System and method for supporting instant messaging in disconnected modes

• US 20060075039A1
• Filed: 09/29/2004
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Herger, Lorraine M., Banavar, Guruduth, Narayanaswami, Chandra, Olsen, Claus M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,568,007 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

A method, system, and computer program for a) buffering instant messages to an intended recipient while the recipient is currently not logged on to an instant messaging system, and b) delivering buffered messages to the intended recipient after the recipient connects the instant messaging system. Thus, users are enabled to initiate instant messaging sessions with other users who are not currently online. An instant messaging device buffers messages and delivers them to the recipient when the recipient comes online. To the recipient, the method of delivery appears identical to the case where the recipient was continuously connected to the system. The main difference is the time delay, i.e. the elapsed time between the time the sender sent it and the time the recipient connected. The recipient is further able to configure the instant messaging device to be selective about which senders are allowed to buffer messages to the recipient while the recipient is disconnected. Sender specific pop-up windows, including the sender'"'"'s buffered messages, will appear on the recipient'"'"'s screen after the recipient connects to the system. The recipient can then respond to the instant message and resume the conversation in a real-time (though delayed) manner if the sender is presently online.

Claims

1. A method for enabling messaging between disconnected parties in an instant messaging (IM) system, said method comprising the steps of:

a) receiving at a computing device at least one message sent by a first party, said at least one message destined for a second party;

b) determining connection status of said second party with said IM system;

c) if determination is that said second party is disconnected from said IM system, the step of buffering said first party'"'"'s at least one message for said second party;

d) notifying said second party of availability of said buffered at least one message after said second party becomes connected to said IM system; and

,

e) providing a chat interface on second party'"'"'s computing device, said chat interface being specific to said first party and said chat interface including said buffered at least one message received from said first party.

2. The method for enabling messaging according to claim 1, wherein the step c) of buffering said at least one message from said first party includes the step of determining from preference criteria maintained by said IM system whether messages from said first party are to be buffered in said system for said second party, and only if said preference criteria is satisfied the step of buffering said first party'"'"'s at least one message for said second party.

3. The method for enabling messaging according to claim 2, further comprising the step of initiating real-time IM chat between said first and said second parties via said chat interface if said first party is connected.

4. The method for enabling messaging according to claim 2, wherein said step of determining if preference criteria is satisfied includes a step of determining whether an amount of messages received from said first party that may be buffered for said second party has been exceeded.

5. The method for enabling messaging according to claim 2, wherein said step of determining if preference criteria is satisfied includes a step of determining whether a message from said first party has been received within a time duration specified for receiving messages from said first party.

6. The method for enabling messaging according to claim 2, wherein said step of determining if preference criteria is satisfied includes a step of determining prior to storing a received message, whether an amount of memory storage allocated for buffering messages for an IM party will be exceeded.

7. The method for enabling messaging according to claim 2, wherein said maintained preference criteria includes an indication of a recipient'"'"'s disconnected status, said step of determining if preference criteria is satisfied includes a step of determining whether or not the recipient'"'"'s disconnected status is to be indicated to a potential IM party.

8. The method for enabling messaging according to claim 7, wherein said maintained preference criteria indicating a recipient'"'"'s disconnected status includes one or more selected from the group comprising:

the indication of a disconnected recipient'"'"'s whereabouts at a particular moment, the indication of a disconnected recipient'"'"'s activity, the indication of whether a disconnected recipient is busy or not busy, and, the indication of whether a disconnected recipient is available or not for receiving a communication via another communications system and when the disconnected recipient will be available for receiving messages.

9. The method for enabling messaging according to claim 7, wherein said maintained preference criteria indicating a recipient'"'"'s disconnected status includes an indication of a disconnected party'"'"'s preference for receiving an urgent communication from a potential IM party.

10. The method for enabling messaging according to claim 2, further including the steps of:

specifying a time duration that buffered messages may be delivered to a second party; and

,

automatically removing messages that have been buffered if the second party has not accessed buffered messages in said specified time duration.

11. The method for enabling messaging according to claim 2, further including the step of:

saving an IM message chat conversation thread between said first and said second parties, wherein said buffering step c) further comprises the step of;

appending the received message from the first party to said saved message chat conversation thread for presentation to said second party via said chat interface, wherein some context of an IM chat between said first and second parties is preserved.

12. The method for enabling messaging according to claim 2, further including a step of enabling a disconnected second party to register a third party adapted to receive notifications about a first party'"'"'s messages for said disconnected second party.

13. A system for providing instant messaging (IM) functionality in disconnected mode comprising:

a communications device for receiving and forwarding IM messages between an IM sender application and an IM recipient application;

means associated with said communications device for storing received sender messages destined for said recipient application when a recipient is disconnected from said IM system; and

,

a processing means for notifying said recipient of stored messages in said associated storing means after said recipient connects to said IM system, wherein said processing means provides sender specific notification so that said recipient will receive unique notifications per each sender.

14. The IM system according to claim 13, wherein said processing means includes means for maintaining preference criteria regarding storage of said received sender messages when said recipient is disconnected from said IM system, and determining from said preference criteria whether a received IM message for a recipient is to be stored in said associated storing means, and only if said preference criteria is satisfied, initiating storage of said received sender IM message in said communications device.

15. The IM system according to claim 14, further comprising means for generating a chat interface on a recipient computing device, said chat interface appearing after said recipient device connects to said IM system and including said stored sender messages, said chat interface further supporting real-time chat with said sender if said sender is connected to said IM system.

16. The IM system according to claim 14, wherein said processing means determines from said preference criteria whether an amount of messages received from said sender that may be stored for later access by said recipient has been exceeded.

17. The IM system according to claim 14, wherein said processing means determines from said preference criteria whether a message from said sender has been received within a time duration specified for receiving messages from said sender.

18. The IM system according to claim 14, wherein said processing means determines from said preference criteria, prior to storing a received message, whether an amount of memory storage allocated for buffering messages for an IM party will be exceeded.

19. The IM system according to claim 14, wherein said maintained preference criteria includes an indication of a recipient'"'"'s disconnected status, said processing means determines from said preference criteria whether or not the recipient'"'"'s disconnected status is to be indicated to a potential IM party.

20. The IM system according to claim 19, wherein said maintained preference criteria indicating a recipient'"'"'s disconnected status includes one or more selected from the group comprising:

the indication of a disconnected recipient'"'"'s whereabouts at a particular moment, the indication of a disconnected recipient'"'"'s activity, the indication of whether a disconnected recipient is busy or not busy, and, the indication of whether a disconnected recipient is available or not for receiving a communication via another communications system and when the disconnected recipient will be available for receiving IM messages.

21. The IM system according to claim 19, wherein said maintained preference criteria indicating a recipient'"'"'s disconnected status includes an indication of a disconnected recipient'"'"'s preference for receiving an urgent communication from a potential IM sender.

22. The IM system according to claim 14, wherein said processing means determines from said preference criteria a specified a time duration for when buffered messages may be delivered to an IM recipient;

and, automatically removes messages that have been buffered if the IM recipient has not accessed buffered messages in said specified time duration.

23. The IM system according to claim 15, wherein said processing means initiates saving of an IM chat conversation thread between said IM sender and said IM recipient in said storage device, and, appends the received message from the IM sender to said saved IM chat conversation thread for presentation to said IM recipient via said chat interface, wherein context of an IM chat between said IM sender and said IM recipient is preserved.

24. A computer program product embodied on a computer-readable medium in a computing environment for providing instant messaging (IM) capability between disconnected parties in an IM system, said method comprising the steps of:

a) receiving at a computing device at least one message sent by a first party, said at least one message destined for a second party;

b) determining connection status of said second party with said IM system;

c) if determination is that said second party is disconnected from said IM system, the step of buffering said first party'"'"'s at least one message for said second party;

d) notifying said second party of availability of said buffered at least one message after said second party becomes connected to said IM system; and

,

e) providing a chat interface on second party'"'"'s computing device, said chat interface being specific to said first party and said chat interface including said buffered at least one message received from said first party.

25. The computer program product according to claim 24, wherein the step c) of buffering said at least one message from said first party includes the step of determining from preference criteria maintained by said IM system whether messages from said first party are to be buffered in said system for said second party, and only if said preference criteria is satisfied the step of buffering said first party'"'"'s at least one message for said second party.

26. The computer program product according to claim 25, further comprising the step of initiating real-time IM chat between said first and said second parties via said chat interface if said first party is connected.

27. The computer program product according to claim 25, wherein said step of determining if preference criteria is satisfied includes a step of determining whether an amount of messages received from said first party that may be buffered for said second party has been exceeded.

28. The computer program product according to claim 25, wherein said step of determining if preference criteria is satisfied includes a step of determining whether a message from said first party has been received within a time duration specified for receiving messages from said first party.

29. The computer program product according to claim 25, wherein said step of determining if preference criteria is satisfied includes a step of determining prior to storing a received message, whether an amount of memory storage allocated for buffering messages for an IM party will be exceeded.

30. The computer program product according to claim 25, wherein said maintained preference criteria includes an indication of a recipient'"'"'s disconnected status, said step of determining if preference criteria is satisfied includes a step of determining whether or not the recipient'"'"'s disconnected status is to be indicated to a potential IM party.

31. The computer program product according to claim 30, wherein said maintained preference criteria indicating a recipient'"'"'s disconnected status includes one or more selected from the group comprising:

the indication of a disconnected recipient'"'"'s whereabouts at a particular moment, the indication of a disconnected recipient'"'"'s activity, the indication of whether a disconnected recipient is busy or not busy, and, the indication of whether a disconnected recipient is available or not for receiving a communication via another communications system and when the disconnected recipient will be available for receiving messages.

32. The computer program product according to claim 30, wherein said maintained preference criteria indicating a recipient'"'"'s disconnected status includes an indication of a disconnected party'"'"'s preference for receiving an urgent communication from a potential IM party.

33. The computer program product according to claim 25, further including the steps of:

specifying a time duration that buffered messages may be delivered to a second party; and

,

automatically removing messages that have been buffered if the second party has not accessed buffered messages in said specified time duration.

34. The computer program product according to claim 25, further including the step of:

saving an IM message chat conversation thread between said first and said second parties, wherein said buffering step c) further comprises the step of;

appending the received message from the first party to said saved message chat conversation thread for presentation to said second party via said chat interface, wherein some context of an IM chat between said first and second parties is preserved.

35. The computer program product according to claim 25, further including a step of enabling a disconnected second party to register a third party adapted to receive notifications about a first party'"'"'s messages for said disconnected second party.

36. A method for enabling messaging between a first instant messaging (IM) party and a proxy party associated with a second IM party in an instant messaging (IM) system, said method comprising the steps of:

a) receiving at a computing device at least one message sent by a first IM party, said at least one message destined for a second IM party;

b) determining a connection status of said second IM party with said IM system; and

c) if determination is that said second party has indicated said proxy party to process messages destined for said second IM party, the step of forwarding at least notifications related to said messages from said first party to a device associated with said proxy party.