Notifying users when messaging sessions are recorded

• US 7,979,489 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2007
• Issued: 07/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Brown, Michael Wayne, Dutta, Rabindranath, Paolini, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHILLIPS, HASSAN A
• Application Number:
  US11/741,743
• Publication Number:
  US 20070201637A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,536 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1831 Tracking arrangements for later retrieval, e.g. recording contents, participants activities or behavior, network status
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A method, system and program for notifying users when messaging sessions are recorded are provided. In response to receiving a request to record a messaging session, a requested selection of multiple message entries associated with the messaging session are recorded. Then, multiple users participating in the messaging session are notified of the recording of the requested selection of the multiple message entries from the messaging session. In particular, the output of the messaging session is adjusted for each of the multiple users to distinguish a selection from among the multiple message entries being recorded.

Claims

1. A method, in a particular client system from among a plurality of clients systems enabled to communicate with one another in a messaging session facilitated by a messaging server through at least one instant messaging channel via a network, for participating in a messaging session facilitated through a particular instant messaging channel, said method comprising the steps of:

controlling output in a window of a user interface at said particular client system to a user participating in said messaging session of entries associated with said messaging session received via said messaging server from a plurality of users participating in said messaging session;

in response to receiving a recording indicator for said messaging session from said messaging server indicating a recording request by a first user from among the plurality of users, adjusting said output in said window of said user interface at said particular client system to graphically distinguish a first selection of entries from among said plurality of message entries within said window which are being recorded into a separate log by said messaging server from a second selection of entries from among said plurality of message entries within said window not recorded into the separate log by applying a first textual attribute to only the first selection of entries from among the plurality of message entries, such that each separate user participating in said messaging session is notified of which message entries posted by said plurality of users are being recorded within said window containing all of said plurality of message entries.

2. The method for participating in a messaging session according to claim 1, wherein adjusting said output in said window of said user interface at said particular client system to graphically distinguish a first selection of entries from among said plurality of message entries within said window which are being recorded into a separate log by said messaging server further comprises the step of:

accessing a selection of preferences for said separate user specifying, for each of a plurality of types of client systems, at least one type of output characteristic to adjust to distinguish said selection of message entries being recorded; and

adjusting said output in said user interface at said particular client system according to said type of output characteristic specified by said separate user for a particular type of said particular client system.

3. The method for participating in a messaging session according to claim 1, wherein adjusting said output in said window of said user interface at said particular client system to graphically distinguish a first selection of entries from among said plurality of message entries within said window which are being recorded into a separate log by said messaging server further comprises the step of:

accessing a selection of preferences for said separate user specifying, for each of said plurality of users, at least one type of output characteristic to adjust to distinguish said selection of message entries being recorded which are separately entered by each of said plurality of users; and

adjusting said output in said user interface at said particular client system according to said type of output characteristic specified by said user separate for each separate other user from among said plurality of users which enters said selection of said plurality of message entries being recorded.

4. The method for participating in a messaging session according to claim 1, said method further comprising the step of:

in response to receiving a request to record by said first user at said particular client system, transmitting a request to record a specified selection of entries associated with said messaging session from said particular client system to said messaging server.

5. The method for participating in a messaging session according to claim 1, said method further comprising the steps of:

receiving, at said particular client system, from said messaging server, a recording approval request for recording a specified selection of entries associated with said messaging session;

presenting via said user interface, at said particular client system, a request for said separate user to approve said recording based on said recording approval request; and

in response to an indication of approval selected by said separate user, transmitting said indication of approval from said particular client system to said messaging server.

6. The method for participating in a messaging session according to claim 1, said step of adjusting said output in said window of said user interface at said particular client system to graphically distinguish a first selection of entries from among said plurality of message entries within said window which are being recorded into a separate log by said messaging server, further comprising the step of:

adjusting in said window of said user interface at said particular client system, a graphical output characteristic of said first selection of entries from among said plurality of entries being recorded to distinguish said first selection of entries from among said plurality of message entries being recorded from said second selection of said plurality of message entries.

7. The method for participating in a messaging session according to claim 1, said step of adjusting said output in said window of said user interface at said particular client system to graphically distinguish a first selection of entries from among said plurality of message entries within said window which are being recorded into a separate log by said messaging server, further comprising the step of:

adjusting in said window of said user interface at said particular client system, an audible output characteristic of said first selection of entries from among said plurality of entries being recorded to distinguish said first selection of entries from among said plurality of message entries being recorded from said second selection of said plurality of message entries.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to receiving a second recording indicator for said messaging session from said messaging server indicating a second recording request by a second user from among the plurality of users, adjusting said output in said window of said user interface at said particular client system to graphically distinguish a third selection of entries from among said the plurality of message entries within said user interface which are being recorded into a second separate log by said messaging server from a fourth selection of entries from among said plurality of message entries in said window not being recorded into the second separate log by applying a second textual attribute to only the third selection of entries from among the plurality of entries.

9. A system for participating in a messaging session, said system comprising:

a particular client messaging system from among a plurality of client systems communicatively connected to a network, wherein said plurality of client systems are enabled to communicate with one another through a messaging session facilitated by a messaging server through an instant messaging channel via a network;

said particular client messaging system comprising a processor and a memory and operative to control output in a window of a user interface to a user participating in a messaging session of entries associated with said messaging session received via said messaging server from a plurality of users participating in said messaging session; and

said particular client messaging system operative, in response to receiving a recording indicator for said messaging session from said messaging server indicating a recording request by a first user from among the plurality of users, to adjust said output in said window of said user interface at said particular client system to graphically distinguish a first selection of entries from among said plurality of message entries within said window which are being recorded into a separate log by said messaging server from a second selection of entries from among said plurality of message entries within said window not recorded into the separate log by applying a first textual attribute to only the first selection of entries from among the plurality of message entries, such that each separate user participating in said messaging session is notified of which message entries posted by said plurality of users are being recorded within said window containing all of said plurality of message entries.

10. The system for participating in a messaging session according to claim 9, further comprising:

said particular client messaging system operative to transmit said request to record a specified selection of entries associated with said messaging session to said messaging server, in response to receiving a request to record by said first user.

11. The system for participating in a messaging session according to claim 9, further comprising:

said particular client messaging system operative to receive a recording approval request from said messaging server for recording a specified selection of entries associated with said messaging session;

said particular client messaging system operative to present a request in said user interface for said separate user to approve said recording based on said recording approval request; and

said particular client messaging system operative to transmit said indication of approval to said messaging server, in response to an indication of approval selected by said separate user.

12. The system for participating in a messaging session according to claim 9, further comprising:

said particular client messaging system operative to adjust in said window of said user interface a graphical output characteristic of said first selection of entries from among said plurality of entries being recorded to distinguish said first selection from among said plurality of message entries being recorded from said second another unrecorded selection of said plurality of message entries.

13. The system for participating in a messaging session according to claim 9, further comprising:

said particular client messaging system operative to adjust in said window of said user interface an audible output characteristic of said first selection of entries from among said plurality of entries being recorded to distinguish said first selection of entries from among said plurality of message entries being recorded from said second selection of said plurality of message entries.

14. The system for participating in a messaging session according to claim 9, further comprising:

said particular client messaging system operative, in response to receiving a second recording indicator for said messaging session from said messaging server indicating a second recording request by a second user from among the plurality of users, to adjust said output in said window of said user interface at said particular client system to graphically distinguish a third selection of entries from among said the plurality of message entries within said user interface which are being recorded into a second separate log by said messaging server from a fourth selection of entries from among said plurality of message entries in said window not being recorded into the second separate log by applying a second textual attribute to only the third selection of entries from among the plurality of entries.

15. A computer program product for participating in a messaging session comprising a non-transitory computer usable medium having stored thereon a computer-readable program which when executed on a computer system cause said computer system to:

enable a client system to communicate with at least a selection of a plurality of client systems via at least one messaging session facilitated by a messaging server through an instant messaging channel via a network;

control output in a window of a user interface to a user participating in said messaging session of entries associated with said messaging session received via said messaging server from a plurality of users participating in said messaging session; and

adjust, in response to receiving a recording indicator for said messaging session from said messaging server indicating a recording request by a first user from among the plurality of users, said output in said window of said user interface at said particular client system to graphically distinguish a first selection of entries from among said plurality of message entries within said window which are being recorded into a separate log by said messaging server from a second selection of entries from among said plurality of message entries within said window not recorded into the separate log by applying a first textual attribute to only the first selection of entries from among the plurality of message entries, such that each separate user participating in said messaging session is notified of which message entries posted by said plurality of users are being recorded within said window containing all of said plurality of message entries.

16. The program for participating in a messaging session according to claim 15, said computer-readable program which when executed on said computer system further causing said computer system to:

transmit a request to record a specified selection of entries associated with said messaging session to said messaging server, in response to receiving a request to record by said first user.

17. The program for participating in a messaging session according to claim 15, said computer-readable program which when executed on said computer system further causing said computer system to:

receive a recording approval request from said messaging server at said client system for recording a specified selection of entries associated with said messaging session; and

present, at said client system in said user interface, a request for said separate user to approve said recording based on said recording approval request; and

transmit said indication of approval to said messaging server, in response to an indication of approval selected by said separate user.

18. The program for participating in a messaging session according to claim 15, said computer-readable program which when executed on said computer system further causing said computer system to:

adjust in said user interface at said client system, a graphical output characteristic of said first selection from among said plurality of entries being recorded to distinguish said first selection from among said plurality of message entries being recorded from said second selection of said plurality of message entries.

19. The program for participating in a messaging session according to claim 15, said computer-readable program which when executed on said computer system further causing said computer system to:

adjust in said user interface at said client system, an audible output characteristic of said first selection from among said plurality of entries being recorded to distinguish said first selection from among said plurality of message entries being recorded from said second selection of said plurality of message entries.

20. The program for participating in a messaging session according to claim 15, said computer-readable program which when executed on said computer system further causing said computer system to:

in response to receiving a second recording indicator for said messaging session from said messaging server indicating a second recording request by a second user from among the plurality of users, adjust said output in said window of said user interface at said particular client system to graphically distinguish a third selection of entries from among said the plurality of message entries within said user interface which are being recorded into a second separate log by said messaging server from a fourth selection of entries from among said plurality of message entries in said window not being recorded into the second separate log by applying a second textual attribute to only the third selection of entries from among the plurality of entries.