DYNAMIC PROXIMITY BASED TEXT EXCHANGE WITHIN A GROUP SESSION

• US 20120144318A1
• Filed: 12/03/2010
• Published: 06/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: SRIVASTAVA, ANURAG, KHADILKAR, YOGESHWAR B., SRIVASTAVA, DHANASHREE
• Granted Patent: US 8,490,003 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/753
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal

Abstract

A text exchange associated with a distance value n can be received. The text exchange can be conveyed by a text exchange application which can be linked to a group session. The group session can comprise of one or more participants each associated with a proximity value m. The text exchange can be a real-time text based communication between one or more computing devices. A participant can be determined to receive the text exchange based on the distance value of the text exchange and the proximity value associated with the participant. The text exchange can be communicated to a computing device utilized by the participant when the proximity value is equivalent to the distance value. The text exchange can be presented in a visually and/or aurally distinct manner within an interface of the text exchange application.

Claims

1. A method for proximity based text exchange comprising:

receiving a proximity exchange associated with a distance value n, wherein the proximity exchange is a text exchange conveyed by a text exchange application, wherein the text exchange application is linked to a group session, wherein the group session comprises of a plurality of participants, wherein each of the plurality of participants is associated with a proximity value m, wherein the text exchange is a real-time text based communication between the plurality of participants utilizing a plurality of computing devices;

determining at least one participant of the group session to receive the proximity exchange based on the distance value associated with the proximity exchange and the proximity value associated with the at least one participant;

communicating the proximity exchange to a computing device utilized by the at least one participant when the proximity value of the at least one participant is equivalent to the distance value of the proximity exchange; and

presenting the proximity exchange in at least one of visually and aurally distinct manner within an interface of the text exchange application.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing the proximity value associated with at least one participant with the distance value associated with the proximity exchange;

when the distance value is less than the proximity value, conveying the proximity exchange to the computing device utilized by the at least one participant; and

when the distance value is greater than the proximity value, not conveying the proximity exchange to the computing device utilized by the at least one participant.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein n and m is a real number integer value.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the proximity value is automatically computed utilizing information associated with a participant, wherein the information is at least one of a presence information, a geographic location, a metric, and a security permission.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the text exchange application is an IBM LOTUS SAMETIME.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the distance value associated with the proximity exchange is set via a user determined notation, wherein the notation is an alphanumeric notation.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a proximity based filter for the group session is established, wherein participants within a defined proximity of each other are able to view proximity exchanges, wherein proximity exchanges occur within the same session as group exchanges, wherein group exchanges are text exchanges visible to each participant of the group session.

8. A system for proximity based text exchange comprising:

a message handler able to receive a text exchange associated with a distance value, wherein the text exchange is conveyed by an text exchange application, wherein the text exchange application is linked to a group session comprising of a plurality of participants, wherein the text exchange is a real-time text based communication between the plurality of participants utilizing a plurality of computing devices;

a proximity engine configured to identify a distance value associated with the text exchange and determine at least one recipient of the received text exchange;

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a message queue capable of temporarily storing the received text exchange, wherein the text exchange comprises of a distance value and a message text.

10. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a proximity list comprising of a user identity and proximity value, wherein the user identity is a unique identifier.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the proximity engine automatically determines a proximity value associated with a plurality of participants associated with the group session.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the system is a middleware software associated with an IBM LOTUS SAMETIME.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the proximity value is determined dynamically based on a context, wherein the context is at least one of an organizational hierarchy and a social network interaction.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the proximity value is associated with a contact of the text exchange application.

15. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having computer usable program code embodied therewith, the computer usable program code comprising:

computer usable program code stored in a tangible storage medium operable to receive a text exchange associated with a distance value n, wherein the text exchange is conveyed by an text exchange application, wherein the text exchange application is linked to a group session, wherein the group session comprises of a plurality of participants, wherein each of the plurality of participants is associated with a proximity value m, wherein the text exchange is a real-time text based communication between the plurality of participants utilizing a plurality of computing devices;

computer usable program code stored in a tangible storage medium operable to determine at least one participant of the group session to receive the text exchange based on the distance value of the text exchange and the proximity value associated with the at least one participant;

computer usable program code stored in a tangible storage medium operable to communicate the text exchange to a computing device utilized by the at least one participant when the proximity value of the at least one participant is equivalent to the distance value of the text exchange; and

computer usable program code stored in a tangible storage medium operable to present the text exchange in at least one of visually and aurally distinct manner within an interface of the text exchange application.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the proximity value is automatically computed utilizing information associated with a participant, wherein the information is at least one of a presence information, a geographic location, a metric, and a security permission.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the text exchange application conforms to an Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP) protocol.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the received text exchange is a groupchat type message and the communicated text exchange is a chat type message.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the proximity value m is associated with a text exchange context, wherein the context is associated with at least one of an organizational hierarchy and a social network structure.

20. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the distance value n of the text exchange is automatically determined based on a user specified notation associated with the message text of the text exchange.