Adjunct use of instant messenger software to enable communications to or between chatterbots or other software agents

• US 6,907,571 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2001
• Issued: 06/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smartsheet Inc.
• Original Assignee: Benjamin Slotznick
• Inventors: Slotznick, Benjamin
• Primary Examiner(s): Cabeca, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Detwiler, Brian
• Application Number:
  US09/796,568
• Publication Number:
  US 20010033298A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,567 Days
• Field of Search: 715/706, 715/751, 715/753, 715/758, 715/759, 715/752, 715/755, 715/757, 706/11, 706/60, 706/62, 706/909, 706/917, 709204-206, 709/202, 709/250, 704/258
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services

Abstract

A user'"'"'s chatterbot participates in a chat session with other users and the other users'"'"' chatterbots. The originator of an incoming instant message is identified to such a degree that a buddy on a buddy list is able to determine that the instant message was sent by a user'"'"'s chatterbot (e.g., “Jackie'"'"'s chatterbot”), and not the user (“Jackie”). The chatterbots can communicate with other chatterbots while the chatterbots'"'"' users listen to the chatterbots converse. The chatterbots may respond to messages originated by other chatterbots'"'"' messages and buddies'"'"' (users'"'"') messages.

Claims

1. A method of processing messages transmitted and received during an electronic chat session, the chat session having a plurality of participants, each message including the identity of the source of the message, each source being a participant in the chat session that is either a human user or a software controlled agent associated with the human user, the software controlled agent mimicking human conversation, the method comprising:

(a) a first software controlled agent automatically generating a first text message, the first agent being associated with a first human user;

(b) automatically generating a first source identifier for the first text message and attaching it to the first text message, the first source identifier including the identities of the first human user and the first agent;

(c) transmitting the first source identifier and the first text message to at least one other participant in the chat session; and

(d) allowing the first human user associated with the first software controlled agent to enter text messages and transmit any such entered text messages in the same chat session as the chat session that the first software controlled agent generates and transmits messages, the first human user being identified as a different entity than the first software controlled agent.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(e) a second software controlled agent receiving the transmitted first source identifier and the first text message, and in response thereto;

(i) automatically generating a second text message;

(ii) automatically generating a second source identifier for the second text message and attaching it to the second text message, the second source identifier including the identities of the second agent and a second human user associated with the second agent; and

(iii) transmitting the second source identifier and the second text message to at least one other participant in the chat session.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one other participant is a second software controlled agent.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one other participant is a second human user.

5. A method of processing messages transmitted and received during an electronic chat session, the chat session having a plurality of participants, each message including the identity of the source of the message, each source being a participant in the chat session that is either a human user or a software controlled agent associated with the human user, the software controlled agent mimicking human conversation, the method comprising:

(a) a first participant transmitting a first source identifier and first text message, the first source identifier including the identity of the first participant; and

(b) a software controlled agent receiving the transmitted first source identifier and the first text message, and in response thereto;

(i) automatically generating a second text message;

(ii) automatically generating a second source identifier for the second text message and attaching it to the second text message, the second source identifier including the identities of the agent and a human user associated with the agent;

(iii) transmitting the second source identifier and the second text message to at least one other participant in the chat session; and

(c) allowing the human user associated with the software controlled agent to enter text messages and transmit any such entered text messages in the same chat session as the chat session that the software controlled agent generates and transmits messages, the human user being identified as a different entity than the software controlled agent.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

(d) generating at least one hidden message including instructions for controlling an animated image of the software controlled agent, wherein the hidden message is not displayed.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one other participant is a software controlled agent.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one other participant is a human user.

9. An article of manufacture for processing messages transmitted and received during an electronic chat session, the chat session having a plurality of participants, each message including the identity of the source of the message, each source being a participant in the chat session that is either a human user or a software controlled agent associated with the human user, the software controlled agent mimicking human conversation, the article of manufacture comprising a computer-readable medium holding computer-executable instructions for performing a method comprising:

(a) a first software controlled agent automatically generating a first text message, the first agent being associated with a first human user;

(b) automatically generating a first source identifier for the first text message and attaching it to the first text message, the first source identifier including the identities of the first human user and the first agent;

(c) transmitting the first source identifier and the first text message to at least one other participant in the chat session; and

(d) allowing the first human user associated with the first software controlled agent to enter text messages and transmit any such entered text messages in the same chat session as the chat session that the first software controlled agent generates and transmits messages, the first human user being identified as a different entity than the first software controlled agent.

10. The article of manufacture of claim 9, wherein the computer-executable instructions perform a method further comprising:

(e) a second software controlled agent receiving the transmitted first source identifier and the first text message, and in response thereto;

(i) automatically generating a second text message;

(ii) automatically generating a second source identifier for the second text message and attaching it to the second text message, the second source identifier including the identities of the second agent and a second human user associated with the second agent; and

(iii) transmitting the second source identifier and the second text message to at least one other participant in the chat session.

11. The article of manufacture of claim 9, wherein the at least one other participant is a second software controlled agent.

12. The article of manufacture of claim 9, wherein the at least one other participant is a second human user.

13. An article of manufacture for processing messages transmitted and received during an electronic chat session, the chat session having a plurality of participants, each message including the identity of the source of the message, each source being a participant in the chat session that is either a human user or a software controlled agent associated with the human user, the software controlled agent mimicking human conversation, the article of manufacture comprising a computer-readable medium holding computer-executable instructions for performing a method comprising:

(a) a first participant transmitting a first source identifier and first text message, the first source identifier including the identity of the first participant; and

(b) a software controlled agent receiving the transmitted first source identifier and the first text message, and in response thereto;

(i) automatically generating a second text message;

(ii) automatically generating a second source identifier for the second text message and attaching it to the second text message, the second source identifier including the identities of the agent and a human user associated with the agent;

(iii) transmitting the second source identifier and the second text message to at least one other participant in the chat session; and

(c) allowing the human user associated with the software controlled agent to enter text messages and transmit any such entered text messages in the same chat session as the chat session that the software controlled agent generates and transmits messages, the human user being identified as a different entity than the software controlled agent.

14. The artice of manufacture of claim 13, wherein the computer-executable instructions perform a method further comprising:

(d) generating at least one hidden message including instructions for controlling an animated image of the software controlled agent, wherein the hidden message is not displayed.

15. The article of manufacture of claim 13, wherein the at least one other participant is a software controlled agent.

16. The article of manufacture of claim 13, wherein the at least one other participant is a human user.