Method and system for providing contact management to chat session participants

• US 7,266,583 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2001
• Issued: 09/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Fitzpatrick, Gregory P., Wu, Frederick Yung-Fung
• Primary Examiner(s): Wiley; David
• Assistant Examiner(s): BILGRAMI, ASGHAR H
• Application Number:
  US09/933,332
• Publication Number:
  US 20030037112A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,206 Days
• Field of Search: 709/227, 709/206, 709/245, 709/246, 709/205, 709/204, 709/207
• US Class Current: 709/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and system for providing contact management to participants engaged in a communication session. The invention permits chat session participants to a communication session to determine common contacts that exists between the chat session participants. Dependent on the accessibility of the particular chat session participants'"'"' contact list, other chat session participants to the communication session can view the information located in the contact list. Moreover, a particular chat session participant to the communication session can give either a particular chat session participant or all the chat session participants to the communication session permission to modify their contact list. Permission to access or modify contact lists for chat session participants can be defined prior to establishment of the communication session and/or changed during the communication session. Changes relating to whether a particular contact list is accessible and/or modifiable can be initiated by the chat session participant associated with the contact list. Additionally, such changes can be initiated by a request from a chat session participants to modify the contact records in a particular contact list. The invention can be applicable to systems which can include, but is not limited to, chat rooms, instant messaging, and call conferencing.

Claims

1. A method for sharing contact list information between participants of a chat session, comprising:

identifying a first chat session participant maintaining a first contact list containing contact information relating to contacts of said first chat session participant and identifying a second chat participant having a second contact list containing contact information relating to contacts of said second chat participant, said first chat session participant and said second chat session participant participating within a common chat session;

providing the second chat session participant with access to contact information contained within the first contact list;

selecting the first contact list;

selecting the second contact list;

comparing said first contact list and said second contact list;

identifying common and non-common contacts between said first contact list and said second contact list;

displaying common contacts in a first visual list and non-common contacts in a second visual list;

determining whether said first contact list is modifiable by said second chat session participant and modifying said first contact list by said second chat session participant to include non-common contacts if said first contact list is modifiable by said second chat session participant, wherein modifying comprises the step of adding non-common contact information to said first contact list, the contact information pertaining to parties other than the first and second chat session participants; and

providing the first chat session participant with access to contact information contained within said second contact list.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying an icon within a chat session interface used by the second chat session participant to indicate whether said first contact list is accessible to said second chat session participant.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said displayed icon indicates whether said first contact list is modifiable.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising the step of displaying an icon within a chat session interface used by the first chat session participant to indicate whether said second contact list is accessible to said first chat session participant.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said displayed icon of claim 4 indicates whether said second contact list is modifiable.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

identifying a third chat session participant maintaining a third contact list containing contact information relating to contacts of said third chat session participant, said third chat session participant participating within said common chat session; and

providing the third chat session participant with access to contact information contained within the first contact list and the second contact list and providing the first chat session participant and said second chat session participant with access to contact information contained within the third contact list.

7. The method according to claim 4, further comprising the steps of:

permitting the selection of said displayed icon for said first contact list and said displayed icon for said second contact list;

comparing said selected first contact list and said selected second contact list to said third contact list; and

displaying to said third chat session participant contacts that are common to said first selected contact list, said second selected contact list, and said third contact list according to results from said comparing step.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

permitting any of said first chat session participant, said second chat session participant and said third chat session participant to modify any of said first contact list, said second contact list and said third contact list according to results from said comparing step; and

permitting any of said chat session participants associated with said contact list to reject said modification.

9. The method according to claim 5, wherein if said display icon indicates that said first contact list is not modifiable, further comprising the step of requesting said first chat session participant to allow said second chat session participant to modify said contact list.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein if said display icon indicates that said second contact list is not modifiable, further comprising the step of requesting said second chat session participant to allow said first chat session participant to modify said contact list.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

requesting said first chat session participant to provide access to said first contact list; and

requesting said second chat session participant to provide access to said second contact list.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of providing accessibility status to selected chat session participants.

13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of providing accessibility status to all active chat session participants.

14. A method for providing contact management to parties engaged in a chat communication session, the method comprising:

identifying a first chat session participant selecting a first contact list containing contact records relating to contacts of said first chat session participant and identifying a second chat participant having a second contact list selected by said first chat session participant containing contact records relating to contacts of said second chat participant, said first chat session participant and said second chat session participant participating within a common chat session;

providing access for said first contact list to a second participant to the communication session;

comparing said first contact list and second contact list;

identifying similar contacts between contact records located in said first contact list and contact records located in said second contact list;

presenting similar contacts in a pre-selected visual format and dissimilar contacts in a different visual format; and

adding selected dissimilar contact records located in said first contact list to said second contact list.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

determining if said first contact list is modifiable by said second participant to the communication session; and

if said first contact list is modifiable by said second participant, adding selected dissimilar contact records to said first contact list.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein said step of providing access to said first contact list further comprises the steps of:

determining an accessibility status of said first contact list; and

providing access to said first contact list if said accessibility status indicates that said second participant can access said first contact list.

17. The method according to claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

determining if said second contact list is accessible by said first participant to the communication session; and

if said second contact list is accessible by said first participant, identifying similar contacts between contact records located in said second contact list and contact records located in said first contact list.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

determining if said second contact list is modifiable by said first participant to the communication session; and

adding selected dissimilar contact records located in said second contact list to said first contact list.

19. The method according to claim 14, further comprising the step of displaying an icon to represent whether a contact list for a participant to the communication session is accessible.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising the step of modifying said icon to display whether said contact list for said participant to the communication session is modifiable.

21. In a chat session having a plurality of communicating chat session participants, a contact management method comprising:

identifying a plurality of chat session participants participating within a common chat session, each chat session participant maintaining a participant specific contact list containing contact records relating to contacts of said that participant;

assembling and displaying a contact list in a GUI associated with one of the chat session participants, wherein said contact list includes contact records from chat session lists maintained by chat session participants other then the one participant in which the GUI is displayed, and presenting contact records similar among the chat session lists in a pre-selected visual format and dissimilar records in a different visual format, the similarity and dissimilarity based on a comparison of the chat session lists;

selecting a first contact list;

selecting a second contact list;

comparing said first contact list and said second contact list;

identifying common and non-common contacts between said first contact list and said second contact list;

accepting modifications to said contact list by chat session participants other then the one participant in which the GUI is displayed; and

responsively displaying results from said modifications within said GUI.

22. A method for providing contact management in a chat session, comprising:

identifying a first chat session participant maintaining a first contact list containing contact records relating to contacts of said first chat session participant, identifying a second chat participant having a second contact list containing contact records relating to contacts of said second chat participant, and identifying a third chat participant having a third contact list containing contact records relating to contacts of said third chat participant, said first chat session participant, said second chat session participant, and said third chat session participant participating within a common chat session;

sending a token of introduction originated by the first chat session participant to the second chat session participant, said token of introduction providing a recommendation for said second chat session participant;

transferring said token of introduction to the third chat session participant who is known to said first chat session participant;

if said third chat session participant accepts said token of introduction, modifying said third contact list with contact information for said second chat session participant;

comparing said first contact list, said second contact list, and said third contact list;

identifying common and non-common contacts between said first contact list, said second contact list, and said third contact list; and

displaying common contacts in a first visual list and non-common contacts in a second visual list.

23. The method according to claim 22, further comprising modifying said second contact list with information for said third chat session participant.

24. The method according to claim 23, further comprising discarding said token of introduction upon expiration of a specified period of time.

25. The method according to claim 22, further comprising executing said transferring step upon said third chat session participant initiating a chat session with said second chat session participant.

26. A system for providing contact management, comprising:

a first contact list, said first contact list containing contact information relating to contacts of and maintained by a first chat session participant;

a second contact list, said second contact list containing contact information relating to contacts of and maintained by a second chat session participant, said second chat session participant engaged in a chat session with said first chat session participant; and

a computing application program facilitating said chat session, said application program permitting said second chat session participant to modify contact information contained within said first contact list and permitting said first chat session participant to modify contact information contained within said second contact list by

comparing said first contact list and said second contact list;

identifying common and non-common contacts between said first contact list and the second contact list; and

displaying common contacts in a first visual list and non-common contacts in a second visual list.

27. The system according to claim 26, further comprising a computer application server for executing said computing application program.

28. The system according to claim 26, further comprising a first computing device for permitting said first contact list to be viewed by said second chat session participant and a second computing device permitting said second contact list to be viewed by said first chat session participant.

29. A machine readable storage having stored thereon, a computer program having a plurality of code sections, said code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the steps of:

identifying a first chat session participant maintaining a first contact list containing contact information relating to contacts of said first chat session participant and identifying a second chat participant having a second contact list containing contact information relating to contacts of said second chat participant, said first chat session participant and said second chat session participant participating within a common chat session;

providing the second chat session participant with access to contact information contained within the first contact list;

selecting the first contact list;

selecting the second contact list;

comparing said first contact list and said second contact list;

identifying common and non-common contacts between said first contact list and said second contact list;

displaying common contacts in a first visual list and non-common contacts in a second visual list;

determining whether said first contact list is modifiable by said second chat session participant and modifying said first contact list by said second chat session participant to include non-common contacts if said first contact list is modifiable by said second chat session participant, wherein modifying comprises the step of adding non-common contact information to said first contact list, the contact information pertaining to parties other than the first and second chat session participants; and

providing the first chat session participant with access to contact information contained within said second contact list.

30. The machine readable storage according to claim 29,

further comprising the step of displaying an icon within a chat session interface used by the second chat session participant to indicate whether said first contact list is accessible to said second chat session participant.

31. The machine readable storage according to claim 30, wherein said displayed icon indicates whether said first contact list is modifiable.

32. The machine readable storage according to claim 31, further comprising the step of displaying an icon within a chat session interface used by the first chat session participant to indicate whether said second contact list is accessible to said first chat session participant.

33. The machine readable storage according to claim 32, wherein said displayed icon of claim 6 indicates whether said second contact list is modifiable.

34. The machine readable storage according to claim 33, further comprising the steps of:

identifying a third chat session participant maintaining a third contact list containing contact information relating to contacts of said third chat session participant, said third chat session participant participating within said common chat session; and

providing the third chat session participant with access to contact information contained within the first contact list and the second contact list and providing the first chat session participant and said second chat session participant with access to contact information contained within the third contact list; and

displaying icons within a chat session interface used by a third chat session participant to indicate whether said first chat contact list and said second contact list is accessible to said third chat session participant.

35. The machine readable storage according to claim 34, further comprising the step of:

permitting the selection of said displayed icon for said first contact list and said displayed icon for said second contact list;

comparing said selected first contact list and said selected second contact list to said third contact list; and

displaying to said third chat session participant contacts that are common to said first selected contact list, said second selected contact list, and said third contact list according to results from said comparing step.

36. The machine readable storage according to claim 35, further comprising the steps of:

permitting any of said first chat session participant, said second chat session participant and said third chat session participant to modify any of said first contact list, said second contact list and said third contact list according to results from said comparing step; and

permitting any of said chat session participants associated with said contact list to reject said modification.

37. The machine readable storage according to claim 33, wherein if said display icon indicates that said first contact list is not modifiable, further comprising the step of requesting said first chat session participant to allow said second chat session participant to modify said contact list.

38. The machine readable storage according to claim 33, wherein if said display icon indicates that said second contact list is not modifiable, further comprising the step of requesting said second chat session participant to allow said first chat session participant to modify said contact list.

39. The machine readable storage according to claim 29, further comprising the steps of:

requesting said first chat session participant to provide access to said first contact list; and

requesting said second chat session participant to provide access to said second contact list.

40. The machine readable storage according to claim 29, further comprising the step of providing accessibility status to selected chat session participants.

41. The machine readable storage according to claim 29, further comprising the step of providing accessibility status to all active chat session participants.

42. A machine readable storage having stored thereon, a computer program having a plurality of code sections, said code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the steps of:

identifying a first chat session participant selecting a first contact list containing contact records relating to contacts of said first chat session participant and identifying a second chat participant having a second contact list selected by first chat session participant containing contact records relating to contacts of said second chat participant, said first chat session participant and said second chat session participant participating within a common chat session;

providing access for said first contact list to a second participant to the communication session;

comparing said first contact list and second contact list;

identifying similar contacts between contact records located in said first contact list and contact records located in said second contact list;

presenting similar contacts in a pre-selected visual format and dissimilar contacts in a different visual format; and

adding selected dissimilar contact records located in said first contact list to said second contact list.

43. The machine readable storage according to claim 42, further comprising the steps of:

determining if said first contact list is modifiable by said second participant to the communication session; and

if said first contact list is modifiable by said second participant, adding selected dissimilar contact records to said first contact list.

44. The machine readable storage according to claim 43, wherein said step of providing contact list to a first participant further comprises the steps of:

determining an accessibility status of said first contact list; and

providing access to said first contact list if said accessibility status indicates that said second participant can access said first contact list.

45. The machine readable storage according to claim 42, further comprising the steps of:

determining if said second contact list is accessible by said first participant to the communication session; and

if said second contact list is accessible by said first participant, identifying similar contacts between contact records located in said second contact list and contact records located in said first contact list.

46. The machine readable storage according to claim 45, further comprising the steps of:

determining if said second contact list is modifiable by said first participant to the communication session; and

adding selected dissimilar contact records located in said second contact list to said first contact list.

47. The machine readable storage according to claim 46, further comprising the step of displaying an icon to represent whether a contact list for a participant to the communication session is accessible.

48. The machine readable storage according to claim 47, further comprising the step of modifying said icon to display whether said contact list for said participant to the communication session is modifiable.

49. A machine readable storage having stored thereon, a computer program having a plurality of code sections, said code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the steps of:

identifying a plurality of chat session participants participating within a common chat session, each chat session participant maintaining a participant specific contact list containing contact records relating to contacts of said that participant;

assembling and displaying a contact list in a GUI associated with one of the chat session participants, wherein said contact list includes contact records from chat session lists maintained chat session participants other then the one participant in which the GUI is displayed;

selecting a first contact list;

selecting a second contact list;

comparing said first contact list and said second contact list;

identifying common and non-common contacts between said first contact list and the second contact list;

displaying common contacts in a first visual list and non-common contacts in a second visual list; and

accepting modifications to said contact list by chat session participants other then the one participant in which the GUI is displayed and responsively displaying results from said modifications within said GUI.

50. A machine readable storage having stored thereon, a computer program having a plurality of code sections, said code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the steps of:

identifying a first chat session participant maintaining a first contact list containing contact records relating to contacts of said first chat session participant, identifying a second chat participant having a second contact list containing contact records relating to contacts of said second chat participant, and identifying a third chat participant having a third contact list containing contact records relating to contacts of said third chat participant, said first chat session participant, said second chat session participant, and said third chat session participant participating within a common chat session;

sending a token of introduction originated by the first chat session participant to the second chat session participant, said token of introduction providing a recommendation for said second chat session participant;

transferring said token of introduction to the third chat session participant who is known to said first chat session participant;

if said third chat session participant accepts said token of introduction, modifying said third contact list with contact information for said second chat session participant;

comparing said first contact list, said second contact list, and said third contact list;

identifying common and non-common contacts between said first contact list, said second contact list, and said third contact list; and

displaying common contacts in a first visual list and non-common contacts in a second visual list.

51. The machine readable storage according to claim 50, further comprising modifying said second contact list with information for said third chat session participant.

52. The machine readable storage according to claim 51, further comprising discarding said token of introduction upon expiration of a specified period of time.

53. The machine readable storage according to claim 50, further comprising executing said transferring step upon said third chat session participant initiating a chat session with said second chat session participant.

54. The method according to claim 50, further comprising the step of:

displaying icons within a chat session interface used by a third chat session participant to indicate whether said first chat contact list and said second contact list is accessible to said third chat session participant.

55. The method according to claim 54, further comprising the steps of:

permitting the selection of said displayed icon for said first contact list and said displayed icon for said second contact list;

comparing said selected first contact list and said selected second contact list to said third contact list; and

displaying to said third chat session participant contacts that are uncommon to said selected first contact list, said selected second contact list and said third contact list according to results from said comparing step.