Merging Instant Messaging (IM) Chat Sessions

• US 20150341289A1
• Filed: 08/03/2015
• Published: 11/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Malik, Dale W.
• Granted Patent: US 9,503,281 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/08 Text analysis or generation of parameters for speech synthesis out of text, e.g. grapheme to phoneme translation, prosody generation or stress or intonation determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/234 for tracking messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53366 Message disposing or creating aspects

Abstract

The present disclosure provides for merging of instant messaging (IM) chat sessions. In one embodiment, a method for automatically replying to an IM message from a first IM sender when a recipient is engaged in an IM session with a second IM sender is provided. In another embodiment, the disclosure provides a method for forwarding IM messages to a recipient at different IM clients. In still another embodiment, a method for transferring IM messages to a different recipient is provided. In some embodiments, two separate IM chat sessions are merged into a single IM chat session.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a memory that stores instructions;

a processor that executes the instructions to perform operations, the operations comprising;

determining if a response from a recipient was sent to a sender during a first time interval, wherein the response is a reply to an instant messaging message sent by the sender to the recipient;

determining if the recipient is already engaged in a first instant messaging chat session with a contact if the response from the recipient is determined to not be sent to the sender during the first time interval; and

providing, if the recipient is determined to be already engaged in the first instant messaging chat session with the contact, a first message to the sender that notifies the sender to wait for a second time interval for the response from the recipient.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise receiving the instant messaging message from the sender to the recipient.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise waiting for the response from the recipient for the first time interval.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise establishing a second instant messaging chat session between the sender and the recipient if the recipient sends the response during the second time interval.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise displaying the instant messaging message.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise providing a second message to the sender that indicates that the recipient is unavailable of the response from the recipient is determined to not be sent to the sender during the first time interval and if the recipient is determined to not be already engaged in the first instant messaging chat session with the contact.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise selecting an instant messaging address of a plurality of instant messaging addresses of the recipient.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise determining if the recipient is present at the instant messaging address that is selected.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising determining a last active time for the instant messaging address selected if the recipient is present at the instant messaging address selected.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise determining whether the instant messaging address selected has a most recent last active time.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise storing the instant messaging address selected as a target instant messaging address if the instant messaging address selected is determined to have the most recent last active time.

12. A method, comprising:

determining, by utilizing instructions from memory that are executed by a processor, if a response from a recipient was sent to a sender during a first time interval, wherein the response is a reply to an instant messaging message sent by the sender to the recipient;

determining if the recipient is already engaged in a first instant messaging chat session with a contact if the response from the recipient is determined to not be sent to the sender during the first time interval; and

providing, if the recipient is determined to be already engaged in the first instant messaging chat session with the contact, a first message to the sender that notifies the sender to wait for a second time interval for the response from the recipient.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising establishing a second instant messaging chat session between the sender and the recipient if the recipient sends the response during the second time interval.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing a second message to the sender that indicates that the recipient is unavailable of the response from the recipient is determined to not be sent to the sender during the first time interval and if the recipient is determined to not be already engaged in the first instant messaging chat session with the contact.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising prompting the sender for permission to transmit the instant messaging message to a different recipient if the response from the recipient is determined to not be sent to the sender during the first time interval.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising selecting an instant messaging address of a plurality of instant messaging addresses of the recipient.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising determining if the recipient is present at the instant messaging address that is selected.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising determining a last active time for the instant messaging address selected if the recipient is present at the instant messaging address selected.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising determining whether the instant messaging address selected has a most recent last active time, and further comprising storing the instant messaging address selected as a target instant messaging address if the instant messaging address selected is determined to have the most recent last active time.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable device comprising instructions, which, when loaded and executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:

determining if a response from a recipient was sent to a sender during a first time interval, wherein the response is a reply to an instant messaging message sent by the sender to the recipient;

determining if the recipient is already engaged in a first instant messaging chat session with a contact if the response from the recipient is determined to not be sent to the sender during the first time interval; and

providing, if the recipient is determined to be already engaged in the first instant messaging chat session with the contact, a first message to the sender that notifies the sender to wait for a second time interval for the response from the recipient.