An instant messaging system allows an instant message recipient to generate a contact list of potential senders of instant messages. This contact list is segmented in to a plurality of sub lists each containing a list of pre-approved potential instant message senders. Each sub list may contain a list of potential instant messengers interested in a particular focus I.e., issue, subject mater, etc.). Some names of potential instant messengers may be common to more than one list. Each individual sub list is by recipient selection subject to certain conditions (i.e., set by a recipient) of acceptance or non-acceptance of instant messages addressed to the recipient. Conditions may encompass items as availability of the recipient, busyness of eh recipient, relations between sender and recipient, cause of the message such as an emergency, and other categories to be set by the recipient.
The present invention provides a method and system for providing contact management to participants engaged in a communication session. The invention permits chat session participants to a communication session to determine common contacts that exists between the chat session participants. Dependent on the accessibility of the particular chat session participants' contact list, other chat session participants to the communication session can view the information located in the contact list. Moreover, a particular chat session participant to the communication session can give either a particular chat session participant or all the chat session participants to the communication session permission to modify their contact list. Permission to access or modify contact lists for chat session participants can be defined prior to establishment of the communication session and/or changed during the communication session. Changes relating to whether a particular contact list is accessible and/or modifiable can be initiated by the chat session participant associated with the contact list. Additionally, such changes can be initiated by a request from a chat session participants to modify the contact records in a particular contact list. The invention can be applicable to systems which can include, but is not limited to, chat rooms, instant messaging, and call conferencing.
To be used with a chat client. A condition DB 3 associates prescribed conditions relating to a message to any channel with processing for such message, and stores this information. An acquisition unit 7, in accordance with a condition and processing, acquires information relating to a channel from a chat client. A determination unit 4, prior to the sending of a message into a channel, determines whether a message meets a condition based on the acquired channel information. An execution unit 5 carries out processing on a message based on determination results and condition, and sends the processed message into a channel via a chat client. An example of a condition is, that message is at least 30 lines or more. An example of processing is, confirming message with a user.
A system and method for routing instant messages uses a user presence service to aid a user in determining to send an instant message to an intended recipient based on user availability information. The method also uses a configurable delivery manager that defines, at runtime, a delivery policy to be used to route the instant message to an intended recipient of the message. The delivery policy is based upon a configuration of the delivery manager, a user configuration of the intended recipient, and one or more available delivery mechanisms. The delivery manager is configured by means of an ordered list of one or more available delivery mechanisms. The delivery manager routes the instant message by dispatching the message by selecting sequential delivery mechanisms, in the order of appearance on the ordered list, until the user presence service indicates the intended recipient is available using the selected delivery mechanism.
A user-controlled cellular telephone positioning feature allows a cellular telephone user to correlate a user-specified location name with a cellular telephone location among one or more cells of a cellular telephone network. In one implementation, a cellular telephone location tagging application is stored and operated on a cellular telephone. The application obtains a cell identification string corresponding to a cell of a cellular telephone system with which cell the cellular telephone is in communication and allows the user to associate a location name and the cell identification string as location information for a selected location. Location data are maintained on a user's cellular telephone, and the user can selectively make the location information available others.
A method for using the screen names of users are used to appropriately tailor a service for the users. If the service is a restricted service, then the screen name is used as the basis for deciding whether access should be granted to ensure that access is granted to a limited set of users. Alternatively, if the service is comprised of several component sub-services, and some of those sub-services are restricted, then the screen name is used as the basis for deciding whether access should be granted to the relevant sub-service.
