WO2008034649A1

WO2008034649A1 - A method of correlating instant messages in a history of instant messages

Info

Publication number: WO2008034649A1
Application number: PCT/EP2007/054665
Authority: WO
Inventors: Joaquin Picon; Gerard Marmigere; Frederic Bauchot
Original assignee: International Business Machines Corporation; Compagnie Ibm France
Priority date: 2006-09-21
Filing date: 2007-05-14
Publication date: 2008-03-27

Abstract

There is provided a method of correlating instant messages in a history of instant messages. The history of instant messages lists instant messages exchanged between a first user and a second user and the history of instant messages is visualized to a first user. The first user is able to select a first instant message from the history of instant messages, wherein the first instant message comprises a first identifier. The user is further able to enter a second instant message to which the first identifier is added. The second instant message is sent to the second user and the second instant message is integrated into the history of instant messages so that the second instant message is listed subsequent to the first instant message in the history of instant messages.

Description

A method of correlating instant messages in a history of instant messages

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a method of correlating instant messages in a history of instant messages, to a data processing system, and to a graphical user interface of an instant messaging system.

BACKGROUND

Instant messaging is an online chat medium, allowing users to communicate with each other and collaborate in real time over a network data processing system. Instant messaging is commonly used over the internet. Instant messaging applications monitor and report the status of users that have established each other as online contacts. This information is typically presented to a user in a window. The window is also referred to as a graphical user interface. Instant messaging applications also are often used by users conducting business. By utilizing instant messaging, business users can view each other' s availability and initiate a text conversation with colleagues or customers when a desired contact becomes available. Millions of users communicate using instant messaging systems every day. With instant messaging becoming an important part of both personal and business communications, functionality and usability enhancements are important to the continued success of this type of communication tool.

US 2005/0149620 discloses a method for communication between a plurality of devices remotely connected via a network which comprises the step of within an existing messaging session on a first user device associated with a first user, responsive to user input, initiating a new topic session. In a further step, within the existing instant messaging session on the first user device, responsive to user input on the first user device, selectively causing the new topic session to be replicated on secondary user devices associated with the first user. In a further step a user interface is provided on the first user device which is capable of distinguishing between data intended for the existing and new sessions. The document also discloses a data processing system which provides means for performing the above described method.

US 6,539,421 discloses a messaging application user interface which has an input element for receiving electronic messages and an output element for displaying electronic messages. The messaging application user interface can be implemented so as to maintain a subset of the plurality of potential message recipients, the subset being determined using a predetermined criterion. The messaging application user interface also can be implemented so as to auto complete a partially entered address based on the subset of potential message recipients. A set of user selectable signals that modify auto completion behavior also can be used with the message application user interface. The messaging application user interface can be further used in an instant messaging system to allow a user to send instant messages to and exchange comments with a plurality of other users without having to switch among several instant message windows.

US 2005/0050143 Al discloses a method and apparatus for enhancing instant messaging systems.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved data processing system and an improved method for correlating instant messages in a history of instant messages. It is further an object of the invention to provide an improved graphical user interface for instant messaging.

SUMMARY

The present invention is directed to a method, systems and a computer program as defined in the independent claims. Further embodiments of the invention are provided in the appended dependent claims.

In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, there is provided a method of correlating instant messages in a history of instant messages. The method comprises the step of visualizing the history of instant messages to a first user. The history of instant messages lists the instant messages exchanged between the first user and a second user. In a further step, a first identifier is added to a second instant message. The second instant message has been entered by the first user subsequent to the first user having selected a first instant message from the history of instant messages, and wherein the first instant message comprises the first identifier. The second instant message is then sent to the second user and integrated into the history of instant messages so that the second instant message is listed subsequent to the first instant message in the history of instant messages.

The history of instant messages is usually displayed as a list of instant messages and the second instant message is preferably integrated into the list so that it immediately follows next to the first instant message. The second instant message is immediately identifiable as being correlated with the first instant message simply by looking on the visualization of the history of instant messages. The method in accordance with the invention is therefore particularly advantageous as it allows the first user to immediately identify instant messages that have been written in response to previously exchanged instant messages.

In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the method in accordance with the invention further comprises the step of visualizing the first instant message in a different way as the remaining instant messages in response to the selection of the first instant message. In a further step the first instant message is displayed in the same way as the remaining instant message when the second instant message has been entered by the user and thereby the selection of the first message is dissolved.

The first user is therefore able to select the first instant message from the history of instant messages. The selection can for example be carried out by moving a pointer by use of a pointing device over the first instant message and then by clicking on the instant message. The first instant message is then set apart from the remaining instant message, for example, by highlighting the first instant message, so that it can be clearly identified by the user that she/he has selected the first instant message. When the second instant message has been entered by the user, the visualization of the first instant message is set back to the initial state so that the first instant message is not set apart anymore from the other instant messages. The visualization of the first instant message while typing in the second instant message provides the advantage, that the user is able to visually identify the corresponding first instant messaging to which he is actually responding.

In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the second instant message comprises first information and second information, wherein the second information reflects the point in time when the second instant message is created, wherein the first information relates to the first identifier, wherein the first instant message further comprises first and second information, wherein the second information reflect the point in time when the first instant message is created, wherein the first information of the second instant message relates to the second information of the first instant message, and wherein the first information of the first instant message reflects a default value when the first instant message is not correlated with a previously exchanged instant message or wherein the first information reflects the point in time when the previously exchanged instant message is created if the first instant message has been associated with the previously exchanged instant message.

Each instant message comprised in the history of messages therefore comprises first and second information. The second information of an instant message are indicative of the point in time when the instant message has been created. The first information relates to a default value if the corresponding instant message has not been correlated with a previous instant message. Alternatively, the first information of an instant message relates to the second information of another instant message to which the instant message has been assigned / with which the instant message has been associated. The first information of the instant message therefore relates to the second information of the other instant message, when the instant message has been written in response to the other instant message while the other instant message has been selected by the first user as described previously in accordance with the method in accordance with the invention. For example, the first information of the second instant message corresponds to the second information of the first instant message. The first instant message can then be identified as correlated with the second instant message simply by scanning through the second information of the instant messages comprised in the history of instant messages. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

In the following preferred embodiments of the invention will be described in greater detail by way of example only making reference to the drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a block diagram of a data processing system,

Figure 2 shows a flow diagram illustrating basic steps performed by a method in accordance with the invention,

Figure 3 shows a block diagram of a first pane of a graphical user interface, and

Figure 4 shows in a block diagram graphical user interfaces visible to a first and a second user.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Fig. 1 shows a block diagram of a data processing system corresponding to a computer system 100. The computer system 100 is connected via a network 102 to another computer system 104. The network 102 is, e.g., the public internet or a (private) intranet of a company.

The computer system 100 comprises a screen 106, a storage device 108, a microprocessor 110, a keyboard 112, and a pointing device 114.

The microprocessor 106 executes a computer program product 116 which is permanently stored on the storage device 108 and loaded into the microprocessor 110 for execution, for example when a first user working on the computer system 100 initiates the loading of the computer program product 116, for example by clicking with the pointing device (e.g. a mouse) on an icon which is displayed on the screen 106 and which relates to the computer program product 116.

The computer system 104 is similar to the computer system 100. A second user works on the computer system 104 which also executes a computer program product that comprises similar functionalities as computer program product 116.

The computer program product 116 provides the functionality of an instant messaging system so that the first user is able to exchange instant messages with the second user. Additionally, the computer program product 116 provides the functionality for visualizing a graphical user interface (GUI) 118 to the first user. The graphical user interface 118 is split into a first pane 120 and a second pane 122.

The first pane 120 is adapted to visualize a history of instant messages 124 to the first user. The history of instant messages 124 comprises instant messages, such as instant messages 126, 128, 130, and 132, which have been exchanged between the first and second user.

The first user is able to select an instant message from the history of instant messages 124, for example by moving a pointer visible on the screen 106 by use of the pointing device 114 to the instant message she/he wants to select and by then clicking on the instant message. For the following, it is assumed that the first user selects the instant message 130 from the instant messages 126 to 132. The instant message 130 is denoted as first instant message 130.

When the first user has selected the first instant message 130, the visualization of the first instant message 130 changes so that it is clearly visible for the first user that he has selected the first instant message 130. For example, the first instant message 130 could be highlighted or the message text could be printed in bold letters.

The first instant message comprises a first identifier 136 which is unique to the first instant message 130.

The second pane 122 is adapted to enable the first user to enter, e.g., by use of the keyboard 112 a second instant message 134. The submission of the second instant message 134 to the computer program product 116 could be initiated by the user by clicking the 'return' -button of the keyboard 112. When the second instant message 134 is received by the computer program product 116 via the second pane 112 while the first instant message 130 is selected, then the first identifier 136 is added to the second instant message 134. Furthermore the highlighting of the first instant message is undone.

The second instant message 134 is then displayed on the first pane 120 so that the first user is able to identify the second instant message 134 as being correlated with the first instant message 130. The second instant message 134 can for example be placed so that it immediately follows next to the first instant message 130 in the history of instant messages 124. The correlation of the first and second instant messages 130 and 134 is thereby determinable directly from looking at the graphical user interface 118 as the second instant message 134 directly succeeds the first instant message 130.

The second instant message 134 is further transmitted via network 102 to the computer system 104 of the second user. The history of instant messages 124 is also displayed to the second user and the second instant message 134 is also integrated into the history of instant messages 124 so that it follows immediately the first instant message 130. The computer system 104 is able to identify the second instant message 134 as being correlated with the first instant message

130 because of the first identifier 136 which is carried by the second instant message 134.

Fig. 2 shows a flow diagram which depicts basic steps performed by the method in accordance with the invention. In step 200 the history of instant messages is visualized to a first user, wherein the history of instant messages lists instant messages exchanged between the first user and a second user. In step 202 a first identifier is added to a second instant message, wherein the second instant message is entered by the first user subsequent to the first user selecting a first instant message from the history of instant messages, and wherein the first instant message comprises the first identifier. In step 204 the second instant message is sent to the second user. In step 206 the second instant message is integrated into the history of instant messages so that the second instant message is listed subsequent to the first instant message in the history of instant messages.

Fig. 3 shows a first pane 300 of a graphical user interface (cf . first panel20 of graphical user interface 118 of fig. 1) . The first pane 300 visualizes a history of instant messages to a first user. The history of instant messages comprises instant messages that have been exchanged between the first user and a second user. Initially, a first instant message 302, an instant message 304, and a fourth instant message 306 are comprised in the history of instant messages.

The first instant message 302 is then selected by the first user. The first instant message 302 comprises a first identifier (ID 1) 312. A second instant message 308 is then entered by the first user via a second pane (cf. fig. 1) while the selection of the first instant message is still active. As the second instant message 308 is provided by the first user while the first instant message 302 has been selected from the instant messages 302, 304, and 306, the first identifier 312 is added to the second instant message 308, whereby the second instant message 308 is associated / correlated with the first instant message 302.

The second instant message 308 is then placed between the first instant message 302 and the instant message 304 so that the first user is able to immediately identify the second instant message 308 as being correlated with the first instant message 302. The second instant message 308 is furthermore sent to the second user.

A third instant message 310 comprising a second identifier (ID 2) 314 is received furthermore from the second user. After the reception of the third instant message 310, the computer program product 116 of fig. 1 extracts the second identifier 314 and scans the history of instant messages for an instant message which comprises the second identifier 314. Assuming that the fourth instant message 306 also comprises the second identifier 314, the third instant message 310 is identified as being correlated with the fourth instant message 306. The third instant message 310 is then displayed on the first pane 300 so that it succeeds directly the fourth instant message 306.

Fig. 4 shows in a block diagram a graphical user interface 400 of a first user and a graphical user interface 402 of a second user. The graphical user interface 400 thereby corresponds to the graphical user interface 118 that is displayed on screen 106 of the computer system 100 of fig. 1 and the graphical user interface 402 corresponds to a graphical user interface similar to graphical user interface 118 which is displayed on the computer system 104.

The graphical user interface 400 is divided into a first pane 404 and a second pane 406. The graphical user interface 402 is divided into a first pane 408 and a second pane 410. The first panes 404 and 408 are used to visualize the instant messages exchanged between the first user and the second user to the first and second user, respectively.

The second pane 406 is adapted to enable the first user to enter a further instant message. Similarly the second pane 410 is adapted to enable the second user to enter a further instant message.

In the following, it is assumed that the first pane 404 and the second pane 408 visualize initially instant messages 412, 414, and 416 to the first and second user, respectively. The instant message 412 comprises first information 420 and second information 426. The instant message 414 comprises first information 422 and second information 428. Furthermore the instant message 416 comprises first information 424 and second information 430. The first and second information of the instant messages must not necessarily be visible to the first and second user.

The second information 426, 428, 430 are indicative of the points in time when the corresponding instant messages 412, 414, and 416 have been created. The first information 420, 422, and 424 relate either to a default value or to the point in time when a previous message has been created to which the corresponding instant message has been assigned.

Assuming that the first information 420, 422, and 424 correspond always to the default value, then the instant message 412, 414, and 416 are organized in the list of instant messages so that a younger message succeeds an older message. Thus the youngest instant message 416 is listed after the older instant message 418 which is listed after the older instant message 412. The first user provides then an instant message 418 via the second pane 406 while the instant message 414 has been selected by the first user. First information 432 and second information 434 are added to instant message 418 when the instant message has been entered by the first user. The second information 434 reflects the point in time when the instant message 418 is created which is to the point in time when the instant message 418 is entered by the first user. As the instant message 418 is to be correlated with the instant message 414, the second information 428 is copied to the first information 432. The first information 432 therefore reflects the point in time when the instant message 414 is created. The instant message 418 is then integrated into the first pane 404 so that it immediately succeeds the instant message 414.

The instant message 418 is furthermore sent to the second user. The first information 432 is then extracted by the computer system of the second user. Then, the second information 426, 428, and 430 of the instant messages 412, 414, and 416 are scanned. It is therefore detected that the first information 432 of the instant message 418 matches the second information 428 of the instant message 414. Thus the instant message 418 carries the same identifier as the instant message 414. The instant message 418 is therefore identified on the side of the second user as being correlated with the instant message 414 and also displayed on the first pane 408 so that it immediately succeeds the instant message 414.

Reference Numerals:

100 Computer system

102 Network

104 Computer system

106 Screen

108 Storage device

110 Microprocessor

112 Keyboard

114 Point ingdevice

116 Computer program product

118 Graphicalus e r interface

120 First pane

122 Secondpane

124 History of instant messages

126 Ins t an tmessage

128 Instant message

130 First ins tantmessage

132 Instant message

134 Secondins tan tmessage

136 First identifier

300 First pane

302 First instant message

304 Ins tan tmessage

306 Fourth instant message

308 S e condin s t an tmessage

310 Third instant message

312 First identifier

314 Second identifier

400 Graphicalus e r interface

402 Graphical user interface

404 First pane

406 Second pane

408 First pane

410 Second pane 412 Instant message

414 Ins t an tmessage

416 Instant message

418 Ins tan tmessage

420 First information

422 First information

424 First information

426 S e condinformation

428 Second information

430 Secondinformation

432 First information

434 S e condinformation

Claims

C L A I M S

1. A method of correlating instant messages in a history of instant messages, said method comprising:

- visualizing the history of instant messages (124) to a first user, said history of instant messages listing instant messages (126, 128, 130, 132) exchanged between the first user and a second user;

- adding a first identifier (136) to a second instant message (134), said second instant message being entered by the first user subsequent to the first user selecting a first instant message (130) from the history of instant messages, said first instant message comprising said first identifier;

sending said second instant message to said second user;

- integrating said second instant message into said history of instant messages so that said second instant message is listed subsequent to the first instant message in said history of instant messages.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

- visualizing said first instant message (130) in a different way as the remaining instant messages (126, 128, 132) in response to the selection of the first instant message;

visualizing said first instant message in the same way as the remaining instant messages when said second instant message has been entered by the user, and thereby dissolving the selection of the first instant message.

3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein said second instant message (418) comprises first information (432) and second information (434), wherein said second information reflects the point in time when said second instant message is created, wherein said first information relates to said first identifier, wherein said first instant message (414) further comprises first information (422) and second information (428), wherein said second information (428) reflects the point in time when said first instant message (414) is created, wherein said first information (432) of said second instant message relates to the second information (428) of the first instant message, and wherein the first information of the first instant message reflects a default value when said first instant message is not correlated with a previously exchanged instant message or wherein said first information of said first instant message reflects the point in time when said previously exchanged instant message is created if said first instant message has been associated with the previously exchanged instant message.

4. The method of any one of claims 1 to 3, said method further comprising:

- receiving a third instant message (310) from the second user, said third instant message comprising a second identifier (314);

scanning said history of instant messages for a fourth instant message (306) comprising said second identifier (314);

- integrating said third instant message into said history of instant messages so that said third instant message is listed subsequent to said fourth instant message in said history of instant messages if said fourth instant message has been found before by said scanning of said history of instant messages or otherwise appending said third instant message to the end of the history of instant messages.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein each instant message comprises first and second information, wherein the first information of said third instant message reflects said second identifier, wherein said fourth instant message is determined by scanning the second information of each instant message in the history of instant messages, wherein said second information of said fourth instant message matches the first information of said third instant message, and wherein said second information reflects the point in time when the corresponding instant message is created.

6. The method of any one of the claims 1 to 5, further comprising storing the history of instant messages after the second or third instant message has been integrated into said history of instant messages.

7. A data processing system (100) comprising means adapted to carry out the steps of the method according to any one of the preceding claims .

8. Computer program product (116) comprising computer executable instructions for performing the method in accordance with any one of the claims 1 to 6.

9. A graphical user interface (118; 400, 402) of an instant messaging system comprising:

- a first pane (120; 404, 408), said first pane being adapted to visualize a history of instant messages (124; 412, 414, 416) to a first user, said history of instant messages comprising instant messages exchanged via said instant messaging system with a second user;

- means for visualizing a first instant message (130; 414) in a different way as the remaining instant messages (126, 128, 132; 412, 416) of said history of instant messages in response to the selection of the first instant message by said first user via said first pane; - a second pane (122; 406, 410), said second pane being adapted to enable said first user to enter a second instant message;

- means for visualizing said second instant message (134; 418) in said history of instant messages so that said second instant message can be identified as being correlated with the first instant message.

10. The graphical user interface of claim 9, wherein the second instant message is visualized as being correlated with the first instant message if the second instant message has been entered into the second pane while the selection of the first instant message has been active.

11. The graphical user interface of claim 9 or 10, wherein the first pane is adapted to enable the user to select the first instant message by clicking with a pointing device (114) on the first instant message displayed in the first pane.

12. The graphical user interface of claim 9, 10, or 11, wherein the first pane is further adapted to display the instant messages exchanged between the first and second users in a list, wherein in the list the second instant message succeeds directly the first instant message.

13. The graphical user interface of any one of the claims 9 to 12, further comprising means for visualizing in the history of instant messages a third instant message received from the second user via the instant messaging system so that the third instant message is identifiable as being correlated with a fourth instant message of the history of instant messages, said third instant message has been assigned to the fourth instant message by the second user before.

14. The graphical user interface of claim 13, wherein the first pane is further adapted to display the instant messages exchanged between the first and second user in a list, wherein in the list said third instant message succeeds directly the fourth instant message.