Management of Virtual Discussion Threads in a Synchronous Conferencing System

• US 20100175003A1
• Filed: 01/05/2009
• Published: 07/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Castellucci, Antonio
• Granted Patent: US 8,166,408 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/758
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]

Abstract

A mechanism is provided for defining and managing virtual discussion threads in a generic synchronous conferencing system. A chat server and chat client define a virtual discussion thread (VDT) entity that includes a group of chat entries or parts of chat entries. The chat entries in a VDT logically belong to the same “hidden” discussion within a chat session. Use of the VDT enables a chat system to support a user in understanding existing discussions by showing VDTs available in the overall list of chat entries and evidencing the chat entries in a VDT.

Claims

1. A method, in a data processing system, for managing virtual discussion threads in a synchronous conferencing system, the method comprising:

identifying at least one chat entry belonging to a virtual discussion thread within a plurality of chat entries in a chat session;

marking the at least one chat entry as belonging to the virtual discussion thread; and

activating an evidence mode for the at least one chat entry.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying at least one chat entry comprises:

receiving selection of a graphical indicator associated with a given chat entry within the at least one chat entry.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying at least one chat entry comprises:

receiving selection of a portion of a chat message associated with a given chat entry within the at least one chat entry; and

identifying coordinates of the selected portion of the chat message.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a current chat message;

generating a current chat entry for the current chat message; and

marking the current chat entry as belonging to the virtual discussion thread.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

transferring the chat entry to a chat server.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a broadcast chat entry and related virtual discussion thread information for the broadcast chat entry from a chat server;

determining whether the broadcast chat entry belongs to the virtual discussion thread based on the related virtual discussion thread information; and

responsive to a determination that the broadcast chat entry belongs to the virtual discussion thread, activating the evidence mode for the broadcast chat entry.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein activating the evidence mode for the at least one chat entry comprises:

receiving selection of the virtual discussion thread; and

activating the evidence mode responsive to the selection of the virtual discussion thread.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein receiving selection of the virtual discussion thread comprises one of receiving selection of a given chat entry within the at least one chat entry, receiving selection of a portion of a given chat entry within the at least one chat entry, or receiving selection of a graphical control associated with the virtual discussion thread.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the evidence mode comprises at least one of a color, an increased font size, a bold typeface, Italics, or hiding chat entries that do not belong to the virtual discussion thread.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein activating the evidence mode for the at least one chat entry comprises activating the evidence mode based on user preferences.

11. A computer program product comprising a computer recordable medium having a computer readable program recorded thereon, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on a computing device, causes the computing device to:

identify at least one chat entry belonging to a virtual discussion thread within a plurality of chat entries in a chat session;

mark the at least one chat entry as belonging to the virtual discussion thread; and

activate an evidence mode for the at least one chat entry.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein identifying at least one chat entry comprises:

receiving selection of a graphical indicator associated with a given chat entry within the at least one chat entry.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein identifying at least one chat entry comprises:

receiving selection of a portion of a chat message associated with a given chat entry within the at least one chat entry; and

identifying coordinates of the selected portion of the chat message.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer readable program further causes the computing device to:

receive a current chat message;

generate a current chat entry for the current chat message; and

mark the current chat entry as belonging to the virtual discussion thread.

15. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer readable program further causes the computing device to:

receive a broadcast chat entry and related virtual discussion thread information for the broadcast chat entry from a chat server;

determine whether the broadcast chat entry belongs to the virtual discussion thread based on the related virtual discussion thread information; and

responsive to a determination that the broadcast chat entry belongs to the virtual discussion thread, activate the evidence mode for the broadcast chat entry.

16. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory comprises instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

identify at least one chat entry belonging to a virtual discussion thread within a plurality of chat entries in a chat session;

mark the at least one chat entry as belonging to the virtual discussion thread; and

activate an evidence mode for the at least one chat entry.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein identifying at least one chat entry comprises:

receiving selection of a graphical indicator associated with a given chat entry within the at least one chat entry.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein identifying at least one chat entry comprises:

receiving selection of a portion of a chat message associated with a given chat entry within the at least one chat entry; and

identifying coordinates of the selected portion of the chat message.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

receive a current chat message;

generate a current chat entry for the current chat message; and

mark the current chat entry as belonging to the virtual discussion thread.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

receive a broadcast chat entry and related virtual discussion thread information for the broadcast chat entry from a chat server;

determine whether the broadcast chat entry belongs to the virtual discussion thread based on the related virtual discussion thread information; and

responsive to a determination that the broadcast chat entry belongs to the virtual discussion thread, activate the evidence mode for the broadcast chat entry.