Patent ID: 7353247
Filing Date: 2008-04-01
Classification: G06Q,H04L

Abstract:
1. At a computer system configured to manage an online chat session relating to a specified subject being discussed between a plurality of members of a group of chat participants, the group including a plurality of computer users, a computer implemented method for including a plurality of computer users as members of the group of chat participants and a plurality of software resources as members of the group of chat participants within the online chat session conducted through a messaging service, each software resource in the plurality of software resources being includable in the online chat session, comprising the steps of: (a) receiving a first request to add a first software resource to an online chat session from a first member of the online chat session, each of the plurality of software resources being available to participate in the online chat session, when added by a chat session member; (b) receiving a second request to add a second software resource to the online chat session from a second member of the online chat session; (c) including both the first software resource and the second software resource, along with the plurality of computer users, as members in a group of online chat participants, each member in the group of chat participants, including the software resources, capable of sending a plain language message relating to the specified subject being discussed to all the other members in the group of chat participants, including those software resources that have been added by online chat session members including at least the first and second software resources; (d) one of the plurality of computer users transmitting the plain language message to a plurality of members of the group of online chat participants, including the plurality of software resources that have been added by online chat session members; (e) the first software resource receiving from a member of the group of chat participants a submission of a plain language message related to the specified subject being discussed; (f) the first software resource parsing each received plain language message to generate a query for data related to the specified subject being discussed, the parsing performed in response to receiving the plain language messages; (g) the first software resource submitting the generated query to at least one database to obtain data specific to the subject being discussed; (h) the first software resource receiving a response to the query from at least one of the at least one databases; (i) the first software resource determining a plain language response to the message based on the received database response, the plain language response being related to the subject being discussed; and (j) the first software resource transmitting the plain language response back to all of the members of the group of chat participants, including the member that submitted the plain language message and including at least one other member that did not submit the plain language message, thus enabling each member of the group of chat participants to equally interact with the software resource as another participant in the online chat session, by responding to the plain language message relating to the specified subject being discussed.