Patent ID: 9043410
Filing Date: 2015-05-26
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: receiving, at an instant messaging client application executing on a first terminal, a text-based message from a second terminal over a packet-based communication network, the text-based message comprising a citation of a previously-communicated text-based message and a token, the token automatically generated and included with the text-based message responsive to a paste operation at the second user terminal to paste text of the previously-communicated text-based message into the text-based message, the token comprising context information identifying a thread of the previously-communicated text-based message and a location of the previously-communicated text-based message within the thread; processing the text-based message at the first terminal to extract the token from the text-based message, and using the token to recover one or more other previously-communicated text-based messages of the thread; causing display of an on-screen control that, responsive to selection, causes display of the previously-communicated text-based message and the one or more other previously-communicated text based messages of the thread arranged in an order at which the previously-communicated text-based message and the one or more other previously-communicated text-based messages were received in the thread, wherein the first terminal is used to participate in a plurality of threads, and wherein the text-based message is part of a different thread than the thread of the previously-communicated text-based message, wherein the on-screen control is configured to cause the first terminal to switch between the threads responsive to actuation of the on-screen control, and wherein an authorization procedure is performed at the first terminal to ensure said switching is conditional upon the a user of the first terminal having been a legitimate participant of the thread of the previously-communicated text-based message.