Instant message response message

• US 9,100,219 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2003
• Issued: 08/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Goodman, Brian D., Lagarde, Konrad C., Stewart, Eben P., Van Der Meulen, Michael, Wu, Jessica
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Dhairya A
• Application Number:
  US10/730,227
• Publication Number:
  US 20040117444A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,257 Days
• Field of Search: 709/205, 709/206
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/02 using automatic reactions or user delegation, e.g. automatic replies or chatbot-generated messages
• 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 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities

Abstract

A first Instant Message is published to a group of subscribing clients. The message is received by an application at a first client. A response message is created at the first client, the response message comprising information provided by the first client, the first message and information about the first client. The response message is returned to the originator of the published first message.

Claims

1. A method for electronic instant message conversation, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving at a second unidentified client, a first message to be published from a first client to subscribers including said first client, the first message related to a topic of interest, the first client having a first network address, the first message including a request and being directed through a pub/sub service, the second client being a subscriber to the service of the pub/sub service as being willing to receive messages related to the topic of interest and being anonymous to the first client and said other subscribers of the pub/sub service and being unaddressed by the first client, said anonymous subscribers known only to said pub/sub service;

after receiving said first message at said second client, filtering at said second client the message received from said first client, said filtering passing messages of specific interest to said second client such that said first message and the included request have to pass the filtering in order for the second client to see the request;

in the event that the message passes said filtering at said second client, creating at the second client, a second message, the second message comprising the first message and the first network address, said first message in said second message providing context to said second message and including further information pursuant to said specific interest in said first message;

transmitting the second message by way of an instant message application from the second client to the first client;

retrieving additional information related to the second client; and

presenting the second message and the additional information at the first client;

said second client remaining anonymous to the first client and other subscribers after said transmission of said second messages to the first client.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first message is received at the second client from the first client by way of a publish/subscribe server.

3. The method according to claim 1, comprising the further step of subscribing, by any one of the first client or the second client, to a channel of a publish/subscribe server, said subscribing being authenticated and authorized by said publish/subscribe server anonymous to others of said second or first clients.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the additional information comprises any one of a first user name, first user title, first user telephone number, first user job responsibility or a first user secretary.

5. The method according to claim 4 wherein any one of the first message or the second message is translated to any one of a telephone message, a video display, an audio message or a mechanical actuator.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the additional information further consists of any one of a first user address, a first user value, a text file, a video file, an audio file or a network link (such as a URL).

7. The method according to claim 1, comprising the further steps of:

associating the second client with a channel of a publish/subscribe server, said second client being authenticated and authorized by said publish/subscribe server;

the first client sending the first message to the channel of the publish/subscribe server;

determining network addresses of a plurality of subscribers associated with the channel, the plurality of subscribers associated with the channel comprising the second client; and

the publish/subscribe server publishing the first message to the determined plurality of subscribers.

8. A method for identifying a message initiator in a system for instant message using a publish/subscribe server, the method comprising the steps of:

obtaining at a first client, first user identifying information;

incorporating the first user identifying information in a message to be published, said message related to a topic of interest;

transmitting the message to a pub/sub server;

publishing the message including a request and to subscribers of the pub/sub server subscribing to messages related to said topic of interest, said subscribers being anonymous to said first user and other subscribers and being authenticated and authorized by said pub/sub serve, said anonymous subscribers being known only to said pub/sub server;

after receiving said message at said subscribers, filtering as each subscriber said published messages for filtering said messages and included requests for messages of specific interest to the respective subscribers such that messages and the included requests have to pass the filtering in order for the subscribers to see the request;

providing the filtered message comprising the first user information and said question message related to the topic of interest and filtered to be of specific interest to a second user subscriber who remains anonymous to said first user; and

transmitting a second message responsive to said published message and including further information pursuant to said specific interest in said first message from a second user subscriber directly to the first user, said second user subscriber remaining anonymous to said first user and other subscribers after the second message is transmitted to said first user.

9. The method according to claim 8 wherein the providing step comprises the further steps of:

acquiring second user information based on the first user identifying information in the message; and

providing the second user information to the subscriber.

10. The method according to claim 8 wherein the obtaining step comprises the further step of:

transforming user information from any one of instant message, text, audio, video or voice into the digital message.

11. The method according to claim 8 wherein the presenting step comprises the further step of:

transforming the message to any one of instant message, text, audio or video.

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein the transmitting step comprises the further steps of:

the first client associating the first message to be transmitted with a channel of the pub/sub server;

the pub/sub server determining network addresses of a plurality of subscribers associated with the channel, the plurality of subscribers associated with the channel comprising the second client; and

the pub/sub server receiving the first message from the first client;

wherein the publishing step comprises the further step of publishing the first message to the plurality of subscribers associated with the channel of the pub/sub server.

13. A method for electronic instant message conversation, the method comprising the steps of:

creating at a first client, a first message including a request to be published related to a topic of interest, the first message comprising any one of additional information or a link to additional information, the additional information comprising any one of a user title, a user telephone number, a user value, a user job responsibility or information about a user'"'"'s secretary;

transmitting the first message by way of an instant message application via a pub/sub service from the first client to a second client who has registered with the pub/sub service as a subscriber to messages related to said topic of interest, the second client being unaddressed by the first client and being a subscriber to the pub/sub service, said second client being known only to said pub/sub service and being anonymous to said first client and to other subscribers of said pub/sub service;

retrieving at the second client, the additional information and said message;

after receiving said first message at said second client, filtering at the second client for messages of specific interest to said second client such that said first message and the included request have to pass the filtering in order for the second client to see the request;

in the event that said message passes the filtering as being of specific interest to said second client, presenting the first message and the additional information and said message at the second client; and

transmitting a second message from the second client directly to the first client said second client remaining anonymous to the first client and other subscribers of said pub/sub service after said second message is transmitted to said first client, said second message including further information pursuant to said specific interest included in said first message.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the additional information further consists of any one of a text file, a video file, an audio file, a network link such as a URL, a telephone message or command information for actuating a mechanical device.

15. A computer program product for electronic instant message conversation, the computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method comprising the steps of;

receiving at a second unidentified client, a first message including a request to be published from a first client to subscribers including said first client, the first message related to a topic of interest, the first client having a first network address, the first message being directed through a pub/sub service, the second client being a subscriber to the service of the pub/sub service as being willing to receive messages related to the topic of interest and being anonymous to the first client and said other subscribers of the pub/sub service and being unaddressed by the first client, said anonymous subscribers known only to said pub/sub service;

after receiving said first message at said second client, filtering at said second client the message received from said first client, said filtering passing messages of specific interest to said second client such that said first message and the included request have to pass the filtering in order for the second client to see the request;

in the event that the message passes said filtering at said second client, creating at the second client, a second message, the second message comprising the first message and the first network address, said first message in said second message providing context to said second message and including further information pursuant to said specific interest in said first message;

transmitting the second message by way of an instant message application from the second client to the first client;

retrieving additional information related to the second client; and

presenting the second message and the additional information at the first client;

said second client remaining anonymous to the first client and other subscribers after said transmission of said second messages to the first client.

16. The computer program product according to claim 15, wherein the first message is a published message received at the second client from the first client by way of a publish/subscribe server.

17. The computer program product according to claim 15, said method comprising the further step of subscribing, by any one of the first client or the second client, to a channel of a publish/subscribe server, said subscribing being authenticated and authorized by said publish/subscribe server anonymous to the other of said second or first clients.

18. The computer program product according to claim 15 wherein the additional information comprises any one of a first user name, first user title, first user telephone number, first user job responsibility or a first user secretary.

19. The computer program product according to claim 18, wherein any one of the first message or the second message is translated to any one of a telephone message, a video display, an audio message or a mechanical actuator.

20. A computer program product for identifying a message initiator in a system for instant message using a pub/sub server, the computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method comprising the steps of;

obtaining at a first client, first user identifying information;

incorporating the first user identifying information in a message including a request to be published, said message related to a topic of interest;

transmitting the message to a pub/sub server;

publishing the message to subscribers of the pub/sub server subscribing to messages related to said topic of interest, said subscribers being anonymous to said first user and other subscribers and being authenticated and authorized by said pub/sub serve, said anonymous subscribers being known only to said pub/sub server;

after receiving said published messages, filtering at each subscriber said published messages for filtering said messages for messages of specific interest to the respective subscribers such that said messages and included requests have to pass the filtering in order for the subscribers to see the request;

providing the filtered message comprising the first user information and said question message related to the topic of interest and filtered to be of specific interest to a second user subscriber who remains anonymous to said first user; and

transmitting a second message responsive to said published message and including further information pursuant to said specific interest in said first message from a second user subscriber directly to the first user, said second user subscriber remaining anonymous to said first user and other subscribers after the second message is transmitted to said first user.

21. The computer program product according to claim 20 wherein the providing step comprises the further steps of:

acquiring second user information based on the first user identifying information in the message; and

providing the second user information to the subscriber.

22. The computer program product according to claim 20 wherein the obtaining step comprises the further step of:

transforming user information from any one of instant message, text, audio, video or voice into the digital message.

23. The computer program product according to claim 20 wherein the presenting step comprises the further step of:

transforming the message to any one of instant message, text, audio or video.

24. A computer program product for electronic instant message conversation, the program product comprising:

a non-transitory storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method comprising the steps of;

creating at a first client, a first message including a request to be published related to a topic of interest, the first message comprising any one of additional information or a link to additional information, the additional information comprising any one of a user title, a user telephone number, a user value, a user job responsibility or information about a user'"'"'s secretary;

transmitting the first message by way of an instant message application via a pub/sub service from the first client to a second client who has registered with the pub/sub service as a subscriber to messages related to said topic of interest, the second client being unaddressed by the first client and being a subscriber to the pub/sub service, said second client being known only to said pub/sub service and being anonymous to said first client and to other subscribers of said pub/sub service;

retrieving at the second client, the additional information and said message;

after receiving said first message at said second client, filtering as at the second client, said received message for messages of specific interest to said second client such that said first message and the included request have to pass the filtering in order for the second client to see the request;

in the event that said message passes the filtering as being of specific interest to said second client, presenting the first message and the additional information and said message at the second client; and

transmitting a second message from the second client directly to the first client said second client remaining anonymous to the first client and other subscribers of said pub/sub service after said second message is transmitted to said first client, said second message including further information pursuant to said specific interest included in said first message.

25. A system for electronic instant message conversation, the system comprising:

a network;

a first client in communication with the network;

a second client in communication with the network, wherein the clients include storage storing computer readable instructions to execute a method comprising;

receiving at a second unidentified client, a first message including a request to be published from a first client to subscribers including said first client, the first message related to a topic of interest, the first client having a first network address, the first message being directed through a pub/sub service, the second client being a subscriber to the service of the pub/sub service as being willing to receive messages related to the topic of interest and being anonymous to the first client and said other subscribers of the pub/sub service and being unaddressed by the first client, said anonymous subscribers known only to said pub/sub service;

after receiving said first message at said second client, filtering at said second client the message received from said first client, said filtering passing messages of specific interest to said second client such that said first message and the included request have to pass the filtering in order for the second client to see the request;

in the event that the message passes said filtering at said second client, creating at the second client, a second message, the second message comprising the first message and the first network address, said first message in said second message providing context to said second message and including further information pursuant to said specific interest in said first message;

transmitting the second message by way of an instant message application from the second client to the first client;

retrieving additional information related to the second client; and

presenting the second message and the additional information at the first client;

said second client remaining anonymous to the first client and other subscribers after said transmission of said second messages to the first client.

26. The system according to claim 25 wherein the first message is a published message received at the second client from the first client by way of a publish/subscribe server.

27. The system according to claim 25 wherein the additional information comprises any one of a first user name, first user title, first user telephone number, first user job responsibility or a first user secretary.

28. The system according to claim 27 wherein any one of the first message or the second message is translated to any one of a telephone message, a video display, an audio message or a mechanical actuator.

29. A system for identifying a message initiator in a system for instant message using a pub/sub server, the system comprising:

a network;

a pub/sub server;

a first client in communication with the network, wherein the clients include storage storing computer readable instructions to execute a method comprising;

obtaining at a first client, first user identifying information;

incorporating the first user identifying information in a message including a request to be published, said message related to a topic of interest;

transmitting the message to a pub/sub server;

publishing the message to subscribers of the pub/sub server subscribing to messages related to said topic of interest, said subscribers being anonymous to said first user and other subscribers and being authenticated and authorized by said pub/sub serve, said anonymous subscribers being known only to said pub/sub server;

after receiving said message at said subscribers, filtering as each subscriber said published messages for filtering said messages and included requests for messages of specific interest to the respective subscribers such that messages and the included requests have to pass the filtering in order for the subscribers to see the request;

providing the filtered message comprising the first user information and said question message related to the topic of interest and filtered to be of specific interest to a second user subscriber who remains anonymous to said first user; and

transmitting a second message responsive to said published message and including further information pursuant to said specific interest in said first message from a second user subscriber directly to the first user, said second user subscriber remaining anonymous to said first user and other subscribers after the second message is transmitted to said first user.

30. The system according to claim 29 wherein the providing step comprises the further steps of:

acquiring second user information based on the first user identifying information in the message; and

providing the second user information to the subscriber.

31. The system according to claim 29 wherein the obtaining step comprises the further step of:

transforming user information from any one of instant message, text, audio, video or voice into the digital message.

32. The system according to claim 29 wherein the presenting step comprises the further step of:

transforming the message to any one of instant message, text, audio or video.

33. A system for electronic instant message conversation, the system comprising:

a network;

a pub/sub server;

a first client in communication with the network, wherein the clients include storage storing computer readable instructions to execute a method comprising;

creating at a first client, a first message including a request to be published related to a topic of interest, the first message comprising any one of additional information or a link to additional information, the additional information comprising any one of a user title, a user telephone number, a user value, a user job responsibility or information about a user'"'"'s secretary;

transmitting the first message by way of an instant message application via a pub/sub service from the first client to a second client who has registered with the pub/sub service as a subscriber to messages related to said topic of interest, the second client being unaddressed by the first client and being a subscriber to the pub/sub service, said second client being known only to said pub/sub service and being anonymous to said first client and to other subscribers of said pub/sub service;

retrieving at the second client, the additional information and said message;

after receiving said first message at said second client, filtering as at the second client, said received message for messages of specific interest to said second client such that said first message and the included request have to pass the filtering in order for the second client to see the request;

in the event that said message passes the filtering as being of specific interest to said second client, presenting the first message and the additional information and said message at the second client; and

transmitting a second message from the second client directly to the first client said second client remaining anonymous to the first client and other subscribers of said pub/sub service after said second message is transmitted to said first client, said second message including further information pursuant to said specific interest included in said first message.