Integration of e-mail with instant messaging services

TECHNICAL FIELD

0001The invention relates generally to software solving communication problems. More particularly, the invention relates to an integration of traditional e-mail with instant messaging systems in real time.

<u>DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART</u>

0002With the advent of computers, communication has never been easier. When friends and family are online, communication is much easier if invoked in real-time as it happens in instant messaging. Instant messaging using a computer invokes a real-time communication protocol.

0003In instant messaging using a real time communication protocol, real-time communication is possible if the screen name of users is known before one begins instant messaging. The list of screen names of users is not completely useful for communication in real-time if the user with that particular screen name is not online. This means that for real-time communication to be possible, not only should the screen name of users be known but also the users should be logged on before one begins instant messaging.

0004The end user usually has an address, referred to as 'e-mail address', which is specific to the user for communicating electronically on a computer or similar other devices. In electronic mail, messages can be sent, received, or stored at convenient times. In conventional e-mail systems, messages are delivered in "envelopes" which are then "opened" by the recipient to be read.

0005Conventional e-mail systems, operating across local area network boundaries, do not allow the senders of messages to determine whether their messages have been read. As a result, the sender of a message often must telephone the recipient to verify that the needed information has not only arrived at the recipient's system, but has been reviewed by the recipient.

0006Many proprietary e-mail systems, however, allow a sender to check a separate database to see if a message has been received. Some proprietary e-mail systems include an acknowledgement feature that allows the recipient's e-mail system to send a notification to the sender when the recipient has opened a message.

0007In prior art e-mail systems, the sender of an e-mail message has to wait a while for a response. In addition, the sender of the message is not sure if they would get an e-mail response. When users are logged into an e-mail, instant messaging in terms of AOL Instant Messenger is possible. America Online, Inc. of AOL Time Warner Inc. (AOL) pioneered the technology of instant messaging using a real time communication protocol.

0008In AOL Instant Messenger service, for example, the user could use any number of screen names while being logged into an e-mail address and communicate with other users instantly. However, for instant communication to be possible, one has to look up manually the screen name that is actually online currently for the associated e-mail address of the other users. The problem with that is because there could be more than one screen name associated with a single e-mail address, it becomes a difficult task to accomplish instant online messaging service manually with many active screen names.

0009In prior art systems, such as AOL's Mail Contacts Online, one has to be a member to make use of Instant Messaging service. Usually, such memberships entail a fee paid by the customer for using such services. In Mail Contacts Online service, the graphics window shows (<figref idref="f0001">FIG. 1</figref>) a divided window with e-mail communication window separate from the instant messaging window. The instant messaging window shows a buddy list with a list of screen names taken from the adjacent e-mail window and only those screen names that are available for instant messaging.

0010The difficulty with prior art systems is that they are not universally available unless the user requests membership to use the e-mail and/or Instant Messaging and pays a membership fee. With the availability of e-mail access to non-AOL members, the Instant Messaging service of prior art systems is limited in terms of number of screen names that are available in the buddy list. "Instant Messaging" is an AOL TM, so it is used herein to refer to "AOL Instant Messenger" for AOL members.

0011Given the number of Instant Messaging type services currently available, there is a need for integrating Instant Messaging services to e-mail services such that a user with access to any e-mail service, not limited to AOL member services, can use AOL's free Instant Messaging service and, thereby, achieve communication in real-time.

0012What is needed, therefore, is a generic service where anyone with access to an e-mail and instant messaging service can chat with anyone else instantly. The generic services should allow a graphic window with e-mail and instant messaging services to go simultaneously and smoothly so that the instant messaging is realized instantly in real time.

<u>SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION</u>

0013This invention provides a mechanism for the automatic integration of traditional e-mail with instant messaging services such that instant communication is provided in real-time.

0014A method and apparatus according to the invention are defined in the independent claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

0015<ul id="ul0001" list-style="none"><li><figref idref="f0001">FIG. 1</figref> is a graphic representation of a prior art approach to indicating separate windows for e-mail addresses and instant messaging respectively;</li><li><figref idref="f0002">FIG. 1A</figref> is a representative block diagram of the elements of a preferred embodiment of the invention for integrating traditional e-mail with instant messaging services for the purpose of providing communication in real-time;</li><li><figref idref="f0003">FIG. 2</figref> is a flow chart showing a mechanism for enabling an automatic real-time communication via e-mail according to this invention;</li><li><figref idref="f0004">FIG. 3</figref> is a flow chart of another embodiment of the invention showing a mechanism for enabling availability of a manual option for real time communication;</li><li><figref idref="f0005">FIG. 4</figref> is a flow chart showing a mechanism for inviting the user for instant communication to establish real-time communication according to the invention; and</li><li><figref idref="f0006">FIG. 5</figref> is a flow chart showing a mechanism for enabling a list of screen names, ex. a buddy list for instant messaging any time according to an alternative embodiment of the invention.</li></ul>

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

0016In commercially available electronic mail systems today, senders are able to send messages over a variety of networks such as local area networks, wide area networks, Internet, wireless networks, and the like. This does not, however, mean senders of the message would get an e-mail response instantly.

0017When users are logged into an electronic mail or e-mail, instant messaging is possible if the recipient's screen name and e-mail address are known. Because users could use any number of screen names while being logged into an e-mail, this communication is, however, not instant communication in real-time. More often than not, it takes manually for a user to retrieve the screen name that is associated with that e-mail address and that is currently being used for on-line communication.

0018This invention (<figref idref="f0002">FIG. 1 A)</figref> provides a system for automatic integration 1000 of traditional e-mail with instant messaging service, more particularly, AOL's free Instant Messaging service for the purpose of providing communication in real-time. The invention comprises a system that takes in a group of e-mail addresses and makes a request for a list of screen names associated with that e-mail address from the instant messaging service. The system is associated with a user interface (UI) that protects the user's screen name if the user is not interested in on-line communication (represented in <figref idref="f0002">FIG. 1A</figref> as OFF) and prefers to not make his screen name available to recipients of his messages. When the user screen name is not available to the system, the system makes a manual search 200 for the screen names that are associated with that e-mail address. The problem with a manual search 200 using only knowledge of available e-mail addresses is that when a user manually does a search for screen names, there is no contextual information to indicate if the person is actually online or which screen name is being used. Because this becomes tedious, an invitation 300 is sent to the user for participation in on-line communication and a request for screen name applicable and used with that e-mail address.

0019Often the user is interested in on-line communication and would not mind if the screen names were available for on-line messaging. This is shown symbolically as an 'ON' state on user interface (UI) in <figref idref="f0002">FIG. 1A</figref> and the invention allows for automatic search 100. The system then automatically 100 verifies each screen name that is available for online communication. Once a particular screen name is available, the system then correlates that screen name to that particular e-mail address. In one embodiment, the system periodically tracks a list of screen names for tracking their online presence and puts them into a buddy list 400.

0020An online real-time communication is established once the icon 500 is activated next to the screen name for instant messaging. The recipient can choose to communicate to the user by clicking on the icon associated with the screen name where the user is currently available for instant communication. Thus, the invention establishes instant messaging in real time.

0021<figref idref="f0003">FIG. 2</figref> is a flow chart showing a mechanism for enabling instant communication using an automatic 100 (<figref idref="f0002">FIG.1A</figref>) real-time communication via e-mail. When the user interface is enabled 10 (or is ON as in <figref idref="f0002">FIG.1A</figref>), the method involves taking in a group of e-mail addresses 20 and making a request for a list of screen names from an instant messaging service associated with that e-mail addresses 30. An automatic verification of screen names available for real-time communication 50 is performed for each individual screen name. If there is a screen name available for instant messaging, the system correlates the screen names available for that particular e-mail address 60 and establishes real-time communication 70 by pressing an icon 500 (<figref idref="f0002">FIG. 1A</figref>) with that particular screen name. If there is no screen name available for instant messaging, the system cannot correlate the screen name with that particular e-mail address and simply continues the search for the next available screen name 40 for real-time messaging. When real-time communication is established using the described automatic search 50, the system is said to have accomplished it's task and comes to a stop 80.

0022<figref idref="f0004">FIG. 3</figref> is a flow chart showing a mechanism for enabling real-time communication using a manual 200 (<figref idref="f0002">FIG.1A</figref>) search for the screen name.

0023When the user interface is not enabled 110 (or is OFF as in <figref idref="f0002">FIG.1A</figref>), the method involves taking in a group of e-mail addresses 120 and making a list of screen names by manually looking for screen names 130 associated with that e-mail address and establishing instant messaging 140 if screen name is available. When real-time communication is established using the described manual search 130, the system then associates an icon (refer to 500 in <figref idref="f0002">FIG. 1 A)</figref> 150 with the screen name that is available for instant messaging. The system is said to have accomplished its task and comes to a stop 150.

0024<figref idref="f0005">FIG. 4</figref> is a flow chart showing another embodiment of the invention, which comprises, inviting the user for instant communication and requesting the user for screen name for real-time communication when the user interface (UI) is not enabled 210 (OFF in <figref idref="f0002">FIG.1A</figref>). This embodiment is useful in prompting the user for real-time communication when the user does not wish to disclose his screen name to all individuals on the internet. The system takes in select group of e-mail addresses 220, manually tests for screen names available for instant messaging 230. If screen name is available 240 for instant messaging, the icon 500 (<figref idref="f0002">FIG. 1 A)</figref> is pressed and instant messaging is established.

0025If the screen name is not available for instant messaging, then the system invites the user for instant communication 250 by sending an electronic mail or e-mail. If the invitation is accepted 270, then the system obtains the user's screen name 280, and establishes a real-time communication 290 when the icon 500 (<figref idref="f0002">FIG. 1 A)</figref> is pressed. The system function is completed as real-time communication is established and comes to a stop 300 or if the invitation is not accepted 260.

0026<figref idref="f0006">FIG. 5</figref> is a flow chart showing another embodiment of the invention, which comprises enabling a list of screen names into a list, referred to as buddy list for instant messaging any time. In this embodiment, the system sets up a list of screen names for tracking their online presence into a buddy list. The system does an automatic look up of screen names 330 when the user interface is enabled (ON in <figref idref="f0002">FIG.1A</figref>) given a list of e-mail addresses 320. It then verifies if the available screen name is associated with that particular e-mail address and available for real-time communication.

0027If it is not available 350, it looks back at it's list of screen names and goes to the next one until one is found that is available for instant messaging. If the system does find the screen name for that e-mail address available for instant messaging, it makes a buddy list of e-mail address with their associated screen names 360. The buddy list is periodically tested for online presence 370 and updated for establishing real-time communication 390 or returned 380 for the next available screen name for that e-mail address. When real-time communication is established, the icon 500 is pressed for communication with the individual whose screen name is displayed and the process ends 395 with satisfactory completion.

0028Although the invention is described herein with reference to the preferred embodiment, one skilled in the art will readily appreciate that other applications may be substituted for those set forth herein without departing from the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the invention should only be limited by the Claims included below.