Session management enhancements for instant messaging applications

• US 8,380,792 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2008
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Boss, Gregory Jensen, Hamilton, Rick Allen II, Pandya, Aroopratan D., Seaman, James Wesley
• Primary Examiner(s): JAKOVAC, RYAN J
• Application Number:
  US12/177,284
• Publication Number:
  US 20080281933A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,673 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/207, 715/751, 715/753, 715/758, 715/759
• US Class Current: 709/206
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066

Abstract

A computer displays a first identifier of a remote user followed by a first numeral and a second numeral in an interface of a messaging program for a local user, the first numeral representing a number of active messaging sessions for the remote user, and the second numeral representing a number of messages present in a queue and to be delivered to the remote user.

Claims

1. A method to manage multiple messaging sessions, the method comprising the steps of:

a computer displaying a first identifier of a remote user followed by a first numeral and a second numeral for a local user, wherein the first numeral represents a number of active messaging sessions for the remote user;

wherein, if the local user has not sent a message to the remote user, the second numeral represents a number of messages to be delivered to the remote user and that are present in a queue used by the remote user; and

wherein, if the local user has sent a message to the remote user and the message is present in the queue, the second numeral represents a position in the queue of the message sent by the local user.

2. The method of claim of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

the computer receiving a message having a second identifier of a remote user in a messaging session; and

the computer determining that the second identifier matches a third identifier in a list of, and in response, the computer rejecting the message having the second identifier.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

the computer receiving a message from the remote user in a messaging session;

the computer determining a number of active messaging sessions for the local user;

the computer blocking, responsive to the number of active messaging sessions for the local user being equal to or greater than a pre-designated number, the message from the remote user; and

the computer sending data comprising the number of active messaging sessions for the local user and a number of messages present in a queue used by the local user and waiting to be delivered to the local user.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

the computer receiving a message to the local user in a messaging session;

the computer determining a number of active messaging sessions for the local user; and

the computer displaying, responsive to the number of active messaging sessions for the local user being less than a pre-designated number, the message to the local user.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

the computer displaying an interface configured to activate a session counter, to receive a session number, to receive a block number, and to receive an inactive number;

the computer queuing, responsive to a first incoming session causing a first count number to equal or exceed the session number, the first incoming session;

the computer blocking, responsive to a second incoming session causing a second count number to equal or exceed the block number, the second incoming session; and

the computer closing, responsive to determining that an elapsed period of time equals or exceeds the inactive number, a session associated with the elapsed period of time.

16. 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 the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices for execution by the one or more processors via the one or more computer-readable memories and when executed by the one or more processors perform the method of claim 1.

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

18. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

responsive to the computer detecting that a cursor is placed over the second numeral, the computer displaying identities of users in the active messaging sessions.

19. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

responsive to the computer detecting that a cursor is placed over the second numeral, the computer displaying identities of users that sent the messages that are present in the queue.

6. A computer system for managing multiple messaging sessions, the computer system comprising:

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

program instructions, stored on the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via the at least one of the one or more memories, to display a first identifier of a remote user followed by a first numeral and a second numeral for a local user, wherein the first numeral represents a number of active messaging sessions for the remote user;

wherein, if the local user has not sent a message to the remote user, the second numeral represents a number of messages to be delivered to the remote user and that are present in a queue used by the remote user;

wherein, if the local user has sent a message to the remote user and the message is present in the queue, the second numeral represents a position in the queue of the message sent by the local user.

7. The computer system of claim 6 further comprising:

program instructions, stored on the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via the at least one of the one or more memories, to receive a message having a second identifier of a remote user in a messaging session; and

program instructions, stored on the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via the at least one of the one or more memories, to reject, responsive to determining that the first identifier matches a third identifier in a list, the message having the second identifier.

8. The computer system of claim 6 further comprising:

program instructions, stored on the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via the at least one of the one or more memories, to receive a message from the remote user in a messaging session;

program instructions, stored on the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via the at least one of the one or more memories, to determine a number of active messaging sessions for the local user;

program instructions, stored on the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via the at least one of the one or more memories, to block, responsive to the number of active messaging sessions for the local user being equal to or greater than a pre-designated number, the message from the remote user; and

program instructions, stored on the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via the at least one of the one or more memories, to send data comprising the number of active messaging sessions for the local user and a number of messages present in a queue used by the local user and waiting to be delivered to the local user.

9. The computer system of claim 6 further comprising:

program instructions, stored on the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via the at least one of the one or more memories, to receive a message to local user in a messaging session;

program instructions, stored on the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via the at least one of the one or more memories, to determine a number of active messaging sessions for the local user; and

program instructions, stored on the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via the at least one of the one or more memories, to display, responsive to the number of active messaging sessions for the local user being less than a pre-designated number, the message to the local user.

10. The computer system of claim 6 further comprising:

program instructions, stored on the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via the at least one of the one or more memories, to display an interface configured to activate a session counter, to receive a session number, to receive a block number, and to receive an inactive number;

program instructions, stored on the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via the at least one of the one or more memories, to queue, responsive to a first incoming session causing a first count number to equal or exceed the session number, the first incoming session;

program instructions, stored on the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via the at least one of the one or more memories, to block, responsive to a second incoming session causing a second count number to equal or exceed the block number, the second incoming session; and

program instructions, stored on the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via the at least one of the one or more memories, to close, responsive to determining that an elapsed period of time equals or exceeds the inactive number, a session associated with the elapsed period of time.

11. A computer program product for managing multiple messaging sessions, the computer program product comprising:

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

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices to display a first identifier of a remote user followed by a first numeral and a second numeral for a local user, wherein the first numeral represents a number of messaging active sessions for the remote user;

wherein, if the local user has not sent a message to the remote user, the second numeral represents a number of messages to be delivered to the remote user and that are present in a queue used by the remote user;

wherein, if the local user has sent a message to the remote user and the message is present in the queue, the second numeral represents a position in the queue of the message sent by the local user.

12. The computer program product of claim 11 further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices to receive a message having a second identifier of a remote user in a messaging session; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices to reject, responsive to determining that the second identifier matches a third identifier in a list, the message having the second identifier.

13. The computer program product of claim 11 further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices to receive a message from the remote user in a messaging session;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices to determine a number of active messaging sessions for the local user;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices to block, responsive to the number of active messaging sessions for the local user being equal to or greater than a pre-designated number, the message from the remote user; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices to send data comprising the number of active messaging sessions for the local user and a number of messages present in a queue used by the local user and waiting to be delivered to the local user.

14. The computer program product of claim 11 further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices to receive a message to the local user in a messaging session;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices to determine a number of active messaging sessions for the local user; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices to display, responsive to the number of active messaging sessions for the local user being less than a pre-designated number, the message to the local user.

15. The computer program product of claim 11 further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices to activate a session counter, to receive a session number, to receive a block number, and to receive an inactive number;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices to queue, responsive to a first incoming session causing a first count number to equal or exceed the session number, the first incoming session;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices to block, responsive to a second incoming session causing a second count number to equal or exceed the block number, the second incoming session; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable, tangible storage devices to close, responsive to determining that an elapsed period of time equals or exceeds the inactive number, a session associated with the inactive number.