Methods and systems for processing instant messenger messages

• US 7,680,888 B1
• Filed: 03/31/2004
• Issued: 03/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Khan, Omar Habib, Wang, Niniane, Lawrence, Stephen R., Marmaros, David
• Primary Examiner(s): BATES, KEVIN T
• Application Number:
  US10/814,766
• Time in Patent Office: 2,176 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/217, 709/227, 707/102
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/043 using or handling presence information

Abstract

Systems and methods for processing instant messenger messages are described. In one embodiment, an instant messenger event is captured by compiling event data associated with at least one instant messenger message, the instant messenger event is associated with a conversation, and at least some of the event data associated with the instant messenger event is indexed.

Claims

1. A method of processing instant messenger events associated with an instant messenger application, comprising:

determining a length of time of inactivity of a user after which to compile an instant messenger event associated with the user, the determined length of time being specific to an identity of the user;

monitoring a current length of time of inactivity of the user;

responsive at least in part to the monitored current length of time of inactivity exceeding the determined length of time of inactivity, capturing an instant messenger event associated with the user by compiling event data associated with at least one instant messenger message; and

indexing at least some of the event data associated with the instant messenger message.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating the instant messenger event with a conversation;

receiving a search query; and

identifying the conversation as relevant to the search query.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining if an existing conversation relevant to the instant messenger event exists;

associating the instant messenger event with an existing conversation if the existing conversation is determined to be relevant to the instant messenger event; and

associating the instant messenger event with a new conversation if no existing conversation is determined to exist that is relevant to the instant messenger event.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the event data comprises one or more of sender data, recipient data, a time associated with the event, a date associated with the event, and content from the instant messenger message.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein indexing at least some of the event data comprises associating an event ID with the event and associating the event ID with at least some of the event data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the instant messenger event is captured on a client device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the instant messenger event is captured on a network device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein capturing an instant messenger event comprises:

identifying an activity associated with the instant messenger application on a client device;

identifying the instant messenger event based on the activity; and

compiling the instant messenger event from at least some of the event data.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein compiling the instant messenger event is performed upon the sending or receipt of the instant messenger message using the instant messaging application.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

identifying instant messenger activity involving a change in a user interface associated with the instant messenger application on a client device;

wherein the compiling of the event data comprises identifying an instant messenger event based at least in part on identifying the user interface change.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein identifying instant messenger activity further comprises identifying instant messenger network activity.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein event data is also determined from the instant messenger network activity.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein identifying instant messenger activity comprises determining that the instant messenger application is active.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the compiling of the event data further comprises monitoring the instant messenger application for an ongoing period of time.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the compiling of the event data further comprises analyzing a current state of the instant messenger application to identify the instant messenger event.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the compiling of the event data further comprises identifying a display area associated with the instant messenger application and determining the content of the display area.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the compiling of the event data further comprises one or more of monitoring operating system calls made by the instant messenger application to display text, hooking into the instant messenger application'"'"'s notification application program interface, and directly querying the instant messenger application.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the compiling of the event data further comprises extracting text from a display area associated with the instant messenger application.

19. The method of claim 10, wherein the compiling of the event data further is performed upon the sending or receipt of an instant messenger message.

20. The method of claim 10, further comprising associating the instant messenger event with a conversation.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein associating the instant messenger event with a conversation comprises:

determining if an existing conversation relevant to the instant messenger event exists;

associating the instant messenger event with an existing conversation if the existing conversation is determined to be relevant to the instant messenger event; and

associating the instant messenger event with a new conversation if no existing conversation is determined to exist that is relevant to the instant messenger event.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein determining if an existing conversation exists is based at least in part on participants in the message and a time the message was received or sent.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising determining a title associated with the conversation.

24. The method of claim 10, wherein event data comprises one or more of sender data, recipient data, a time associated with the event, a date associated with the event, and content from the instant messenger message associated with the event.

25. The method of claim 10, wherein event data comprises a conversation ID.

26. The method of claim 10, further comprising identifying an instant messenger event at least in part by hooking into the instant messenger application'"'"'s notification application program interface.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein the determined length of time of inactivity represents a time from the last receipt of a message or sending of a message by the user.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein the determined length of time of inactivity represents a time from the last instant messenger event associated with the user.

29. A computer-readable storage medium for processing instant messenger events, the computer-readable storage medium containing executable program code, comprising:

program code for determining a length of time of inactivity of a user after which to compile an instant messenger event associated with the user, the determined length of time being specific to an identity of the user;

program code for monitoring a current length of time of inactivity of the user;

program code for capturing, responsive at least in part to the monitored current length of time of inactivity exceeding the determined length of time, an instant messenger event associated with the user by compiling event data associated with at least one instant messenger message; and

program code for indexing at least some of the event data associated with the instant messenger message.

30. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 29, further comprising:

program code for associating the instant messenger event with a conversation;

program code for receiving a search query; and

program code for identifying the conversation as relevant to the search query.

31. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 30, further comprising:

program code for determining if an existing conversation relevant to the instant messenger event exists;

program code for associating the instant messenger event with an existing conversation if the existing conversation is determined to be relevant to the instant messenger event; and

program code for associating the instant messenger event with a new conversation if no existing conversation is determined to exist that is relevant to the instant messenger event.

32. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 29, wherein the event data comprises one or more of sender data, recipient data, a time associated with the event, a date associated with the event, and content from the instant messenger message.

33. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 32, wherein program code for indexing at least some of the event data comprises associating an event ID with the event and associating the event ID with at least some of the event data.

34. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 29, wherein the instant messenger event is captured on a client device.

35. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 29, wherein the instant messenger event is captured on a network device.

36. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 29, wherein capturing an instant messenger event comprises:

program code for identifying an activity associated with an instant messenger application on a client device;

program code for identifying the instant messenger event based on the activity; and

program code for compiling the instant messenger event from at least some of the event data.

37. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 36, wherein compiling the instant messenger event is performed upon the sending or receipt of the instant messenger message using the instant messaging application.

38. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 29, the executable program code further comprising:

program code for identifying instant messenger activity involving a change in a user interface associated with the instant messenger application on a client device;

wherein the compiling of the event data comprises identifying an instant messenger event based at least in part on extracting text from a display area associated with the instant messenger application.

39. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 38, wherein program code for identifying instant messenger activity further comprises identifying instant messenger network activity.

40. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 39, wherein event data is also determined from the instant messenger network activity.

41. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 38, wherein program code for identifying instant messenger activity comprises identifying a user interface change associated with an instant messenger application.

42. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 38, wherein program code for identifying instant messenger activity comprises determining that the instant messenger application is active.

43. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 38, wherein the compiling of the event data comprises monitoring the instant messenger application for an ongoing period of time.

44. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 38, wherein the compiling of the event data further comprises analyzing a current state of the instant messenger application to identify the instant messenger event.

45. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 38, wherein the compiling of the event data further comprises identifying a display area associated with the instant messenger application and determining the content of the display area.

46. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 38, wherein the compiling of the event data further comprises one or more of monitoring operating system calls made by the instant messenger application to display text, hooking into the instant messenger application'"'"'s notification application program interface, and directly querying the instant messenger application.

47. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 38, wherein compiling the instant messenger event is performed upon the sending or receipt of an instant messenger message.

48. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 38, further comprising program code for associating the instant messenger event with a conversation.

49. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 48, wherein associating the instant messenger event with a conversation comprises:

program code for determining if an existing conversation relevant to the instant messenger event exists;

program code for associating the instant messenger event with an existing conversation if the existing conversation is determined to be relevant to the instant messenger event; and

program code for associating the instant messenger event with a new conversation if no existing conversation is determined to exist that is relevant to the instant messenger event.

50. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 49, wherein determining if an existing conversation exists is based at least in part on participants in the message and a time the message was received or sent.

51. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 49, further comprising program code for determining a title associated with the conversation.

52. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 38, wherein event data comprises one or more of sender data, recipient data, a time associated with the event, a date associated with the event, and content from the instant messenger message associated with the event.

53. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 38, wherein event data comprises a conversation ID.

54. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 38, wherein the extraction of the text from the display area comprises performing optical character recognition on an image.

55. A method of processing instant messenger events, comprising:

determining a predefined period of instant messenger inactivity of a user after which to compile an instant messenger event associated with the user, the determined length of time being specific to an identity of the user;

monitoring the instant messenger application to determine event data associated with an instant messenger message;

monitoring a current period of inactivity of the user;

responsive at least in part to the monitored current period of inactivity of the user exceeding the determined predefined period of instant messenger activity, compiling an instant messenger event from at least some of the event data;

determining if an existing conversation relevant to the instant messenger event exists;

associating the instant messenger event with an existing conversation if the existing conversation is determined to be relevant to the instant messenger event; and

associating the instant messenger event with a new conversation if no existing conversation is determined to exist that is relevant to the instant messenger event; and

indexing and storing the instant messenger event.