Methods and systems for capturing and managing instant messages

• US 8,577,972 B1
• Filed: 01/19/2010
• Issued: 11/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Heikes, Brian D., Krantz, Kristine Amber, Medeiros, Russell Scott, Ramanathan, Venkatesh, Sears, Edward L., Wick, Andrew L., Yurow, Deborah R., Matthews, Kelly Monroe, Robinson, Richard W., Roman, Perry E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrell, Robert B
• Application Number:
  US12/689,699
• Time in Patent Office: 1,386 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]

Abstract

Managing instant messages may include receiving instant messages created by or on behalf of one or more message sources for delivery to an intended recipient. From among the received instant messages, qualifying instant messages may be identified that satisfy a capture rule, and two or more of the qualifying instant messages may be captured. The intended recipient may be informed of the captured instant messages unobtrusively, and also may be enabled to manage the captured instant messages.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

at least one processing device;

a storage device storing instructions, which when executed by the at least one processing device, cause the at least one processing device to implement;

an input interface configured to receive electronic messages created by or on behalf of one or more message sources for delivery to an intended recipient;

a screening component configured to identify, from among the received electronic messages, qualifying electronic messages that satisfy a capture rule, and capture, as captured electronic messages, a plurality of the qualifying electronic messages; and

an output interface configured to inform the intended recipient of the captured electronic messages and to enable the intended recipient;

to organize the captured electronic messages according to a plurality of predetermined categories and manage the captured electronic messages;

to access information related to a message source associated with at least one of the captured electronic messages; and

to indicate that future electronic messages from the message source are not to be captured.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the output interface further enables the intended recipient to indicate that future electronic messages from the message source are to be blocked.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising instructions that cause the processing device to implement:

a blocking component that captures and deletes the future electronic messages without presenting the future electronic messages to the intended recipient.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the output interface further enables the intended recipient to modify the capture rule based on at least one of the captured electronic messages.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the output interface is configured to inform the intended recipient of the captured electronic messages according to the plurality of predetermined categories.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined categories comprise a category for captured electronic messages received from message sources known to the intended recipient.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined categories comprise a category for captured electronic messages received from message sources not known to the intended recipient.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined categories comprise a category for captured electronic messages received from message sources trusted by the intended recipient.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined categories comprise a category for captured electronic messages received from message sources not trusted by the intended recipient.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the screening component indicates that an electronic message qualifies for capture if the message source of the electronic message does not correspond to a contact on a contact list of the intended recipient.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the output interface further enables the intended recipient to delete at least one of the captured electronic messages.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the output interface further enables the intended recipient to ignore or block at least one of the captured electronic messages.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the output interface is configured to generate an unobtrusive audible or visible cue when at least one of the qualifying electronic messages is captured.

14. A tangible computer readable storage medium storing a computer program, the computer program comprising:

a receiving code segment that causes a processor to receive electronic messages created by or on behalf of one or more message sources for delivery to a user;

a screening code segment that causes a processor to identify, from among electronic messages intended for the user, qualifying electronic messages that satisfy a capture rule, and to capture, as captured electronic messages, a plurality of the qualifying electronic messages; and

an interface code segment that causes a processor to inform the user of the captured electronic messages and to enable the user to manage the captured electronic messages, the interface code segment comprising;

a query code segment that causes a processor to access information related to a message source of a captured electronic message;

a managing code segment that causes a processor to enable the user to delete, ignore or block at least one of the captured electronic messages; and

an organization code segment that causes a processor to organize the captured electronic messages according to a plurality of predetermined categories.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the predetermined categories include comprise a category for captured electronic messages of message sources trusted by the user.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the predetermined categories include comprise a category for captured electronic messages of message sources not trusted by the user.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 14, further comprising a learning code segment that causes a processor to modify the capture rule based on at least one of the captured electronic messages.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the learning code segment further causes a processor to modify the capture rule based on a source of at least one of the captured electronic messages.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 14, further comprising a contacts code segment that causes a processor to access a contact list of the user, wherein the capture rule comprises a contacts parameter requiring capture if at least one source of the electronic message does not correspond to a contact of the contact list.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the interface code segment further comprises an alert code segment that causes a processor to generate an unobtrusive audible or visible cue when at least one of the qualifying electronic messages is captured.

21. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving electronic messages created by or on behalf of one or more message sources for delivery to a user;

identifying, from among the received electronic messages, qualifying electronic messages that satisfy a capture rule;

capturing a plurality of the qualifying electronic messages;

informing the user of the captured electronic messages;

enabling the user to organize the captured electronic messages according to a plurality of predetermined categories; and

enabling the user to manage the captured electronic messages includes messages, comprising;

enabling the user to access information related to a message source of one of the captured electronic messages.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein enabling the user to manage the captured electronic messages further comprises enabling the user to modify the capture rule based on at least one of the captured electronic messages.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein enabling the user to manage the captured electronic messages further comprises enabling the user to modify the capture rule based on a source of at least one of the captured electronic messages.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein identifying qualifying electronic messages that satisfy the capture rule comprises identifying, as qualifying electronic messages, electronic messages in which at least one message source does not correspond to a designated contact of the user.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein enabling the user to manage the captured electronic messages further comprises enabling the user to delete, ignore or block at least one of the captured electronic messages.