Routing and displaying messages for multiple concurrent instant messaging sessions involving a single online identity

• US 7,921,163 B1
• Filed: 08/27/2004
• Issued: 04/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AOL Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Appelman, Barry, Odell, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zele, Krista M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Najee-Ullah, Tariq S
• Application Number:
  US10/927,091
• Time in Patent Office: 2,412 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206
• 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 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4555 Directories for electronic mail or instant messaging

Abstract

Routing and displaying instant messages includes receiving a first request to establish a first instant messaging session associated with an instant messaging online identity assigned to a user using a first instant messaging controller. The first instant messaging session is established in response to the first request, where the first instant messaging session includes a first state. A second request from the user is received to establish a second instant messaging session associated with the instant messaging online identity assigned to the user using a second instant messaging controller that differs from the first instant messaging controller. The second instant messaging session is established in response to the second request, where the second instant messaging session includes a second state. An instant message designated for the instant messaging online identity assigned to the user is received and a determination is made on where to route the instant message based on routing criteria. The routing criteria includes the first state of the first instant messaging session and the second state of the second instant messaging session. The instant message is routed based on the determination of where to route to the instant message.

Claims

1. A method for routing instant messages, the method comprising:

receiving, from a first instant messaging controller computer program running on a first personal computer, a first request for an instant messaging online identity assigned to a user to be logged on to an instant messaging system through the first personal computer, wherein the instant messaging system is configured with at least one processor;

in response to receiving the first request for the instant messaging online identity to be logged on to the instant messaging system through the first personal computer, logging the instant messaging online identity on to the instant messaging system through the first personal computer such that the instant messaging online identity is enabled to send and receive instant messages using the first instant messaging controller computer program running on the first personal computer, wherein the first instant messaging controller computer program monitors a status of the instant messaging online identity at the first personal computer while the instant messaging online identity is logged on to the instant messaging system through the first personal computer;

while the instant messaging online identity remains logged on to the instant messaging system through the first personal computer, receiving, from a second instant messaging controller computer program running on a second personal computer, a second request for the same instant messaging online identity to be logged on to the instant messaging system through the second personal computer, wherein the second instant messaging controller computer program differs from the first instant messaging controller computer program and the second personal computer differs from the first personal computer;

in response to receiving the second request for the instant messaging online identity to be logged on to the instant messaging system through the second personal computer, logging the instant messaging online identity on to the instant messaging system through the second personal computer such that the instant messaging online identity is enabled to send and receive instant messages using the second instant messaging controller computer program running on the second personal computer and such that the instant messaging online identity is logged on to the instant messaging system at both the first personal computer and the second personal computer concurrently, wherein the second instant messaging controller computer program monitors a status of the instant messaging online identity at the second personal computer while the instant messaging online identity is logged on to the instant messaging system through the second personal computer;

while the instant messaging online identity remains concurrently logged on to the instant messaging system through both the first personal computer and the second personal computer, using the at least one processor for;

receiving a first instant message addressed to the instant messaging online identity,

in response to receiving the first instant message addressed to the instant messaging online identity, determining a first state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the first personal computer and a first state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the second personal computer,

based on the determined first state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the first personal computer and the determined first state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the second personal computer, determining to route the first instant message to both the first personal computer and the second personal computer,

as a consequence of having determined to route the first instant message to both the first personal computer and the second personal computer, routing the first instant message to both the first personal computer and the second personal computer;

while the instant messaging online identity remains concurrently logged on to the instant messaging system through both the first personal computer and the second personal computer and after routing the first instant message to both the first personal computer and the second personal computer, using the at least one processor for;

receiving a second instant message addressed to the instant messaging online identity;

in response to receiving the second instant message addressed to the instant messaging online identity, determining a second state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the first personal computer and a second state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the second personal computer, wherein the second state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the first personal computer is different from the first state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the first personal computer and the second state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the second personal computer is the same as the first state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the second personal computer;

based on the determined second state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the first personal computer, determining not to route the second instant message to the first personal computer;

based on the determined second state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the second personal computer, determining to route the second instant message to the second personal computer; and

as a consequence of having determined to route the second instant message to the second personal computer, routing the second instant message to the second personal computer.

2. The method as in claim 1 wherein the first state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the first personal computer and the second state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the first personal computer include a user-defined state.

3. The method as in claim 1 wherein the first state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the first personal computer and the second state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the first personal computer include an active state.

4. The method as in claim 1 wherein the first state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the first personal computer and the second state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the first personal computer include an idle state.

5. The method as in claim 1 wherein the first state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the first personal computer and the second state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the first personal computer include a user-set state.

6. The method as in claim 5 wherein the user-set state includes an away state.

7. The method as in claim 1 further comprising, after routing the second instant message to the second personal computer, displaying the second instant message at the second personal computer using the second instant messaging controller computer program.

29. The method of claim 1 wherein routing the second instant message to the second personal computer includes routing the second instant message to the second personal computer to the exclusion of the first personal computer.

34. The method of claim 1 wherein the instant messaging online identity comprises an instant messaging account.

35. The method of claim 1 wherein the instant messaging online identity comprises a screen name.

36. The method of claim 1 wherein the instant messaging online identity comprises a set of characters or symbols.

8. A method for routing instant messages, the method comprising:

receiving, from a first instant messaging controller computer program running on a personal computer, a first request for an instant messaging online identity assigned to a user to be logged on to an instant messaging system through the personal computer, wherein the instant messaging system is configured with at least one processor;

in response to receiving the first request for the instant messaging online identity to be logged on to the instant messaging system through the personal computer, logging the instant messaging online identity on to the instant messaging system through the personal computer such that the instant messaging online identity is enabled to send and receive instant messages using the first instant messaging controller computer program running on the personal computer, wherein the first instant messaging controller computer program monitors a status of the instant messaging online identity at the personal computer while the instant messaging online identity is logged on to the instant messaging system through the personal computer;

while the instant messaging online identity remains logged on to the instant messaging system through the personal computer, receiving, from a second instant messaging controller computer program running on a mobile device, a second request for the same instant messaging online identity to be logged on to the instant messaging system through the mobile device, wherein the second instant messaging controller computer program differs from the first instant messaging controller computer program;

in response to receiving the second request for the instant messaging online identity to be logged on to the instant messaging system through the mobile device, logging the instant messaging online identity on to the instant messaging system through the mobile device such that the instant messaging online identity is enabled to send and receive instant messages using the second instant messaging controller computer program running on the mobile device and such that the instant messaging online identity is logged on to the instant messaging system at both the personal computer and the mobile device concurrently, wherein the second instant messaging controller computer program monitors a status of the instant messaging online identity at the mobile device while the instant messaging online identity is logged on to the instant messaging system through the mobile device;

while the instant messaging online identity remains concurrently logged on to the instant messaging system through both the personal computer and the mobile device, using the at least one processor for;

receiving a first instant message addressed to the instant messaging online identity,

in response to receiving the first instant message addressed to the instant messaging online identity, determining a first state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the personal computer and a first state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the mobile device,

based on the determined first state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the personal computer and the determined first state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the mobile device, determining to route the first instant message to both the personal computer and the mobile device,

as a consequence of having determined to route the first instant message to both the personal computer and the mobile device, routing the first instant message to both the personal computer and the mobile device;

while the instant messaging online identity remains concurrently logged on to the instant messaging system through both the personal computer and the mobile device and after routing the first instant message to both the personal computer and the mobile device using the at least one processor for;

receiving a second instant message addressed to the instant messaging online identity;

in response to receiving the second instant message addressed to the instant messaging online identity, determining a second state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the personal computer and a second state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the mobile device, wherein the second state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the personal computer is different from the first state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the personal computer and the second state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the mobile device is the same as the first state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the mobile device;

based on the determined second state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the personal computer, determining not to route the second instant message to the personal computer;

based on the determined second state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the mobile device, determining to route the second instant message to the mobile device; and

as a consequence of having determined to route the second instant message to the mobile device, routing the second instant message to the mobile device.

9. The method as in claim 8 wherein the mobile device includes a cellular phone.

10. The method as in claim 8 wherein the mobile device includes a personal digital assistant.

30. The method of claim 8 wherein routing the second instant message to the mobile device includes routing the second instant message to the mobile device to the exclusion of the personal computer.

33. The method as in claim 8 further comprising:

while the instant messaging online identity remains concurrently logged on to the instant messaging system through both the personal computer and the mobile device and after routing the first instant message to both the personal computer and the mobile device;

receiving a third instant message addressed to the instant messaging online identity;

in response to receiving the third instant message addressed to the instant messaging online identity, determining a third state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the personal computer and a third state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the mobile device, wherein the third state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the personal computer is the same as the first state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the personal computer and the third state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the mobile device is different from the first and second states of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the mobile device;

based on the determined third state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the mobile device, determining not to route the third instant message to the mobile device;

based on the determined third state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the personal computer, determining to route the third instant message to the personal computer; and

as a consequence of having determined to route the third instant message to the personal computer, routing the third instant message to the personal computer.

37. The method of claim 8 wherein the instant messaging online identity comprises an instant messaging account.

38. The method of claim 8 wherein the instant messaging online identity comprises a screen name.

39. The method of claim 8 wherein the instant messaging online identity comprises a set of characters or symbols.

11. A method for routing instant messages, the method comprising:

receiving, from a first instant messaging controller computer program running on a first mobile device, a first request for an instant messaging online identity assigned to a user to be logged on to an instant messaging system through the first mobile device, wherein the instant messaging system is configured with at least one processor;

in response to receiving the first request for the instant messaging online identity to be logged on to the instant messaging system through the first mobile device, logging the instant messaging online identity on to the instant messaging system through the first mobile device such that the instant messaging online identity is enabled to send and receive instant messages using the first instant messaging controller computer program running on the first mobile device, wherein the first instant messaging controller computer program monitors a status of the instant messaging online identity at the first mobile device while the instant messaging online identity is logged on to the instant messaging system through the first mobile device;

while the instant messaging online identity remains logged on to the instant messaging system through the first mobile device, receiving, from a second instant messaging controller computer program running on a second mobile device, a second request for the same instant messaging online identity to be logged on to the instant messaging system through the second mobile device, wherein the second instant messaging controller computer program differs from the first instant messaging controller computer program and the second mobile device differs from the first mobile device;

in response to receiving the second request for the instant messaging online identity to be logged on to the instant messaging system through the second mobile device, logging the instant messaging online identity on to the instant messaging system through the second mobile device such that the instant messaging online identity is enabled to send and receive instant messages using the second instant messaging controller computer program running on the second mobile device and such that the instant messaging online identity is logged on to the instant messaging system at both the first mobile device and the second mobile device concurrently, wherein the second instant messaging controller computer program monitors a status of the instant messaging online identity at the second mobile device while the instant messaging online identity is logged on to the instant messaging system through the second mobile device;

while the instant messaging online identity remains concurrently logged on to the instant messaging system through both the first mobile device and the second mobile device, using the at least one processor for;

receiving a first instant message addressed to the instant messaging online identity,

in response to receiving the first instant message addressed to the instant messaging online identity, determining a first state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the first mobile device and a first state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the second mobile device,

based on the determined first state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the first mobile device and the determined first state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the second mobile device, determining to route the first instant message to both the first mobile device and the second mobile device,

as a consequence of having determined to route the first instant message to both the first mobile device and the second mobile device, routing the first instant message to both the first mobile device and the second mobile device;

while the instant messaging online identity remains concurrently logged on to the instant messaging system through both the first mobile device and the second mobile device and after routing the first instant message to both the first mobile device and the second mobile device, using the at least one processor for;

receiving a second instant message addressed to the instant messaging online identity;

in response to receiving the second instant message addressed to the instant messaging online identity, determining a second state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the first mobile device and a second state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the second mobile device, wherein the second state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the first mobile device is different from the first state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the first mobile device and the second state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the second mobile device is the same as the first state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the second mobile device;

based on the determined second state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the first mobile device, determining not to route the second instant message to the first mobile device;

based on the determined second state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the second mobile device, determining to route the second instant message to the second mobile device; and

as a consequence of having determined to route the second instant message to the second mobile device, routing the second instant message to the second mobile device.

12. The method as in claim 11 wherein the first and second mobile devices include at least one cellular phone.

13. The method as in claim 11 wherein the first and second mobile devices include at least one personal digital assistant.

31. The method of claim 11 wherein routing the second instant message to the second mobile device includes routing the second instant message to the second mobile device to the exclusion of the first mobile device.

40. The method of claim 11 wherein the instant messaging online identity comprises an instant messaging account.

41. The method of claim 11 wherein the instant messaging online identity comprises a screen name.

42. The method of claim 11 wherein the instant messaging online identity comprises a set of characters or symbols.

14. A tangible machine-accessible storage that when accessed, results in a machine performing operations for routing and displaying instant messages, comprising:

receiving, from a first instant messaging controller on a first device a first request for an instant messaging online identity assigned to a user to be logged on to an instant messaging system through the first device;

in response to receiving the first request for the instant messaging online identity to be logged on to the instant messaging system through the first device, logging the instant messaging online identity on to the instant messaging system through the first device such that the instant messaging online identity is enabled to send and receive instant messages using the first instant messaging controller on the first device, wherein the first instant messaging controller monitors a status of the instant messaging online identity at the first device while the instant messaging online identity is logged on to the instant messaging system through the first device;

while the instant messaging online identity remains logged on to the instant messaging system through the first device, receiving, from a second instant messaging controller on a second device, a second request for the same instant messaging online identity to be logged on to the instant messaging system through the second device, wherein the second instant messaging controller differs from the first instant messaging controller and the second device differs from the first device;

in response to receiving the second request for the instant messaging online identity to be logged on to the instant messaging system through the second device, logging the instant messaging online identity on to the instant messaging system through the second device such that the instant messaging online identity is enabled to send and receive instant messages using the second instant messaging controller running on the second device and such that the instant messaging online identity is logged on to the instant messaging system at both the first device and the second device concurrently, wherein the second instant messaging controller monitors a status of the instant messaging online identity at the second device while the instant messaging online identity is logged on to the instant messaging system through the second device;

while the instant messaging online identity remains concurrently logged on to the instant messaging system through both the first device and the second device;

receiving a first instant message addressed to the instant messaging online identity,

in response to receiving the first instant message addressed to the instant messaging online identity, determining a first state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the first device and a first state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the second device,

based on the determined first state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the first device and the determined first state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the second device, determining to route the first instant message to both the first device and the second device,

as a consequence of having determined to route the first instant message to both the first device and the second device, routing the first instant message to both the first device and the second device;

while the instant messaging online identity remains concurrently logged on to the instant messaging system through both the first device and the second device and after routing the first instant message to both the first device and the second device;

receiving a second instant message addressed to the instant messaging online identity;

in response to receiving the second instant message addressed to the instant messaging online identity, determining a second state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the first device and a second state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the second device, wherein the second state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the first device is different from the first state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the first device and the second state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the second device is the same as the first state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the second device;

based on the determined second state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the first device, determining not to route the second instant message to the first device;

based on the determined second state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the second device, determining to route the second instant message to the second device; and

as a consequence of having determined to route the second instant message to the second device, routing the second instant message to the second device.

15. The machine-accessible storage of claim 14 wherein the first state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the first device and the second state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the first device include a user-defined state.

16. The machine-accessible storage of claim 14 wherein the first state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the first device and the second state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the first device include an active state.

17. The machine-accessible storage of claim 14 wherein the first state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the first device and the second state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the first device include an idle state.

18. The machine-accessible storage of claim 14 wherein the first state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the first device and the second state of the status of the instant messaging online identity at the first device include a user-set state.

19. The machine-accessible storage of claim 18 wherein the user-set state includes an away state.

20. The machine-accessible storage of claim 14, wherein accessing the machine accessible medium further results in displaying, after routing the second instant message to the second device, the instant message at the second device using the second instant messaging controller.

21. The machine-accessible storage of claim 14 wherein:

the first device is a personal computer;

the first instant messaging controller is a first computer program running on the personal computer;

the second device is a mobile device; and

the second instant messaging controller is a second computer program running on the mobile device.

22. The machine-accessible storage of claim 21 wherein the mobile device includes a cellular phone.

23. The machine-accessible storage of claim 21 wherein the mobile device includes a personal digital assistant.

24. The machine-accessible storage of claim 14 wherein the first and second devices are different mobile devices and the first instant messaging controller and the second instant messaging controller are computer programs running on the different mobile devices.

25. The machine-accessible storage of claim 24 wherein the first and second mobile devices include at least one cellular phone.

26. The machine-accessible storage of claim 24 wherein the first and second mobile devices include at least one personal digital assistant.

27. The machine-accessible storage of claim 14 wherein the first and second devices are different personal computers and the first instant messaging controller and the second instant messaging controller are computer programs running on the different personal computers.

28. The machine-accessible storage of claim 14 wherein:

the machine includes a computer that performs the operations, and

the machine-accessible medium includes a computer-readable medium having stored thereon one or more sequences of instructions for causing the computer to perform the operations.

32. The machine-accessible storage medium of claim 14 wherein routing the second instant message to the second device includes routing the second instant message to the second device to the exclusion of the first device.

43. The machine-accessible storage of claim 14 wherein the instant messaging online identity comprises an instant messaging account.

44. The machine-accessible storage of claim 14 wherein the instant messaging online identity comprises a screen name.

45. The machine-accessible storage of claim 14 wherein the instant messaging online identity comprises a set of characters or symbols.