location.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

a computer displaying an instant messaging chat transcript;

the computer receiving a first segment of text displayed within the instant messaging chat transcript, an identifier of a first application, an identifier of a user of the first application, and an identifier of a location at which to receive the first segment of text in a first application display;

the computer assigning a first queue number to the first segment of text;

the computer inserting, into a table, the first queue number, the first segment of text, the identifier of the first application, the identifier of the user of the first application, and the identifier of the location at which to receive the first segment of text in a first application display; and

the computer determining that an instance of the first application corresponding to the identifier of the first application and the identifier of the user of the first application is started, and in response, the computer removing the first segment of text from the table and the computer sending the first segment of text to a location within a display of the instance of the first application corresponding to the location at which to receive the first segment of text in a first application display.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the computer receiving a second segment of text displayed within the instant messaging transcript, an identifier of a second application, an identifier of a user of the second application, and an identifier of a location at which to receive the second segment of text in a second application display;

the computer assigning a second queue number to the second segment of text;

the computer inserting, into the table, the second queue number, the second segment of text, the identifier of the second application, the identifier of the user of the second application, and the identifier of the location at which to receive the second segment of text in a second application display; and

the computer determining that an instance of the second application corresponding to the identifier of the second application and the identifier of the user of the second application is not started, and in response, the computer assigning a new queue number to the second segment of text and the computer inserting the second segment of text at an end of the table, wherein the table is ordered according to queue numbers of segments of texts of the instant messaging chat transcript.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the location within the display of the instance of the first application is a configurable space.

4. A computer system comprising one or more processors, one or more computer-readable memories, one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices, and program instructions which are stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories and when executed by at least one of the one or more processors perform the method of claim 1.

5. A computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices and computer-readable program instructions which are stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices and when executed by one or more processors, perform the method of claim 1.

9. The computer program product of claim 4 wherein the location within the display of the instance of the application is a configurable space.

6. A computer system comprising:

one or more processors, one or more computer-readable memories and one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to display an instant messaging chat transcript;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to receive a first segment of text displayed within the instant messaging chat transcript, an identifier of an application, an identifier of a user of the application, and an identifier of a location at which to receive the first segment of text in an application display;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to assign a first queue number to the first segment of text;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to insert, into a table, the first queue number, the first segment of text, the identifier of the application, the identifier of the user of the application, and the identifier of the location at which to receive the first segment of text in an application display;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to determine that an instance of the application corresponding to the identifier of the application and the identifier of the user of the application is started, and in response, to remove the first segment of text from the table and to send the first segment of text to a location within a display of the instance of the application corresponding to the location at which to receive the first segment of text in an application display;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to receive a second segment of text displayed within the instant messaging chat transcript, the identifier of the application, the identifier of the user of the application, and an identifier of a location at which to receive the second segment of text in an application display;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to assign a second queue number to the second segment of text;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to insert, into the table, the second queue number, the second segment of text, the identifier of the application, the identifier of the user of the application, and the identifier of the location at which to receive the second segment of text in an application display; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to determine that the instance of the application corresponding to the identifier of the application and the identifier of the user of the application is not started, and in response, to assign a new queue number to the second segment of text and to insert the second segment of text at an end of the table, wherein the table is ordered according to queue numbers of segments of texts of the instant messaging chat transcript.

7. The computer system of claim 6 wherein the location within the display of the instance of the first application is a configurable space.

8. A computer program product comprising:

one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices, to display an instant messaging chat transcript;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices, to receive a segment of text displayed within the instant messaging chat transcript, an identifier of an application, an identifier of a user of the application, and an identifier of a location at which to receive the segment of text in an application display;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices, to assign a queue number to the segment of text;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices, to insert, into a table, the segment of text, the identifier of the application, the identifier of the user of the application, and the identifier of the location at which to receive the segment of text in an application display;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices, to determine that an instance of the application corresponding to the identifier of the application and the identifier of the user of the application is started, and in response, to remove the segment of text from the table and to send the segment of text to a location within a display of the instance of the application corresponding to the location at which to receive the segment of text in an application display; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices, to determine that the instance of the application corresponding to the identifier of the application and the identifier of the user of the application is not started, and in response, to assign a new queue number to the segment of text and to insert the segment of text at an end of the table, wherein the table is ordered according to queue numbers of segments of texts of the instant messaging chat transcript.