System and method for correlating questions and answers in an instant messaging environment

• US 9,117,211 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2008
• Issued: 08/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AirBNB Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bauchot, Frederic, Clement, Jean-Yves, Marmigre, Gerard, Picon, Joaquin
• Primary Examiner(s): Whipple, Brian P
• Application Number:
  US12/211,287
• Publication Number:
  US 20100023586A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,534 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/386 using messaging services or messaging apps using mobile network messaging services for payment, e.g. SMS G06Q20/3255
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads

Abstract

A system and method for correlating questions and answers in an instant messaging environment. First creating an instant messaging client at least two zones, each zone of the at least two zones corresponding to a unique end user, each zone of further comprising at least one textbox. After creating the instant messaging client, providing the instant messaging client to each end user of at least two end users. Receiving a message from an end user, the message comprising a first value and a second value and text. Finally, sending the text received in the message to each instant messaging client not being controlled by the sending end user, the text therein being displayed in a textbox having the second value and being located in a zone corresponding to the sending end user.

Claims

1. A method for correlating questions and answers in an instant messaging environment, the method comprising:

creating an instant messaging client in association with each respective end user of at least two end users, each instant messaging client in association with its respective end user comprising at least two zones, each zone of said at least two zones corresponding exclusively to a unique end user of said at least two end users, each zone of said at least two zones comprising a plurality of textboxes contiguously distributed within each zone;

configuring said at least two zones comprised by each instant messaging client to include a write-only zone specific to the respective end user and a read-only zone specific to each end user of all other end users of the at least two end users exclusive of the respective end user, each textbox of the plurality of textboxes of the write-only zone configured to include messages originating from only the respective end user, each textbox of the plurality of textboxes of each read-only zone configured to include messages originating from only the other end user to which each read-only zone is specific;

after said configuring, providing each instant messaging client to each respective end user of said at least two end users;

after said providing each instant messaging client to each respective end user, a processor of a computer system receiving, from a first end user of said at least two end users at a first instant messaging client to which the first end user is associated and to which the processor is operationally coupled within the computer system, a first message comprising a first value and a second value and first text, said first value identifying said first end user, said second value identifying a first textbox of the plurality of textboxes located in the write-only zone comprised by the first instant messaging client;

after said receiving the first message from the first end user, said processor writing the first text into the first textbox; and

said processor sending said first message to each receiving instant messaging client associated with the respective end user of the at least two end users exclusive of the first end user, each receiving instant messaging client configured to utilize the first value and the second value in the first message to ascertain a second textbox of the plurality of textboxes located in the read-only zone specific to the first end user and comprised by each receiving instant messaging client, each receiving instant messaging client further configured to write the first text in the first message into the second textbox comprised by each receiving instant messaging client in response to having ascertained the second textbox.

2. The method of claim 1, said method further comprising:

providing at least one support service for at least one of creating, integrating, hosting, maintaining, and deploying computer-readable program code in the computer system, said program code being executed by the processor to implement said receiving the first message from the first end user, said writing the first text into the first textbox, and said sending the first message to each receiving instant messaging client.

3. The process of claim 2, said method further comprising:

said processor receiving a second message from a second instant messaging client to which a second end user of the at least two end users is associated, said second message being in response to the first message previously sent by the first instant messaging client to the second instant messaging client, said second message comprising a third value and a fourth value and second text, said third value identifying said second end user, said fourth value identifying a second textbox of the plurality of textboxes located in the write-only zone comprised by the second instant messaging client, said second text having been written into the second textbox;

said processor utilizing the third value and the fourth value in the second message to ascertain a third textbox of the plurality of textboxes located in a read-only zone specific to the second end user, said first instant messaging client comprising the third textbox; and

said processor writing the second text into the third textbox.

4. The process of claim 2,

wherein the at least two zones are in a window having first exterior boundaries and second exterior boundaries, said first exterior boundaries oriented along a first direction, said second exterior boundaries oriented in a second direction, said first and second directions being perpendicular to each other, said first exterior boundaries comprising non-overlapping spatial segments in the first direction, said second exterior boundaries comprising non-overlapping spacial segments in the second direction;

wherein each zone is totally within a space encompassed by a different non-overlapping spatial segment comprised by said first exterior boundaries;

wherein the textboxes of each zone are each within a different non-overlapping spatial segment comprised by said second exterior boundaries; and

wherein the textboxes of each zone are displaced from each other in the second direction.

5. The process of claim 4, said method further comprising:

said processor receiving a second message from a second instant messaging client to which a second end user of the at least two end users is associated, said second message being in response to the first message previously sent by the first instant messaging client to the second instant messaging client, said second message comprising a third value and a fourth value and second text, said third value identifying said second end user, said fourth value identifying a second textbox of the plurality of textboxes located in the write-only zone comprised by the second instant messaging client, said second text having been written into the second textbox;

said processor utilizing the third value and the fourth value in the second message to ascertain a third textbox of the plurality of textboxes located in a read-only zone specific to the second end user, said first instant messaging client comprising the third textbox; and

said processor writing the second text into the third textbox.

6. The process of claim 5, wherein said utilizing the third value and the fourth value in the second message to ascertain the third textbox comprises ascertaining that the third textbox and the first textbox are at a same level, and not at a different level, along the second direction, due to the second message being a response to the first message rather than the second message not being in response to the first message.

7. The method of claim 1, said method further comprising:

said processor receiving a second message from a second instant messaging client to which a second end user of the at least two end users is associated, said second message being in response to the first message previously sent by the first instant messaging client to the second instant messaging client, said second message comprising a third value and a fourth value and second text, said third value identifying said second end user, said fourth value identifying a second textbox of the plurality of textboxes located in the write-only zone comprised by the second instant messaging client, said second text having been written into the second textbox;

said processor utilizing the third value and the fourth value in the second message to ascertain a third textbox of the plurality of textboxes located in a read-only zone specific to the second end user, said first instant messaging client comprising the third textbox; and

said processor writing the second text into the third textbox.

8. The method of claim 1,

wherein the at least two zones are in a window having first exterior boundaries and second exterior boundaries, said first exterior boundaries oriented along a first direction, said second exterior boundaries oriented in a second direction, said first and second directions being perpendicular to each other, said first exterior boundaries comprising non-overlapping spatial segments in the first direction, said second exterior boundaries comprising non-overlapping spacial segments in the second direction;

wherein each zone is totally within a space encompassed by a different non-overlapping spatial segment comprised by said first exterior boundaries;

wherein the textboxes of each zone are each within a different non-overlapping spatial segment comprised by said second exterior boundaries; and

wherein the textboxes of each zone are displaced from each other in the second direction.

9. The method of claim 8, said method further comprising:

said processor receiving a second message from a second instant messaging client to which a second end user of the at least two end users is associated, said second message being in response to the first message previously sent by the first instant messaging client to the second instant messaging client, said second message comprising a third value and a fourth value and second text, said third value identifying said second end user, said fourth value identifying a second textbox of the plurality of textboxes located in the write-only zone comprised by the second instant messaging client, said second text having been written into the second textbox;

said processor utilizing the third value and the fourth value in the second message to ascertain a third textbox of the plurality of textboxes located in a read-only zone specific to the second end user, said first instant messaging client comprising the third textbox; and

said processor writing the second text into the third textbox.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said utilizing the third value and the fourth value in the second message to ascertain the third textbox comprises ascertaining that the third textbox and the first textbox are at a same level, and not at a different level, along the second direction, due to the second message being a response to the first message rather than the second message not being in response to the first message.

11. A computer program product, comprising a computer readable storage medium having a computer-readable program code stored therein, said storage medium not being a signal, said computer-readable program code containing instructions that when executed by a processor of a computer system implement a method for correlating questions and answers in an instant messaging environment, the method comprising:

creating an instant messaging client in association with each respective end user of at least two end users, each instant messaging client in association with its respective end user comprising at least two zones, each zone of said at least two zones corresponding exclusively to a unique end user of said at least two end users, each zone of said at least two zones comprising a plurality of textboxes contiguously distributed within each zone;

configuring said at least two zones comprised by each instant messaging client to include a write-only zone specific to the respective end user and a read-only zone specific to each end user of all other end users of the at least two end users exclusive of the respective end user, each textbox of the plurality of textboxes of the write-only zone configured to include messages originating from only the respective end user, each textbox of the plurality of textboxes of each read-only zone configured to include messages originating from only the other end user to which each read-only zone is specific;

after said configuring, providing each instant messaging client to each respective end user of said at least two end users;

after said providing each instant messaging client to each respective end user, said processor of the computer system receiving, from a first end user of said at least two end users at a first instant messaging client to which the first end user is associated and to which the processor is operationally coupled within the computer system, a first message comprising a first value and a second value and first text, said first value identifying said first end user, said second value identifying a first textbox of the plurality of textboxes located in the write-only zone comprised by the first instant messaging client;

after said receiving the first message from the first end user, said processor writing the first text into the first textbox; and

said processor sending said first message to each receiving instant messaging client associated with the respective end user of the at least two end users exclusive of the first end user, each receiving instant messaging client configured to utilize the first value and the second value in the first message to ascertain a second textbox of the plurality of textboxes located in the read-only zone specific to the first end user and comprised by each receiving instant messaging client, each receiving instant messaging client further configured to write the first text in the first message into the second textbox comprised by each receiving instant messaging client in response to having ascertained the second textbox.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, said method further comprising:

said processor receiving a second message from a second instant messaging client to which a second end user of the at least two end users is associated, said second message being in response to the first message previously sent by the first instant messaging client to the second instant messaging client, said second message comprising a third value and a fourth value and second text, said third value identifying said second end user, said fourth value identifying a second textbox of the plurality of textboxes located in the write-only zone comprised by the second instant messaging client, said second text having been written into the second textbox;

said processor utilizing the third value and the fourth value in the second message to ascertain a third textbox of the plurality of textboxes located in a read-only zone specific to the second end user, said first instant messaging client comprising the third textbox; and

said processor writing the second text into the third textbox.

13. The computer program product of claim 11,

wherein the at least two zones are in a window having first exterior boundaries and second exterior boundaries, said first exterior boundaries oriented along a first direction, said second exterior boundaries oriented in a second direction, said first and second directions being perpendicular to each other, said first exterior boundaries comprising non-overlapping spatial segments in the first direction, said second exterior boundaries comprising non-overlapping spacial segments in the second direction;

wherein each zone is totally within a space encompassed by a different non-overlapping spatial segment comprised by said first exterior boundaries;

wherein the textboxes of each zone are each within a different non-overlapping spatial segment comprised by said second exterior boundaries; and

wherein the textboxes of each zone are displaced from each other in the second direction.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, said method further comprising:

said processor receiving a second message from a second instant messaging client to which a second end user of the at least two end users is associated, said second message being in response to the first message previously sent by the first instant messaging client to the second instant messaging client, said second message comprising a third value and a fourth value and second text, said third value identifying said second end user, said fourth value identifying a second textbox of the plurality of textboxes located in the write-only zone comprised by the second instant messaging client, said second text having been written into the second textbox;

said processor utilizing the third value and the fourth value in the second message to ascertain a third textbox of the plurality of textboxes located in a read-only zone specific to the second end user, said first instant messaging client comprising the third textbox; and

said processor writing the second text into the third textbox.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein said utilizing the third value and the fourth value in the second message to ascertain the third textbox comprises ascertaining that the third textbox and the first textbox are at a same level, and not at a different level, along the second direction, due to the second message being a response to the first message rather than the second message not being in response to the first message.

16. A computing system comprising a processor coupled to a computer-readable memory unit, said memory unit comprising a software application, said software application comprising instruction that when executed by said processor, implement a method for correlating questions and answers in an instant messaging environment, the method comprising:

creating an instant messaging client in association with each respective end user of at least two end users, each instant messaging client in association with its respective end user comprising at least two zones, each zone of said at least two zones corresponding exclusively to a unique end user of said at least two end users, each zone of said at least two zones comprising a plurality of textboxes contiguously distributed within each zone;

configuring said at least two zones comprised by each instant messaging client to include a write-only zone specific to the respective end user and a read-only zone specific to each end user of all other end users of the at least two end users exclusive of the respective end user, each textbox of the plurality of textboxes of the write-only zone configured to include messages originating from only the respective end user, each textbox of the plurality of textboxes of each read-only zone configured to include messages originating from only the other end user to which each read-only zone is specific;

after said configuring, providing each instant messaging client to each respective end user of said at least two end users;

after said providing each instant messaging client to each respective end user, said processor of the computing system receiving, from a first end user of said at least two end users at a first instant messaging client to which the first end user is associated and to which the processor is operationally coupled within the computing system, a first message comprising a first value and a second value and first text, said first value identifying said first end user, said second value identifying a first textbox of the plurality of textboxes located in the write-only zone comprised by the first instant messaging client;

after said receiving the first message from the first end user, said processor writing the first text into the first textbox; and

said processor sending said first message to each receiving instant messaging client associated with the respective end user of the at least two end users exclusive of the first end user, each receiving instant messaging client configured to utilize the first value and the second value in the first message to ascertain a second textbox of the plurality of textboxes located in the read-only zone specific to the first end user and comprised by each receiving instant messaging client, each receiving instant messaging client further configured to write the first text in the first message into the second textbox comprised by each receiving instant messaging client in response to having ascertained the second textbox.

17. The computer system of claim 16, said method further comprising:

said processor receiving a second message from a second instant messaging client to which a second end user of the at least two end users is associated, said second message being in response to the first message previously sent by the first instant messaging client to the second instant messaging client, said second message comprising a third value and a fourth value and second text, said third value identifying said second end user, said fourth value identifying a second textbox of the plurality of textboxes located in the write-only zone comprised by the second instant messaging client, said second text having been written into the second textbox;

said processor utilizing the third value and the fourth value in the second message to ascertain a third textbox of the plurality of textboxes located in a read-only zone specific to the second end user, said first instant messaging client comprising the third textbox; and

said processor writing the second text into the third textbox.

18. The computer system of claim 16,

wherein the at least two zones are in a window having first exterior boundaries and second exterior boundaries, said first exterior boundaries oriented along a first direction, said second exterior boundaries oriented in a second direction, said first and second directions being perpendicular to each other, said first exterior boundaries comprising non-overlapping spatial segments in the first direction, said second exterior boundaries comprising non-overlapping spacial segments in the second direction;

wherein each zone is totally within a space encompassed by a different non-overlapping spatial segment comprised by said first exterior boundaries;

wherein the textboxes of each zone are each within a different non-overlapping spatial segment comprised by said second exterior boundaries; and

wherein the textboxes of each zone are displaced from each other in the second direction.

19. The computer system of claim 18, said method further comprising:

said processor receiving a second message from a second instant messaging client to which a second end user of the at least two end users is associated, said second message being in response to the first message previously sent by the first instant messaging client to the second instant messaging client, said second message comprising a third value and a fourth value and second text, said third value identifying said second end user, said fourth value identifying a second textbox of the plurality of textboxes located in the write-only zone comprised by the second instant messaging client, said second text having been written into the second textbox;

said processor utilizing the third value and the fourth value in the second message to ascertain a third textbox of the plurality of textboxes located in a read-only zone specific to the second end user, said first instant messaging client comprising the third textbox; and

said processor writing the second text into the third textbox.

20. The computer system of claim 19, wherein said utilizing the third value and the fourth value in the second message to ascertain the third textbox comprises ascertaining that the third textbox and the first textbox are at a same level, and not at a different level, along the second direction, due to the second message being a response to the first message rather than the second message not being in response to the first message.