Project-related communications

• US 8,601,054 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2006
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bagwell, Derek P., Jambunathan, Sivakumar, Naick, Indran, Vasudevan, Cheranellore
• Primary Examiner(s): Elchanti, Hussein
• Assistant Examiner(s): Anwari, Maceeh
• Application Number:
  US11/567,776
• Publication Number:
  US 20080140782A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,553 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/33 Querying

Abstract

Systems, methods and media for processing project related communications between users of computers and to provide listening functionality for the users. In one embodiment, a system allows a third party project member to optionally listen in on an electronic conversation between two or more project members. The system further allows the third party project member to conduct a keyword search of messages relating to the project.

Claims

1. A method for selectively sending electronic communications, the method comprising:

receiving, by at least one computer system having at least one processor coupled to memory, a first message at a beginning of an electronic messaging conversation between first and second members of a project, the first message comprising a subject, text, and being from the first member of the project and addressed to the second member of the project;

transmitting, by the at least one computer system, the first message to the second member;

broadcasting, by the at least one computer system, a notification to other project members of the beginning of the electronic messaging conversation;

receiving, by the at least one computer system and subsequent to the broadcasting, a listen request from a third party member of the project that is not already part of the electronic messaging conversation, the listen request being a request to listen in on the electronic messaging conversation;

sending, by the at least one computer system in response to the receiving of the listen request, to the third party member of the project an archived copy of the first message; and

sending, by the at least one computer system, to the third party member of the project, an archived copy of a second message of the electronic messaging conversation, wherein the second message is subsequent to the first message in the electronic messaging conversation.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a keyword search request from the third party member of the project and conducting a keyword search on one or more messages of the electronic messaging conversation, wherein the listen request is received from the third party in response to the keyword search returning search results indicative of a subject of interest to the third party.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the first message and the second message in a searchable database.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising searching the searchable database in response to a keyword search request from the third party member of the project, wherein the keyword search request comprises one or more of project name, project type, time, date, sender, recipient, subject, or content of the text.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising rejecting a second listen request from a non-member of the project in response to determining that the non-member of the project is not listed in a project member register.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, from the third party member of the project, an acceptance of an option to join the electronic messaging conversation.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, from a non-member of the project, a denial of an option to join the electronic messaging conversation.

8. A computer program product for selectively sending electronic communications, the computer program product comprising:

one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to receive a first message at a beginning of a electronic messaging conversation between first and second members of a project, the first message comprising a subject, text, and being from the first member of the project and addressed to the second member of the project;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to transmit the first message to the second member;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to broadcast a notification to other project members of the beginning of the electronic messaging conversation;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices to receive, subsequent to broadcasting the notification, a listen request from a third party member of the project that is not already part of the electronic messaging conversation, the listen request being a request to listen in on the electronic messaging conversation;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to, in response to receiving the listen request, send to the third party member of the project an archived copy of the first message; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to, send to the third party member of the project an archived copy of a second message of the electronic messaging conversation, wherein the second message is subsequent to the first message in the electronic messaging conversation.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to receive a keyword search request from the third party member of the project; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to conduct a keyword search on one or more messages of the electronic messaging conversation, wherein the listen request is received from the third party in response to the keyword search returning search results indicative of a subject of interest to the third party.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to store the first message and the second message in a searchable database.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, further comprising program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to search the searchable database in response to a keyword search request from the third party member of the project, wherein the keyword search request comprises one or more of project name, project type, time, date, sender, recipient, subject, or content of the text.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to reject a second listen request from a non-member of the project in response to determining that the non-member of the project is not listed in a project member register.

13. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to receive, from the third party member of the project, an acceptance of an option to join the electronic messaging conversation.

14. A computer system for selectively sending electronic communications, the 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 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 message at a beginning of an electronic messaging conversation between first and second members of a project, the first message comprising a subject, text, and being from the first member of the project and addressed to the second member of the project;

program instructions, 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, to transmit the first message to the second member;

program instructions, 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, to broadcast a notification to other project members of the beginning of the electronic messaging conversation;

program instructions, 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, to, subsequent to broadcasting the notification, receive a listen request from a third party member of the project that is not already part of the electronic messaging conversation, the listen request being a request to listen in on the electronic messaging conversation;

program instructions, 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, to, in response to receiving the listen request, send the third party member of the project an archived copy of the first message; and

program instructions, 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, to, send to the third party member of the project an archived copy of a second message of the electronic messaging conversation, wherein the second message is subsequent to the first message in the electronic messaging conversation.

15. The computer system of claim 14, further comprising program instructions, 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, to receive a keyword search request from the third party member of the project and conducting a keyword search on one or more messages of the electronic messaging conversation, wherein the listen request is received from the third party in response to the keyword search returning search results indicative of a subject of interest to the third party.

16. The computer system of claim 14, further comprising program instructions, 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, to store the first message and the second message in a searchable database.

17. The computer system of claim 16, further comprising program instructions, 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, to search the searchable database in response to a keyword search request from the third party member of the project, wherein the keyword search request comprises one or more of project name, project type, time, date, sender, recipient, subject, or content of the text.

18. The computer system of claim 14, further comprising program instructions, 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, to reject a second listen request from a non-member of the project in response to determining that the non-member of the project is not listed in a project member register.

19. The computer system of claim 14, further comprising program instructions, 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, to receive, from the third party member of the project, an acceptance of an option to join the electronic messaging conversation.

20. The computer system of claim 14, further comprising program instructions, 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, to receive, from a non-member of the project, a denial of an option to join the electronic messaging conversation.