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`(19) United States
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`(12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2004/0128356 A1
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`Bernstein et al.
`(43) Pub. Date:
`Jul. 1, 2004
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`US 20040128356A1
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`(54) EMAIL INTEGRATED INSTANT
`MESSAGING
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`(76)
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`Inventors: Keith Bernstein, San Francisco, CA
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`(US); Alan Chung, San Francisco, CA
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`(US)
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`Correspondence Address;
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`Glenn Patent Group
`Suite L
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`3475 Edison Way
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`Menlo Park, CA 94025 (US)
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`(21) Appl. No.2
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`(22) PCT Filed:
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`
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`10/311,259
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`Jun. 25, 2001
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`(86) PCT No.2
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`PCT/US01/20381
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`Related US. Application Data
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`(60) Provisional application No. 60/214,157, filed on Jun.
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`26, 2000.
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`Publication Classification
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`(51)
`(52)
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`Int. Cl.7 ..................................................... G06F 15/16
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`709/206; 709/203
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`(57)
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`ABSTRACT
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`A system and method supporting instant messaging which
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`removes many of the problems and barriers to the use of
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`instant messaging through the use of universally unique
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`identifiers to web pages for instant messaging sessions, with
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`recipients invited to the instant messaging session via email.
`
`
`$3561
`
`
`
`Client
`
`Computer
`
`210
`
`
`
`212
`
`
`
`
`Memory
`
`
`220 Program
`
`SyStem
`
`222
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`
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`
`224
`
`
`
`
`Server
`Computer
`
`110
`
`
`
`Database
`
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`
`
`104
`I
`
`.
`
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`
`152
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`
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`
`
`320 PSrogram
`tem
`20500
`
`322
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`User?
`300
`
`
`Users
`400
`
`
`
`
`312
`
`
`
`Client
`
`
`Computer
`310
`
`
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`
`Client
`
`Com uter
`
`p
`
`410
`
`412
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`
`
`422
`
`
`
`
`
`420 Program
`
`523%?
`
`
`102
`
`324
`
`
`
`W
`
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`
`Server Memo
`
`120
`
`Program
`
`System
`
`1000
`
`
`424
`
`
`
`Server 100
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Universaily Unique
`
`ldentifert_5_8_
`
`
`Audience List
`
`162
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`160
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`164
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`166
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`Communication
`
`
`
`
`Record 168
`
`
`» Communication History
`Communication 14_6
`
`
`
`instant
`
`Messaging
`
`Session
`130
`
`
`
`
`-
`
`
`
`.
`.
`
`Universally Unique
`
`ldentifeileg
`,
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`”5‘ use“ m
`Recipients 1§§
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`Audience Collection
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`138
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`Web Page wuth
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`ldentifer Jfl
`Received Comm from
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`
`tst Member &
`Processed
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`Communication m
`
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`Transferred
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`
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`
`Samsung v. Uniloc, |PR2017-1799
`Uniloc's Exhibit 2002, page 1
`
`Samsung v. Uniloc, IPR2017-1799
`Uniloc's Exhibit 2002, page 1
`
`

`

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`Samsung v. Uniloc, |PR2017-1799
`Uniloc's Exhibit 2002, page 2
`
`Samsung v. Uniloc, IPR2017-1799
`Uniloc's Exhibit 2002, page 2
`
`
`
`
`
`

`

`
`
`Patent Application Publication
`
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`Jul. 1, 2004 Sheet 2 of 13
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`US 2004/0128356 A1
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`
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`1 000
`
`
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`1012
`
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`
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`Creating instant messaging session with
`
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`
`
`
`universally unique identifier initiated by first
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`user for recipients designated as at least one
`
`
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`of remaining of users
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`1 024
`
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`1014
`
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`Providing instant messaging session identified
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`by universally unique identifier as formatted
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`web page to each designated recipients and to
`first user
`
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`
`
`Fig. 2A
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`1 052
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`1012
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`Receiving instant messaging session request
`
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`from first user for recipients designated by
`
`
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`
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`associated em ail address for at least one
`
`
`remaining user
`
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`Assigning universally unique identifier based
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`upon instant messaging session request
`
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`Sending instant meSSaging invitation email
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`
`message to associated email address
`
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`
`designated for each recipient
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Fig. ZB
`
`Samsung v. Uniloc, |PR2017-1799
`Uniloc's Exhibit 2002, page 3
`
`Samsung v. Uniloc, IPR2017-1799
`Uniloc's Exhibit 2002, page 3
`
`

`

`
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`Patent Application Publication
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`Jul. 1, 2004 Sheet 3 0f 13
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`US 2004/0128356 A1
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`Creating web page referenced based upon
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`universally unique identifier
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`Providing web page with area associated with
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`first user for participation
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`associated with first member
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`Providing web page with another area
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`associated with recipient for participation upon
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`response to instant messaging invitation email
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`message, for each recipient
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`Transferring received communication from
`
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`client computer operated by first member of
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`audience to all members of audience to create
`
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`transferred communication as content in area
`
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`
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`
`
`Fig. 3
`
`Samsung v. Uniloc, |PR2017-1799
`Uniloc's Exhibit 2002, page 4
`
`Samsung v. Uniloc, IPR2017-1799
`Uniloc's Exhibit 2002, page 4
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication
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`Jul. 1, 2004 Sheet 4 0f 13
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`US 2004/0128356 A1
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`1122
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`1152
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`Receiving communication from 1st member of
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`audience to create at least 1 received
`communication
`
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` Processing at least 1 received communication
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`from 1st member to create at least 1
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`processed communication from 1st member
`
` Sending at least 1 proCessed communication
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`from 1st member to create transferred
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`communication as content in area associated
`
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`With 1st member to all members of audience
`
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`with universally unique identifier
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`Maintaining database referencing history of instant messaging session
`
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`
`
`
`
`
`Fig. 48
`
`Samsung v. Uniloc, |PR2017-1799
`Uniloc's Exhibit 2002, page 5
`
`Samsung v. Uniloc, IPR2017-1799
`Uniloc's Exhibit 2002, page 5
`
`

`

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`Patent Application Publication
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`Jul. 1, 2004 Sheet 5 0f 13
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`US 2004/0128356 A1
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`1192
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`Maintaining history of instant messaging session with universally unique
`
`
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`1282
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`Sending processed communication from first member as content in area
`
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`associated with first member to history of instant messaging session with'
`
`
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`universally unique identifier
`
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`identifier for audience collection
`history-received communication from first member
`
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`Receiving transferred communication from first member at history to create
`
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`
`
`Samsung v. Uniloc, |PR2017-1799
`Uniloc's Exhibit 2002, page 6
`
`Samsung v. Uniloc, IPR2017-1799
`Uniloc's Exhibit 2002, page 6
`
`

`

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`Patent Application Publication
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`Jul. 1, 2004 Sheet 6 0f 13
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`US 2004/0128356 A1
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`Samsung v. Uniloc, |PR2017-1799
`Uniloc's Exhibit 2002, page 7
`
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`
`Samsung v. Uniloc, IPR2017-1799
`Uniloc's Exhibit 2002, page 7
`
`
`
`

`

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`Patent Application Publication
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`Jul. 1, 2004 Sheet 7 0f 13
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`US 2004/0128356 A1
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`1 262
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`Creating new communication record containing
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`1272
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`1274
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`Sending database initiating request for instant messaging session with
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`Samsung v. Uniloc, |PR2017-1799
`Uniloc's Exhibit 2002, page 8
`
`Samsung v. Uniloc, IPR2017-1799
`Uniloc's Exhibit 2002, page 8
`
`

`

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`Patent Application Publication
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`Jul. 1, 2004 Sheet 8 0f 13
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`US 2004/0128356 A1
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`1192
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`1332
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`Receiving initiating request for instant
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`messaging session with universally unique
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`identifier by first user for recipients at database
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`Creating history of instant messaging session
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`with universally unique identifier from initiating
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`request for instant messaging session with
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`universally unique identifier by first user for
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`recipients
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`1 336
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`Fig. 8A
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`1 342
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`1 372
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`Creating audience list containing references to
`
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`each member of audience collection
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`Creating a first communication record in
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`communication history based upon initiating
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`request
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`Fig. 88
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`1 374
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`
`Samsung v. Uniloc, |PR2017-1799
`Uniloc's Exhibit 2002, page 9
`
`Samsung v. Uniloc, IPR2017-1799
`Uniloc's Exhibit 2002, page 9
`
`

`

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`Patent Application Publication
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`Jul. 1, 2004 Sheet 9 0f 13
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`US 2004/0128356 A1
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`1412
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`Sending instant messaging invitation email message
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`containing body including web page actively embedded
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`to associated email address designated for at. least one
`
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`recipient
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`Sending instant messaging invitation email message
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`containing body including link to web page URL based
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`upon universally unique identifier to associated email
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`address designated for at least one recipient
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`Sending instant messaging invitation email message
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`containing body including icon referenced by universally
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`unique identifier to associated email address designated
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`for at least one recipient
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`1414
`
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`Fig. 9
`
`Samsung v. Uniloc, |PR2017-1799
`Uniloc's Exhibit 2002, page 10
`
`Samsung v. Uniloc, IPR2017-1799
`Uniloc's Exhibit 2002, page 10
`
`

`

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`Patent Application Publication
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`Jul. 1, 2004 Sheet 10 0f 13
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`US 2004/0128356 A1
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`2000
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`upon at least one member of tactile input and acoustic input from user
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`Providing support for email communication & web browser compliant
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`communication used by user with communicatively coupled server based
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`2012
`2032
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`Sending instant messaging session request
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`initiated by first user for designated recipients
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`to communicatively coupled server
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`Receiving instant messaging invitation email
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`message for user as recipient from
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`communicatively coupled server to create
`
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`received instant messaging invitation email
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`message
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`receivestransferred communication from first member
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`Receiving transferred communication from first member to create
`
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`2056
`
`2054
`
`0 Fig. 100
`
`Samsung v. Uniloc, |PR2017-1799
`Uniloc's Exhibit 2002, page 11
`
`Samsung v. Uniloc, IPR2017-1799
`Uniloc's Exhibit 2002, page 11
`
`

`

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`Patent Application Publication
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`Jul. 1, 2004 Sheet 11 0f 13
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`2042
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`Using received instant messaging invitation
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`email message by recipient to create instant
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`messaging response sent to communicatively
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`Alerting recipient of received instant messaging
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`Presenting received-transferred communication from first member as content in
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`Fig. 118
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`Samsung v. Uniloc, |PR2017-1799
`Uniloc's Exhibit 2002, page 12
`
`Samsung v. Uniloc, IPR2017-1799
`Uniloc's Exhibit 2002, page 12
`
`

`

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`Patent Application Publication
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`Jul. 1, 2004 Sheet 12 0f 13
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`US 2004/0128356 A1
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`Activating embedded web page referenced by
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`universally unique identifier in received instant
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`Activating link to web page by URL based upon
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`Activating icon referenced by universally
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`invitation email message by recipient to create
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`2130
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`Fig. 12A
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`Database
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`Universally Unique ldentiferfli
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`Audience List 162
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`Communication Record 168
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`Fig. 123
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`Samsung v. Uniloc, |PR2017-1799
`Uniloc's Exhibit 2002, page 13
`
`Samsung v. Uniloc, IPR2017-1799
`Uniloc's Exhibit 2002, page 13
`
`

`

`
`
`Patent Application Publication
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`Jul. 1, 2004 Sheet 13 0f 13
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`US 2004/0128356 A1
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`User3 400
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`User1 200- Language1 230
`User2 300- Language2 320
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`Received Comm from
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`Language1 230
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`Processed
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`Communication m - Languagez 320
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`Language3 430
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`Language1 230
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`Language3 430
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`Samsung v. Uniloc, |PR2017-1799
`Uniloc's Exhibit 2002, page 14
`
`Samsung v. Uniloc, IPR2017-1799
`Uniloc's Exhibit 2002, page 14
`
`

`

`
`
`US 2004/0128356 A1
`
`
`Jul. 1, 2004
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`EMAIL INTEGRATED INSTANT MESSAGING
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`TECHNICAL FIELD
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`[0001] This invention relates to initiation of an Instant
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`Messaging (IM) session between two or more parties and
`communication using a “standard/standalone” Instant Mes-
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`saging paradigm with or without email integration.
`BACKGROUND ART
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`[0002] There are at least four major problems that are
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`common in today’s Instant Messaging (IM) systems includ-
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`ing: “screen name” namespace problems, privacy problems,
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`lack of acceptable and automated Instant Messaging mes-
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`sage archiving, and service provider compatibility/software
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`deliverability problems.
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`[0003] The namespace problem can be broken down into
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`three sub-problems, as follows:
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`[0004]
`“Screen names” are not unique across IM provid-
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`ers. In today’s Instant Messaging software, each Instant
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`Messaging service provider maintains a separate and pro-
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`prietary “screen name” namespace. This leads to users of
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`one Instant Messaging service not being able to freely
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`communicate with the users of a different Instant Messaging
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`service provider because names in each namespace are not
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`universal, so, for example, the user “Johril” in AOL’s Instant
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`Messenger (AIM) might refer to John Smith, while “John P
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`in Yahoo’s Messenger might refer to John Jones.
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`[0005] Obtaining a desired name is difficult, and will only
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`get more difficult. The namespaces available within each
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`Instant Messaging provider are extremely crowded. For
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`example, when signing up with the largest of the Instant
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`Messaging providers, AOL’s Instant Messenger (AIM) ser-
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`vice, a typical user would rarely succeed with their first
`choice for a screen name because there are over 90 million
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`names already in use. In the case of AOL, this problem will
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`only get worse as over 3 million new users sign up for AIM
`each month.
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`[0006]
`“Screen names” frequently have little or no con-
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`nection to a person’s “real” name. Most Instant Messaging
`screen names are names like “doglover3”, “corvette33”, etc.,
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`since, as described above, names like “John Smith” have all
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`been taken. Therefore users end up with screen names which
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`are hard for others to remember. This problem is of particu-
`lar concern in the business world where universal and
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`recognizable user names are essential for conducting busi-
`ness.
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`[0007] The privacy problem can be seen as follows. In the
`Instant Messaging environments available by current Instant
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`Messaging providers a particular user’s presence online can
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`easily, or even automatically, be detected by others. When a
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`user begins an Instant Messaging session using one of these
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`Instant Messaging providers, all other users who are inter-
`ested in this user are notified that the he just went “online”.
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`Some Instant Messaging providers do provide some protec-
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`tion against this “presence detection”. They may allow users
`to set an option to either let “no one” know that they are
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`online, or to block certain people from knowing they are
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`online. Unfortunately, these type of features are cumber-
`some to use since they are not automatic and force users to
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`constantly manage who can “see” them and who can’t.
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`[0008] The Instant Messaging messaging archiving prob-
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`lem can be seen as follows. Some currently available Instant
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`Messaging client software allows users to save transcripts of
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`an Instant Messaging session as a file on their computer disk.
`But the client software does not allow them to file these
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`sessions away, title them, etc., as they would with email, and
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`the feature is cumbersome enough that most users either
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`don’t know it exists, or simply don’t use it. This gives
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`Instant Messaging a disadvantage when compared to email
`because it does not allow the user to maintain an automatic
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`archive of what was discussed in the Instant Messaging
`session.
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`[0009] There are several problems associated with Instant
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`Messaging service provider compatibility and software
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`delivery. Today, Instant Messaging service providers require
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`users download a particular piece of software to execute on
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`their computer. This type of Instant Messaging software
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`causes at least three major problems.
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`[0010] Lack of interoperability causes a significant prob-
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`lem. Each Instant Messaging service provider only supports
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`its own Instant Messaging protocol and client software.
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`Clients from one Instant Messaging service provider, using
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`that service provider’s Instant Messaging software can typi-
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`cally only communicate with other people who use the same
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`service provider and software. A person cannot arbitrarily
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`send an Instant Message to another person, unless that other
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`person uses the same Instant Messaging service provider and
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`software that
`they do. For example, “Joe” uses AOL’s
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`Instant Messenger, and “Jane” uses Yahoo’s Messenger.
`Even if Joe and Jane know each other’s screen names, they
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`cannot communicate with each other since they are using
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`different Instant Messaging service providers.
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`[0011] Lack of platform independence is another problem.
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`Today’s Instant Messaging service providers and software
`typically will only execute on a limited number of hardware
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`platforms, so users on non-supported platforms will not be
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`able to communicate with users on supported platforms.
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`[0012] The inability to work through network “firewalls ”
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`causes additional problems. The current Instant Messaging
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`service providers and software offerings will typically not
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`work through “firewalls”. Since most business enterprises
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`have firewalls in place, these programs preclude users inside
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`the organization from communicating with users outside of
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`the organization. Additionally, as home networks become
`more prevalent,
`the use of firewalls will become more
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`common and the significance of this problem will increase.
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
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`[0013] Certain embodiments of the present invention are
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`directed to a system supporting the initiation of an Instant
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`Messaging (IM) session between two or more parties
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`through the use of email programs and standard web brows-
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`ers. Additionally, it allows users to communicate using a
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`“standard/standalone” Instant Messaging paradigm (i.e.
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`without email integration) which affords users the features
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`of today’s popular Instant Messaging services, but also
`provides at least the additional benefits listed in the sum-
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`mary.
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`[0014] Regarding the namespace problem, users are not
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`required to use proprietary “screen names”. Instead,
`the
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`inventive system allows the parties to use their email address
`Samsung v. Uniloc, |PR2017-1799
`Uniloc's Exhibit 2002, page 15
`
`
`
`Samsung v. Uniloc, IPR2017-1799
`Uniloc's Exhibit 2002, page 15
`
`

`

`
`
`US 2004/0128356 A1
`
`
`Jul. 1, 2004
`
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`as their “screen name”. Email addresses have the advantages
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`that they are much more pervasive and established than
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`typical Instant Messaging “screen names”, and valid email
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`addresses are guaranteed to be universally unique names.
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`[0015] The present invention details a process whereby a
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`computer user may send an “IM Enhanced” or “Live” email
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`to another person, using a standard email program, by
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`knowing only the recipient’s email address.
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`[0016] Regarding the privacy problem, when an Instant
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`Messaging session is initiated via email, strict privacy rules
`are enforced in a non-intrusive manner; one user cannot
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`“blindly” initiate a messaging session with another user,
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`unless the second user accepts the Instant Messaging invi-
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`tation. Furthermore, the initial chat request is not delivered
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`via an Instant Message, rather, it is delivered in an email.
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`Upon receipt of the email invitation, the recipient initiates an
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`Instant Messaging conversation with the sender (who’s
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`acceptance is implicit since the sender initiated the Instant
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`Messaging request). When an Instant Messaging session is
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`initiated via the “standalone” Instant Messaging web page,
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`the user is able to control presence detection in the same
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`sorts of ways as most commonly available Instant Messag-
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`ing software allows.
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`invention also details the process
`[0017] The present
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`whereby users may indicate that presence detection is
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`allowed only to certain individuals simply by sending those
`individuals an email/IM invitation. This email becomes the
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`implicit “permission” for the recipient to converse with the
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`sender, so no other action is required on the part of the
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`sender. This provides a very dynamic and powerful means of
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`granting “permission” to message, and the permissions may
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`even be email message specific. This means that if Joe sends
`Jane an IM-enhanced email, Jane would be able to commu-
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`nicate to Joe through that email, but
`if Jane used the
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`standalone Instant Messaging service, she may not by able
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`detect Joe’s presence, assuming Joe has “total privacy”
`selected.
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`[0018] The sender is not able to initiate the Instant Mes-
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`saging conversation in any way other than through an email.
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`This prevents users from getting Instant Messaging “spam”.
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`If the recipient accepts the Instant Messaging invitation
`included in the email, they can begin a conversation with the
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`sender (who is assumed to have implicitly accepted IMs
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`from the recipient). Since these Instant Messaging conver-
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`sations are initiated via email,
`the spam problem is also
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`addressed by leveraging all of the protections already in
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`place for protecting users against email spam, this includes
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`eXisting legislation, filtering software, etc.
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`[0019] Regarding the problem of Instant Messaging mes-
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`sage archiving, users may choose to permanently save
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`Instant Messaging sessions in much the same way that they
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`save email. The Instant Messaging session might even be
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`saved as part of the email. This allows Instant Messaging
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`archives to be referred back to in the future. Additionally, if
`there was an Instant Messaging session as a result of an
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`email, that Instant Messaging session will be automatically
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`saved in conjunction with the email, so that anytime in the
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`future the user chooses to read that particular piece of email,
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`they will also see the associated messaging.
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`[0020] Upon receiving such an email, the recipient will be
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`able to read the email “body” as they always have, and
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`below the email body will be an area in which to participate
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`in an Instant Messaging conversation with the sender.
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`[0021] As the Instant Messaging session proceeds, it is
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`constantly being saved on the server computer, which pro-
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`vides the Instant Messaging support. This allows users to file
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`away emails as always, and at any future time, when they
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`view the email, the full transcript of the Instant Messaging
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`session will also appear. This allows users to both maintain
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`conversations about the email together with the email, as
`well as to maintain an automatic archive of their Instant
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`Messaging session (users would, of course, be able to
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`disable this feature).
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`[0022] Regarding Instant Messaging service provider
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`compatibility and software delivery problems, no explicit
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`signup or software is needed. Sender and recipient need not
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`be signed up with a common Instant Messaging service
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`provider, or any service provider at all in order to message
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`each other. Users may “message” each other without the
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`need for explicit client software downloads. Messaging is
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`performed with standard DHTML within an email window
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`[though the Instant Messaging part of this invention can also
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`be utilized in an “IM only” mode, without the use of email].
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`[0023] This “IM area” is rendered within the email mes-
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`sage, using only generally available browser technologies,
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`such as DHTML. No other software is required for the user
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`to download, and no “plugins” are required. This allows any
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`user with a popular browser to immediately, and seamlessly,
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`participate in an Instant Messaging session.
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`[0024] The whole Instant Messaging session takes place
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`using only the publicly-defined internet protocol known as
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`HTTP allowing Instant Messaging conversations to take
`place across firewalls. The present invention also details the
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`process whereby a computer user may send or receive
`“standard” Instant Messages,
`from a web-based Instant
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`Messaging web page/application. The implementation of
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`this “standalone” web page uses the same software “engine”
`as the software described above, which allows users to
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`Instant Messaging each other within their emails. Though
`there are many benefits to the email/Im solution, a standa-
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`lone solution is required as well, since the sender needs a
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`way to communicate with the recipient once the recipient
`chooses to initiate an Instant Messaging session. Addition-
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`ally, users often choose to communicate only via Instant
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`Messages, and not use email. It is in the standalone incan-
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`tation of this software where the privacy and presence-
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`hiding and http presence-detection features of this software
`shine.
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`[0025] These and other advantages of the present inven-
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`tion will become apparent upon reading the following
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`detailed descriptions and studying the various figures of the
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`drawings.
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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`[0026] FIG. 1 depicts a system comprising a server 100
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`communicatively coupled to associated client computers
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`used by users supporting email communications and web
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`browser compliant communications to provide instant mes-
`saging between at least two of the users;
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`[0027] FIG. 2A depicts a detail flowchart of server pro-
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`gram system 1000 of FIG. 1 for supporting instant messag-
`ing between at least two of the users;
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`Samsung v. Uniloc, |PR2017-1799
`Uniloc's Exhibit 2002, page 16
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`Samsung v. Uniloc, IPR2017-1799
`Uniloc's Exhibit 2002, page 16
`
`

`

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`US 2004/0128356 A1
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`Jul. 1, 2004
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`[0028] FIG. 2B depicts a detail flowchart of operation
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`1012 of FIG. 2A for creating the instant messaging session;
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`[0029] FIG. 3 depicts a detail flowchart of operation 1022
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`of FIG. 1 for providing the instant messaging session;
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`[0030] FIG. 4A depicts a detail flowchart of operation
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`1122 of FIG. 3 for transferring the at least one received
`communication from the first member;
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`[0031] FIG. 4B depicts a detail flowchart of server pro-
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`gram system 1000 of FIG. 1 for supporting instant messag-
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`ing between at least two users;
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`[0032] FIG. 5A depicts a detail flowchart of operation
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`1192 of FIG. 4B for maintaining the database referencing
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`the history;
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`[0033] FIG. 5B depicts a detail flowchart of operation
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`1172 of FIG. 4A for sending the at