Management of multiple synchronous responses to single question in community-based instant messaging
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
- sending an instant message communication from a first device of a first person to a plurality of other persons in a topic-based community;
receiving at the first device a number of response instant message communications as responses from the plurality of other persons in which the responses respectively form private instant message communication threads between the plurality of other persons and the first person;
responsive to the private instant message communication threads initially being viewable by the first person, merging the private instant message communication threads received at the first device of the first person into a merged threaded view that is viewable by the first person and each of the plurality of other persons; and
preventing an identified private instant message communication thread of the private instant message communication threads from being merged into the merged threaded view that is viewable by each of the plurality of other persons, responsive to a particular one of the plurality of other persons selecting to prevent the identified private instant message communication thread from being merged into the merged threaded view, both the private instant message communication threads and the identified private instant message communication thread being immediately and automatically available to the first person on the first device without requiring permission to view and access the private instant message communication threads and the identified private instant message communication thread;
wherein the identified private instant message communication thread corresponds to the particular one of the plurality of other persons.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A computer-implemented method includes sending an instant message communication from a first device of a first person to a plurality of other persons in a topic-based community, and receiving a number of instant message communications at the first device. The method further includes placing each of the response instant message communications in a separate display that is viewable by the first person, and sending a second instant message communication from the first device of the first person to the plurality of other persons after a certain number of response instant message communications have been received by the first device from the plurality of other persons, wherein the second instant message communication is an indication that the first person is satisfied with at least one of the response instant message communications.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
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sending an instant message communication from a first device of a first person to a plurality of other persons in a topic-based community; receiving at the first device a number of response instant message communications as responses from the plurality of other persons in which the responses respectively form private instant message communication threads between the plurality of other persons and the first person; responsive to the private instant message communication threads initially being viewable by the first person, merging the private instant message communication threads received at the first device of the first person into a merged threaded view that is viewable by the first person and each of the plurality of other persons; and preventing an identified private instant message communication thread of the private instant message communication threads from being merged into the merged threaded view that is viewable by each of the plurality of other persons, responsive to a particular one of the plurality of other persons selecting to prevent the identified private instant message communication thread from being merged into the merged threaded view, both the private instant message communication threads and the identified private instant message communication thread being immediately and automatically available to the first person on the first device without requiring permission to view and access the private instant message communication threads and the identified private instant message communication thread; wherein the identified private instant message communication thread corresponds to the particular one of the plurality of other persons. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A computer program product, comprising:
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a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer program instructions stored thereon that define a method, wherein such instructions, upon execution by a first device cause the first device to implement the method, the method including sending an instant message communication from the first device of a first person to a plurality of other persons in a topic-based community; receiving at the first device a number of response instant message communications as responses from the plurality of other persons in which the responses respectively form private instant message communication threads between the plurality of other persons and the first person; responsive to the private instant message communication threads initially being viewable by the first person, merging the private instant message communication threads received at the first device of the first person into a merged threaded view that is viewable by the first person and each of the plurality of other persons; and preventing an identified private instant message communication thread of the private instant message communication threads from being merged into the merged threaded view that is viewable by each of the plurality of other persons, responsive to a particular one of the plurality of other persons selecting to prevent the identified private instant message communication thread from being merged into the merged threaded view, both the private instant message communication threads and the identified private instant message communication thread being immediately and automatically available to the first person on the first device without requiring permission to view and access the private instant message communication threads and the identified private instant message communication thread; wherein the identified private instant message communication thread corresponds to the particular one of the plurality of other persons. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
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8. A computer system, comprising:
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a central processing unit for executing a computer program, the central processing unit is configured for; sending an instant message communication from a first person to a plurality of other persons in a topic-based community; receiving a number of response instant message communications as responses from the plurality of other persons in which the responses respectively form private instant message communication threads between the plurality of other persons and the first person; responsive to the private instant message communication threads initially being viewable by the first person, merging the private instant message communication threads received at the first person into a merged threaded view that is viewable by the first person and each of the plurality of other persons; and preventing an identified private instant message communication thread of the private instant message communication threads from being merged into the merged threaded view that is viewable by each of the plurality of other persons, responsive to a particular one of the plurality of other persons selecting to prevent the identified private instant message communication thread from being merged into the merged threaded view, both the private instant message communication threads and the identified private instant message communication thread being immediately and automatically available to the first person on the first device without requiring permission to view and access the private instant message communication threads and the identified private instant message communication thread; wherein the identified private instant message communication thread corresponds to the particular one of the plurality of other persons. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. An electronic instant messaging method, comprising:
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sending an instant message communication in a form of a question from a first device of a first person to a plurality of other persons; receiving a number of response instant message communications as responses from the plurality of other persons in which the responses respectively form private instant message communication threads between the plurality of other persons and the first person; initially placing each of the response instant message communications in a separate display that is viewable by the first person; responsive to the private instant message communication threads initially being viewable by the first person, merging the private instant message communication threads received at the first device of the first person into a merged threaded view that is viewable by the first person and each of the plurality of other persons; and preventing an identified private instant message communication thread of the private instant message communication threads from being merged into the merged threaded view that is viewable by each of the plurality of other persons, responsive to a particular one of the plurality of other persons selecting to prevent the identified private instant message communication thread from being merged into the merged threaded view, both the private instant message communication threads and the identified private instant message communication thread being immediately and automatically available to the first person on the first device without requiring permission to view and access the private instant message communication threads and the identified private instant message communication thread; wherein the identified private instant message communication thread corresponds to the particular one of the plurality of other persons.
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Specification