Methods and systems for associating instant messenger events

• US 8,631,076 B1
• Filed: 06/30/2004
• Issued: 01/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Auerbach, David Benjamin, Bhatla, Nikhil, Khan, Omar Habib, Wang, Ninlane
• Primary Examiner(s): BATES, KEVIN T
• Application Number:
  US10/880,865
• Time in Patent Office: 3,485 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/217, 709/227, 707/102
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads

Abstract

Systems and methods for associating instant messenger events are described. In one embodiment, a first instant messenger event is identified. It may then be determined whether the first instant messenger event is associated with at least a previously indexed second instant messenger event based, at least in part, on a relevance measure.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

identifying a first instant messenger event;

identifying a display area of a graphical user interface, the display area having a first display area identifier;

responsive to identifying the display area of the graphical user interface, comparing the first display area identifier associated with the first instant messenger event with a second display area identifier associated with a previously indexed second instant messenger event;

associating the first instant messenger event with a conversation identifier associated with the second instant messenger event if the first and second display area identifiers match;

determining an elapsed time if the first and second display area identifiers do not match, wherein the elapsed time comprises a time period between a first time associated with the first instant messenger event, and a second time associated with the second instant messenger event.

comparing a first conversation roster associated with the first instant messenger event with a second conversation roster associated with the second instant messenger event;

associating the first instant messenger event with the conversation identifier if the first and second conversation rosters match and the elapsed time is less than a predetermined value;

indexing the first instant messenger event if it is associated with the conversation identifier, wherein indexing the first instant messenger event comprises storing event data associated with the first instant messenger event in a data store; and

generating a new conversation identifier and associating the first instant messenger event with the new conversation identifier if the first instant messenger event is unassociated with any previously indexed instant messenger event.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first display area identifier comprises a name of an instant messenger window associated with the first instant messenger event, and the second display area identifier comprises a name of an instant messenger window associated with the second instant messenger event.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the first instant messenger event comprises receiving the first instant messenger event.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the first instant messenger event comprises identifying that the first instant messenger event has been previously indexed.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing a first data type associated with the first instant messenger event with a second data type associated with the second instant messenger event, where the first data type and the second data type are used by applications communicating using instant messaging;

determining a relevance measure between the first instant messenger event and the second instant messenger event, based at least in part on the comparison; and

associating the first instant messenger event with the conversation identifier if the first conversation roster matches the second conversation roster, the elapsed time is less than a predetermined value, and the relevance measure is above a predetermined value.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first conversation roster and the second conversation roster comprises a plurality of conversation participant identifiers extracted from a display area title.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a conversation participant identifier signal, and modifying the second conversation roster in response.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising executable program code, the program code comprising:

program code for identifying a first instant messenger event;

program code for identifying a display area of a graphical user interface, the display area having a first display area identifier;

program code for comparing the first display area identifier associated with the first instant messenger event with a second display area identifier associated with a previously indexed second instant messenger event, responsive to identifying the display area of the graphical user interface;

program code for associating the first instant messenger event with a conversation identifier associated with the second instant messenger event if the first and second display area identifiers match;

program code for determining an elapsed time if the first and second display area identifiers do not match, wherein the elapsed time comprises a time period between a first time associated with the first instant messenger event, and a second time associated with the second instant messenger event;

program code for comparing a first conversation roster associated with the first instant messenger event with a second conversation roster associated with the second instant messenger event;

program code for associating the first instant messenger event with the conversation identifier if the first and second conversation rosters match and the elapsed time is less than a predetermined value;

program code for indexing the first instant messenger event if it is associated with the conversation identifier, wherein indexing the first instant messenger event comprises storing event data associated with the first instant messenger event in a data store; and

program code for generating a new conversation identifier and associating the first instant messenger event with the new conversation identifier if the first instant messenger event is unassociated with any previously indexed instant messenger event.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the first display area identifier comprises a name of an instant messenger window associated with the first instant messenger event, and the second display area identifier comprises a name of an instant messenger window associated with the second instant messenger event.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein identifying the first instant messenger event comprises receiving the first instant messenger event.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein identifying the first instant messenger event comprises identifying that the first instant messenger event has been previously indexed.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, the program code further comprising:

program code for comparing a first data type associated with the first instant messenger event with a second data type associated with the second instant messenger event, where the first data type and the second data type are used by applications communicating using instant messaging;

program code for determining a relevance measure between the first instant messenger event and the second instant messenger event, based at least in part on the comparison; and

program code for associating the first instant messenger event with the conversation identifier if the first conversation roster matches the second conversation roster, the elapsed time is less than a predetermined value, and the relevance measure is above a predetermined value.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein at least one of the first conversation roster and the second conversation roster comprises a plurality of conversation participant identifiers extracted from a display area title.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, further comprising:

identifying a conversation participant identifier signal, and modifying the second conversation roster in response.

15. A computer system, comprising:

a computer processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising program code executable by the processor, the program code comprising

program code for identifying a first instant messenger event;

program code for identifying a display area of a graphical user interface, the display area having a first display area identifier;

program code for comparing the first display area identifier associated with the first instant messenger event with a second display area identifier associated with a previously indexed second instant messenger event, responsive to identifying the display area of the graphical user interface;

program code for associating the first instant messenger event with a conversation identifier associated with the second instant messenger event if the first and second display area identifiers match;

program code for determining an elapsed time if the first and second display area identifiers do not match, wherein the elapsed time comprises a time period between a first time associated with the first instant messenger event, and a second time associated with the second instant messenger event;

program code for comparing a first conversation roster associated with the first instant messenger event with a second conversation roster associated with the second instant messenger event;

program code for associating the first instant messenger event with the conversation identifier if the first and second conversation rosters match and the elapsed time is less than a predetermined value;

program code for indexing the first instant messenger event if it is associated with the conversation identifier, wherein indexing the first instant messenger event comprises storing event data associated with the first instant messenger event in a data store; and

program code for generating a new conversation identifier and associating the first instant messenger event with the new conversation identifier if the first instant messenger event is unassociated with any previously indexed instant messenger event.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the first display area identifier comprises a name of an instant messenger window associated with the first instant messenger event, and the second display area identifier comprises a name of an instant messenger window associated with the second instant messenger event.

17. The computer system of claim 15, wherein identifying the first instant messenger event comprises receiving the first instant messenger event.

18. The computer system of claim 15, wherein identifying the first instant messenger event comprises identifying that the first instant messenger event has been previously indexed.

19. The computer system of claim 15, the program code further comprising:

program code for comparing a first data type associated with the first instant messenger event with a second data type associated with the second instant messenger event, where the first data type and the second data type are used by applications communicating using instant messaging;

program code for determining a relevance measure between the first instant messenger event and the second instant messenger event, based at least in part on the comparison; and

program code for associating the first instant messenger event with the conversation identifier if the first conversation roster matches the second conversation roster, the elapsed time is less than a predetermined value, and the relevance measure is above a predetermined value.

20. The computer system of claim 15, wherein at least one of the first conversation roster and the second conversation roster comprises a plurality of conversation participant identifiers extracted from a display area title.