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The present invention relates generally to Instant Messaging, and specifically to storing structured “chats” in a filtered, searchable repository on either a client computer, a server computer or both the client computer and the server computer.
Instant Messaging (IM) is a communication service that allows a user on one computer to send and receive text messages in real time with another user on a second computer connected to the first computer by the Internet or other distributed communications protocol. In one version of instant messaging, the channel for this communication is often referred to metaphorically as a chat room, and the communication over the channel is referred to as chat. In another version, two or more users engage in an instant messaging conversation outside the boundaries of a chat room; each user is able to view a chat transcript on one or more local machines. Each user has a list of other users with whom they may want to chat. The IM service may alert the user when another user, who is on the user's participant list, is also online. A chat may then be started, and once started, either user can enter text that will appear on other user's displays.
IM is offered by most network and online service providers. In the workplace, IM conversations often take place between people working on common projects. In engineering and computer design activities it is not uncommon for one user to have ten or more multiple chats running simultaneously. Chats may describe simple information shared by two workers scheduling a meeting, or chats may contain complex discussions regarding proprietary information and critical decisions to keep a project moving forward. Chats may contain a high degree of historical data and proprietary knowledge that is useful not only to the participants but that may be useful to other workers within the organization who did not participate in the chat. Moreover, the knowledge and data captured in the chat transcript may be useful as historical data for future reference by the participants as well as others. Finally, in some areas, such as financial services, preservation of the chat transcript may be required by securities regulations. Therefore, it is important for organizations to preserve information captured in chat transcripts so that both the participants and the organizations can use the knowledge, information, and decisions contained in these IM conversations.
The prior art discloses both monitoring of chats as well as common repositories for chat transcripts. Monitoring of chats is disclosed in two United States patents. U.S. Pat. No. 6,631,412 to Glasser et al. discloses a system for monitoring user activity in an instant messaging session if the user has actively entered data during a first time interval. A message processor forms one or more data packets for transmission on the network such as user-entered data, and user activity messages. A user activity monitor measures the time period since the last user activity. U.S. Pat. No. 6,076,100 to Cottrille et al. discloses a method for monitoring chat room conversations including a database for storing penalty information corresponding to the identity of chat users.
The commercial prior art discloses methods to save IM conversations on both the server side and the client side. On the server side, users can save their IM messages in a common repository. Examples of applications having common repositories are FACETIME, IMLOGIC, MESSAGERITE, and IRON MOUNTAIN. These IM services provide archiving services so that financial services firms can demonstrate compliance with securities regulations. These solutions log only a limited number of end users in high-risk job roles. The financial services archiving, for example, applies only to particular groups in specific job roles. On the client side, ICQ provides a client-side repository. ICQ provides the ability to play back a chat session, both for the user and for new chat participants. But the ICQ repository is local, not distributed. The ICQ repository also depends on the affirmative choice of the person who saved the chat to play it back; therefore, in order to share the saved chat, the person must either be online, or must move the contents of the chat into a non-IM context such as email, web page, or text document. Another person can not actively open or search the chat unless the first person plays it back. Other applications, such as LOTUS SAMETIME, allow saving IM conversations as flat text. Both kinds of client applications place responsibility on the end users to save chat.
While the repositories described above allow full text search of the selectively logged chat, a number of needs arise that are not met. Server side repositories have at least three limitations. First the prior art repositories do not provide topic-based filtering by end users. Second, while chat transcripts may indeed be logged for the purpose of security and auditing, these repositories do not provide a commonly accessible, searchable repository. In other words, the prior art repositories are limited to full text online searches essentially by security personnel or senior management. Therefore, the knowledge generated or repeated in IM conversations isn't directly searchable or shareable across organizations. Chat clients aren't able to reference other chats and to recall them from a repository. Not all conversations are worth saving, but organizations should at least have the ability to choose whether to save all or some chats, or all or some chats on particular topics. Third, the prior art repositories do not allow filtering or searching on marked topics, nor do they log relevant metadata.
Client side repositories have at least three limitations. First, the end users are responsible for operations with the chat transcript, such as operations for cutting and pasting into email, for saving their chat transcripts, or for posting the transcripts to message boards. Leaving such actions up to each individual end user is an inconsistent process not subject to automation or to the application of business rules. Moreover, allowing users to control the save function, as well as to cut and paste the transcript, is an unreliable process that can also pose security risks due to unsupervised editing of the transcript. Second, personal saving of chats means the saved chats are not accessible among larger groups that might be interested in the content of the chat. Third, all chat participants do not have equal access to the chat history if the participants do not save the chat. Participants unfamiliar with previous conversations are often called into a new chat. Most chat applications do not provide search or filtering of a repository, or direct access to transcripts. Therefore, new participants must be given background and orientation to the topic at hand by second hand accounts (rather than the initial chat transcript). These additional messages take up time and resources.
The chat applications that do provide search or filtering of a repository have limitations. One method uses string-matching to provide search results. Yet the same string can occur within the context of many different topics. Second, known search methods do not filter based on a person's membership in a group, such as an organization, and so the abstract characteristics of who is speaking are not available as a filter. For example, a manager may want to see what people in his or her organization are chatting about, or the manager may want to search for a particular phrase within chats on a defined topic. Currently known methods do not allow for search and filtering of cross-reference among chats, even though many chat transcripts refer to previous conversations.
Therefore, a need arises for a system and method to store structured “chats” in a searchable repository on either or both of the client computer and the server computer. A need further arises for more precise searches through filtering by metadata, such as chat topic and user characteristics or by Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) data such as organization, project, or membership. A need also exists for a system and method to auto-alert and/or to export to other formats such as e-mail or content management based upon the chat topics and/or participants. Moreover, a need arises to allow for retrospective application of topics to chat transcripts that have not been tagged for particular topics by end users. In this fashion, an organization may recover information in chat transcripts according to its own needs regardless of how end users have classified that information. Organizations may also automate the tagging of chats by topic if needed. Finally, a need exists for a system and method to allow managed decisions for security purposes to specify what chats will be saved and to provide for an automatic saving of specified chats or chats on specified topics.
The present invention, which meets the needs stated above, is a system and method for storing IM text in a repository where it can be searched by topic or participant based filters. The repository may be a centralized database on the server side or it may be distributed in the client environment. The system comprises an IM Topic (IMT) program, an IM Filter (IMF) program, an IM save program (IMS), and an IM automatic alert (IMAL) program. The IMT program assigns topic tags to turns and topic shifts in the IM conversation. The IMF program searches the repository based on user selection of filters as well as full text search. There may be any number of topic tags. The IMS program automatically scans IM transcripts for topic tags and identifiers and saves transcripts or transcript segments that match pre-selected topic tags or identifiers to the repository. The IMAL program sends notifications and/or exports transcripts or transcript segments to pre-designated addresses when a match is made between a topic or identifier in a transcript and a pre-selected topic or identifier.
The novel features believed characteristic of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, as well as a preferred mode of use, further objectives and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
As used herein, the term “chat” means communication by one person at a computer with another person at a remote computer using instant messaging (IM).
As used herein, the term “chat transcript” means the text of the data transmitted by a first participant and the text of the data transmitted by a second participant during a chat.
As used herein, the term “computer” shall mean a machine having a processor, a memory, and an operating system, capable of interaction with a user or other computer, and shall include without limitation desktop computers, notebook computers, tablet computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), servers, handheld computers, and similar devices.
As used herein, the term “identifier” shall mean any metadata indicating user characteristics and may further include, without limitation, Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) data such as organization, project, or membership.
As used herein, the term “instant messaging” (IM) means a communication service that allows a user on one computer to send and receive text messages in real time with another user on a second computer connected to the first computer by the Internet.
As used herein, the term “subtopic” means a term used to further subdivide a topic and chat transcript or chat transcript segment.
As used herein, the term “topic” means a term or terms used to identify the subject of a chat transcript or of a chat transcript segment.
As used herein, the term “topic marker” means an identifier attached to a chat transcript segment as metadata.
As used herein, the term “turn” means a shift in textual communication during a chat indicated by successive statements.
As used herein, the term “topic shift” means a change from one topic or subtopic to another topic or subtopic in a chat where the change is indicated by selection of new topic or subtopic marker or by change to new topic input entry field and attachment of the new topic or subtopic marker to a chat transcript or chat transcript segment.
The internal configuration of a computer, including connection and orientation of the processor, memory, and input/output devices, is well known in the art. The present invention is a methodology that can be embodied in a computer program. Referring to
With respect to the above description, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function, manner of operation, assembly, and use are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art. The present invention encompasses all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification. The novel spirit of the present invention is still embodied by reordering or deleting some of the steps contained in this disclosure. The spirit of the invention is not meant to be limited in any way except by proper construction of the following claims.
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